New Member, serious issue, car immobilized

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Greetings all. We are quickly becoming a Subaru family. On our 2nd Outback(2012, 2015) and first XV Crosstrek (2015). Great cars for New England and overall.

I guess I will detail my situation here to get the most eyes on it:

* Bottomline: 2015 XV Crosstrek with 50K miles dead-in-the-water for over 3 months now. It's been at a dealer for over 2 months. I am ashamed and saddened by *my own* actions that lead me here: tapping into some wires in the overhead console (map-light area).

* Dealership situation: Was updated Friday (2 days ago, after 3 weeks of no communication I called for update). I am into this for at least $1600 at this point. Dealer service replaced Body Integrated Unit (BIU) with ZERO result. They now say they want to try the "key access module" (I think that's what they called it) for $1000. They also say since I grounded a wire to the iSight camera, that will be another about $3000. They say they need to just replace stuff until it works. What's interesting is that they don't know how much anything costs. They thought *about* $600 for the BIU, now they think *maybe* $1000 for key access module, and they don't know how much an iSight camera costs but once they did one and it cost $3000.

* Vehicle Status: Key fobs do NOTHING. As far as I know, the interior lights come on, the interior door lock buttons work, and there is a single light on the dashboard: a picture of a car with a lock on it. That's it. If you close the door while locked, it can only be opened with the physical key. Absolutely no computer access according to the service department.

* WHAT I DID: Attempting to connect a Rove Dash Cam, I tried using a popular adapter with the *unused* 3-prong rear-view mirror plug in the overhead console/map-light area. The car has a regular rear-view mirror with a manual switch for day/night driving but the plug for it is there. When I plugged my adapter in, I discovered there was no power at all. I couldn't find anything about a specific fuse for that connector so I used a multimeter to probe the wire-harnesses up there for 12 Volts and tapped my camera in.

I *thought* I had a decent ground in the unused rear-view power adapter but I did NOT (camera would not work). My multimeter just showed 12V so I tested by connecting my phone to the wires I had tapped into and I discovered it would cycle between charging and not-charging every second or so. I decided to move the ground wire to a bolt that was holding the iSight camera. The hot-wire was a random wire in one of the harnesses up there; one that had probes as 12V.

Rove Camera is WORKING: Tapping a hot-wire from a harness and grounding to a metal bolt connecting the iSight to the chassis, the camera worked. I took the car for a ride and everything was fine. Got home, retrieved video footage and celebrated my *genius* electrical work.

* Side-view mirrors and seat-heaters NOT working: Next morning, my daughter got in to drive (my Mother died 2 years ago and left this car to my daughter who now has her driving permit). My daughter tells me she can't adjust the side-view mirrors. I see in the manual it is the same fuse for mirrors and seat-heaters. She drives to school and I drive back home, about 20 miles total. I replace the blown fuse when I get home. Turn the car on, and ALL the idiot lights are on. Car starts and works, but no iSight, engine oil light on, transmission light on.....basically every light like a Xmas tree.

* ODBII Reader: I connect my ODBII reader expecting 20 error codes, but there is only one, showing a CVT transmission problem diagnosing a possible open circuit. I checked the fuse under the hood but it was fine so I used the ODB reader to clear the code and see if it came back or something else..... that was it, after clearing the code the car became a brick as described above. Key fobs don't work, must use the physical key to unlock the door, map-lights work, door button for lock/unlock work, one light on dash showing half-car with a padlock on it.

* Pleas for help: Any advice or suggestions? The dealer is telling me they need to replace various modules until it works. The last communication puts me at about $6000 to fix the car but they don't know if it will fix the car, I just need to keep paying for new parts until it works. I feel like I am being taken for a ride but cannot deny my own hand in this.

I am ready to pay what I owe, cut bait and start fishing for another car but not gonna lie I feel it is odd that the dealer is unable to repair and is absolutely clueless on what to do.

I know this is quite a long post. Hopefully the bullet points help keep things clear.
 
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You didn't by chance cut into the CAN BUS did you? It's up in that area for the eyesight cameras. Screw up the CAN BUS and all sorts of crap goes on the blink. The CAN BUS is a three wire serial buss that interconnects many system parts to the computers distributed throughout the car.

Dealer mechanics are part swapping idiots for the most part and know little to nothing about the cars or systems they work on. Sadly, not all but most fall into this catagory.
They shotgun swapping parts until they accidentally sometimes cure a problem through pure dumb luck alone selling you expensive parts along the way to max out their profit, while concealing their ignorance.
The same applies thing to many areas today including most of the trades, plumbers, electricians, you name it.
 
You didn't by chance cut into the CAN BUS did you? <snip>
I almost certainly did cut into that, judging by the Google image results! As I recall, there were 3 or 4 large plugs up there and I spliced into a wire that had a plug containing 16-20 wires.

I neglected to mention probably my BIGGEST mistake. I disconnected a spliced wire to instead just ground to the chassis (using a bolt that attached the eyesight assembly to the car) and there was definitely a spark as I moved the wire. A very tiny spark but I saw it.

Thank you for your response. It is more helpful than you might think! (see my next reply)
 
This. You need a diagnostician. I'd not pay for anything they do so far.

Thank you for your response. Part of these past 2 months of nothingness has been waiting for the special Subaru tech to come in for a consult.

I understand your sentiment of not paying for "so far" but the truth is I agreed to "try" the BIU with the understanding that I would pay for it if it didn't work.

Ultimately, from my perspective now, I can't justify paying to throw parts AND time at this ($160/hour....they certainly know that number). I should just eat my mistake, pay for and retrieve the car and buy another one. Not made of money here but paying an additional $4,000 for a BIG maybe seems foolish when that money could go toward a car I know enough not to mess with by now.

My shame and embarrassment are huge here....paying more for possibly nothing will only make that worse. Kinda just want to put this behind me (it is eating away at me).

I genuinely appreciate your response. Thank you.
 
Just so we're clear, you did all of this with power to the battery? NOt any great way of knowing what was damaged, if that is how you did it.
 
Thank you for your response. Part of these past 2 months of nothingness has been waiting for the special Subaru tech to come in for a consult.

I understand your sentiment of not paying for "so far" but the truth is I agreed to "try" the BIU with the understanding that I would pay for it if it didn't work.

Ultimately, from my perspective now, I can't justify paying to throw parts AND time at this ($160/hour....they certainly know that number). I should just eat my mistake, pay for and retrieve the car and buy another one. Not made of money here but paying an additional $4,000 for a BIG maybe seems foolish when that money could go toward a car I know enough not to mess with by now.

My shame and embarrassment are huge here....paying more for possibly nothing will only make that worse. Kinda just want to put this behind me (it is eating away at me).

I genuinely appreciate your response. Thank you.
It is likely still a great parts car for someone, or a project. I don't think you're in for a new harness and to continue diagnosing. I'm not sure i'd be. Or buy another just like it and keep this one for parts.

Crap happens. Don't beat yourself up over it.
 

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