Subaru trying to deny my warranty please help!

[Jordan Silveira]

Originally Posted by FRSBRZGT86FAN

That's exactly what has happened they're too lazy to finish the diagnosis

Those are my beliefs exactly. I was told by a service advisor who did the initial diagnosis they hadn't seen anything like this before but they were receiving readouts of "0" and then he asked if I had ever tuned or flashed the car to which I staunchly denied. The next day, his boss, the service manager asks me for a history of the car and then tells me I'm dishonest because he's found a tune for COBB, which he later redacted and said he was inaccurate and upon speaking with a SoA technician about the readings, it was a 2015 BRZ profile and that the calibration ID/numbers were off which is why he still claims the car was "tuned/flashed". It sounds like they were unsure of what it could be and the easy guaranteed fix would be a new ECU, but because we are unsure why the ECU is spitting out "0's" how about we act like it's the customer's fault and see if he'll own up to this. I know, call me the most paranoid and ridiculous person but I doubt anyone tuned or flashed the car with only 193 miles on it when I picked it.

[theadmiral976]

I would heed Wayno's advice from your duplicate post in the Software Tuning sub and check the battery for a mild voltage drop with a multimeter. The batteries on these cars are by no means bulletproof and it's hard to know how long the tint shop were working before they finally disconnected the battery. Even slight drain on the battery is enough to cause hard and no start issues on this car. Further, these are not maintenance-free batteries and while your car is a 2016, its possible that you have an electrolyte imbalance due to a port/dealer prep error. If you don't have a multimeter, or don't feel comfortable checking the battery, get a known good battery from a friend's car and plop it in to see what happens.

[Jordan Silveira]

Originally Posted by theadmiral976

I would heed Wayno's advice from your duplicate post in the Software Tuning sub and check the battery for a mild voltage drop with a multimeter. The batteries on these cars are by no means bulletproof and it's hard to know how long the tint shop were working before they finally disconnected the battery. Even slight drain on the battery is enough to cause hard and no start issues on this car. Further, these are not maintenance-free batteries and while your car is a 2016, its possible that you have an electrolyte imbalance due to a port/dealer prep error. If you don't have a multimeter, or don't feel comfortable checking the battery, get a known good battery from a friend's car and plop it in to see what happens.

I will definitely give that a try! Whenever the car comes in my possession again of course. Thank you so much for the advice.

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by theadmiral976

I would heed Wayno's advice from your duplicate post in the Software Tuning sub and check the battery for a mild voltage drop with a multimeter. The batteries on these cars are by no means bulletproof and it's hard to know how long the tint shop were working before they finally disconnected the battery. Even slight drain on the battery is enough to cause hard and no start issues on this car. Further, these are not maintenance-free batteries and while your car is a 2016, its possible that you have an electrolyte imbalance due to a port/dealer prep error. If you don't have a multimeter, or don't feel comfortable checking the battery, get a known good battery from a friend's car and plop it in to see what happens.

Originally Posted by Jordan Silveira

I will definitely give that a try! Whenever the car comes in my possession again of course. Thank you so much for the advice.

Our batteries suck ass, the BR-Zs specifically have more instances of there batteries becoming useless at the 4 year mark due to there accessories while the car sit vs the FR-S. It's worth the upgrade to an optima red top, the CCAs will be almost double the stock battery.


Also if subaru sits on there ass, I suggest going to an independent tuning shop or someone with an OFT to actually read your cal id and see what's up

[steve99]

Originally Posted by Jordan Silveira

I will definitely give that a try! Whenever the car comes in my possession again of course. Thank you so much for the advice.

I would get the dealer to state exactly what they reckon happen to the ECU.

Get them to specifiy the CALID of the ECU software they found and the calid of the ecu software they recon should be in the ECU. the ECU software sometimes changes mid model due updates.

for MY2015/16 cars their was at least ZA1ZF00C and ZA1JF40C and if it was rearly early 2015 it might have even been ZA1JD00C.

And get them to specificly state how they determined that the ecu was flashed/tuned. and what they reckon the tune or calid is.

Ask them to put it in writing, often the service manager is a "manager" and knows little technical about cars, the Technicians tell them stuff they dont inderstand and then they try to explain it to you.

Maybe they just got confused as to the correct calid for your car.

If they can actually talk to the ecu and request the calid and get diagnostics from its then its almost certain that their is NOTHING wrong with the ecu.

but try a new battery first.

all those counters/timers in the ecu get reset to 0 if you have a flat battery, i know this 100%. This may make the dealer think its been flashed or reset as same thing happen on flash/reset with those internal counters.

[steve99]

Originally Posted by nikitopo

In any case I wouldn't like to be in such a situation. I hope this guy to find a solution quickly ...

yes unfortunaly dealers often speak BS and hope the person just wears it

Im sure they have lots of problems with tunes going bad, but they need to get their facts straight.

This case rearly looks like BS and the dealer thinks the ecu is bad when all it is is a electrical issue or a flat battery.

[Jordan Silveira]

@steve99 As always I appreciate your very helpful advice. I unfortunately have to take a train (instead of the wonderful vehicle we all get to drive) to San Diego for work until Wednesday evening. By that time I anticipate SoA will have made a decision on the warranty work. Nonetheless, I will definitely be using your questioning as a script for when the final verdict comes in. Even though the service manager already has tried to dismiss a battery issue I will keep pressing. Thank you again Steve! Your input is very much appreciated!

[Summerwolf]

Lol, what if they just drained the battery during tint because of an interior light or something staying on? Jfc.... what a mess.

[Braces]

Subscribed. Can't wait to hear the end of the story.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Summerwolf

Lol, what if they just drained the battery during tint because of an interior light or something staying on? Jfc.... what a mess.

This all day long.


Didn't realize there were two threads going on for this.


My comment from the other thread:


At no point in this saga have I seen any indication that the battery power was checked. The car is known to have sat for hours (if not a whole day) with the doors open which means lights were on.


"The vehicle had full electricity from alarms, stereo, lights, etc. However, the engine would not turn over (crank)." Has low battery written all over it.


Car won't start? Step one, check battery power.


All the ECU statements are red herrings. The ECU being a problem would not prevent the car from turning over.


The conspiracy theories are hilarious however!

[Summerwolf]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

This all day long.


Didn't realize there were two threads going on for this.


My comment from the other thread:


At no point in this saga have I seen any indication that the battery power was checked. The car is known to have sat for hours (if not a whole day) with the doors open which means lights were on.


"The vehicle had full electricity from alarms, stereo, lights, etc. However, the engine would not turn over (crank)." Has low battery written all over it.


Car won't start? Step one, check battery power.


All the ECU statements are red herrings. The ECU being a problem would not prevent the car from turning over.


The conspiracy theories are hilarious however!

He said the tow truck driver tried to jump it. I just would like to hear this guy has a car to drive to work soon, lol.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Summerwolf

He said the tow truck driver tried to jump it. I just would like to hear this guy has a car to drive to work soon, lol.

Loads of reasons why a jump won't take so still no further ahead.
And it still does not point to an ECU issue.

[Summerwolf]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Loads of reasons why a jump won't take so still no further ahead.

Very true!

[Romanov]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

At no point in this saga have I seen any indication that the battery power was checked. The car is known to have sat for hours (if not a whole day) with the doors open which means lights were on.


"The vehicle had full electricity from alarms, stereo, lights, etc. However, the engine would not turn over (crank)." Has low battery written all over it.


Car won't start? Step one, check battery power.


All the ECU statements are red herrings. The ECU being a problem would not prevent the car from turning over.


The conspiracy theories are hilarious however!

I've had this happen during a parking ramp where my lights were on for about an hour. Battery was low but everything on the inside was working (headunit, lights ect). Just wouldn't start/crank. I Rolled it down the ramp and popped the clutch to start it.

I would definitely look into seeing if another battery would start the car. Jumps don't always work.