USB/Audio port shorting out iPhone?
 

Something strange happened with my BRZ the other day...

My friend and I were in the car and we started listening to music off his iPhone through an FM transmitter which we always used. Then I realized that I had a USB/Audio port to iPhone cable which we plugged into his iPhone.

Music started playing as expected but after about 5 minutes, the phone became disconnected and we tried to connect it again. It failed 2 more times so we tried to play music from his phone through the iPhone speakers. It didnt work. His phone only charges through the wall charger and not any other device such as a computer.

We talked about the possibility of the car shorting out the phone somehow. What is the feasibility of this claim? If it was somewhat feasible, how would I even get Subaru to diagnose this? They would need an iPhone to test on, which could possibly break...I doubt they have an iPhone at their disposal to test it on...If it is somehow determined that the car broke the iPhone, would they even compensate my friend for his broken one?

On a side note, another strange thing happened with my iPhone a day before this happened. I had it plugged into my computer...I then touched my iPhone, got shocked by it and my computer turned off.

Can anyone chime in on either situation?

When I bought my new FR-S in Feb 2013 my USB port didn't work from the get go. I had the technicians try various components to find the issue. They ended up ordering a new port and installing it free of charge since the car is under warranty. I would just go have it replaced. I've heard from a few others that they have had the same or similar issues.

I suspect his iPhone had some flaky grounding problem to begin with given your shocking experience with it on your computer. I would be surprised, in any event, if Subaru compensates for this as there's no way to prove it was done by the car, unless the test the head unit and determine there's a short there.

Even if there was a short, I would think the iPhone itself has some ground fault type protection in that USB connection, no?

I would be surprised if Subaru compensates as well because theres really no way to prove it except use another iPhone....and I dont really want to use mine to test it incase it breaks.

I'm not sure about the ground protection. I just found it odd that his phone shorted out, and my phone turned off my computer after a shock. Not really knowledgeable about the inner workings of electronics.