Steering wheel locked Towed to dealer

[kmac_brz]

Originally Posted by stugray

Now that you see that there were significant modifications to the electrical system of the car, don't you feel stupid for sh|t-talking about the dealer before you had all of the facts?


The FACT is that the OP is screwed. They can now attribute ANY problem with the car to the modifications to the electrical system (justified or not) and it would be up to the OP to prove otherwise


If the OP had bought the car used from a Subaru dealer (like I did), then he would have some legal standing as the dealer could be held liable for not disclosing (or fixing) the modifications.

Never talked shit stated facts about how I'll informed all involved at subaru were and still are. Told me headlights were LED, called my car a disaster, told me he didn't have to show me anything when I asked to be proven that the non working light bar destroyed the BCM 6 months later. So no I don't feel bad I was stating facts the service manager knew nothing and got defensive and argumentative when I challenged him, but thanks for the input.

[kmac_brz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

If the bars are still there then you may be out of luck. I thought everything had been gone for a while. It is a known fact that improperly (or some times even properly) installed lights can fry the BCU so hard to argue if evidence of them is still there.
Did you sign a service document when you took it in? If you did then the fine print probably says that they will be paid for any diagnostic work required to identify the issue. If you signed anything ask to see it and any such clause. They have these contracts to avoid being screwed over by doing non warranty work and then not being paid for it. They are a for profit business not a public service. Now of course if you can get it done under warranty then the fee will be waived.
As much as I would like to be optimistic for you, I don't think this is going to go well.

The car was dropped off by a tow truck I was not there he called and told me if it wasn't warranty it was 120$ per hour. He then called back and said it was my steering gear which he was waiting to hear from warranty claims. Calls back 2 days later says I need a BCM because of an LED lighting and it's 240 for diagnostics, which I never told him to go any further with after I heard we were waiting for a steering gear warranty issue.

[stugray]

Originally Posted by kmac_brz

Never talked shit stated facts about how I'll informed all involved at subaru were and still are. Told me headlights were LED, called my car a disaster, told me he didn't have to show me anything when I asked to be proven that the non working light bar destroyed the BCM 6 months later. So no I don't feel bad I was stating facts the service manager knew nothing and got defensive and argumentative when I challenged him, but thanks for the input.

That statement was directed at 'why' not you sorry for the misunderstanding.

The truth is that these car's BCU is very fragile for some unkonwn reason.
They seem to burn up whenever you change the loads or short out the system when installing the aftermarket bulbs (it doesnt just blow a fuse).
It is documented well on dozens of threads on this forum.

So if the dealer sees that someone installed aftermarket lighting and spliced it into any of the car's other electrical system, they have grounds to blame that mod on a BCU failure and they dont have to "prove" anything other than " electrical mods were made".

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by kmac_brz

The car was dropped off by a tow truck I was not there he called and told me if it wasn't warranty it was 120$ per hour. He then called back and said it was my steering gear which he was waiting to hear from warranty claims. Calls back 2 days later says I need a BCM because of an LED lighting and it's 240 for diagnostics, which I never told him to go any further with after I heard we were waiting for a steering gear warranty issue.

OK so then he verbally gave you the fine print. Unless you specifically told them to stop looking after the first diagnosis then they were still authorised by you to continue.
You say the lights weren't working. Were they still hooked up?

[kmac_brz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

OK so then he verbally gave you the fine print. Unless you specifically told them to stop looking after the first diagnosis then they were still authorised by you to continue.
You say the lights weren't working. Were they still hooked up?

Yes, they are still hooked up, but haven't worked for a long time so I don't see how they could have done anything when they don't work

[vroom4]

Sounds like mods did cause this. Pay up and move on.

[pantdino]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

If the bars are still there then you may be out of luck. I thought everything had been gone for a while. It is a known fact that improperly (or some times even properly) installed lights can fry the BCU so hard to argue if evidence of them is still there.
Did you sign a service document when you took it in? If you did then the fine print probably says that they will be paid for any diagnostic work required to identify the issue. If you signed anything ask to see it and any such clause. They have these contracts to avoid being screwed over by doing non warranty work and then not being paid for it. They are a for profit business not a public service. Now of course if you can get it done under warranty then the fee will be waived.
As much as I would like to be optimistic for you, I don't think this is going to go well.

But those service agreements should have an estimate listed. If there is none listed, at least in CA I believe you are not obligated to pay it.

Is there an estimate listed?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by kmac_brz

Yes, they are still hooked up, but haven't worked for a long time so I don't see how they could have done anything when they don't work

UMMM the very fact that they are hooked up but don't work could be an indicator they caused the problem.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by pantdino

But those service agreements should have an estimate listed. If there is none listed, at least in CA I believe you are not obligated to pay it.

Is there an estimate listed?

The service agreements did have the $120 an hour diagnostic charge presented to him verbally and at this point that is all the dealer has asked for.

[pantdino]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

The service agreements did have the $120 an hour diagnostic charge presented to him verbally and at this point that is all the dealer has asked for.

So if they had worked for 2 days without finding the cause he would owe them 2K?

I an only speak for how things work in CA


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[pantdino]

Originally Posted by kmac_brz

Yes, they are still hooked up, but haven't worked for a long time so I don't see how they could have done anything when they don't work

But they only have your word for it that they haven't worked for a long time. Lots of people would lie about that to save $


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[ryoma]

since they found out about the extra lighting that was probably incorrectly installed... sounds like you're out of luck on this.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by pantdino

So if they had worked for 2 days without finding the cause he would owe them 2K?

I an only speak for how things work in CA


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If they worked solid for 2 days then yes.
There are guys on here that have been slapped with that bill. If I remember right one was in California.

[pantdino]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

If they worked solid for 2 days then yes.
There are guys on here that have been slapped with that bill. If I remember right one was in California.

Legally the repair facility has to give a dollar amount estimate and call the owner if the repair will exceed that amount. If it wasn't in CA or the owner trusted the shop and paid that's another matter.