what weird problems have you run into?

I have been in the 12v industry for 15 years and have seen some goofy thing. Post here some of the weird things you guys have found. Weird things that happen say when something was unplugged or done wrong by someone else.

Ex:

I had a Nissan 370z come in for audio, and upon reassembly neither power window would operate. A dealer had to reset the drivers door control module.

I called a dealer when a customer came in with an 05 Silverado that wanted power folding mirrors (factory) installed. They said the harness was there and all you had to do was plug it in. The dealer ended up having to replace the body control module because the factory didnt install the correct software! Luckily it was no charge to anyone.

Our shop supervisor had a 2002 gmc sierra come in once, that had the current 2007+ hybrid passlock3 system in it. That was fun trying to figure out back then! I guess it was sent to a dealership as a test only vehicle and somehow it had gotten sold by mistake. Thats what the tech at gm said when I gave him the VIN anyways.

these i discovered along the way when installing. no major issues yet.

any honda or nissan. if you reverse the can hi/low wires it will still program for immobilizer, but the can features (locks, trunk, triggers etc wont work)

2006+ lexus 2011+ toyota if you disconnect the battery, you are unable to roll down windows from the master switch. you have to reprogram by rolling it down (at the door switch at each door) roll up and hold until you hear the door relay click.

all newer euro cars, if batteries and you have to boost it, the entire electrical system goes haywire, and a dealer scan tool reset is required. just battery tend and you should be fine.

domestics try to use a resistor closest to the value, or during cold temps the resistance value alters, and causes a wack load of issues.


-------------
Ted
2nd Year Tier 1 Medical School
Still installing as a hobby...pays for groceries
Compustar Expert

Ted, found that out about BMWs when they launched the X5, we had a workshop in those days, big audio/video job so we decided to disconnect the battery.
Yes the light show, we took it to a local dealer got charged 1 hour to put seat covers on, drive into workshop, plug-in, erase and test!
We pointed out that between the shop owner and myself we'd done work for them for 15 years, to be told the work we'd done was for the sales dept. and this was service, each had to make their own profits.
We just overcharged by $100 on the next three they sent us.
And after that kept a large charger starter on trickle with no battery disconnects!
Had an apprentice once telling me he couldn't get a reading from a Mac 120, which has a probe, pos and neg battery clips and red and green polarity conscious LEDs.
I saw that he had it plugged into one car's battery whilst he was testing another vehicle.
No comment.

-------------
Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

a porsche panamera S came in to get tint, the batt died and it costs 600 to get it serviced. the owner didnt blame us, rather the dealer for putting such a large battery (looks like 2 standard car batts) and it died in 45 min. had the dome lights, parking lights ,etc all off. lesson learned, so i bought 2 large charges for the shop.

-------------
Ted
2nd Year Tier 1 Medical School
Still installing as a hobby...pays for groceries
Compustar Expert

My first meeting with a Panamera, I was joining a highway when what at first glance appeared to be a 911 passing, and passing and passing and passing.
Then there's the early shape Cayenne, that one from the front looks like a Mini on steroids!
Mind you that was aimed at my partner who had one at the time.
Great all weather vehicle, NOT first bit of snow, then froze then ice on a hill with the ABS and traction control doing sweet FA = $4000 worth to the front end, why make a vehicle like that and then put low profile tyres on it?
Because for Germany and Scandinavia it's a legal requirement to have winter tyres but not in the UK (have they not heard of Scotland?).

-------------
Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Unrelated to audio. My detailer was cleaning an 08 Toyota Hilander hybrid. Extracted the back seats. Battery was dead . Jumped it . Shut off immediately. Towed to Toyota.
Got the hybrid batteries wet under back seat. 8,000$

OUCH! and you wonder why I hate dealing with modern cars?

-------------
Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

racerjames76 wrote:

---

I had a Nissan 370z come in for audio, and upon reassembly neither power window would operate. A dealer had to reset the drivers door control module.

---

its like that on all the higher end nissans and infinitys. you unplugged the drivers window switch and turned the car on which makes the car lose the window settings. happened to me while tinting a G37S and again on a 370Z. some research on the internet could have told you how to reset the windows and its actually kind of easy. turn the car on, roll windows down and hold the switch for a few seconds then roll them all the way up and hold for a few seconds and done deal.

another strange thing is that pontiacs tend to lose their own immobilizer code memory for some reason. had this happen to me twice on a G6 and a Grand prix both 2006 i think. one was a remote start which ive done successfully a ton of times and the other was a simple breathalizer install.

when you install keyless entry into the early 90's chevy 1500 silverados you need to use a 5-wire relay but for some reason it flips how the locks work at the switch, lock becomes unlock and unlock becomes lock. i wired them a thousand different ways and every other way either blew a fuse or just didnt work at all.



-------------

There is a known issue with the sensors on the ignition switches in most GM vehicles from 97-07. The sensors become loose or worn from repeated turning of the switch through every day use. Instead of recalling EVERY vehicle GM produced for 10+ years, they have issued numerous TSB's and notices to dealers and shops about either replacing the switch if still under full warranty, replacing the switch at the customers expense if out of warranty, or adding a toggle switch to the yellow passlock wire to tell the BCM to ignore the passlock system completely (the Security light will stay on).

I have never had any issue with the gm full size 5 wire door locks. You have to use the diagram that completely isolates the motor side. There should be no reason why the switch should be reversed either, as long as you get the 2 halves of the cut wire on the correct relay.

Oh well, back to the old comfort close and window lock-out issue.
BMW
Jaguar
Rover
Mercedes
Euro GM = Vauxhall/Opel
EuroFord with "Global" closing
Toyota
VW/Audi/Porsche
That's a quick list off the top of my head.

To the best of my knowledge if you interrupt the window power supply on any vehicle with a key or remote operated comfort closure you will loose the one touch facility or even remote switch working (Toyota).
On older UK built rovers they will even give you a warning buzz.
The generic cure for all of the above is simply to switch up and then down or vice versa then hold the switch in for up to 30 seconds.


-------------
Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Hey Howie... Yes, losing the Auto-up/down feature... That was fun...

-------------
M.E.C.P & First-Class
Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

racerjames76 wrote:

---

There is a known issue with the sensors on the ignition switches in most GM vehicles from 97-07. The sensors become loose or worn from repeated turning of the switch through every day use. Instead of recalling EVERY vehicle GM produced for 10+ years, they have issued numerous TSB's and notices to dealers and shops about either replacing the switch if still under full warranty, replacing the switch at the customers expense if out of warranty, or adding a toggle switch to the yellow passlock wire to tell the BCM to ignore the passlock system completely (the Security light will stay on).

I have never had any issue with the gm full size 5 wire door locks. You have to use the diagram that completely isolates the motor side. There should be no reason why the switch should be reversed either, as long as you get the 2 halves of the cut wire on the correct relay.

---

well this was a pretty long time ago so im willing to admit the possibility that i missed something but i was following a true 5-wire isolation diagram. the only difference between reverse polarity and 5-wire is the isolation. the only reason for the need to isolate is that the factory wires rest at ground so if you wire the locks any other way the fuse will blow. which is why i was so stumped because i tried to wire it different ways thinking i had to have done something wrong but no matter which wires i switched up the factory switch still reversed. very wierd.

maybe it was something special about those DEI lock relay modules that was causing it and it would have been better to use actual relays.

-------------

Easy way to tell which side of the cut wire is the switch and which is the motor, is to cut the wire and then press the button. If it shows 12v it is the switch side of the button you just pressed. Some times it isnt always easy to tell which end goes to the switch and which side goes to the car. :)

I just installed an audio system in a 2010 Yukon that had the Rear Seat Entertainment System (RSE). The lady came back today complaining her back speakers didnt work. I quickly realised she did not even know she had a RSE system, and that it was tuned to AUX/XM causing the rear speakers to "not play".

racerjames76 wrote:

---

Easy way to tell which side of the cut wire is the switch and which is the motor, is to cut the wire and then press the button. If it shows 12v it is the switch side of the button you just pressed. Some times it isnt always easy to tell which end goes to the switch and which side goes to the car. :)

---

or you can just hook it up and see if the fuse blows ;)

-------------

i wouldn't take a risk to blow the fuse, in-case it shorted for wahtever reason. a fuse doesn't "break" exactly at its amp rating. there is a tolerance of 10%, so personally, an extra minute to use my dmm is a safe route to preventing costly repairs.

-------------
Ted
2nd Year Tier 1 Medical School
Still installing as a hobby...pays for groceries
Compustar Expert

that was a joke... guess it wasnt funny... i apologize

-------------

I saw the wink... But i think your sarcasm font is broke... ; )

-------------
M.E.C.P & First-Class
Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!