Any ideas? The dealer obviously is not any help...

[bsheaffer]

Hi all so so the book length story, reduced to a long story, and now into as brief as an explanation as I can get.... I have a 2015 Legacy been having problems for over a year now just months out of warranty originally. That has lead the car to catastrophically fail multiple times to this point, I’ve spent thousands of dollars with no help from SOA being told to basically F-off and yet were further from the resolution then ever.

 

Currently the issue is the engine is running poor, lack of power, stuttering, and generally doesn’t know what it should be doing. And a check engine code gets thrown (P1494 - EGR Line Circuit Low) which will really put it in a lower power state.

 

Sounds like an EGR problem maybe we should replace that eh? Well the whole valve and actuator assembly is brand new OEM installed by the dealer, we even replaced the engine wiring harness for it (not cheep) anddd we even replaced the ECU... the entire EGR operating circuit has been replaced by the dealership with brand new OEM parts. None of witch solved anything.

 

I was then instructed the Alternator was bad (which I new was false) but they gave a very weird explanation.

 

“ the ECU reads the battery voltage and the voltage output from the Alternator. When the battery is drained, the ECU then sends signal to alternator to engage. Once battery is back charged, signal sent to alternator to disengage. Whats happening is the ECU is reading 11 volts from your battery and not getting a sufficient output from the alternator at certain times. At those times, the check engine light comes on for the circuit because the ECU cant regulate a stabilized voltage between both sources.”

 

I have since replaced the alternator with no change with a 7k mile junkyard one

 

(Continued in next post because apparently only half got posted)

Edited April 15, 2021 by bsheaffer
Only half got posted

[bsheaffer]

Both alternators are tested, working fine, turning on as they should, and battery is charged properly

 

Anyone have any ideas before I have to take it back to them and pay for a new OE alternator ( cuz it has to be new!) a new OE battery to replace my 4 moth old Redtop (cuz it has to be the OE battery! Even though the car has had an AGM it’s while life) and then probably the bulkhead engine bay harness (if the engine one was $1000 hate to see how much that will be) and yet no closer........

 

Basically everything short of the engine itself has been replaced with new OE equipment. Coil packs, spark plugs, cat converters (x2), ECU, Engine harness, O2 sensors, intake sensors, Fuel injectors are fine, maintenance has always been overdone it’s whole life and it’s been taken care of. Showing a few age maintenance issues that need resolved but that’s kinda on the last list of things to do.

 

:spin::spin:

[MrCobbs]

I can't offer any technical support with this issue BUT I know 2015-2017 Legacy and Outback were known to have battery drain issues. They actually changed the alternator in 2018 for the 2.5 and 3.6.

 

Do you have another dealer that you can visit where you are?

 

Worse case scenario is to contact SOA and explain that your issue isn't getting fixed and they will assign a manager to your case.

[apexi]

I don't have much to add, but I'd stop going to the dealer. I'd try to find a reputable independent mechanic. If you're anywhere near the PA border, I'd try reaching out to https://www.youtube.com/user/ScannerDanner for help.

[ammcinnis]

... I know 2015-2017 Legacy and Outback were known to have battery drain issues.

Not quite true. There was a known issue with the "battery management system" programming in the ECM of MY 2015-2016 Legacys and Outbacks that often resulted in their batteries being chronically undercharged. That issue was fixed by ECM firmware update per TSB 11-176-17.

 

Worse case scenario is to contact SOA and explain that your issue isn't getting fixed and they will assign a manager to your case.

I agree. The current dealer appears to be in over their head. Edited April 20, 2021 by ammcinnis

[bsheaffer]

I can't offer any technical support with this issue BUT I know 2015-2017 Legacy and Outback were known to have battery drain issues. They actually changed the alternator in 2018 for the 2.5 and 3.6.

 

Do you have another dealer that you can visit where you are?

 

Worse case scenario is to contact SOA and explain that your issue isn't getting fixed and they will assign a manager to your case.

 

I’m aware of the power drain issue, I have to have an AGM, I figured they did Somthing, the junkyard alternator I got for sams year and everything even if defective from manufacture it has like 6-9k miles on it so I would expect it to atleast take me back to before this problem.

 

I’m on my 3rd dealership

 

SOA has told me to go **** myself

[bsheaffer]

I don't have much to add, but I'd stop going to the dealer. I'd try to find a reputable independent mechanic. If you're anywhere near the PA border, I'd try reaching out to https://www.youtube.com/user/ScannerDanner for help.

 

Also for you we’ve been chasing this crazy intermittent fault with many different warning signs. I can’t remember if I mentioned it in my post at the top but last summer the “starter cut relay” would click with the frequency of a misfire, and it stopped, it has started as of recently again.

 

I’ve been to our mechanics (known and trustworthy) and no one has had an idea. Dealership as much as I hate it has gotten the “furthest”

 

My only main concern and I’ll have to check this, is about a potential power issue, the code that comes up is the voltage to the EGR is low. So sure the ECU could be getting browned out but more issues would pop up if that was the case… and as for that relay (and this is where I have to check) it’s connected normally closed, controlled by the ECU, and never needed to be powered. It’s just a safety relay to kill the starter if the main starter relay fails and gets stuck (cuz push to start) so again… if it was a brownout condition I would expect relays to “power off” not on, and also as previously mentioned there would be other issues if it was browning out.

 

I think I might run some of my own little tests. And seeing what’s going on, fortunately electrical is my forté not mechanical lmao…

 

We know it’s getting undervolted as thats quite literally what the code is… hmm…

[apexi]

It's a long shot, but here goes.

 

It looks like you bought your car from another member, and it looks like he might have removed some mods before selling it to you?

https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/fs-oh-2015-legacy-retrofit-headlights-rallyarmor-takeda-ecohitch-more-270147.html?t=270147

 

I see vampire taps in the second image above. Examine any, literally any place where those might have been installed, and could be touching metal or something. Get some electrical tape, or liquid electrical tape and fix any places where the wires have been bit into.

 

I still think talking to someone like scanner danner in my earlier link would be well worth your time, to get this fixed once and for all.

[bsheaffer]

It's a long shot, but here goes.

 

It looks like you bought your car from another member, and it looks like he might have removed some mods before selling it to you?

https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/fs-oh-2015-legacy-retrofit-headlights-rallyarmor-takeda-ecohitch-more-270147.html?t=270147

 

I see vampire taps in the second image above. Examine any, literally any place where those might have been installed, and could be touching metal or something. Get some electrical tape, or liquid electrical tape and fix any places where the wires have been bit into.

 

I still think talking to someone like scanner danner in my earlier link would be well worth your time, to get this fixed once and for all.

 

 

Yes he’s my college friend, and I paid big bucks to have the dealer certify the wiring, go through everything, fix it, etc. it’s currently certified stock wiring. (Some of his (the master part replacer) solder joints look like a 13 year olds but all looks welll)

 

It’s as stock as it can get because you know, a little dash-camera can cause an engine running issue. Electrically stock, mechanically stock; as they won’t touch it. Curious what the 12V charging plugs and USB plugs are for because I’ve been told “under good authority” users cannot use those either, and no, not just pertaining to my issue in general you should not use those ports (insert the more you know rainbow) interesting because things like a generic slow phone charger is an “unexpected load” how much you want to bet the “master tech” who told me that has one in his car *thonk*

 

I Twitter DM’d (SD) him a whole novel of information and haven’t heard anything. Prolly try email haha

Edited May 4, 2021 by bsheaffer
Final thots