Steffen
New Member
After about 6 very satisfied months with my new used Levorg with currently only 40,000 km (i.e. as good as new), the vehicle has now disappointed me.
The equipment still includes the original battery, but after 8 years it is no longer the best (12.3V after standing time). The alternator works at 14.4V when driving.
I always drive the Levorg with manually deactivated start/stop and with parking lights (instead of daytime running lights), because otherwise the "intelligent energy management" would not charge the battery permanently while driving.
So far so good.
Four weeks ago, I replaced the 28mm bulb sofits in the interior lighting with LED sofits: everything was great...now there was bright white light instead of incandescent candlelight. Everything worked perfectly.
Now, before Christmas Eve, I wanted to replace the last two soft fittings for the interior mirror lighting. They didn't have a separate on/off switch, but switch on automatically when the sun visor cover is opened - so they could only be replaced when they were switched on. Well, first the left one was fitted, here too everything was now white. Then on to replacing the last one, on the passenger side.
This LED socket flashes briefly and then no longer lights up. I had other LEDs, but these no longer light up either, and then the original bulb no longer lights up either... Strange. Then switch on the previously functioning interior lighting... Nothing works here either.
Well, I say to myself, no problem, I'll sort it out later... You still have some shopping to do, so I go to the nearest supermarket. Once there, I want to lock the car with the radio key... It doesn't work for the first time. No response. I quickly go shopping, it's raining cats and dogs outside, nobody will notice that the doors are unlocked.
I'm back, start the engine to drive to the last shopping center of the day and notice while the engine is running after starting that the automatic start/stop function, which I usually deactivate manually first, is now automatically deactivated and flashing yellow...???? I've never had that before.
Well, I look at the operating instructions and see that the interior lighting and the radio key recognition (keyless unit) are located on interior fuse no. 15 (10A). OK, I think, fits in with the current non-functions, the fuse is probably blown. Because of the pouring rain, I decide to check this in the parking garage of the shopping center, protected from the rain.
Quickly bought the rest there (again with the doors unlocked). Then to the fuse box. Pulled fuse no. 15... and lo and behold...NO blown fuse. Nevertheless, I replaced it with a new spare fuse. Then I try to start the engine again to test whether this was the cause... and lo and behold:
Now even the ignition is dead!
No matter what I do, whether I try it once several times with and without the brake... The ignition doesn't even come on. Without the ignition, I can neither set the start/stop button (power button) to any on/off position, nor can I couple the radio key with the start/stop button by pressing it.
I also checked fuse no. 21 (10A) for the starter relay, control unit of the Stop&Go automatic start system... This fuse is also OK.
So I called the 1st breakdown service. They put a start booster on the battery - and... The car still won't turn on the ignition, let alone start.
He checks approx. 80% of all fuses with the precision tester - both inside and in the engine compartment... NO faults discovered. He turns the steering wheel, which is locked with the steering wheel lock, to possibly release a contact lock... to no avail. After 30 minutes he has to give up... he can't think of anything else...
As the car can't stay in the parking garage over the Christmas holidays, I'll have to order a special tow truck for parking garages. He also tries a start booster at the beginning to see if the battery is too weak... but that doesn't help either.
4 hours later, the car is now at my door. It took 1 hour just to put on the special harness (front wheels were clamped and lifted, rear wheels hoisted onto special trolleys). As all the wheels are locked when the ignition is off and must not turn, and the steering wheel lock is active, none of the wheels are allowed to turn during transportation. Then the guys need about an hour to maneuver the car out of the first parking level, around the first 90° bend and the S-bend after the inclined exit in front of the barrier out of the parking garage.
When I got home, I was €120 poorer for the first breakdown service and €530 poorer for the special transport...
Today I tried a third time with a second external battery (which has 12.6V) to at least get the car to start... no success.
What is currently working is when a door is open, it shows that in the display. The Subaru start logo also appears... then nothing more. Hazard warning lights work, brake lights work, the parking brake could be switched on... but then suddenly no longer off... or after pressing it 5-6 times it went off. Everything else doesn't work... There is no ignition either.
My Subaru dealer won't be open again until January 2nd...
Until then, the questions:
What is defective here?
The equipment still includes the original battery, but after 8 years it is no longer the best (12.3V after standing time). The alternator works at 14.4V when driving.
I always drive the Levorg with manually deactivated start/stop and with parking lights (instead of daytime running lights), because otherwise the "intelligent energy management" would not charge the battery permanently while driving.
So far so good.
Four weeks ago, I replaced the 28mm bulb sofits in the interior lighting with LED sofits: everything was great...now there was bright white light instead of incandescent candlelight. Everything worked perfectly.
Now, before Christmas Eve, I wanted to replace the last two soft fittings for the interior mirror lighting. They didn't have a separate on/off switch, but switch on automatically when the sun visor cover is opened - so they could only be replaced when they were switched on. Well, first the left one was fitted, here too everything was now white. Then on to replacing the last one, on the passenger side.
This LED socket flashes briefly and then no longer lights up. I had other LEDs, but these no longer light up either, and then the original bulb no longer lights up either... Strange. Then switch on the previously functioning interior lighting... Nothing works here either.
Well, I say to myself, no problem, I'll sort it out later... You still have some shopping to do, so I go to the nearest supermarket. Once there, I want to lock the car with the radio key... It doesn't work for the first time. No response. I quickly go shopping, it's raining cats and dogs outside, nobody will notice that the doors are unlocked.
I'm back, start the engine to drive to the last shopping center of the day and notice while the engine is running after starting that the automatic start/stop function, which I usually deactivate manually first, is now automatically deactivated and flashing yellow...???? I've never had that before.
Well, I look at the operating instructions and see that the interior lighting and the radio key recognition (keyless unit) are located on interior fuse no. 15 (10A). OK, I think, fits in with the current non-functions, the fuse is probably blown. Because of the pouring rain, I decide to check this in the parking garage of the shopping center, protected from the rain.
Quickly bought the rest there (again with the doors unlocked). Then to the fuse box. Pulled fuse no. 15... and lo and behold...NO blown fuse. Nevertheless, I replaced it with a new spare fuse. Then I try to start the engine again to test whether this was the cause... and lo and behold:
Now even the ignition is dead!
No matter what I do, whether I try it once several times with and without the brake... The ignition doesn't even come on. Without the ignition, I can neither set the start/stop button (power button) to any on/off position, nor can I couple the radio key with the start/stop button by pressing it.
I also checked fuse no. 21 (10A) for the starter relay, control unit of the Stop&Go automatic start system... This fuse is also OK.
So I called the 1st breakdown service. They put a start booster on the battery - and... The car still won't turn on the ignition, let alone start.
He checks approx. 80% of all fuses with the precision tester - both inside and in the engine compartment... NO faults discovered. He turns the steering wheel, which is locked with the steering wheel lock, to possibly release a contact lock... to no avail. After 30 minutes he has to give up... he can't think of anything else...
As the car can't stay in the parking garage over the Christmas holidays, I'll have to order a special tow truck for parking garages. He also tries a start booster at the beginning to see if the battery is too weak... but that doesn't help either.
4 hours later, the car is now at my door. It took 1 hour just to put on the special harness (front wheels were clamped and lifted, rear wheels hoisted onto special trolleys). As all the wheels are locked when the ignition is off and must not turn, and the steering wheel lock is active, none of the wheels are allowed to turn during transportation. Then the guys need about an hour to maneuver the car out of the first parking level, around the first 90° bend and the S-bend after the inclined exit in front of the barrier out of the parking garage.
When I got home, I was €120 poorer for the first breakdown service and €530 poorer for the special transport...
Today I tried a third time with a second external battery (which has 12.6V) to at least get the car to start... no success.
What is currently working is when a door is open, it shows that in the display. The Subaru start logo also appears... then nothing more. Hazard warning lights work, brake lights work, the parking brake could be switched on... but then suddenly no longer off... or after pressing it 5-6 times it went off. Everything else doesn't work... There is no ignition either.
My Subaru dealer won't be open again until January 2nd...
Until then, the questions:
What is defective here?
- A faulty LED can at most trigger a short circuit in the circuit of fuse 15, which must then trigger (blow) itself, or not? And if it has not blown, as is the case here, the circuit should still work... or something may have to be reset...
- Why can't I switch on the ignition using the start/stop button (power button) to the right of the steering wheel?
- Has anyone ever had such behavior?
