# Check engine light and "airbag service" light after sub install



## Bammeh (Mar 17, 2012)

I recently took my car to a well known shop in the Atlanta area called Jokers audio.


It sounds great, but the check engine light, service airbag light, remote start does
not work and the drivers side controls ddo not work either. 

The guys at the shop said I need to have the computer reset. 
Is this true? If so, will getting it reset void my warranty?


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## SeanM402 (Aug 8, 2011)

What did you have installed?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

SeanM402 said:


> What did you have installed?


Same thing I'm wondering too. A sub install shouldn't leave you with several service codes and lights and things not working. Sounds like they screwed something up.


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## Bammeh (Mar 17, 2012)

All they did was hook the power to the battery and plug up the converter do I could keep the stock radio. He said he didn't have to touch anything behind the radio?


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## Bammeh (Mar 17, 2012)

I had a subwoofer and a 1000 watt amp hooked up to the pioneer system.


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## Bammeh (Mar 17, 2012)

Can anyone help me with this?


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## Bammeh (Mar 17, 2012)

I unplegged the negative battery terminal to unplug the amp. When I replugged everything up remote start worked and the check engine light went off.

Sadly, the driver side power windows for every window except the driver window did not work, and the Service Airbag light was still on.

Also, the battery is pushing 14.1-14.8v now -.-

All they did was run the 8 gauge power cable to the battery, to the back and they used a loc converter from the back speakers to get the RCA input. I do not think they touched the wires at the front of the car, next to the hood latch.


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

So when you dropped the car off it had no issues, and when you got it back it has all of these? 
You'll most likely need to take it to the dealership, shop, or someone who has the equipment to pull the codes and find out exactly what's wrong.

IMO the shop screwed up your car, and should make good on their mistakes.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Beachernaut said:


> IMO the shop screwed up your car, and should make good on their mistakes.


This exactly.

Don't take no for an answer then they go back. If they can't figure out what they did wrong, it is their responsibility to take it somewhere and pay to get it fixed.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Bammeh said:


> I recently took my car to a well known shop in the Atlanta area called Jokers audio.
> 
> 
> It sounds great, but the check engine light, service airbag light, remote start does
> ...




Bammeh,
I would suggest that you take your vehicle into your local dealership and have them look into this for you. They are in the best position to diagnose this issue for you. Any modification to the vehicle can void some or all parts of your warranty. If a concern can be traced back to the modification in any way, a fix may not be covered under warranty. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## Bammeh (Mar 17, 2012)

I took it back to the dealer, and they said at first it was a Engine Light sensor, after replacing it the problems still occurred. They looked for a short and could not find one. 

They ended up saying I need a new computer, airbag sensor and the part to make the windows work again. 
They ordered them and I go back Monday for an install. I'm just concerned that it will happen again. Do you think this will fix the problem? 

I don't see how hooking an amp to the battery can cause this much problems unless too much power went through it? It's a 1000 watt amp, maybe 300 RMS sub on an 8 gauge cable...


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Bammeh said:


> I took it back to the dealer, and they said at first it was a Engine Light sensor, after replacing it the problems still occurred. They looked for a short and could not find one.
> 
> They ended up saying I need a new computer, airbag sensor and the part to make the windows work again.
> They ordered them and I go back Monday for an install. I'm just concerned that it will happen again. Do you think this will fix the problem?
> ...


If these happened directly after the shop worked on it, they disconnected something and didn't reconnect it correctly. Did you tell the dealer that you had a shop install anything? 

Airbags are everywhere, and if they removed a trim panel and disconnected something or accidentally cut a wire somehow, the light will go off. They'll keep replacing parts and won't find the problem until they start tracing down the wire. I just hope you don't get charged for all this work since this was the fault of the shop that installed your sub.

I can only give you so much advice on what to look for without being able to see the car unfortunately.


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

Something as simple as an intermittent short can cause havoc. Either way, you need to be firm with the shop.


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## sajayra (Apr 15, 2012)

When the shop was taking the postive wire off your battery there ratchet hit metal. All they saw was a spark. Not knowing they sent a ground short to your computer. Ive seen it happen before. You wont be able to prove the shop caused the problem but they did. The good thing is the chevy dealer wont be able to prove thats what happened either and will have to warranty it.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

sajayra said:


> When the shop was taking the postive wire off your battery there ratchet hit metal. All they saw was a spark. Not knowing they sent a ground short to your computer. Ive seen it happen before. You wont be able to prove the shop caused the problem but they did. The good thing is the chevy dealer wont be able to prove thats what happened either and will have to warranty it.


If that is indeed what happened, it seems that competent install shops have all but disappeared.

I keep finding more and more reasons why I shouldn't let anyone else touch my car.


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## Cruze572 (Dec 20, 2011)

And this is exactly why I dont let anyone else work on my car. If I break something the only one I have get mad at is myself lol.


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## Bammeh (Mar 17, 2012)

I really hope you're right. My dealer will be replacing the computer and such under warranty. If it does not work, I will be going back to the shop with the print out of what repairs were done, and that the errors still persist.

The mechanic at the dealership told me it is fine to drive, and no performance issues are there, it just needs a new computer, airbag sensor and power windows "part".

I'm just afraid they'll get it all changed out, and ill turn the car on, and boom, itll still be there.


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## Bammeh (Mar 17, 2012)

If all else fails, I will be complaining to the shop I want it uninstalled(i wanna watch them do it) and I want SOME type of refund, then im going to a better store like MeggaMaxx or CarTunes


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## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

If they tapped the speaker wires it could be possible to create a problem with the airbag. I did my own sub install and I almost messed up because the speaker wires look identical to the airbag wires down by the hood release. A guy on this forum corrected me before I screwed up. Both kinds of wires are twisted pairs and the color codes can be kind of hard to see with a yellow drop light.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Bammeh said:


> If all else fails, I will be complaining to the shop I want it uninstalled(i wanna watch them do it) and I want SOME type of refund, then im going to a better store like MeggaMaxx or CarTunes


If you were nearby, I would do the install for you, lol.


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## Bammeh (Mar 17, 2012)

Dale_K said:


> If they tapped the speaker wires it could be possible to create a problem with the airbag. I did my own sub install and I almost messed up because the speaker wires look identical to the airbag wires down by the hood release. A guy on this forum corrected me before I screwed up. Both kinds of wires are twisted pairs and the color codes can be kind of hard to see with a yellow drop light.



Well, the sub still works fine, it just also caused these errors. I will be dealing with this monday for sure.


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## Bammeh (Mar 17, 2012)

Following up on this.

Dealer found that whoever installed the sub cut through the rubber harness and cut some wires. Declined to repair for free.
I took it back to The audio shop with images of the error and a printout of the prices.
they said they did not do it, but did repair the wires for me, for free.
Check engine light went off, but airbag sensor stayed on. I was told to have the computer reset and see if it worked, if not, come back to them.

Going to the dealer to get it reset in a few days.


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## coinneach (Apr 10, 2012)

Bammeh said:


> Dealer found that whoever installed the sub cut through the rubber harness and cut some wires. Declined to repair for free.


Reasonable, I think.



> I took it back to The audio shop with images of the error and a printout of the prices.
> they said they did not do it, but did repair the wires for me, for free.


No, of course it wasn't the last person to go in there with sharp cutty things. It was a mob of terrifying space monkeys.


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## 4piecekit (Mar 17, 2011)

I've installed a sub in a car a whopping 3 times and I managed to do it without seriously messing anything up. I guess I should feel pretty good about that. Maybe I should open a shop.... 

But in all seriousness, I'm glad you found out what the problem was.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Aftermarket car audio really is something everyone should just do themselves. There is a very, very good chance that if you do it yourself, you'll do it just as well if not better than the new "tech" they hired at the local audio shop for a buck above minimum wage.


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## cecaa850 (Apr 9, 2012)

Bammeh said:


> Following up on this.
> 
> Dealer found that whoever installed the sub cut through the rubber harness and cut some wires. Declined to repair for free.
> I took it back to The audio shop with images of the error and a printout of the prices.
> ...


Sounds like the dealer did you a solid. They could have charged for their time invested in finding the non-warranty issue.


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