Tech Tips January 2015 (TIPS 0115)

Publication date: 2015-01-01
Reference number: TIPS 0115

TECH TIPS JANUARY 2015

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN

Reference Number(s): TIPS0115, Date of Issue: January, 2015

SUBARU:

All Models

01 ESCALATION PROCESS WHAT, WHY, AND HOW

We last published information to you regarding the Escalation Process in June, 2006. We feel with the New Year upon us, it is an opportune time to revisit this process and bring it to your attention once again.

Escalation is a process for retailers and all of us within SOA to follow when there is a vehicle with a difficult to diagnose concern. This can include parts delays also. Retailers should know within a few hours to a couple of days, if they are struggling for resolution of a duplicated concern on a customer's vehicles and as such, should not hesitate to seek assistance through established channels.

Our number one priority is our customer and the resolution of whatever issue(s) they are experiencing with our product(s). We also have regulatory reporting requirements which must be followed. We have the need for information across our ranks to make us more effective and to provide vital feedback to FHI for continuing product improvements and customer satisfaction. This gives us all a unified process to provide consistent resolution to field issues and support staff in our objective to continually satisfy our customers and improve product quality.

This process is not designed to cover every situation. We appreciate honest feedback to know what may need adjusting in this escalation process so we can work together for the benefit of our customer and the Love Promise.

Below, is a reprint of the June, 2006 TIPS article which has been slightly modified for today's use.

VEHICLE REPAIR ESCALATION PROCESS (UPDATED REPRINT FROM JUNE, 2006)

Before we get started, did you even know there was an Escalation Process? The Escalation Process is a procedure designed to help ensure the timely resolution of vehicle concerns/repairs that you may be having difficulty with. Before you throw your arms up in disbelief at another process, understand that it has been around for nearly 10 years and you probably already follow it to some extent.

For this article, we will only cover the first 2 (the two most important) levels. The first 2 are the levels the Technician and Service Manager have the most control over. As you probably expected, each level has several steps. These steps are outlined below:

Level 1: "Contacting the Techline"

Step 1- Confirm the customer's complaint under the same/similar conditions as they describe under which it occurs. Are you sure the concern you are diagnosing is the same one the customer is thinking of? If needed interview the customer to gather additional details. If you are not 100% certain, have the customer demonstrate. If they can not demonstrate, do not attempt any repair and return the car to the customer. Submit a QMR indicating what the customer's complaint was and what you did in attempting to duplicate it.

Step 2- Is the customer's complaint a defect or normal operation? Verify with another car. If it is not a defect, stop here. Do not attempt any repairs. Demonstrate to the customer if necessary and return the car to the customer. Submit a QMR at this point to make SOA/FHI aware of a customer concern with a vehicle characteristic. Submitting a QMR on a vehicle characteristic serves only as notification to SOA/FHI so that this area may be investigated It does not guarantee any improvement action will occur.

Step 3- If it is a defect, repair it and confirm the repair. If this is a new, unusual, or recurring concern that you are seeing, enter a QMR.

Step 4- Follow standard repair procedures. If applicable, check all control modules for codes and freeze frame data (FFD). Save all codes and FFD electronically so they may be shared later if necessary. Check for relevant service bulletins or Tech Tips. Complete the appropriate service manual step by step troubleshooting, either DTC based or general troubleshooting. Collect relevant data with the Subaru Select Monitor (SSM) while duplicating the customer's concern (be sure to mark where it occurs). Finally diagnose the condition using technician know-how. In other words, diagnose the vehicle using your knowledge and understanding of vehicle system operations. As an overly simple example, if you are presented with a crank-no start condition you should check for the presence or lack-of fuel, air, and spark and then diagnose the related system and controls to determine why that element is missing. Record all results found. Review all your findings with your Service Manager or Shop Foreman to confirm the results and determine if there may be other internal avenues to pursue.

Step 5- If you still have been unable to resolve the concern, now is the time to contact the Techline (T/L). When contacting the T/L make sure you have all diagnostic results (actual values, not "it was ok" or "it was in spec."), complete service history, and freeze frame data. It is highly recommended that you complete the appropriate Pre-Call Worksheet for the condition as found on Subarunet \ Service \ Techline Pre-Call Worksheets and fax it in before you call. These sheets have all recently been revised by FHI Engineers to provide needed information.

IMPORTANT: If this vehicle has been in for this concern before or has been at your retailer for more than a few days, make sure to advise your T/L representative!

At the same time notify your Service Manager to file an Urgent Request for Customer Assistance (URFCA) with SOA's Customer/Retailer Service (CRS) group. More on this process in a future Tips.

Step 6- The car MUST actually be there at the dealership before you call for assistance. The Techline can't make hypothetical diagnosis on a vehicle that isn't there and/or on a vehicle the technician hasn't actually confirmed whether there is or isn't in fact a problem with it.

Level 2: "Techline Notified"

Step 1- The T/L will help you to determine if the complaint is an actual defect or normal operation.

Step 2- If it is a defect, is it a known issue? Whether it is a known issue or not, follow the recommendation of the T/L and follow up with results. It may be a known issue and Subaru is working on a fix or countermeasure. If this is the case, usually all we can do is wait for further information. If we are waiting, make sure you document the repair order with the T/L case number and have the service advisor explains the situation to the customer.

Step 3- After following the recommendations of the T/L, if the car is fixed, contact the T/L and close the case. If after following the recommendations of the T/L the car still is down, contact the T/L and make sure they know how long the vehicle has been at your facility for this issue. This step will alert the appropriate personnel that there is a potential customer issue.

Step 4- If you become stuck and with the assistance of T/L need further assistance, T/L will alert your local Field Service Engineer (FSE) to contact you concerning the vehicle. At this point, it is up to the FSE to continue to work with the dealership and T/L to repair the vehicle.

Three important notes:

It is up to you to follow-up at all steps and insure that this process is being followed.
You need to continue to diagnose and repair the vehicle at all steps of the process unless directed otherwise. DON'T tell the customer "We are waiting to hear from Subaru and until we do, there is nothing more we can do." Just because you are waiting to hear back from someone doesn't mean that you should stop working on the car and go on to other things. Instead reassure the customer "We have contacted Subaru Techline and we are working with them to reach a resolution as quickly as possible". Provide the customer with a date/time convenient to them, when you will be in touch to provide an update on the progress of the diagnosis. Be sure to follow up with them at the agreed upon time.
If the vehicle has been in more than once for this concern and the concern has been verified or has been down for any length of time with no end in sight, make sure to advise T/L how long this vehicle has been down based on the repair order date. Notify your Service Manager to submit an URFCA to CRS.

12 WHITISH DISCOLORATION/DEPOSITS ON FRONT DOOR PANELS, 2012MY AND LATER IMPREZA AND XV CROSSTREK®, 2015 WRX AND STI

If you receive a customer concern of a whitish discoloration found on the front interior door trim panels, it is most likely a by-product of the scratch prevention agent used in the front door trim material. If the vehicle has been in storage for a period of time or unused with all the windows closed, a lack of air circulation in the cabin can cause deposits to form on the front door trim panel surfaces in the areas shown in the photo below.

Use a clean detailing cloth wet with plain water to remove the deposits. After the surface dries, confirm all the deposits have been removed. Should any deposits remain, repeat the process again. Make sure the cloth is wet as using a dry cloth can damage the surface of the trim panel.

01 QMR REPORTING, DOs AND DON'Ts

DO Enter a QMR to:

Report any safety-related concerns. Contact Techline immediately.
Report any vehicle-related concerns involving accident or injury. Contact Techline immediately.
Report any concerns where the customer states the vehicle operation was incorrect resulting in an unsafe condition (even if NO accident or injury). Contact Techline immediately.
Report any concerns related to a recall or campaign or any related failures which occur after one has been completed.
Report any concerns found after an existing countermeasure (eg: after the VIN or production break point listed) described in published service information. Contact Techline immediately.
Report on any repeating concerns you are seeing. Please include a list of all VINs affected and/or file additional QMRs (preferred) for each new case.
Report concerns with newer cars.
Report concerns with older cars.
Report customer negative comments, even when there is no concern (vehicle specification or normal operating characteristics)

DO NOT Enter a QMR:

To request any type of repair authorization-contact DPSM or use Authorization Request Entry.
To request repair escalation-follow the Repair Escalation Process.
To ask technical questions-contact Techline or your FSE for technical support.
To request a flat rate labor time change-complete the Warranty Labor Time Review Form found in the Policy and Procedure Manual.
To simply report normal completion of a known repair, service campaign, or recall. Following the applicable claim entry procedure is sufficient.

01 NO CRANK CONDITION ON PUSH-BUTTON START-EQUIPPED MODELS

Should you receive a customer concern of no crank or no response from the push-button start button, make sure the steering column is not locked. The information display on the combination meter may also show the warning indicator shown. For example: on a key-start vehicle, the key may not turn in the ignition if there is excess pressure being placed on the steering lock. In those cases, the steering wheel needs to be turned side to side to release the ignition lock and start the car (see Section 3: "Instruments & Controls" of the applicable Owner's Manual). The same holds true for push-button start vehicles except, since there is no key to turn, if the steering lock has excess pressure placed on it, there will be no starter response when pressing the start button. In addition, the operation indicator on the button itself will flash green (for a maximum of 15 seconds). Just as on a key-start vehicle, the steering wheel must be turned side to side to release the pressure on the ignition lock allowing the starter motor to operate. The steps to take should this occur on a push-button start equipped vehicle are: press the brake pedal down firmly, verify the green operation indicator on the start button is flashing then rock the steering wheel side to side while pressing the start button. This condition is a normal operating characteristic and no attempt should be made to repair it. If the customer reports the indicator on the start button is a color other than green when the condition occurs, diagnose the concern following the troubleshooting section of the applicable Service Manual.

12 RATTLING SOUND FROM RIGHT SIDE OF DASH AREA

The Techline has received a small number of concerns regarding a rattling sound which seems to be coming from the right side of the dash/behind the glove box area. This information is not model/model year specific. In some cases, the sound is easily duplicated with the engine at idle, transmission in gear and under high a electrical load condition (A/C on, headlights and other accessories on, etc.). Confirmed cases have shown contact between the expansion (TXV) valve assembly and the bulkhead at the pass-through area as shown in the "before" and "after" photos below. The A/C system piping is aluminum and can easily become bent or displaced if precautions are not taken when working in this area of the engine bay. Take care to not lean on/against or otherwise move this piping when working on or trying to gain access to other components in the immediate area. Otherwise, the expansion valve assembly may end up out of position resulting in a rattling sound and potential customer comeback situation. In this case, a careful "repositioning" was all that was required to provide the additional clearance needed to eliminate the sound.

07 BODY INTEGRATED UNIT (BIU) REPLACEMENT/INTERIOR LIGHTS FLASHING

This "Reminder TIP" is the result of recent QMRs received describing concerns found following BIU replacements as part of a repair. The vehicles in question were BRZs and a 2015 Outback. After the BIU installation, the interior dome lamp would blink/flash on and off continually. In the case of the 2015 Outback, in addition to the interior dome lamp, the blind spot detection indicators and accessory approach lamps in the outside mirrors were also flashing continually. It's easy to understand the confusion this created as all these lamps flashing visually creates and impression of something more severe occurring than the ignition key illumination ring flashing which technicians have become familiar with in other models. As you may have guessed by now, these conditions were resolved simply by changing the new BIU from "Factory" to "Market" mode. Whenever replacing a BIU, always remember to change the initial setting from "Factory" mode to "Market" mode. In addition, be sure to reset any other previously changed (from default) BIU customization options so the affected vehicle systems will operate as designed and as the customer expects. With these additional and more visible reminders, it will be much harder to miss making this important setting change going forward.