Hardwire and O2 Sensor Issue

Rvxnn

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Need help.

Had Viofo A129 hardwired with parking mode on my 2019 Subaru WRX by a shop. They used the brake switch as the power and the cig. outlet as accessory.

It's a brand new car with less than 2000 km. I had a check engine light (P013F - O2 Sensor Delayed Response) pop up after 100km post installation. The Subaru mechanics were quick to blame the hardwire and cleared the code. The code has not come back, however I had the dashcam re-hardwired.

Is there any correlation between the two? Should I be worried and investigate the code further?
 
It is extremely unlikely that the camera has had any affect on your oxygen sensor.

If your engine has been tuned in any way then I would blame that, if it is standard then possibly there is a fault with the oxygen sensor, although they seem to be pretty reliable these days, maybe the engine management unit being a bit too fussy. This is not an issue that gets raised here regularly so no reason to think it might be the camera.

Unfortunately, finding proof of the cause for something like that is going to be impossible unless it starts happening regularly, in which case you might want to invest in an OBD code reader tool so that you can reset the fault code yourself.

If the camera really was the cause, which I don't believe, then the fault is still with the car since the car should be able to cope with a camera being plugged in!
 
I cannot see where either of the two mentioned circuits would have any direct relation to the O2 sensor, which would be ran through the ECM. I would want those folks to explain to me exactly how the hardwiring could have such an effect, and when they couldn't do this I'd be filing an incompetence complaint with their superiors :cautious: To continue up the line until someone could either explain it or admit that these mechanics and the others up to that point are not qualified to be working on your car.

Guessing at something is not diagnosing it, nor should you have to pay or otherwise suffer for guesswork. The O2 sensor code was probably just an anomaly from it not warming up as quickly as the ECM expected (delayed response) but if you see that code again it merits testing of the O2 sensor and system to find and correct the true cause of the code being set.

Phil
 
The O2 sensor code was probably just an anomaly from it not warming up as quickly as the ECM expected (delayed response) but if you see that code again it merits testing of the O2 sensor and system to find and correct the true cause of the code being set.
you can get an O2 code from not securing your gas cap correctly, very easy for something to give a false positive
 
The general recommendation when connecting third-party devices to the car wiring is not to use electrical circuits associated with safety and engine management systems and other important systems. Power for the dash could be connected to the seat heating circuit, mirror adjustment, etc., but not to the brake light control circuit. This indicates the low qualifications of the workers you contacted.
PS: in some cars, the brake light switch is used in some adaptation systems of the engine, in the off state there should not be any load / consumer in the circuit, which was the power adapter of your dashcam.
 
Need help.

Had Viofo A129 hardwired with parking mode on my 2019 Subaru WRX by a shop. They used the brake switch as the power and the cig. outlet as accessory.

It's a brand new car with less than 2000 km. I had a check engine light (P013F - O2 Sensor Delayed Response) pop up after 100km post installation. The Subaru mechanics were quick to blame the hardwire and cleared the code. The code has not come back, however I had the dashcam re-hardwired.

Is there any correlation between the two? Should I be worried and investigate the code further?

Manufacturers are quick to scapegoat aftermarket modifications, because it saves them money, and serves as an easy out. I have a problem with the TPMS system on my car. Had aftermarket wheels and sensors on winter tires. Dealer wants to say it's the aftermarket sensors. Threw back on my stock tires and factory sensors. So will bring it to them with these on and have them troubleshoot.

Moral of the story, I doubt the two are related, but the dealer would like to argue as such cause it's easier.
 
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