[Explorer3253]

I took my car into "professionals" to have the install of a JL amp and sub done in my car. They installed it and the first JL amp blew..they replaced....the 2nd JL amp blew. They told me to hold off and give them a day to run through all the wiring again.

When they installed I got a passenger restraint malfunction error. I took it to BMW for a number of other issues and they are billing me their hourly rate saying it was caused by the amp install. They claim that the stereo shop tapped into one of the airbag wires.

My question is this....is this even possible??? Simple ground / power. The sound lead comes from the amp into a RCA device (forgot what its called).....What else is there to it....I think the service advisor is full of it and trying to get me for some money. He wanted 280 at first and I told him I'm not going to pay that...he lowered it to 160. I called the stereo place owner up and told him the situation (unfortunatly hes someone i've known for a very long time...and he did give me a good price on the equippment) so i don't know how i should handle this. Should I make him liable for the 160? and do you think the SA is full of it?

[kbuys]

I have the same error and i haven't done anything. I have an appointment next week so i don't know what caused it but if i didn't do anything i doubt your problem was caused by the amp install. Sounds like a faulty system. http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17369

[xcalibr]

Well, the trouble with our e90's when it comes to installing an amp... is that there's no real obvious choice for the remote wire... the factory amp is turned on and off differently than normal amps. It seems to me that it's entirely possiblethat your friend over at the stereo shop didn't really know what he was doing when it came to your e90. The two blown amps seem to suggest there was some extra juice going into the amp... now it's pretty hard to mess up power and ground --the battery is in the trunk. For the remote line, he probably just looked for a source that was 12V hot when the car was turned on... and just tapped into it for the remote signal. Unfortunately, he may have chosen the wrong signal wire, causing the passenger restraint malfunction. A lot of things could've gone wrong --improper grounding maybe? That could've caused the line he used for remote signal to short... somehow --I don't know. But the fact that the error came up after the install means your buddy probably caused it. But then, when you go to your buddy for a hookup... you usually get what you pay for --or don't pay for. Just eat the $160 cost and call it "karmic installation cost" or something --afterall, the universe must remain in balance! Hahahah.. you paid less for teh equipment, therefore you must pay for the mistakes made in a faulty install.

I've done a lot of car audio installs, and I can tell already from what I've been reading, that this is going to be one of the more painful installs. The finding the right remote source is going to be the hardest part. People have used accessory power or wired directly from the fuse box... someone mentioned a hot source in the overhead rear light module... or from the V1 hardwire, there's a hot source in the front overhead light assembly.

[Explorer3253]

Originally Posted by xcalibr

Well, the trouble with our e90's when it comes to installing an amp... is that there's no real obvious choice for the remote wire... the factory amp is turned on and off differently than normal amps. It seems to me that it's entirely possiblethat your friend over at the stereo shop didn't really know what he was doing when it came to your e90. The two blown amps seem to suggest there was some extra juice going into the amp... now it's pretty hard to mess up power and ground --the battery is in the trunk. For the remote line, he probably just looked for a source that was 12V hot when the car was turned on... and just tapped into it for the remote signal. Unfortunately, he may have chosen the wrong signal wire, causing the passenger restraint malfunction. A lot of things could've gone wrong --improper grounding maybe? That could've caused the line he used for remote signal to short... somehow --I don't know. But the fact that the error came up after the install means your buddy probably caused it. But then, when you go to your buddy for a hookup... you usually get what you pay for --or don't pay for. Just eat the $160 cost and call it "karmic installation cost" or something --afterall, the universe must remain in balance! Hahahah.. you paid less for teh equipment, therefore you must pay for the mistakes made in a faulty install.

I've done a lot of car audio installs, and I can tell already from what I've been reading, that this is going to be one of the more painful installs. The finding the right remote source is going to be the hardest part. People have used accessory power or wired directly from the fuse box... someone mentioned a hot source in the overhead rear light module... or from the V1 hardwire, there's a hot source in the front overhead light assembly.

thanks alot for your insight....well i did advise him over the phone what happened..so i wont bring it up again..we'll see how he handles it....i just want this to work....without smoking up and without any errors in the car

[smellygas]

Originally Posted by xcalibr

I've done a lot of car audio installs, and I can tell already from what I've been reading, that this is going to be one of the more painful installs. The finding the right remote source is going to be the hardest part. People have used accessory power or wired directly from the fuse box... someone mentioned a hot source in the overhead rear light module... or from the V1 hardwire, there's a hot source in the front overhead light assembly.

Why not tap into the +12V going to your cigarette lighter socket, I think it turns on/off with the car. Someone also pointed out that one of the lines that feeds your stock amp turns on when u open the door and turns off 5 minutes after u shut ur car off. I use the latter. It's not that big of a deal if you know what you're doing.

SmellyGas

[saini023]

Originally Posted by smellygas

Why not tap into the +12V going to your cigarette lighter socket, I think it turns on/off with the car. Someone also pointed out that one of the lines that feeds your stock amp turns on when u open the door and turns off 5 minutes after u shut ur car off. I use the latter. It's not that big of a deal if you know what you're doing.

SmellyGas

i agree 100% i've been doing car audio for awhile. hooking up the remote wire in E90 not as difficult its put out to be. you can use the 12V cig that smellyGas stated also what he mentioned the wire that turns off after u shut your car dwn. its the black wire in teh stock harness. (test it out first) you can also by a low voltage trigger that acts as a remote wire when signal is sent the remote turns on.

[xcalibr]

Originally Posted by smellygas

Why not tap into the +12V going to your cigarette lighter socket, I think it turns on/off with the car. Someone also pointed out that one of the lines that feeds your stock amp turns on when u open the door and turns off 5 minutes after u shut ur car off. I use the latter. It's not that big of a deal if you know what you're doing.

SmellyGas

that's what i meant by "accessory power" your accessories --radio, ambient light, etc, (cigarette lighter socket included)...

[T-MC-G]

check to see if the installer took out the seat during the install and unplugged the harness going into the bottom of the seat. If he did this with the battery plugged in, there is a chance that was the problem. This happened in my E46 once. I had to pay $90 just to have the light reset.

[Explorer3253]

BMW told me it was tapped into the airbag wire...whichever one that is.... stereo shop told me that it was tapped into sirius wire..im there now so hopefully in like a few hours we'll be all set.