(Updated) HELP - Electrical Issues

[HMC8403]

I have a 2019 Limited; less than a year old and around 6,000 miles. A couple weeks about my rear camera went out; dealer ordered the part and replaced it. When picking it up, while moving my gear back I found that the tailgate handle wasn't working; it would open with the key fob. The dealer kept it another day and replaced the handle. I picked up the truck and while driving noticed the GPS was showing me miles from my current location. Also the radio was just static and the satellite radio button was greyed out so I couldn't even select.

At first the dealer thought it might have been a bad software flash since they did so trying to fix the backup camera. Now a week later I am being told that their computers can't even connect to my truck and that the STAR team wants me to remove all aftermarket accessories. The only things I have installed was a Blackvue Dashcam and a K40 radar detector; both installed at least 5 months ago and still working fine. Actually the dash cam recorded video when I first pulled into service for the original repair and you can clearly hear the radio working.

My issue is that service wants me to completely remove EVERYTHING from the aftermarket accessories which I paid good money to have installed. For example the blackvue has both front and rear cameras; why would I need to remove the coax cable that's ran behind the headrest when it wouldn't be connected to anything on either end. Wont even talk about the radar/laser detector; why removing the brain box is not enough? Other than a taking power off the fuse box and a ground wire, there is no other direct connection to my truck.

My question; do I have to remove everything, do I have any rights?

UPDATE 5/7/20
I picked up my truck, had the Radar Detector and Dashcam completely removed and returned the truck to the dealership on May 4th. Today the dealership sent me a text saying Chrysler approved the replacement of the radio, the part was ordered, and to pick up my broken truck until the part arrives. Well I was shocked and sent off an email to the Ram rep that had previously contacted me.

 

[VectorZ]

If they are going to troubleshoot your issues they need to follow a process of elimination. But if those items are completely disconnected from their power source I don't see the need to physically remove them.

 

[Kooch80]

there was some grounding issues with the 2019 eTorque's. i think that is something worth looking at in your case. if you do a search on here you will find the threads

 

[HMC8403]

I'm just wondering if FCA can force me to remove even the unplugged wires of aftermarket accessories or refuse to service and diagnose the problem. If a wire is fed through the firewall and both ends are visible and not plugged into anything, what is the harm?

 

[VectorZ]

I'm just wondering if FCA can force me to remove even the unplugged wires of aftermarket accessories or refuse to service and diagnose the problem. If a wire is fed through the firewall and both ends are visible and not plugged into anything, what is the harm?

They can't force you, but they could refuse to work on it. My last Ram had a steering wheel that was a few degrees off from center from the day I bought it new. A few months later I asked them to correct it and they refused as I had aftermarket wheels and tires.

 

[kapinallinen2]

a wire is fed through the firewall and both ends are visible and not plugged into anything, what is the harm?

This is far fetched but it could be considered by FCA to be a case of a re-radiating antenna (that is what it can be) possibly causing interference?

 

[Diamondback]

I'm glad my dealership doesn't care about aftermarket -- as long as the tech can show it doesn't interfere with OEM (tires/rims? really? - we do alignments all day long on rigs with oversized/aftermarket tires).

As also stated, since the Tech opened a star case (instead of reading all the FCA information provided to him - TSB's, Recalls, Star Cases, .etc), now you have to play by their rules for troubleshooting. I'm not sure why they want you to pull all cables (only for the fact is that they do not want to have interference or shorts from an aftermarket cabling install rubbing through OEM harnesses -- which, btw, can take months for this to happen. Maybe 5 months .. )

They should NOT have just replaced the rear camera without going through their tech data - it specifically gives HOW-TO and the dealership itself may not have been paid for that repair.

I do remember something about the radio/antenna/gps, but I can't remember it off the top of my head -- I honestly don't remember if a simple flash/update fixed it, or if the radio had to be replaced -- this was well before Thanksgiving last year. May also have been one of the many famous ground items others have pointed out.

For lack of anything else, disconnect your main vehicle battery for 15-30 minutes. It'll suck that you will lose custom radio presets, but I had to do that on my rig when I lost camera, radio, Sat-radio once (we won't get into that, but it just happened to be around the same time I installed my DT TASER).

 

[HMC8403]

BUMP - updated the original post.