01 outback body integrated unit location

[metalthrower1]

Hello, can anyone tell me where the B.I.U would be located on a 2001 outback limited sedan? I got one from a junk yard off of an 03 legacy and found it near the steering column like the other thread said it would be. But I can't find it on mine. The reason I have to change it, or if it's not the B.I.U could you give suggestions as to what I could be. I tried to wire the dome light to the map lights and when I turned it on I had the drivers door open and the light went out and I smelled burnt plastic. I wired it back to stock and the light comes on with all the other doors except the drivers and the little car in the instrument cluster doesn't light up. Just the door part showing it's open. Also when I lock the car from the switch it no longer arms the security system and the drivers window doesn't go up unless I pull up on the switch really hard. So I don't understand. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

[plain OM]

As far as I know, the 2001 didn't have a BIU (body integrated unit).

To diagnose the light problem from a distance I think it might be helpful to know exactly what you did when trying to rewire the lights. What wires did you change, disconnect, connect? What additional parts, if any did you use, and exactly where?

The driver window switch probably was going bad even before. It's not uncommon for the contacts to go bad. There's a fair number of posts here about problems with the driver's window switch.

[metalthrower1]

Oh ok, well there goes that, what i did to the light was i followed the instructions on the light wiring, that wasnt supposed to be for my year, but yeah, i did something with the wires, its been like a year so i cant remember, ive just been dealing with it. I ran 2 wires from the front map lights, one positive one negative, and i was trying different combination's and i had the drivers door open to see if it would work, and it sparked on one of the wires, then the light wouldnt work for that door anymore, and it smelled like something burned. now that im thinking about it, could it be the door switch maybe? i dont understand how the puddle light on the door, and the door ajar light is on on the dash, but not the shape of the car. also since i had thought i had a biu, that the switch would be tied with that, because it didnt always act that way. Thanks.

[plain OM]

No, I doubt it's the driver door switch that is bad. More likely a wire, or a component somewhere that was fried by too much current -- sounds as if you shorted a hot 12 V line to something else.

1) Does the "shape of the car" light come on when any of the other doors are open, or is it always off regardless of which door is open?

2) When the driver door is open, does the little "door open" show on the instrument panel even though the shape of the car doesn't show?

2) Does your car have keyless entry?

[metalthrower1]

Yes the shape of the car comes on with all other doors, as well as the door open symbol beside it. The shape stays off with the drivers door, and the dome light as well. but the dome light comes on with all the other doors. and yes i have keyless entry as well as the alarm system.

[plain OM]

Does the keyless entry work properly? Also, before the incident, when you unlocked the car using the remote control, did the ceiling light come on, and if it did, does it still work?

I'm trying to narrow down the possibilities using a 2002 wiring diagram, which should be similar to your 2001 if not the same. But I don't know which wire was touched to another to cause the sparks, so I am looking at how the lights work, and working backward from there to what is involved. That's why I ask the questions. Hope that's okay.

[metalthrower1]

Yes the keyless does work the same as it did before, and the ceiling light does come on still when i unlock it with the remote. And no problem with all the questions, any hep is appreciated. Thanks!

[plain OM]

As far as the shape of the car not coming on, I believe the problem is a blown diode in the combination meter (instrument panel). This is identified by the red arrow in the attached diagram.

Explanation: When the door is opened, the door switch closes, grounding the wire highlighted in green. This closes a circuit through the diode to the next diode connected up to the Vehicle Outline LEDs. So normally, this would turn the shape of the car indicator on. But it doesn't because the driver's door switch diode marked with the arrow is open. The other diodes connected to the other door switches are good, so the shape of the car (vehicle outline) and the respective "door open" light comes on normally.

The driver's "door ajar" light itself still comes on because the door switch is still grounding that separate diode circled in orange that leads to the door open LED.

Also, the line marked with the blue arrow at the top goes to the keyless entry module. When any door is opened and that door switch closes and grounds that door's diode, the blue-identified wire is also grounded (or at least almost, as there still is a diode in series). This signals the keyless entry module to turn on the cabin ceiling light. However, because the red-arrowed diode is blown, there's no signal to the module, and no ceiling light when the driver's door (but not the other doors) is opened.

The puddle (or step) light is also controlled by the door switch, but like the door ajar indicator, does not depend on the diode that might be blown, so it works normally.

This diagnosis would have to be confirmed by measurements of the circuit. Unfortunately, unless you're comfortable with disassembling the combination meter and finding and replacing the blown diode (if that is the problem), I doubt repairing this would be cost effective.

[metalthrower1]

I see, I have no problem taking apart the instrument panel, as ive been in there before to change the bezel to a newer outback one for the silver trim, also i have a second instrument panel from the donor car i got the bezel from, so it may be easiest to find the location of it, if that would be the case, on the doner cluster. If it is a diode, how easy would it be to replace? I dont plan to tear it apart if its going to be a really difficult job, would plugging in the other cluster and seeing if the light comes on with that one as a test be useful?

[plain OM]

I haven't had a Subaru cluster apart, but my guess is that the diode is probably a surface-mount type, which can be quite difficult to find and replace. It also might be part of a single assembly containing all the diodes, so it might mean replacing that module and not just the one diode. In any event, unless you are experienced with electronic repair work involving printed circuit board components, I don't think this is a DIY job.

Assuming that the other cluster is identical, other than the year, plugging it in would only confirm if the problem is in the cluster, which might be reassuring. Unfortunately, it won't bring you much closer to a fix, and I would be reluctant to plug in a cluster that might have its own problems, or not be completely compatible due to it being from a different year.