My warning tone is gone!

[TheClunker]

(Cross-posted because I'm unsure of which thread this should be in)

I just had my mechanic replace one of my burned out headlights when I took Valerie Sunflower in for her 60,000 mile scheduled maintenance (yes, it took about ten years to get there). Now I no longer have a warning tone when I open the door with the lights on / keys in the ignition.

Even though this may be something caused by the mechanic (it didn't start until they poked under the hood), I'd rather see if it's something I can fix myself before messing with going back in to their shop again. It is a MAJOR pain to get in to my mechanic.

Is there a fuse or something that controls this? Or is this a common problem? Has anyone heard of this / experienced this before? One of my old pickup trucks would say DOOR AJAR all the time unless I really slammed the door like three or four times, I'm wondering if a switch didn't go ... ?

Any help appreciated. I'll call my mechanic in the morning just in case nobody has any ideas, since I'm sure it'll take at least a week or two to get me in there I will say, though, once you get an appointment with them they are fast and (unless proven otherwise) very efficient & good with my little bug.

[Deserion]

Do the lights come on when you open the door?

Normally the chime is integrated into the gauge cluster, as far as I'm aware.

[TheClunker]

Nope, no lights when opening the driver's side door. Also, if I unlock the car, open the driver's side door, and then don't get in & start the car within 30 seconds, the car automatically re-locks & re-arms the alarm, which is normal if you unlock it remotely & don't open the door. The car isn't registering the driver's side door.

If I open the PASSENGER door, the dome light comes on.

At this point, I think the sensor in the driver's side door is malfunctioning. The passenger door triggers the dome light, but since the passenger door isn't designed to trigger the warning chimes, I can't test it any further than that.

[Marauder]

It sounds to me like the button that tells the car when the door is open might be pushed in to far so that it won't chime...as in your mechanic had the door open and jammed it so it wouldn't chime by pushing it in and down or to the side...or you have a bad one...

however I could be wrong...I don't have that much time put in on my bug. But on other cars I have owned this was something that could be done.

That and a buck fifty will get you a cup of coffee somewhere.

[TheClunker]

Originally Posted by Marauder

It sounds to me like the button that tells the car when the door is open might be pushed in to far so that it won't chime...as in your mechanic had the door open and jammed it so it wouldn't chime by pushing it in and down or to the side...or you have a bad one...

however I could be wrong...I don't have that much time put in on my bug. But on other cars I have owned this was something that could be done.

That and a buck fifty will get you a cup of coffee somewhere.

I tried squirting some WD-40 in there and closing / opening the door a bunch to un-stick it (worked on my old pickup truck), but all I ended up doing was triggering the alarm when the doors auto-locked.

[wawalker]

It's the microswitch in the door lock assembly--common problem. Solution is a new latch assembly from the dealer for $200, or if you're handy the microswitch itself can be replaced w/ one from Radio Shack for just a few bucks. Search "door microswitch"--there are many threads discussing the problem and links to the DIY repair.

[TheClunker]

Originally Posted by wawalker

It's the microswitch in the door lock assembly--common problem. Solution is a new latch assembly from the dealer for $200, or if you're handy the microswitch itself can be replaced w/ one from Radio Shack for just a few bucks. Search "door microswitch"--there are many threads discussing the problem and links to the DIY repair.

I love how since I bought Valerie-Sunflower she's been in and out of the shop ... I never buy extended warranties on things, until now. I'm glad I did too, because that roughly $720 charge has nearly paid for itself already in the eight months I've had her. I only wish she was as simple and reliable as my '71 Bug.

Since she's still got her warranty for about another 2.5 years, I'll take her into the dealership. So far, the warranty has covered everything except a failed catalytic converter (they're only supposedly "good" for eight years, and V-SF is ten years old) - hopefully this will be covered.

[Prof. Pat Pending]

I went through a lot of trouble to get my warning tone to stop warning. I can't stand the noise. I guess we are all different.

[eliteboi]

Funny I wrote a post about this issue a week or so ago as well.

My interior lights all come on when my doors/trunk open

My car doesn't chime when I open the door or the lights on the dash (like the red coolant light)

[TheClunker]

Originally Posted by Prof. Pat Pending

I went through a lot of trouble to get my warning tone to stop warning. I can't stand the noise. I guess we are all different.

I like it for the lights / keys. The warning tone about low gas is the most annoying thing on earth.

Those all still work, it's just my driver's side door doesn't "trigger" anything anymore. It has to be the switch.

[TheClunker]

Sure enough; just got a call from my mechanic, it was the door latch assembly. It was covered under my extended warranty, so a $75 deductible later I'm good to go. Thanks, all!

[Smileybug]

Lucky it was under warranty. I paid $450 to have my drivers side switch replaced. I'm doing the passenger side myself...cost a whopping $10. Just going to take a few hours.