'Lights on' warning buzzer not working

[CupraSmitten]

The 'Lights on' warning buzzer is not working on my Mk 4 Ibiza Cupra. I.e. when i get out of the car with the lights on - there is nothing to tell me they're on!

Ok in winter when it's dark and i realise but potentially bad now and especially in the coming months when i leave my side lights on.

Any suggestions/solutions?

Only had the car a few weeks but previous owner doesn't recall any problems with this in the past.

 

[andycupra]

does the interior light come on when you open the door?
(as it may be the buzzer not working, or it may be that it doesnt know the door is open...)

 

[st10587]

door lock switch?

 

[CupraSmitten]

Andy - it may be that you're right there.

The light wasn't working last week but i was getting stuff out of the car last night and thought it was - but it was probably just because i'd blipped the key to open the car and the light came on then and stayed on a bit until it realised i wasn't starting the engine.

So - if the buzzer isn't working and the interior light isn't (despite the light switch being in the right position - i've checked) - how do i resolve that problem without paying SEAT £50 in labour to mess with a switch??

 

[danmay]

happens on mine too!

door lock problem on the drivers door im told

 

[CupraSmitten]

Any idea how i can sort it out?

Only had car 3 weeks and it's getting on my goat already! Having to keep going back to the car to turn the lights off and having to look for my wallet in the dark when im about to get out of the car without a cabin light and that!!

 

[danmay]

trip back to the dealers i'm afraid! i ain't got round to it yet, but it is rather annoying!

 

[skott101]

Take the door panel off and remove the lock. The small black microswitch on the side of the mechanism will be worn down. Maplin sell one which is a direct replacement for £2

Happened to me a few months ago... it is a bitch of a job to do. Not difficult but very fiddly!

 

[UncleFester]

Surely that buzzer not working when the lights are on is a good thing? Usually seeing the lights on indicates that you've left them on?

 

[danmay]

true, but its one of those things that you don't realise you miss 'til it's gone

 

[Ric 2001]

The 'Lights on' warning buzzer is not working on my Mk 4 Ibiza Cupra. I.e. when i get out of the car with the lights on - there is nothing to tell me they're on!

Ok in winter when it's dark and i realise but potentially bad now and especially in the coming months when i leave my side lights on.

Any suggestions/solutions?

Only had the car a few weeks but previous owner doesn't recall any problems with this in the past.

Slowly open the door until it catches on the latch, does it make the buzzing noise?

Another good one to try is....... the alarm arms itself after 15 seconds if no doors are open.

If you open the troubled door and get in.. don't put the keys in the ignition.... wait 15 seconds..... then see if the car arms itself

Mines been doing it for the past 3 month... I know it the microswitch thingy in the lock but thanks to skott101 I now know its only a quick £2 instead of a new lock.

 

[CupraSmitten]

Ric - i think it does that.

I.e. i unlocked it the other day with the key fob thing and after 15 secs or so - it seemed to click as if it was armed, but the door was open. I got into the car and all of a sudden the alarm went off.

Is it the microswitch??

 

[andycupra]

yes.

if you unlock your car and dont open a door, after a period of time, say 30 secs the car thinks you daft twat you unlocked the car my mistake and so turns on the alarm and locks itself.

Clearly this could lock you out of the car if you open a door and put keys in the car. So if a door switch has operated (ie a door is opened) then this rearming feature is disabled.

Therefore as your car armed itself with a door open its not aware the door is open! thus the microswitch has gone.

thus the interior light doesnt work..

thus the light on warning doesnt work..

 

[skott101]

Thanks for the acknoledgement Ric 2001... i was begining to think that people just wanted to moan about the problem rather than know how to fix it.

In my experience with the microswitch it is possible to repair it. It doesn't break electrically, it's the nub of the microswitch that wears down so it physically doesn't operate anymore. Packing it back up to the correct height will make a good temp repair. Just a thought.

 

[chrissyb103]

this is such a common problem, ive read a big thread on this before, i think it ended up being something to do with the door catch being replaced, try a search.

o and yeh i have the same problem to lol it works sometimes however!

 

[Damoegan]

Just had mine replaced on my 54' cupra. Got 6 months warranty with it and I got a new radiator and drivers door lock on the last day of the warranty

 

[CupraSmitten]

skot - time to take action!

Do you know anything more about the switch? I.e. what it's correct name is?

Called at Maplins this morning for something else and the lad in the shop said he knew nothing about car electrics so couldn't help.

 

[skott101]

Hey cuprasmitten...

The muppets in most Maplin stores aren't upto much other than getting out of doing anything!

The microswitch they stock has changed but the replacement looks a better match than their original type.

This is the link: http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=6452&doy=29m3#overview

It's even dropped in price!

 

[CupraSmitten]

Skott - cheers for that.

So - do i need both bits?

In terms of fitting - i pressume i take off the door insert and look for a similar looking one and then replace?

I called into a local VW indy garage yesterday and he said that old VAG models had a micro switch that could be fixed for a fiver, but he'd have to charge me £80 or so quid for a new lock. Robbing bar-steward!

However, did quote me £68 for a 50k service and £330 for cambelt change so not too bad elsewhere!

 

[CupraSmitten]

That was cambelt and water pump by the way.