Open door warning light - (have replaced the micro switch)

[ClarkRoomster]

Hi all,

 

Can anyone please offer any advice on how to fix the intermittent warning light coming on for the passenger door being open? (Roomster 08 1.6 Auto)

 

It can happen when stationary or when driving and will trigger the alarm if it is set. (The problem did start after a lot of rain)

 

Other threads have shown that the door micro switch can cause the problem, so I have swopped it using one from a second hand door lock mechanism. (I did try swopping the whole mechanism but even though it looked the same as the original, there must have been something different with the electrics - the second hand one would lock and unlock when trying to lock the car - and normally when the mechanism is unplugged or plugged the system would make a clunk noise, but it did not do this with the second hand one)

 

When the warning light is not on, opening and closing the passenger door quite happily turns the warning light on and off.

 

Apart from the door mechanism, I'm assuming the problem will be in the wiring, earthing or some control unit somewhere, but do not know where to look to check these things?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

 

 

[dieselV6]

Wiring between the door and the body of the car (in the plastic/rubber bellows between them) is another point to check.

Wires sometimes crack there, and there is a plug in the bellows which can lose contact. Pull off bellows (1) from the pillar, then disconnect plug (2) and inspect the wiring, then reconnect.

 

 

HTH

[FLAPPERJACK7]

Hello be really careful removing the bellows when checking the wiring if you break the plastic bellows surround you will cause more problems as rain water will get into the wiring . Your door open symbol is activated via the window motor( which is your control module) and it's likely to be this that's your problem if the a pillar wiring is ok. Also your 2nd hand door lock sounds a bit iffy to me.

[bryanb]

Are you sure it's the door, sometimes the tailgate needs to be shut firmly on mine. If it's closed gently it puts the door open warning on even though it's latched shut.

Edited 19 December, 2014 by bryanb

[ClarkRoomster]

Thanks for all your help, I'll check out the bellows connection tomorrow.

 

The tailgate warning light can come on if it is not closed firmly, but it's interesting that the tailgate can also show as a door open warning.    

 

Cheers.

[NZ100]

Yes very true about the tailgate. Sometimes after putting all my racing equipment in the back, it dislodges the parcel shelf, you think you've shut it, but there's the light on, you check all the doors, but its always the tailgate.      

[ClarkRoomster]

Thanks for the advice of being careful removing the bellows, but still found it really easy to break the top clip.

 

Everything looked fine as well, no water and all the pins looked good, so added some WD40 and glued it back on, but the fault still remains the same.

 

Not having much luck, I will look into the window motor and tailgate options next. 

 

Thanks.

[ClarkRoomster]

Flapperjack7, even though the problem is always with the passenger door open warning light, is the control module in the passenger door or the drivers door?

 

Thanks for your help.

[FLAPPERJACK7]

Hello the window motor is the control module there is one in each door. If it is the passenger door light that stays on then it's likely to be the nsf window motor thats faulty. When you have the fault... just disconnect the wiring at the motor and you will see the warning light go out on the dash.

[ClarkRoomster]

Thanks Flapperjack.

[FLAPPERJACK7]

Your welcome. If you do what i said and agree it's the motor when you get another make sure it has the same or higher software version on. New ones are really expensive around £120 to £170 mark.

[ClarkRoomster]

As advised, I waited until the open door warning light came on and disconnected the plug to the electric window motor and the fault cleared straight away. I've left it disconnected as it means I can use the alarm, plus I can now drive the car without getting false door open 'bleeps'. As an unexpected bonus the door open warning still triggers correctly when the door is actually opened. Quick question through, how easy it to replace the electric window motor?, I tried removing the 3 bolts but there must be something else that needs to done to release it.

 

Thanks again for the advice so far - it is much appreciated.  

[FLAPPERJACK7]

Just the 3 bolts. Pull it off the crank. Bit tight but as long as you pull it off straight there's no worries.

[ClarkRoomster]

Thanks Flapperjack.

[RonWil]

Hi,

 

This problem has happened to me and the fault was traced, not specifically to an electrical problem, but to a leaking Rear Washer Pipe Connection which had split at the point where the Tailgate Rubber Mounting from the car to the Tailgate (Top Left when facing Tailgate) had caused a split in the internal Water Pipe. This was causing a leakage of water whwn using rear washer which was tripping the electrical system. Was shocked when quote for complete new length of Piping was £105 + VAT plus a Fitting Charge of goodness knows how much?

 

Local handyman/mechanic fixed it by cutting out damaged bit and joining with piece of Brake Pipe. Has been OK for the past year however it seems to have gone again? See what can be done again.

 

Seems to be caused by opening the Tailgate to often?  Would seem to me to be a design fault. As my Roomster is an 07 version, warranty is very much finished.

 

Hope this helps other people.

[rob-s-]

I have had this problem and the culprit was the window motor. Change that and you should be sorted.

[ChrisTids]

We are having the same type of problem with our 08 Roomster. I am 99% sure the problem is connected to the driver’s door. However the problem only happens in damp conditions but not in heavy rain, so it’s mainly just after rain if the ambient temperature is relatively warm or after the snow at the end of last week that was quite slushy but covered the car.  

I’ve checked the wiring and it seems OK but looking at the fixes above I suspect it’s the door catch or the window motor but I can’t work out which to go for. 

[ClarkRoomster]

My advice would be to unplug the electric window connecter as that is easier than messing about with the door lock. (May be more complicated on in the drivers door - not sure - plus you may not want to leave it disconnected like I have, as it would be more inconvenient not being able to use the window on the drivers side)

[ChrisTids]

A good idea although my concern is that by the time I’ve removed the door card the fault may have cleared as its very intermittent (the worst sort of fault).

Interestingly the problem happens in relatively warm and damp conditions I can normally with the dashboard door open warning light on I can lock the door with the key, the car will lock and the alarm will not set and centre console door lock light will aluminate as if the car has been locked from inside.

However if the problem happens (as tonight) at below 0deg when I try to lock the car with the key, as I turn the key the door open warning light goes out and the alarm sets as normal often for the warning light and alarm coming on as the key is removed.

So I am leaning more to the door catch/lock being the problem?

[ClarkRoomster]

I have finally got round to getting a replacement window motor from ebay, it came from a 09 VW polo but had the right part number. It works fine, the door lock is good and the alarm does not go off in error etc.. One slight problem is that the window switch is operating around the wrong way, i.e. pull the switch up for the window to go down, this happens from the drivers side as well. But all in all I'm happy with the outcome. Thanks for all of the advice, my roomster is now behaving almost normally!

[joeski]

On 2/7/2015 at 00:36, ChrisTids said:

A good idea although my concern is that by the time I’ve removed the door card the fault may have cleared as its very intermittent (the worst sort of fault).

Interestingly the problem happens in relatively warm and damp conditions I can normally with the dashboard door open warning light on I can lock the door with the key, the car will lock and the alarm will not set and centre console door lock light will aluminate as if the car has been locked from inside.

However if the problem happens (as tonight) at below 0deg when I try to lock the car with the key, as I turn the key the door open warning light goes out and the alarm sets as normal often for the warning light and alarm coming on as the key is removed.

So I am leaning more to the door catch/lock being the problem?

I know this was a couple of years ago, but I have this exact problem.  What was it in the end?

[ChrisTids]

To be honest I still don’t know, the problem persisted for a few months an vanished! Famous last words...

[joeski]

Thanks for that