Warning System - Lights On - '93 Geo Metro?

It appears that 50% of my brain tissue is gristle and bony material !

I cannot seem to remember to turn my lights off if I start out in the
dark but get to my destination in daylight. I always come back to my car and
find the lights or the parking lights on.....Thank God a hamster could turn the engine over!

Did the '93 Geo Metro have some kind of buzzer warning system to tell you that
you've left the lights on?

I bought The Blue Phoenix (I named my sweet little baby 3 cyl after I
fixed the Head and Rings) used and it never tells me that I've been a Sh*t Head
and left the lights on.

I'm wondering if the previous owner(s) disconnected a buzzer.

If it did not come with a warning system - I'd like to design some "relay" to
sound off if the lights are on but the key is off. Shouldn't be all that complicated
to set something up.

I need such a crutch, being the doofus that I am.


Also, my door switches are gone - rusted away and I have no door light.

I find all the "Pull-n-Save" vehicles in the same state of corrosion.

If anyone has some working door switches (at least one) - I would pay something
reasonable for one or two....hmmmm?

DoctorBill

i will check my parts cars and no they did not have a light warning buzzer

I have a '93 Metro 4dr-5 speed and it "bongs" if I turn my car off & leave my lights on. I bought it used with 120,000 miles, so it's possible that a previous owner added this feature, but I don't think so. I think it came with this from the factory.

I find all the "Pull-n-Save" vehicles in the same state of corrosion.

If anyone has some working door switches (at least one) - I would pay something
reasonable for one or two....hmmmm?

DoctorBill
Used to be like that when I lived in Mich Doc (Heavy use of Road Salt)....But Not in the Southeast part of the Country! We have a "Huge" boneyard only 3 miles from my house.....I have to go there on Tuesday and there's at least 20 Metro's that I've gotten various parts off of in the recent past......I'll take a good look for some door jamb switches and a alarm module for ya while I'm there. Most (But not all) the cars there are wrecks, but their not rusted out!

Both of the 94's I Have driven (Current and past car) have the warning buzzer in them Doc....As soon as you turn the ignition off (And if the headlights are on).....It goes off! The "Audio Alarm Module" is located below the factory radio location (White plastic box). Here's a few pics that could help wire in your own if the harness isn't allready there?

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/MrBBody/Lightsonrelay1.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/MrBBody/AudioAlarm1.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/MrBBody/AudioAlarm2.jpg

my wifes 94 doesn't have a light warning feature, wish it did, she leaves the lights on all the time and kills the battery. made her get one of those battery booster boxes so i didn't have to go rescue her when she left them on all day at work

i have 2 rust free door light switches. the apear to be in good shape but the rubber over the top is shot. welcome to them if you want them

Sure...maybe I can fix up some kind of rubber doohikie to seal them up.

I was wondering the last couple of days, could one make a magnetic door switch
using those "reed Switches" that one gets in Burglar Alarms?

One could Gorilla Glue a strong magnet to the door and do the same with a
'Reed Switch" on the car frame. Use one that is "always on" or closed but
open with a magnet near to it (on the door).

That way you wouldn't need physical contact and any Rubber Condom over the top of it...!

Cheap to replace when it goes south.

Also - I'd like to bring up this BullCrud thing that Geo's have where the door locks
when you start moving.

I know it is probably a good safety concept, but it annoys the Hell out of me!

No other car I ever had does this and I nearly break the door handle when I
want to get out because I forget it is locked!

Is that hard to disable and if you do, does it make the Computer go crazy?

I'd have to pull the Instrument Cluster bulbs as they'd always be on!

DoctorBill

if you do a search on team swift someone had a article on that and what wire to cut to stop the doors locking

Also - I'd like to bring up this BullCrud thing that Geo's have where the door locks
when you start moving.

I know it is probably a good safety concept, but it annoys the Hell out of me!
DoctorBill

AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK CIRCUIT OPERATION
Battery voltage is applied at all times to the automatic door lock control module through the door lock fuse. Battery voltage is also applied to the automatic door lock control module through the IG Fuse when the ignition switch is in the "ON" or "START" position. If the LH Front Door or the RH Front Door is unlocked, the LH door lock switch or the RH door lock switch is closed. If either switch is closed, a reference ground is provided to the AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK control module. When this reference ground is provided, the automatic door lock control module will provide a ground for the "LOCK DOORS" Indicator. The "LOCK DOORS" Indicator informs the Driver that one or both of the Front Doors are unlocked.

The automatic door lock control module also receives an input from the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) . The VSS is permanently grounded at ground G202. When the vehicle speed exceeds 13 km/h (8 mph) and either the LH Front Door or the RH Front Door is unlocked, the automatic door lock control module will apply Battery voltage to the LH/RH DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS. The LH/RH door lock actuators will only lock the doors. The Front Doors will automatically lock once, with the vehicle speed above 13 km/h (8 mph). If the LH Front or RH Front Door is unlocked when the vehicle speed is above 13 km/h (8 mph), the automatic door lock control module will not re-lock the Front Door(s) until the vehicle is brought to a complete stop, and then accelerated above 13 km/h (8 mph).

The Auto doorlock module is located underneath the PS Dash Doc (#6 in the 1st pic)....Looks like the "Red" power wire labeled #6 0.85 Red in the wiring diagram, coming out of the doorlock module that feeds power to the L&R door lock actuators needs to be cut to disable the Auto doorlock feature. The rest of the system sensors will still be intact and working, it just wont apply 12V to the door lock actuator(s) when told to.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/MrBBody/Autodoorlock1.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/MrBBody/Autodoorlock2.jpg

What is the purpose of having the Headlight Switch being independent of the
Ignition Switch in the first place.

Why not have the lights not come on at all if the Ignition Switch is not turned
on?

I can see the Warning Flasher curcuit being independent as when you have
engine or tire trouble and need the Flasher on, but why the Headlights?

DoctorBill - the Brain Dead Light Leaver On'er....(I did it again!)

When you are broken down or stopped on the side of the road it's good to be able to have the lights on. Subaru, (largest manufacturer of horizontally opposed engines), has the lights turn off with the key, or at least they did in 91. The parking lights can be turned on with a seperate switch but no headlights are available without the key on. There are a lot of unique and useful features on Subaru's, some as simple as a unique hinged fuel cap system that doesn't break like a plastic line attachment in some other cars. You might check one out the next time you are in the market for a car. I love my Subaru as much as the Metro. They are nearly impossible to kill. Talk to a Subaru owner and your likely to hear stories of how the car was horribly mistreated yet continued to run. The latest story I heard is of a lady that never changed the oil the entire time she owned the car (seveal years and thousands of miles) and it just kept chugging along. Amazing and neat cars, just strange styling choices over the years but their owners are very loyal to the brand.

Instead of rummaging around behind the Radio or under the Dash looking for the
"Lights On Warning Buzzer" that may or may not exist in my year Metro, I am
going to buy $6 worth of parts from Shucks and Radio Shack and make my own
buzzer warning system.....

See the diagram below:

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/5065/lightsonbuzzernd9.jpg

The Headlight Relay at Shucks won't work - no "Normally Off" post.
So I purchased Radio Shack's "12 v PC Relay" #275-248 for $4.49 and their
"12v Mini Buzzer" #273-055A for $3.29. $8.45 with Tax included.....

The Radio Shack Relay is set up as in the diagram above....

The Relay and Buzzer can be inside under the dash.

When the Key is on, it holds the relay contacts open so that the power tapped
off of one of the parking light wires cannot sound the Buzzer.

If I turn the Key off without turning the lights off, the power goes to the
buzzer.

Once I hear that, I turn off the lights and thus the power to the buzzer!

Wallah! Eeet ees dun my friend....

DoctorBill

What is the purpose of having the Headlight Switch being independent of the
Ignition Switch in the first place.

Why not have the lights not come on at all if the Ignition Switch is not turned
on?

DoctorBill - the Brain Dead Light Leaver On'er....(I did it again!)

GM started going to the "Daytime Running lights" setup in 1994 in some cars, (It was mandatory in cars being produced to be sold in Canada)....Then they gradually started making all Vehicles produced with Daytime Running lights.
As far as finding the "Automatic door lock module" on the Metro Doc, It took me 30 sec's to find it!....It's right behind the center console and the radio....Small white plastic box....You cant miss it if it's there!

Here is what I put together the last couple of days.

http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/8867/finheadlightbuzzerbp6.jpg

The Buzzer is glued to the Relay as a "package" about the size of a US 50¢ coin.

I'll use the Radio Wire as a +12v source controlled by the Ignition Key.

One wire goes to the Radio, one to a wire from the Parking Lights (On whether
the Headlights are on or not), and one to ground. I'll let it hang under the Dash.

The weather here has been in the 0° Fahrenheit (-18° C) range the last couple
of days....too cold to even pee outside!

Funny thing....the Environmentalists say that with "Global Warming" will come
global cooling....Odd.

According to the Scientific writings I have seen, the Earth is going into
another scheduled Ice Age - yet the Environmentalists say nothing of that!

According to their logic, then, a Global Ice Age should cause "global warming" - no...?

Or is that too politically incorrect to ask?

DoctorBill

Thanks for the door light switches, Crvett69! Nice clean switches.
Simple things. But exposed to any water inside the frame. Can't see how
to waterproof them, though.

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/7060/findoorswitches9rs.jpg

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/3876/findoorswitchesworking0sc.jpg

Now I'd like to ask if anyone is really familiar with the Wiring Harness of the
Geo Metro - specifically the '93 model?

Where, exactly, do the wires go into the frame that go to the door switches?

If I can get that information, I don't have to tear into my carpeting or seats
to find those corroded out wires.

My switches are dead meat right now and when the weather is really wet, the
overhead light comes on!

That means the wires are corroded and water is completing the door light
curcuit by shorting them out to the frame.

That means I had best replace them with good wiring.

So - if anyone knows where the door light wires enter the body frame,
I would appreciate that knowledge.

DoctorBill

they are behind the quarter panel plastic covers. if you take those off should see the plug inside there that they go to. none of the ones i have here seem to be corroded so i could probably send you a lifetime supply of them if these ever rust out. but you figure how old you car was and they lasted this liong so these should last as long as you have the car. did you ever put the tach dash in your car?

"they are behind the quarter panel plastic covers. if you take those off should see the plug inside there that they go to. none of the ones i have here seem to be corroded so i could probably send you a lifetime supply of them if these ever rust out. but you figure how old you car was and they lasted this liong so these should last as long as you have the car. did you ever put the tach dash in your car?"

OK...I guess I am way too ignorant...What are the "Quarter Panel Plastic Covers?"

I am not familiar with this terminology.

The weather here has been bad and worse! I've just gotten over some virus
and my left eye fixed (right eye next Wednesday!) - so, no I have not done
squat on The Phoenix except check to make sure the oil level is OK
(not using any oil and running like a charm!)

We just had 6" of snow yesterday and more to come with variations of from
-3 degrees to 45 degrees! Really screwie weather! Slop everywhere...

The Dash Tachometer will probably not get done until Spring....

The door switches likewise, more than likely.

I am getting too old for working on cars....at least I feel that way of late.

Hope that goes away and I get a big shot of ambition!

DoctorBill

those big plastic panels next to rear seat that go from door post back to rear hatch. one thing you might consider doing while you have them off is to spray inside them on the metal with some undercoating. will make the car quieter

One would have to remove the back seat and the back backrest to do that, no?

Is there some trick to getting those panels off?

Whenever I have messed with stuff like that, I broke the plastic connectors
that hold them in place!

Once they are off, I will spray some undercoating as you suggest!

Also, while they are off, I could install some speakers, couldn't I...?

One side of the plastic "panels" is cracked....can one fix them with fiberglass as
one would some boat?

I am fairly good at fixing fiberglass canoes with the resin and fiberglass.
Learned how to do that by buying bashed in $1,000 canoes for $50 and fixing
them better than new for my four kids each to have as they grew up.
Some busted fiberglass canoes I got for free from the owners just to cart away!

Anyway - I never liked farting around with the plastic door and insides panels
on cars because something always breaks.

I found a shop in Spokane that sells all those bizzarre little "Connectors" and
"Clips", but still, something always cracks or breaks or pops off. Those damned
connectors and clips are expensive little buggers!

On older cars the plastic has always become hard and brittle.

So - any helpful hints would be appreciated!

As to noise, The Phoenix runs so quietly that I am looking forward to
the Tachometer because sometimes I can't tell how fast the engine is revving
from the sound of it running!

DoctorBill

PS - My front "Dashboard" and all the plastic around the Radio, etc has been
Frankensteined - replaced with "Pull-n-Save" pieces - each of different
colors.

What is a good BLACK paint that I can spray on these pieces that won't
peel off like the stuff the former owner used?

they make a plastic vinal spray paint that you can recolor the plastic parts with. it sticks better than the regular spray paint. can get it at schucks or most auto parts stores. for the rear panel removal i would suggest next time your at your pull a part yard to remove one of the panels, that way if you break it you will know how to remove yours without breaking it. its also a good idea to get a collection of those clips while you are at the wrecking yard. for the ones with the pin in the middle just use a screwdriver to push that center pin down about 1/8" and then it will pull right out. just pull the pin out when you want to install it, put the clip in place and push the center pin back in till its flush

I have a question about the night lights in the Heater Switch bank above the Radio.

At night I can see the heat "amount" selector and the selector panel as to where
the heat is to be directed to, but I cannot see the lever above the "where-to"
symbols nor the fan speed lever.

Are there supposed to be bulbs allowing one to see these upper heater levers?

While I'm driving, I have to "feel around" for those two levers and I have a hard
time finding them...

If there are lights to illuminate them, they are probably T.U.

Is it difficult to get at those light bulbs?

DoctorBill

I believe there is just one light in the middle panel that lights the entire section.

As for the plastic panels in the back, they can be removed without removing the back seat. The clips are also pretty durable and if worse comes to worse I have extra panel clips for behind the panel (they are the same as the ones inside the door panels) and I have generic surface push connectors I bought from J C Whitney for when other connectors break.

I used Dupli-Color vinyl paint and Krylon paint on my dash and plastic parts. Both work well as long as you do a thorough job prepping the part.

Hey, to get back to the original topic... My 94 does not "bong" when the lights are left on. GM Rat, does the "audio alarm mod." make the sound? I'm wondering if mine is broken or missing or if it's even wired for one.. Did all 94's have this? Can anyone else with a 94 chime (bong) in on this? I'm hopeing at least the plug is there, then I could just get a module from a doner...

I bought my 94 Metro on eBay about three months ago. I couldn't get the dome light to come on when the doors were opened (although it worked fine when the switch was set to always on). Also, I didn't have a Lights On chime. Anyway, long story short, I pulled off the panels on either side of the rear seat, cleaned corrosion off the door switches and reseated them. Lo and behold! The Lights On chime works now, as well as the dome light when a door is opened. Hope this helps someone out, sorry if I'm repeating what's already been written. Now if I can only figure out why I don't have backup lights...

Hey!

Wait a minute!

What have the door switches to do with the Lights On boinger?

My switches are goners....will replace when the weather gets better.

I don't understand....

DoctorBill

think the light on buzzer is hooked to dome door light switches so if you open the door it will ding if lights are on but not ding if door is closed

I think it's typical that the door switch controls the lights-on warning in addition to the dome light. That's how our van works.
I still agree with Dr. Bill that the lights should be wired throught the ignition. So what if you need headlights while parked or broken down? Just turn on the ignition!