Lights-on audible warning

[FlashBastd]

Hi, sorry if this question has been asked, and answered a million times, but is there any way to easily fit a buzzer to go off when you open the door and have left your lights on?

At least twice in the last 3 years we have accidentally left lights on and ended up with a flat battery. We have left them on and later noticed in time many more times.

[Speedtouch]

In theory, it's easy: you can buy a cheap buzzer unit that (usually) has four wires; one goes to earth (0V), the others go to the driver's door switch, ignition-controlled live (+12V) and feed from the lights switch to the sidelights. I'm hoping to do this mod on mine soon, then I'll find out how hard it is in practice...

[Speedtouch]

There's also 3-wire warning buzzers available, e.g., Maplin DR65 (since discontinued), which connect to the +12V sidelights feed, door switch and ground. This particular one has the advantage that it only beeps a few times after triggering, so you could if you wanted to leave your lights on and door open with the ignition off (as you might on occasions.) Also it's one less wire to connect. I have examples of both. Guess which one I'm going to fit

[dobbie82]

I am guessing someone does one on ebay somewhere, here is one off a lotus elise site but should apply to any car i guess

http://www.elises.co.uk/diy/buzzer/index.html

[FlashBastd]

Cool, thanks!

[Brianmoooore]

The OE E30 one is probably still available from BMW as well.

[jmc330i]

The OE E30 one is probably still available from BMW as well.

Was it option then?

I would of thought BMW would of fitted it as standard.

[Brianmoooore]

About the only thing BMWs have as standard is an engine. Most things were available for E30s, but nearly all in the options list.
You could, and probably still can, just about double the price of a BMW with the options list.
These are virtually "built to order" cars, not mass produced GM/Ford crap.
The "everything you can think of fitted as standard" idea started when the Japanese moved in. (Not just in relation to cars, either).

[stuartgallafant]

MattG has got a standard fit buzzer on his touring!

[FlashBastd]

So I was just looking on RealOEM, and came across this;

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=63&fg=95

Which is part No. 82939401607, and described as RETROFIT KIT, LIGHTS-ON WARNING. Now in the "Notes" section it says See EBA 9784779. Anyone know what this means?


I have just spoken to my local BMW dealer, and they told me it was Ԛ£49.61 inc. VAT. Not sure what I expected, but that is a lot of cash just for an OE buzzer.

[stuartgallafant]

that is a lot of cash!!!

[Speedtouch]

Just fitted an aftermarket one to my '88 325iSE today. Quite straightforward, it took around an hour, it's just a little awkward as you're working under the dash!

The sidelights feed from the lights switch (switched +12V) is conveniently the nearest pin to you after you've removed the under-dash cover, a grey/white wire. The door switch wire is a brown/violet - accessible by taking off the trim panel next to the accelerator and removing the loudspeaker. I used two small 'Scotchlok' connectors to connect the buzzer to these wires, and earthed it via the bracket which I bolted through a spare hole in the ECU bracket.

Works a treat

[FlashBastd]

Thanks for that, what buzzer did you use?

Presumably with yours, it still sounds with the ignition on?

[Speedtouch]

I fitted the 3-wire Maplin DR65, which has a pulsing buzzer that sounds around 10 times, and yes it sounds with ignition on; you can get a 4-wire type (similar to BMW OEM type?) if you particularly want an ignition-switched one.

[sabrje]

This would be a particularly useful addition. Is there any way the existing 6-button OBC gong could be wired up to do the job?

[Brianmoooore]

The standard E30 gong chimes when the control wire to the gong is earthed. The main problem with using the OBC gong is that there is no power to it when the ignition is off.
The E36/E34m gong is similar to the E30 one, but has an extra connector, which i think is for this function.

[toby]

FlashBastd do a forum search - there's details of how to retro fit a cheap functional one that's not original equipment but it's up to you if you think that the real thing is worth the relatively high cost.