Roof beeper

moonshine · Post by **moonshine** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:08 pm

Just opened my roof for the first time since buying my Bongo, and now having closed it again, the beeper won't stop even though the roof appears to be down properly and locked. The roof warning light doesn't appear to be working, so I suspect a blown bulb. Any ideas?

Can the vehicle still be driven until the problem is fixed?

billy · Post by **billy** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 3:31 pm

I think the beeper sounds for all sorts of things - door open, reverse gear selected etc - could it be any of these things?

Peg leg Pete · Post by **Peg leg Pete** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 6:02 pm

Have you checked the bulb? is it possible that a faulty bulb could cause the bleeper to keep bleeping. I would make sure that the roof is firmly down, before driving at speed

moonshine · Post by **moonshine** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 6:31 pm

Hi Billy, this beeper is in the back of the Bongo on the offside, and the other ones you mention are all below the dash. It sounds different too, and it only started doing it when I closed the roof. Thanks anyway.

Peter, the bulb is a possibility but I am not sure it has ever worked since I bought the vehicle. I only wanted to try out the roof for the first time, and luckily I tried it outside the house. It would seem that the roof is down properly, I certainly can't budge it by pushing up from inside. When it closes there are definite clunks like locks engaging, so I think the problem is an electrical one. It's quite likely a microswitch either broken or the contacts not opening properly, but I can't find the microswitches to check them.

I have tried taking the Bongo for a short drive, with no ill effects, so I think I have answered that part of my question.

Dago & Mrs D · Post by **Dago & Mrs D** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 6:49 pm

Have you tried raising the roof and lowering it again, just in case something didn't quite lock the first time? Maybe part of the tent is caught in the locking mechanism which happened to us once.

Mrs. D

alant54 · Post by **alant54** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 7:12 pm

Hi Moonshine..t could be a long shot but there was a problem last year sometime with the roof beeper and it was the actual roof down button....if you press it a few times itmight clear a dirty contact and shut the beeper up......could be wrong bu worth a try.....Alan

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:09 pm

Could be the tiny (and I mean tiny) microswitch on the roof tracking that senses when the roof is fully down . Several people have reported that problem in the past and it was cleared when the switch has been sprayed with WD40 or somesuch.

moonshine · Post by **moonshine** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 10:37 pm

Thanks guys. I think that Pippin's idea is probably the right one, but where is the microswitch?

I have tried raising and lowering the roof several times, repeatedly pressing both buttons, even holding the close button for a few seconds after it is completely down. All to no effect. I tried stopping the engine for a few minutes and restarting it (just like re-booting a computer). This didn't work either. It doesn't seem like the tent is caught up, I did take a look just in case, I think the root cause is probably lack of use causing a switch to stick in the "roof open" position. Presumably the switch contacts are closed when the roof is up, completing the circuit to the beeper, and open when the roof is down, breaking the circuit and shutting the beeper up. I don't have a circuit diagram, so this is just an educated guess.

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 10:48 pm

Very good educated guess!

It is dark now, so no chance of going outside and getting it up - for a look!!

The switches are fixed to the metal channeling, there is one at either end.
Pretty certain they are on the nearside.

They are black.

moonshine · Post by **moonshine** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 9:55 am

Finally got the chance to check out that infuriating roof beeper which appears to be stuck on. I have driven several miles now with it going, to no ill effect as the roof is quite obviously down and locked, but it is driving me mad!

On checking I found two microswitches, one each side on the channelling, and both appear to be stuck closed, which I think should be giving me a false "roof closed" signal. i.e. silence! Certainly, wedging them both with a piece of card and the roof not quite closed makes no difference. The beeping continues.

The only thing that stops the beeper is turning the ignition off, or raising the roof completely.

On the nearside at the front of the roof-channelling is a plunger type of thing, and pressing this with or without the microswitches wedged, makes no difference either, but I am not sure if this is electrical anyway as I can see no wires going to it. Removing the two microswitches to test them seems impossible without completely dismantling the roof, as the wiring is totally inaccessible.

If all else fails I will have to disconnect the beeper, but before I go that far, has anyone else got any ideas, or a diagram of the roof circuitry perhaps? (with wire colour-codes).

moonshine · Post by **moonshine** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 5:25 pm

An update on the roof beeper saga, in case anyone else has the same problem. I have now managed to remove one of the microswitches that operate the roof beeper. They are near the front of the channelling on either side. It would appear that the switch contacts are closed when the roof is down, and not open as I first thought. The only way to remove the offside microswitch was to cut the wires, and I thought this would stop the beeping. It didn't, so I tried shorting them together to simulate a "closed" switch. It worked! The beeping has stopped. Removing the nearside switch is virtually impossible without completely dismantling the roof, as the wires are trapped between the channelling and the roof. Only one switch needs to work properly to operate the beeper, however.

Obviously I now have no electrical confirmation that the roof is down completely, so if I can get a new microswitch I will replace it. However, I have never seen a microswitch quite like it. It is certainly not a standard Honeywell type switch, and it has the wires actually moulded into it rather than being soldered onto external tags. If anyone knows where they can be obtained, preferably without taking out a huge bank loan, I would be most grateful, but if they cost a small fortune I will leave things as they are. I am sure I will know when I have left the roof up.

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 7:21 pm

moonshine, be sure to post the pictures of your Bongo stuck under a bridge with the roof up....................!

I will have a look for the microswitches on RS and CPC, but if they are not standard Honeywell ones it might be a bit tricky.

moonshine · Post by **moonshine** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:15 pm

Thanks Pippin, the microswitches are only a single-hole fixing, with a locating dowel at the opposite end, and are marked Omron, Japan.

I know all about low bridges as I drive part time for a company that hires out vintage London double decker buses for weddings, corporate events etc. At 14'6" they are even higher than a Bongo with the roof stuck up.

If it happens though, I will be sure to post the pictures.

owelly · Post by **owelly** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:02 am

I've not had much success with RS or Maplins but Farnells seem to list a lot of Omron Micro switches. As my Freda has been taken off me, I am unable to have a look for myself to enable a better identification!
http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/home/homepage.jsp

moonshine · Post by **moonshine** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 7:36 am

Thanks Owelly,

I have identified the switch with 99% certainty as an Omron D2FW-G, or so it would appear from their website. All I have to do now is find a scource of supply. Still searching. We have a Farnells catalogue at work, so I will look there when I go in.

Colin