replacing the car dinger thingy...

[cracked]

ya know the little thing going "ding ding ding" when you leave your headlights on, etc., in your car? well i finally got tired of hearin it go ding ding ding so i took it out. i was wondering if you could get replacement ones that make a "cool" noise as opposed to previously mentioned dinging? i seriously doubt you can but it was just a thought... anybody know?

drew

[Warthog]

lol, I've never heard of one

What defines a "cool" noise, anyway?

"Hey sexy, you left your lights on."


Warthog

[NeoStarO1]

I wish that ding ding ding did a flash flash flash for me, I can't count how many times i have had a dead car because of the ding ding ding falling on my deaf ears!

There are modifiers you can use to make an interior light flash constantly till turned off, but they are costly for me. Not sure about the sound ones tho.

This link is the closest I can get to it, I do know that Ford and GM has other devices that can be put in to modify for needs for any of their cars.

Auto-Minder Sound-Detection Vehicle Alerting System

[cracked]

sweet, thanks!

warthog, i like your idea of a cool noise hehe

drew

[Atomic Rooster]

Heck, that's the first thing to go in every car I own! Sometimes it's a real challenge to find them little buggers! Those have got to be some of the most annoying sounding things ever. It's second only to my alarm clock!

[RustyGT]

The ex company car, 98 Subaru Impreza.

Employed an effective system to address the problem of leaving the headlights on accidently.

Turn off the key, and off goes the headlights.
Elegant simplicity.

[nunyadam]

well you could yank the buzzer and hook it's supply voltage to something else, light or otherwise

[Graham]

You could always remember to turn your lights off before you open the door

More helpfully, if you find the unit, I guess threr will only br two wires to it (probably a live (+12V) feed and a switched earth), you can get flashing LEDs designed to work on 12V form just about any electronics shop, they are cheap and easy to use.
Just connect it to the socket (observing polarity) where the sounder was and mount it on the dash somewhere, you might even find an unused lamp in the dash (trailer repeater or the like) you could mount it to show through there.

G

[cracked]

graham, i was thinking of doing exactly what you said but there are seven different leads going to the dinger unit. not two as you and i would have guessed. i dont have a multimeter so it will be hard to tell what each is. im sure one is +12v and one is ground but other than that im clueless. oh well, trial and error time!!

drew

[Graham]

SEVEN !!!
There may be

+12V
Gnd
Door switch (there may be more than one wire, door switches on the drivers doors on moden cars have double contacts)

And,,,

If the lights dont sound if you have the ignition on then there will be a switched 12V there too.

Let me know exactly when the dinger dings and when it doesn't.

Finding +12v and gnd is easy, if you get the LED then you can use that (make sure you get the 12V version !!!!). To find Gnd, connect the +ve of the LED to a known 12V source (battery connector) and touch the other lead on each of the contacts, if the LED lights then you have gnd. For +12V put the -ve of the LED to gnd and then check the contacts, if the LED lights you have +12V.

Take into account theat some of the earths will only be there if the doors are open and some of the +12v will only be there if the ignition is on.

Happy hunting.

G