life is good
02-09-2009, 10:07 AM
I'm a new owner of an H3 and new to the forum. Lots of good info on this forum and has helped me out from just using the search engine.
Just thought I would share my first night with the H3.
My alarm went off at 2am the first night I got my H3! Spent over an hour outside in the rain to get my alarm to reset and dome lights would not go off. My dash had a code that my doors were ajar. I had to use the manual override switch to turn the dome lights off and put it to bed without the alarm on. Not a good first night....LOL
Went to the dealer the next morning to get the run-around about how long it would take to fix the problem and may have to replace/test the door jamb switches and ECU unit.
Went home with my H3 and searched this forum and found out that I'm not the only one that has had this problem. Have found other people on the forum that talk about the alarm going off and dome light stays on when it rains or after washing the vehicle.
Here is what I have found out after checking all my door jamb switches.
Open the rear cargo door after it has rained hard or after a good wash and you will see water runs down the outside of the cargo door seal right into the door jamb switch. I pulled off the door jamb switch and found water in the switch and It has not rained for two days. Water and electronics do not mix and the water was making it a closed circuit which in turn will turn the dome lights on and tell the ECM unit that the door is ajar and you know it.....ALARM will go off.
I could not find this info on the search and just thought I would put in my 2 cents and help out if others have had this problem. If this has been cover I apologize in advance.
Here was my fix.
Pulled the rear cargo door jamb switch and pulled off boot to shake out all the water. Had to let it dry completley. Be sure to tape off the lead/wire so it will not fall into the hole and then you will have to fish it out.
50534
Used heat shrink tubing around the conections and then used liquid electrical tape around switch to seal it from water.
50535
I then installed the rubber boot back onto the switch and put the switch back on the rear cargo door. When the switch is back to it's original place, seal the outside of the rubber boot with a flexible silicone gasket seal.
50536
You will find out after you dry out the switch and test it....your dome lights will turn off and the door ajar code will shut off. Then you don't have to worry about that alarm going off a 2am! LOL
I will silicone the side door jamb switches first thing in the morning. But after all the testing af all five switches it was the rear cargo door that had the water in it.
The dealer only wanted to pull old part and put in a new part. That would not solve the problem and I would have to come back in for them to do it all over again.
I even read a post were one guy had to disconect his alarm....I would not be happy and thought I was headed down that same road with an alarm problem. Not true, my alarm works fine.
Just thought I would share my first night with the H3.
My alarm went off at 2am the first night I got my H3! Spent over an hour outside in the rain to get my alarm to reset and dome lights would not go off. My dash had a code that my doors were ajar. I had to use the manual override switch to turn the dome lights off and put it to bed without the alarm on. Not a good first night....LOL
Went to the dealer the next morning to get the run-around about how long it would take to fix the problem and may have to replace/test the door jamb switches and ECU unit.
Went home with my H3 and searched this forum and found out that I'm not the only one that has had this problem. Have found other people on the forum that talk about the alarm going off and dome light stays on when it rains or after washing the vehicle.
Here is what I have found out after checking all my door jamb switches.
Open the rear cargo door after it has rained hard or after a good wash and you will see water runs down the outside of the cargo door seal right into the door jamb switch. I pulled off the door jamb switch and found water in the switch and It has not rained for two days. Water and electronics do not mix and the water was making it a closed circuit which in turn will turn the dome lights on and tell the ECM unit that the door is ajar and you know it.....ALARM will go off.
I could not find this info on the search and just thought I would put in my 2 cents and help out if others have had this problem. If this has been cover I apologize in advance.
Here was my fix.
Pulled the rear cargo door jamb switch and pulled off boot to shake out all the water. Had to let it dry completley. Be sure to tape off the lead/wire so it will not fall into the hole and then you will have to fish it out.
50534
Used heat shrink tubing around the conections and then used liquid electrical tape around switch to seal it from water.
50535
I then installed the rubber boot back onto the switch and put the switch back on the rear cargo door. When the switch is back to it's original place, seal the outside of the rubber boot with a flexible silicone gasket seal.
50536
You will find out after you dry out the switch and test it....your dome lights will turn off and the door ajar code will shut off. Then you don't have to worry about that alarm going off a 2am! LOL
I will silicone the side door jamb switches first thing in the morning. But after all the testing af all five switches it was the rear cargo door that had the water in it.
The dealer only wanted to pull old part and put in a new part. That would not solve the problem and I would have to come back in for them to do it all over again.
I even read a post were one guy had to disconect his alarm....I would not be happy and thought I was headed down that same road with an alarm problem. Not true, my alarm works fine.