1. Home
  2. Subaru Cars Forum
  3. Door-is-open warning light on Forester...floating ground?

Door-is-open warning light on Forester...floating ground?

Back on 9/05/03, I posted a msg describing an intermittent problem I'm having with the red 'some-door-is-open' light that always stays illuminated on the dash panel. This is happening on a model-year-2000 Forester.

My original 'theory' was that maybe one of the actual switches on one of the

4 doors or the tailgate was faulty.

Now, however, I strongly suspect that the root-cause is that there is a problem with 'grounding' of some part(s) of the vehicle's electrical system. (The ONLY symptom/problem is the 'some-door-is-open' red warning lamp on the dash.) But, I now notice that this red warning light flickers and varies in its intensity when I engage/disengage the air-conditioning.

And, I also have seen the problem go away completely and then return again days later, WHILE I AM JUST DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD!

In other words, it seems to have NOTHING to do with whether I opened/closed doors at all.

So, let's assume that the working hypothesis is that the root cause IS a grounding problem. Given that, does anyone have any ideas how/where precisely to look? (e.g. up under the hood near the radiator, I see where a whole wiring harness attaches) But, where/how is the 'ground' for those circuits attached?

Any/all ideas about 'bad ground' related problems welcome.

TIA...

Dave

Reply to
David Cook
Loading thread data ...

I still think you have an intermittent open. That includes a ground but it may also mean a bad/dirty connector or partially severed wire. Um - did this problem show up after a new stereo was installed? Or window regulator? or other work? Maybe a wire or cable bundle was pinched or scraped. Try pulling/pushing/twisting on cable harnesses and connectors while having someone monitor the light.

Carl

1 Lucky Texan

David Cook wrote:

Reply to
Carl 1 Lucky Texan

Reply to
Tony Hwang

I've been snooping around a bit more...checked the other 3 (normal) door switches and found nothing.

But, it did bring up another question! The rear door/tailgate also participates in the circuit...like the other 4 doors, it too will normally cause the red-warning light on the panel to illuminate when it is opened. But, the mystery is:

I can not FIND the switch for this rear door at all! I've looked all around the edges of this tailgate door for a similar switch, but can't find one. Anyone know where it is supposed to be located? It's gonna be hard to check this switch if I can't find it!

opened/closed

Reply to
David Cook

Here's yet another issue/question: Up under the hood on the very front on the passenger side, the whole harness-full of connecting-wires comes up from elsewhere on the chassis and CONNECTS (somehow) onto a 'pad' that (probably) contains a group of electrical contacts for each wire's pin. But, I don't understand HOW it interlocks onto the 'pad'.

Anyone know where/how to release whatever 'catch' is holding this cable onto its pad?

(The owner's manual doesn't show it, and there are no 3rd-party shop-manual(s) for the Subaru Forester that I can find.)

TIA...

Dave

opened/closed

Reply to
David Cook

I believe it's in the handle mechanism and I've read it is a common problem. Didn't we mention this much earlier in the thread?

Carl

1 Lucky Texan

David Cook wrote:

Reply to
Carl 1 Lucky Texan

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.