Driver Door Switches

[bigsky]

On the driver side there are two switches upper and lower that indent when the door is closed. The upper switch will collapse inward, but the lower switch will not. Should the lower switch collapse inward like the upper? Thanks.

[Farrar]

Yes, it should. One of those switches is for your courtesy lights; the other is for the buzzer (buzzes when door is open with key in ignition). They both function the same.

Farrar

[WelmoedJ]

On the driver side there are two switches upper and lower that indent when the door is closed. The upper switch will collapse inward, but the lower switch will not. Should the lower switch collapse inward like the upper? Thanks.

A simple answer to you question: Yes, it should.
It may be stuck due to the centre connection being "hooked" and locked somewhere.

BTW: The upper switch is for the door lights, the lower switch for the Key-in-Lock signal of the buzzer.
Be aware there are two groups of wires leading to the switches.
Do not mix the wires belonging to each of the switches:
Door lamp wires: purple/blue (to door lamps) + black (to GND)
Key -in-Lock wires: purple/blue (to lock) + purple/white (to buzzer)

[bigsky]

Thanks for the help guys!

[David T]

How did you come up with "the upper switch is for the door lights" , "lower for the key in lock signal of the buzzer"? I can't find anywhere that says which is for which and I can't see how it matters. What DOES matter, as you pointed out, is that you MUST NOT mix up the 2 groups of 2 wires. Most owners do not connect both wires for the buzzer anyway. Too annoying.
David Teitelbaum

[WelmoedJ]

How did you come up with "the upper switch is for the door lights" , "lower for the key in lock signal of the buzzer"? I can't find anywhere that says which is for which and I can't see how it matters.
I had the opportunity to check this on quite a number of cars.
This is the way I found it on 99% of the checked cars.
I agree there is no hard info that confrims this to be a factory setup, so I perhaps should have said "it seems .... ".


Most owners do not connect both wires for the buzzer anyway. Too annoying.
David Teitelbaum
I agree this buzzer is annoying. Having a "standardized" wiring setup it a necessity as it simplifies checks and maintenance.

[MartyP]

When I bought mine it was already PO modified with only one plunger. So I just unplugged the buzzer, Caus it's very anoying at car shows with the door open !

[outatym2001]

Does no one open their DeLorean Owner's Handbook that is stored in the glove box???

Page 4 shows the information you are looking for.

The stupid thing about the Handbook is it does not show the passenger side Switch for the interior illumination.

As far as I'm aware when opening the driver door only the bulbs in the driver door should illuminate and the bulbs in the passenger door should stay off.
Same with opening only the passenger door only those bulbs should turn on.

My problem is no matter if I open either door then the amber and red lights turn on in both doors. I think I've got something screwed up???

[Farrar]

My problem is no matter if I open either door then the amber and red lights turn on in both doors. I think I've got something screwed up???

Bad/missing diode, perhaps? There are four in that circuit: two black, one blue, one red. The passenger's door's diode is black; the driver's door's diode is red.

All of this is in the drawing in the DeLorean Technical Manual, by the way. Page 112. ;-)

Farrar

[outatym2001]

Thanks for that Farrar.
Sometimes (like now) you amaze me at the things you know. Other times when you post a question on DMC Talk I think to myself, “Doesn’t Farrar already know that? He’s owned that DeLorean for how many years?” “And he doesn’t know that?” “How come he doesn’t know that?” I can’t remember any examples at the moment.
Perhaps next spring I will try to solve my problem with the door lights at a local Pacific Northwest DeLorean Club tech session.

[Farrar]

Thanks for that Farrar.
Sometimes (like now) you amaze me at the things you know. Other times when you post a question on DMC Talk I think to myself, “Doesn’t Farrar already know that? He’s owned that DeLorean for how many years?” “And he doesn’t know that?” “How come he doesn’t know that?” I can’t remember any examples at the moment.

You're welcome.

I am sure another example of my "selective ignorance" will arise soon enough... there are times I get so frustrated I forget what I know, or a thought or question will occur to me when I am (for example at work) away from my manuals and I will have to ask a stupid question. The DeLorean is the only car I have ever worked on and so a lot of "general knowledge of all automobiles" is unknown to me as there are some systems I have not yet tackled. Over the last four years I have done fuel, brakes, air conditioning, and cooling, and I am digging into electrical stuff now. Since I only have a few days a month to work on the car, it's a very long learning process, so I ask your patience as I fill the gaps in my DeLorean database! :)

Farrar