Car "thinks" driver's door is always open!
 

On my way to work today, my driver's window started sporadically "cracking" (like it does when you open the door) back & forth a few times & my dome light came on. Now the glass defaults to the "cracked" position & won't stay completely closed (will close by the switch but drops immediately).
Tried the window reset as well as ECU reset. No change. And since the car thinks the door is open, the remote won't lock the doors. Neither will the key in the door handle. Nor will the remote nor the key activate "comfort opening". It will, however, unlock the doors, & finally does so with one press. Yay!
I thought that maybe the BCM (in pass. kick panel) got wet but it appears dry.
I looked inside the driver's door, thinking the switch that tells the car the door's closed had failed. I failed to find any switch. How does the car know the door is closed? Is there a sensor in the latch?
I will be taking it in, but won't have time for a week or so.
Anyone else experience this?

I experienced something similar in my VW and it turned out to be the microswitch in the latch. Mine ended up being the opposite where the car thought the driver's door was always closed and that messed up the arming of the alarm. My clue was that the "puddle" light in the door never came on when I opened the door.

Repairing it required removing the door panel and window regulator just to get to the latch. No such thing as a plunger type switch these days!

Never had that problem,but awhile back I was cleaning Poco,and after cleaning the hatch opening,I closed the hatch,but as I continued doing stuff,I could hear the hatch latch clicking away.The hatch would not open,nor could I push it fully shut.I did not know what to do,but figure I'd try cycling the locks.That fixed it.I guess I did not close it hard enough,and it confused the latch:roll:
:cool:

Interesting! Just curious, how long have you had your car? I'm always fascinated to think about what things like this cost once the car is out of warranty. It's one reason that I've ordered an '05 to replace my '03.

I'm wondering the same thing,my extended warranty will run out about 1 year after the 07's roll out.

It's a 12-13-02 build MCS (Friday the 13th!), Delivered January '03.

Well, that explains it. Expect the seatbelt warning to "malfunction" next, as if someone is sitting in the passenger seat even though it appears to be uncoccupied! :eek: :lol:

Exact same thing just happened to me this evening... except for the passenger door. The car right now thinks the door is open and keeps turning the inside light on. I guess I'll have to disconnect the battery to keep from running the battery down tonight.

So what turned out to be the source of the problem on your Mini?

For those wondering, I guess you can keep on wondering. It straightened up after a day or so & has been fine ever since. FWIW, there didn't appear to be any water in the BCM. Lucas Electrics, anyone?

Wow scary stuff... And I thought my haunted sunroof was bad :roll:. For a couple days, the Doggone thing would close all the way, then "bounce" back open about 6 inches.... Hit "close" again and the same thing happens.... Hit "open" and let it open all the way, then it closed all the way and stayed...

Looking up "heritage" at www.dictionary.com,
Tatt

PS NAM is a great place for posting weirdness like this because so few problems are really "one-offs".

Isn't that the truth? I am always amazed at the number of issues documented on these forums for a car that's only been in existence for what...five years now (counting the 2006)?

I love this car, but there are times........... :roll:

Yes :lol:, and that's not even taking us finicky owners into account. Why do we set up ourselves for the inevitable disappointment that comes from wanting everything to be perfect!

Barn: i've never seen this one, but would suspect the closed door sensors are out of whack. I'm pretty sure the computer can identify which one.

This is too weird, because I had the same problem two days ago! Passenger door I think. Light would come on, then I heard the window go up.

Been a very dry summer here and it's now been raining for days. Wonder if this could be a common issue?
My car is an early '03

Oh geeeshh, it's back. I just parked the car after a very wet drive and the passenger window is just jerking up and down. :confused:

Wet driving / Dry driving.... and more gremlins
 

Well I drove up to Albany (RPI actually) today in some very wet weather... 91 around Enfield was actually flooded over with about four feet of water...

The door issue didn't repeat, but other electronics mysteries surfaced... weird stuff with the center heating/AC panel losing all power off and on, then the turn signal would stick "On" even after I returned the lever to neutral position, then the steering wheel controls for the stereo refused to function at all...... drove about 2 hours with defrosters that would come on for a few minutes and then die again.... Until we cleared the rain.... weirdest part was that throughout all of these problems, the issue with the door never did surface...

Within ten minutes of dry driving again, everything cleared right up. This is obviously a moisture related issue, but it's somewhere close and where the moisture clears out quickly...

Any ideas out there regarding what/where to check?

PS: I did do a clutch and steering rack replacement last week, but the only wiring involved with the harness would be the plugs directly on the steering and the one "rotating" plug just to the side of the stock air box. These all seem tight and dry, but thought I should mention that these have been apart recently.