Bongo Fury

I was test driving a '96 4wd last weekend (which will be mine on Monday), and noticed a fault.

The buzzer was not beeping loudly - I only just heard a *very* faint high pitch beep from the dashboard when stopped at lights. Once one of the other passengers tuned in to it and we continued driving, we noticed the following:
- it would beep when driving along
- when stationary, the beep would change depending on whether it was in park or drive, and also when the handbrake was on or off (either fast or slow pip-pip-pip-pip-pip-etc... or a pip-pip... pip-pip... pip-pip... etc... (vague memories of both, but might be wrong - I never wrote anything down)
- when switched off, lights on, door open, it beeped long
- I didn't try the roof again after noticing this.

I revisited the van when making my offer and can confirm that the "buzzer box" behind the trim was connected.

The garage said that this will certainly be rectified before sale, but just incase I can point them in the right direction or confirm what it is that they found, does anyone have any suspicions as to what might be the cause of this? I suspect there may be more than one fault here...

Finally, does anyone know of a list describing the various beeps and their causes? (Perhaps I just haven't looked for long enough)

Regards,
Driver.

? was there a car in front of you at the lights? some bongo's have sonar, reverse style sensors in the front bumper, but from what your describing it sounds like the roof up beep, which beeps like a loon when the handbrake is taken off
Julian

If they do fix it make sue they haven't fixed it by removing / disconnecting the sounder! There are several different ways of doing it ...
Check it bleeps when the drivers door is open and the keys in or the headlights have been left on when you take the keys out etc.

Absolutely! I want to sit in the driver's seat and try and make it beep in all the ways it's meant to - and actually be able to hear it when it is going off!

Do you know if the "roof up" beep would change in pattern (I heard three distinct patterns) if you change gear, release the handbrake, etc...?

321Away wrote:? was there a car in front of you at the lights? some bongo's have sonar, reverse style sensors in the front bumper, but from what your describing it sounds like the roof up beep, which beeps like a loon when the handbrake is taken off
Julian

There was a car in front when I noticed it, but it continued to beep on the open road.

AFAIK, the roof up beeps do change depending on what you are doing. I seem to remember that moving the van with the roof up (on a campiste, sober, honest!) it seemed to get very beepy when you actually move off.....

Driver+Passengers wrote:Do you know if the "roof up" beep would change in pattern (I heard three distinct patterns) if you change gear, release the handbrake, etc...?

As I recall the beeping is faster than any of the other beeps, but normally it won't start any Beeps if the handbrake is not on, can't say I have studied the patterns when moving however, although have a feeling the ECU might go into "limp home" mode if its actually up - but that isn't something I can confirm!

I had to drive my Bongo over to have the lifting roof mended. Becuase it would not close fully, it beeped at me, so I disconnected the front beeper to reduce the dreadnoise. The little one right down at the back (hidden behind o/h rearmost panel I think) still beeped away at me but was v. quiet from the drivers seat. It doubled the beep rate as the car moved from stationary to on the move.

I reckon that, almost certainly, is what you heard on your test drive. But what's causing it? Well a faulty microswitch on the roof closing mechanism is a possibility I guess.

Thanks, folks.

It seems like the roof sensor/switch is strong candidate - I'm sure they'll find that without me suggesting it to them.

Mike, interesting you say there are two buzzers - I thought if there was one, it was perhaps shorted or something. They'll will obviously be fixing the cause of the "main" buzzer not sounding, too. I was sure I saw the wee box connected behind the trim by the driver's right foot, but I might have been mistaken as I didn't pull bits off a car that I didn't own, yet - just peeked behind.

I will confirm the cause next week.

Driver+Passengers wrote:Thanks, folks.

It seems like the roof sensor/switch is strong candidate - I'm sure they'll find that without me suggesting it to them.

Mike, interesting you say there are two buzzers - I thought if there was one, it was perhaps shorted or something. They'll will obviously be fixing the cause of the "main" buzzer not sounding, too. I was sure I saw the wee box connected behind the trim by the driver's right foot, but I might have been mistaken as I didn't pull bits off a car that I didn't own, yet - just peeked behind.

I will confirm the cause next week.

Have a look at the posts for the day meet in Aberfoyle if you have questions (and I bet you do) it could be a good way to get some answers and friendly assistance

Driver+Passengers wrote:Thanks, folks.

It seems like the roof sensor/switch is strong candidate - I'm sure they'll find that without me suggesting it to them.

Mike, interesting you say there are two buzzers - I thought if there was one, it was perhaps shorted or something. They'll will obviously be fixing the cause of the "main" buzzer not sounding, too. I was sure I saw the wee box connected behind the trim by the driver's right foot, but I might have been mistaken as I didn't pull bits off a car that I didn't own, yet - just peeked behind.

I will confirm the cause next week.

Goodo - we'll wait to hear

? not a madason Alarm chirping away?

just it's the only one I know sits behind the dash. As the bleeper as everyone has said is down by your feet. and the rear bleeper is by the rear quarter.

just a thought, it could be as simple as the previous owner set it very low.

just worth a punt I thought.

David.

There was "a loose wire behind the dashboard".

T -5h...

I was totally fobbed off by the garage today. They claimed that they fixed the problem I reported (incessant beeping) but evidently failed to address the fact that it was barely audible at all.

They said a corroded wire or connector was identified and rectified, but they clearly didn't test the system. I will try to get out of them exactly what they touched.

On the forecourt, it wasn't making a sound when the door was open with the headlights on, nor when raising the roof. Perhaps there was more ambient noise at the time, but a little later after giving up arguing and driving home, I picked up on the same faint beep as I had identified during the latter half of the test drive, having just pulled up, still in gear, foot on the brake, handbrake off. This gave fast pips. When shifting into park, it changes to double pips.

They are not a Bongo specialist, and I would rather tackle it myself, frankly.

I need to first confirm that it does beep, albeit faintly, "from cold". I have only ever noticed it after having driven for a while, though I don't expect that to be a true. Then address the volume. Then check the roof sensor and take it from there, if necessary.

This sounds very much like a coolant alarm where the coolant is just below the level. Run away, run away

Mine did this before I fixed a minor leak and had to keep topping up with coolant