On Jun 25, 12:39*pm, Dillon Pyron <invaliddmpy...@austin.rr.com>
wrote:
> Thus spakey_p_w<y_...@hotmail.com> :
>
>
>
> >On Jun 24, 1:54*pm,y_p_w<y_...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >> On Jun 24, 11:22*am, "Steve W." <csr684...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> >> > A manual charger that size won't do much. However if that battery has
> >> > been drawn down that many times it is on borrowed time. I would replace
> >> > the battery, then fix the warning chime. Unless that car was made before
> >> > about 84-85 it has a lights on warning chime.
>
> >> My 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX doesn't have a headlamp warning chime, but
> >> it does have a headlamp auto-off feature. *Same goes for some
> >> relatives' Toyota Camry.
>
> >> I did some research and I think I know what the problem is.
> >> Apparently the driver's side door open switch can get stuck to the
> >> closed position. *I've noticed that the dome light doesn't turn on
> >> when the driver's side door is open and it's switched to the center
> >> (door selected) position. *Apparently the headlamp-on warning or key-
> >> in-ignition warning chimes don't activate until the driver's side door
> >> is sensed open.
>
> >>http://vtec.net/forums/one-message?m...&page_number=1
>
> >As a follow-up, I got home and checked it for this little switch. *The
> >first thing I noticed was that all three other doors worked fine with
> >the dome light. *Next, the little switch felt loose. *I first tried
> >prying it back (bending it) when I then noticed that there was a
> >little hatch that opened to reveal the screw. *The little switch was
> >actually not connected to the rubber/metal switch cover. *I think it
> >was supposed to be grounded to the body via the screw, but the ground
> >clips on the switch were always loose (might have even been shaking
> >around in there never depressed).
>
> >So now when the driver's side door is open and the headlights are on,
> >it gives off a loud whine. *Of course it doesn't do anything when the
> >map lights are on. *:-(
>
> Um, did you not turn them on? *Turn them off. *If you're leaving them
> on that much, start looking up when you get out of the car.

The map lights are not being left on by myself (I thought I said
that). They're usually left on by someone else looking for stuff
inside the car before exiting. Usually this is after I've already
left the car and/or when I'm not driving the car. While I may not
have left them on, I'm the one who's being asked to rectify the
situation. I would also note that occasionally my car's map lights
have been left on, and after 5+ years the OE battery would barely have
enough to start the car on a cold engine even after being driven 40
miles earlier. I recently got a new battery and hopefully the
mistakes of the past won't be repeated.

The headlamp chime has been fixed. That thing is loud and I doubt I
or anyone else will forget to turn off the headlights now.

> And yes, you're battery is very likely shot or nearly so. *If this
> summer doesn't kill it (right now (1430 CDT) it's 103, probably hit
> 105), this winter will. *Depends on your latitude.

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Right now it's mid-day and
about 72°F. Winter temps might dip as low as the high 30s F. While I
suppose we may need to put up with earthquakes, batteries tend to last
a long time even when they get abused.