'00 sebring:door locks click/interior lights come on

QuestionEdit

QUESTION: My 2000 Chrysler Sebring Convertible JX1 is acting up. Without any rhyme or reason, it will ding and at the same time I can see that the odometer is blinking and when I have the headlights on, I notice that when it is doing that, the lights at the bottom of the rear view mirror are also blinking. THen it will stop, only to do it again and again at random times. While this is happening, I can hear the door locks locking and unlocking as well. This is totally weird! Got any ideas???

ANSWER: Hi Ruth Ann, The door locks spontaneously re-closing is a sign that one of the doors is not securely latched which give a false ajar warning. So try pushing outward on each door from the inside when you are in motion to see if you can provoke it to cycle the locks. If so, then move the latch striker, mounted in the door frame, inboard a fraction of an inch to prevent the false ajar. It has simple hardware which you loose slightly to then move the striker. I am not certain what the lights at the bottom of the rear view mirror are normally indicating when things work properly, and the odometer similarly do you mean the numbers fade and return? Let me know about the mirror lights and maybe we can find a 'common cause' for those two symptoms. Please 'rate' my answer (see below) Thanks, Roland

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QUESTION: Ron,

Thanks for your fast response. As to the other issues (and keep in mind these three things all happen almost simultaneously and without warning), those lights usually come on when the door is opened, so that seems like they could be tied in with the door locking issue. The odometer thing is accompanied by a ding noise, also happening a second or two before the other things happen, and what happens is that it actually blinks, off and on and stays on until the next time I hear the ding, with the odometer blink, followed by the locking and then at night, mirror lights also flash on and off. Tomorrow I will try working on the door; hopefully getting that squared away will affect the other things. The only one that doesn't seem connected is the odometer, but then I'm no mechanic. Let me know what you think. Thanks again for your advice so far.

ANSWER: Hi Ruth Ann, I suspect the odometer will resolve once you get the door latched more firmly. The cluster depends on the digital data circuitry which also is involved with the door lock/interior lighting so settling down the door lock situation will probably also 'cure' the odometer. If you have a moment to rate/nominate me that would be appreciated. Roland

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QUESTION: I don't really have a question, just wanted to thank you so much for your help with this. When I was finally able to put your advice to the test, I came back to tell you that what I found was that there is a button on the door frame that wasn't going in and out properly as it was full of dirt (I live on a dirt road!). I sprayed it with canned air and also physically washed it with water and it seems to be fine (next time it starts in I will know what to do.) When I tried to thank you before it indicated you were not available as you were on vacation. Then I got sick and one thing and another until I just now tried to get back to you as I felt bad that I did not get to thank you. I can't find the button that they refer to, to acknowledge how helpful you were, so I thought this way of contacting you would work. Thank you so very much. I would definitely recommend you without hesitation. You rock! :o) Ruth Ann

AnswerEdit

Hi Ruth Ann, I very much appreciate your reporting on how this was fixed as well as your very kind remarks about me. Feel free to ask about you car at any time. Roland PS If you would care to give me a nomination to be 'volunteer of the month' you can do so by clicking on the 'rate the expert' button and answering 'yes' to the question.