[Guest]

Very sorry to ask such a stupid question.

1997 (first registered in 1998) Spider 916 ph 1

I have the "bonnet open" warning light illuminated. Try as I might I cannot find the switch to check/adjust it. The bonnet is actually firmly closed and if i reopen and slam down the light goes out, only to re-illuminate as soon as i start driving.
My workshop manual (a CD bought off e bay) appears to show location for a phase 2 and for RH Drive variants, and my switch is in neither location.

As indicated above although my car is first registered 1998 it may be a 1997 car. I say this because I understand some changes took place to the ph1 cars about this time and I am not sure if this is the case here.

The workshop manual indicates that it is located adjacent to the near side bonnet hinge, but if it is I cannot see it. Neither can I see it on the off side by the bonnet hinge or on the front cross bar under the two latches (which was my first thoughts on where it would be).

I must admit that it was hissing down (persistantly raining) and my gas struts do not work in cold weather so I was battling both the wet running down my neck and i was one handed because i was stopping the bonnet from falling on my head, not the most ideal conditions for doing a search, but I did spend quite a while looking.

Manual indicates a plunger sticks up out of the bulkhead area which is depressed by the bonnet. I just do not appear to have one. Am I blind or stupid?

Cheers

 

[Junior]

Hi Crustycastle,

I had to replace my switch a few years ago too. It is located inside the passenger side hole that locates the bonnet securing pin. You will need to remove the headlight to gain access to it, but it isn't a difficult job to do. The part cost about £30, as far as I remember and I ordered mine through the local Fiat dealer. If you don't correct it, it can start setting the alarm off.

Mine went funny after I steam cleaned the engine, so something to bear in mind.

Cheers

 

[Guest]

Many thanks.
Will confirm that my car is "normal" as soon as I can. Contracted man flu this morning so would rather die than get up off the sofa. Feel like I am dying anyway,

Cheers

 

[SimonT]

They are prone to getting wet. I've had this happen a couple of times during very wet weather. Always just dried out and self cured after as few days so not worth replacing switch.

 

[.:ian:.]

They are prone to getting wet. I've had this happen a couple of times during very wet weather. Always just dried out and self cured after as few days so not worth replacing switch.

Eventually though the spring inside rusts away and it will stick in the "bonnet open" position.

You can, with a bit of fiddling, replace just the microswitch, google "ip67 v4 microswitch"

A few quid rather than £30-40 for the whole unit.

 

[MikeWhite]

Just replaced mine.

Maplins £2.49 - part number N96AQ - Miniature Micro Switch with Lever

Was a direct fit once the terminals had been soldered onto the original connector

 

[krisp]

Thank you for that, replace mine too. Solder wires to normally open (NO) and common (C) connections.

 

[alexGS]

Also try looking up 'gas strut services' in the phone book - well, it worked for me and one hour/$40 later, my bonnet was staying up. The guy turns up in a van and repressurises the struts - lasts fine as it takes many years for the pressure to fall.

Having done the bonnet and boot microswitches, the hood mechanism microswitch which disables the aircon is next on my hit list. When it has failed, the aircon turns on even with the roof open, which is a waste and it's difficult to see the tiny green light on the button - would be good to change it to a blue LED.

-Alex

 

[Cluffstarr]

Hi guys,

Can you confirm that the switch (and surrounding bracket etc) can be removed from the car without the need for drilling out of rivets? I have a socket set but no rivet kit at home. I want to take it out then bring it in to work where I can take it apart with the tools here and put in the new microswitch...?

Thanks.

 

[.:ian:.]

The bracket is bolted to the car, but the microswitch is riveted to the bracket.

 

[BrighouseAlfa]

This was the first fix I did to my car, as the light was annoying me. I found the switch in the left hand bonnet catch recess was not being pushed all the way down. Two things can be done easily. Either bend the metal connected to the micro switch upwards. This may work, but you may break it and you don't really want to do that. After trying that and finding that I still had the same issue, so I ever so slightly loosened the bonnet catch attached to the bonnet itself which fits into the recess. It has a stiff spring on it so it takes a bit of effort, but by loosening it lengthens it so that it fits further into the recess when the bonnet is closed.

The upshot of this was that the micro switch was properly activated and the bonnet was actually closing shut properly on both catches rather than on the drivers side only. Also have a play around with the metal u-shaped catches in the recess that are connected to the bonnet release cable. If they are stiff, a bit of lube could help.

 

[Oliver_K]

I've been meaning to do something about mine for ages. Thing is the light is stuck off. As I know my bonnet is shut because I check it I might leave well alone.

 

[Cluffstarr]

Well if any of you are following the other threads, I'm still stuck at the stage of getting the headlight off - One of the captive nuts has sheared under the light and I now have the bumper off and am trying to break the nut or bolt in order to get the light out to then have access to the switch... I've tried a dremmel to no avail... Going to try and laser bolt/nut cracker when it arrives (bought online) and hopefully that will do the trick...
Thanks for the help to now - hoping to have it solved by the weekend!