the unsolvable problem

[big.aldo]

Hey guys,

I posted about this recently asking for advice - my car keeps making a beeping noise, which I think is coming from behind the dash, every couple of minutes. I had thought it was connected to some kind of problem with the trip computer, and its incredibly annoying. However I recently took it into an auto elec and he told me he has no idea what it could be causing the beeping, after pulling out the dash and inspecting it. He also refused to tell me how to disconnect the O/speed alarm speaker (I think this is where the noise is coming from) because its illegal. Obviously I wont be going back to him and I suspect it was partly laziness, but I need to find out what the damn thing is!!! Anyone who could recommend a possible fix, or if there are any auto elecs on the forum I could PM to find out more, I would greatly appreciate it. The vehicle, for the record, is a VR Berlina.

Cheers in anticipation, Big Aldo

[vs_grunta]

Not sure about the belina but my calais , you can turn the speed alert off , check your manual

[ephect]

is it a pulse once every couple minutes or 2 beeps every 30secs?

does it only do it whilst in motion or does it do it when the ignition is set only to acc, or ignition on?

give us some details

[_R_J_K_]

Not sure about the belina but my calais , you can turn the speed alert off , check your manual

Either that or just set the speed alert really high.

[big.aldo]

Its a pulse, four beeps I think, every couple of minutes. It's not the speed alert itself to my knowledge - you can't turn mine off entirely as far as I know, but I've got it set to 250km, so thats shouldnt be what it is. It only does it whilst the engine is running and the vehicle is in motion. Must be a freak uncommon problem cos I can't find any info on it anywhere!

[chuckie89]

mine s beewaping every few minutes while driving and it turned out it was the handbrake warning globe was blown replaced the globe and its stopped beeping now. Even beeping when the handbrake was off

[aceventura]

Just a thought, and I may be way off the mark, but is it a sensor for the handbrake that is faulty??? If I put my handbrake on while in motion an alarm goes off.

EDIT: A few minutes late!

[ephect]

normally with the handbrake up, its a set of beeps very close together, although i havent left it up so i dont know if it repeats every couple minutes after a while.

being a berlina, i would go with a light being out.

[big.aldo]

How easy are these problems to fix or diagnose? I don't relish the idea of paying through the nose in labour so some elec can pull the dash out and then go "Oh thats not it". Do you know if Holden sell user manuals so I can see what lights are meant to be on?

[Kurtp]

Pull the dash out and replace the globe yourself, the interiors are fairly simple to pull apart.

[scozz76]

With key in on position, pull the handbrake on.... Does the light appear on the dash?

[vs_grunta]

my vs will beep about 5 times together if i give it a big rev, maybe an overrev alarm

[DannyboyDS]

Scozz has the best diagnostic method for you at this point, if it is the handbrake globe it is an easy fix.

You can normally just drop the fuse panel below the steering wheel and look up and see the backs of the globes pointing out (Do a search for cluster globes plenty of threads with pics)

Then with a pair of long pliers you can replace the globes easily they just twist and pull out.

Failing that its on to option B

Two screws secure the facia from inside the cluster shroud.

after that using a flathead carefully pry the facia out of all of its clips, failing to do this will result in broken clips.

Drop the steering wheel down via the adjuster on the left side and pull the facia out a few inches

Unplug everything connected to the facia.

remove the facia.

Since it is a berline drop the fuse panel below the steering wheel, get under and look up a single plug will be going into the bottom of the cluster on the drivers side, unplug it.

The cluster is held in by two screws undo thema nd remove the cluster.

replace the defective globe.

refitting is the reverse of removal.

I might have missed a thing or two forgive me if I have, just go to your tool box, grab your common sense and you will succeed.

[NSTG8R]

it may also be the temperature alarm light that is blown. the beeping is almost the same as the handbrake chime......and it goes off every minute. Try what the others have suggested, and turn the ignition to "ON" and see what lights come on. If the temperature light doesnt initially light up it could be the culprit

[big.aldo]

Cheers guys this has been really helpful. It is in fact the handbrake light, but I'm too chickenshit to start pulling stuff to bits, so I may have to go an auto elec anyway. Shouldnt be too expensive with it being a ten minute job?

[vrcalais5ltr]

should cost bugger all if you take it to a decent auto lec. i took mine in because the horn and the a/c werent working and it only cost me 93.50 to get them both fixed. was cut wires fuses taken out and a burnt out switch. i went to another place and they quoted me around 700-900 to fix.

[scozz76]

If you unclip the panel under the steering column and look up towards your cluster, you can see where the bulbs are.