Chrysler Repair: 89 LeBaron: door chime not working properly re ignition switch

Question
QUESTION: The LB group suggested I contact you about this problem. My speedo/odo does not work. I checked the gear teeth and they are intact. I changed out the vehicle speed sensor. The tach and all the other gauges, lights are working except the speedo/odo. The only thing I noticed is when I changed out the VSS, the connector looked as if it had rusty liquid in it. I can do a cut and paste from my Daytona if the connector is bad. I did not change that out as of yet. I also thought there may be a relay that I am unaware of. Checked fuses and all seem ok. Someone also suggested that the soldering may be bad on the back of the cluster, but to my eye, it looks ok.

Is there something else I should be looking at? Also, do you know if this model year had automatic door locks? And is the driver's door supposed to chime when it is open? Can you suggest some good sites that offer visual assistance to these problems,along with your expertise?

Thank you
Cheryl
1989 Vert Highline Model
2.5 ltr automatic

ANSWER: Hi Cheryl,
I have the 3 volume 1989 Front wheel drive service manuals for my LeBaron coupe with the 2.5L engine. Those may be available from Techauthority.com which is I believe handling all the Chrysler manual vending. You can also find them for sale occasionally on eBay quite reasonably.
There was a power door lock option according to the wiring diagrams but not a remote key entry as far as I know. My locks are purely mechanical. My vehicle doesn't have power locks. The chiming of the front door does occur if you open the door while the key is in the ignition switch (to avoid locking yourself out).
As to the speedo/odo. When you removed the speed sensor did you happen to notice a pinion gear on its end? That gear will be damaged and become intermittent in its mechaical connection to the right side drive shaft whenever that shaft needs to be removed UNLESS the speed sensor and the pinion gear are both removed before the right side drive shaft is pulled from the differential. So if by chance your speedo/odo was working around the time that someone had to remove the right drive shaft and then it became flakey in its operation thereafter, that is likely the cause of the problem. A replacement pinion gear would solve that.
Other than that, to check the VSS you should be able to put a voltmeter and/or an ohmmeter across the terminals of the VSS and then jack up the front wheels and with the engine idling engage drive and you should observe either a voltage pulsation or a resistance pulsation coming from the sensor if it is working. I have not tried this myself but believe that is correct. You can also check that pulsating out at the cluster by placing the meter between pin A of the red plug (white/orange signal wire) and pin E of the gray plug (black/orange ground wire).
Please read the PS (below) and respond to it.
Thanks,
Roland


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Actually, the pinion gear was in perfect condition.The speedo/odo has not worked since I bought the car. I will check the connector to see if the wiring is the problem.I have had to fix a few connection problems already. The car sat and had water in the back due to two large holes in the roof when I found it. Body is solid with minimal rust. Great car!

I should have clarified myself about the door chime. The door chimes when it is open and with no keys in the ignition. So when I accidently leave my lights on, I wind up with a dead battery.  

Whomever had this car before me either didn't care, or did not have a clue. Hey, I love a mystery and quirky D/C/P cars!

Answer
Hi Cheryl,
The chime is supposed to sound when the door is opened if either the key is in the ignition or the head lamp switch it activated and no key is in the switch. I suspect that the switch that detects the presence of the key is stuck in the 'key is inserted position' which would explain both of these. It may just be slightly rusted/gummed up so a light spray with WD-40 or powdered graphite followed by several insertion/removals of the key will get it to work.
The circuitry is shown in detail in the service manual volume covering the wiring diagrams. I hope that you would be able to find a '89 front wheel drive 3-volume set as that is the sort of info you will need on this issue. I can Xerox copy some of the relevant pages from that manual and postal mail them to you if you would like. Tell me your postal address.
Roland
PS Thanks for the rating and nomination. If you would care to do both of those actions I would be most appreciative.