Based on the time interval you describe it sounds like your lock
module. The thermal trip takes about that long to reset and pop. Mine
was doing it recently until I upgraded the lock module.
Rich A.
--- In DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "ryanpwright" <yahoo1@xxxx> wrote:
> On my way home this evening, it was raining. I pulled into my
garage,
> turned the headlights off, opened my driver's door and shut down the
> engine. I was enjoying a song and left the key on "accessory" for 30
> seconds or so. I then realized that I still had the mode switch in
> "defrost" and the fan blowing, so I flipped the mode switch to "off"
> to save my battery.
>
> I then heard a new noise that I hadn't heard before. Every 15-20
> seconds or so, a relay would click somewhere behind me and my
interior
> lights would dim slightly. The relay would stay energized for 2 to 3
> seconds, then go off. I could hear a weird "buzzing" noise behind my
> head when it was engaged. After a few rounds of this, I shut the
radio
> off but left the key in "accessory". I got out of the car and found
> where it was coming from, but I have no idea how or why.
>
> With my door fully opened, the upper rear (closest to engine) corner
> of the driver's side door comes into gentle contact with the roof
> t-panel. When this relay - whatever it is - engaged, it was causing
an
> electrical short between the t-panel and the door! Since the car was
> wet from the rain, the sound I was hearing was water being vaporized
> from a few cm or so around that contact point! I observed this
through
> several cycles of the relay to be positive of what I was seeing.
>
> Further troubleshooting:
>
> - I partially closed the door to eliminate the contact with the
> t-panel and waited for the relay to engage. It did so, this time
with
> no water vaporization. All I heard was the click of the relay.
Letting
> the door back up, it went back to vaporizing water.
>
> - I turned the key to "off", then back to "accessory." The relay did
> not continue to engage every 15-20 seconds. I did not restart the
car
> to test as I was now in my closed garage and was also eager to come
> write this post before I forgot the details.
>
> So, questions:
>
> 1. What could this relay be?
> 2. What could be causing it to short against the door like this?
>
> I believe something is wrong here.
>
> -Ryan