2008 Contessa entry door air seal

[David H Smith]

Good Morning Beaver Fans,
             Does anyone out there have any info on the operation and/or schematics for the air operated door seal. My seal system is intermittent on my Contessa Huntington, so it whistles in the wind while driving. When it inflates we can hear the door make a thump sound and the whistle completely stops, Any ideas?
                        Thanks in advance!

[Eric Maclean]

David
I. The BAC coach assist tech library section of the forum there is a publication on the PDL door adjustments it has a section on the air seal.
Also in coach assist look at 2008 Congress wiring diagrams page 29.
It shows that fuse #72 feeds the control coil of relay #RL9 the DRS ( door seal relay)
Fuse #74 feeds the switched side of relay #RL9 which sends the 12+ power to connector VCF (green) pin #11 from there it goes on through the front cap harness over to the door to operate an air solenoid for the seal.

The relay seems to be controlled by the TCM ( transmission control module) assuming the parking brake off and trans not in neutral to activate the seal there should be a switch inside the door as shown  in the (PDL door adjustment pub.) To ensure the door is closed before activating the seal.
If the problem is intermittent I would look carefully at the switch adjustments in the door first and of course the connections and wiring in the door hinge

Hope this helps
Eric

[Joel Ashley]

Eric is on track, David.  Your symptoms (intermittent operation) imply a bad ground or a poorly aligned door trigger switch, or just a loose wire there.  Door switches, in the jamb, often have loosened mounting screws due to their being subject to constant door openings and closings and the occasional inadvertent slam. 

Seems like when we had similar issues some years back, I accessed the switch or switches’ screws from inside the wheel well, but I’m not sure.  If memory serves, which it all too often doesn’t anymore, there is more than one switch in the jamb, for other purposes, and not necessarily all on the wheel well side.  Some used a magnet to test the switch operation also I believe.  Sorry for the dim memory... others here may clarify.

Joel

[David H Smith]

Eric & Joel....thanks a bunch....now I have a place to start the trouble shooting. I also found a small crack in the seal at the lower right corner where the bottom of the door pinches the seal. I rounded the sharp 90deg corner with a sander and re-painted, I am waiting for the
3M glue for butyl/EPDM rubber, once that repair is made I will trouble shoot the electrics. I did not know about the door switch....good Idea on Beaver's engineers! Thanks again for the Info!!     Dave Smith, 08 Contessa