Volks,

I'm pretty anal about my cherished Vanagon.� Always looking...always listening...follow the recommended maintenance activities by the book and then some.� Yet...it happened to me on my recent half-country trip from San Diego to Brownsville, Texas.� The dreaded "red lights" suddenly noticed in the instrument cluster; in my case, broken water pump/alternator belt.� I saw the lights and immediately pulled off the highway.� Were they on for seconds or minutes?....surely not more than a minute or two.� And I may have squeaked by...no apparent engine or gasket damage, but time will tell on that one.

What we need is a simple fix.� A small "box" of electronics, wired in so as to detect any of the red LED's coming on (oil pressure, alternator, coolant temperature), with a LOUD piezo speaker blasting you to "get OFF the road and shut down IMMEDIATELY!!!.�� Doesn't have to speak words....just be obnoxious.

Sure, the idiot lights do provide some measure of alert.� But the vast windows of the Vanagon provide plenty of reasons for not driving while staring down at the instrument cluster, especially on a bright sunny day.� We need a backup system...Audible.� Airplanes have these kinds of things, even "stick shakers" to try to convince you to avoid a stall.

So....any Electrical Engineers out there?� I'm a Mechanical Engineer...I can't do it, but it's easily within the realm of some EE.� Maybe it's already been done.� I'd pay $50-$100 for such a contraption...peace of mind...and freedom to keep looking out the windows.� Sound interesting?

Rich
85 Vanagon not a Westy but I love it to death
San Diego