I’m writing a novel set in the early 1970s. Did cars in the 1970s make a ping-ping-pinging sound when the door was left ajar or is the door ajar sound a more recent feature? I can’t remember. Thank you!
The one I had that made a noise was a buzzing sound if the key left in ignition with door open.
Unless that was early 80s…
I’m thinking it was my 1974 Pontiac LeMans, which I didn’t have until 80 or so, but my memory may be filling in details erroneously.
My 1970 Ford F100 made no such noise
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It was a BZZZZ in the early 70s American cars, IIRC. I think my 73 had it, but if it did I disabled it immediately. I see replacement parts going back to 1968.
My 74 Beetle does not have a key/door chime. Then again, it’s a Beetle, so if it’s not 100 percent necessary to make the car go down the road, it doesn’t have it.
We had a 1970 Dodge Coronet when I was growing up. I don’t remember it chiming, but it could be that we never left the keys in it when we opened the door.
A lot of cars back then didn’t chime if you left the lights on either.
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It was a BZZZZ in the early 70s American cars, IIRC.
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Not just a BZZZZ, but a BIZZZZZ!! that sounded like a pop can full of angry wasps.
Our '73 AMC Ambassador buzzed for key in ignition if the driver door was open and for seat belts.
So, did the person in your story leave the key in the ignition and open the door because he ran out of gas due to the gas shortages in the early 1970s? 
Dammit! My license plate ends in an odd number and this is an even day…
My mom’s '72 Toyota Celica GT made that sound if your seat belt wasn’t fastened.
see here for an example.
the “ding, ding” style door chime came in in the 1980s, initially on luxury brands then moved downmarket.
1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass had an annoying buzz sound.
1971 Plymouth Valiant had the loud buzzer if the door was open with the key in the ignition. Didn’t stop me from locking the keys in the car once - with the engine running…
In fact, now that I think about it I think the buzzer only sounded if the (1) driver’s door was open, (2) the key was in the ignition, and 93) the engine was not running (key in the off or accessory position). Could be mis-remembering…
As far as i remember, there was no warning for the door being left open or ajar. If it was night time, you could tell if a front door wasn’t closed completely because the overhead light would be on; for the back doors you just heard increased road noise…
And the car couldn’t care less if you had your seat belt on or not. Back then I just wore the lap belt, since the shoulder belt was a separate belt/buckle. Neither belt retracted…
Apartment Mate’s Ford Fairmont would actually say, “Your door is ajar”. We would treat this with disdain, “No, it’s a door, not a jar”. Good for a cheap laugh.
Oh yea, that was all the rage. The Future Is Now - talking cars are here!
That lasted six months or so.
I’m not aware of Ford having done that. Several Chrysler models did, though; using a synthesizer chip very close to the one in the Speak & Spell.
My '71 Dodge Charger SE did not do anything if keys in ignition with door open (other than interior light being on with or without key in place, IIRC). And if I remember right, none of the other Mopar muscle-cars of that era (up to around ‘75, IIRC) did so when at car shows with doors open and keys in ignition for diplay (making starting up the ol’ Hemis or whatever easier when asked about 'em by admirers/potential buyers). Neither was there a headlights-on alarm when ignition turned off, etc.
I remember a mate had a Mitsubisihi that spoke like that, but then I think Chrysler and Mitsubishi collaborated a lot in those days.
Back in that era (and even more recently) I never saw nor heard of a car that would protect the driver from leaving the headlights on and running the battery down. At some time in that period, some form of door chime or buzzer came into vogue. And at some time in that period (I think it was a little later), the seat belt buzzer or chime came into vogue, no doubt with a little prodding from the NTSB or whoever was pushing seat belts.
But no car manufacture ever thought to give a rat’s ass about protecting drivers from leaving the headlights on. :mad: – That came later. I don’t specifically know if any car ever had a chime or buzzer for it, but my current and previous car (a 1988) would simply power-off the headlights when you turned the main car power off.
They definitely started showing up on more upscale cars and trim levels by the late 60’s. Once cars started getting the little plunger switches to turn the dome light on when the doors were open, it was easy to add the buzzers.
Some of the early 80’s Datsuns also had something similar, but amazingly used teeny-tiny little phonograph records instead of an electronic synthesizer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hJBko3-oV4
My stepdad has a mint 280ZX in his basement that talks. I just googled a bit and found that it was an option from 1979-83 and is was done using a tiny record player.
ETA: saw this thread like 3 hours ago but didn’t feel like replying until now and get ninja’d by 4 minutes.
My parents had some sort of Chrysler that told you various “useful” things, like “Please fasten your seat belt”, “Your fuel is low”, and of course “The door is ajar”. Had to be mid 80s.
Uh…