Do you ever leave your lights on in your classic van and forget because your modern car reminds you with a buzzer? Add one for very little money yourself!

Have you ever not noticed about the lights and ended up with a flat battery? It is easier than you think to add this level of protection and can be done by anyone with an electrical test meter.

Head over to your favourite auction site of choice and type in “12 volt buzzer”. You can choose the size and volume of the buzzer and maybe get several!

The buzzer should have just 2 wires, red and black. Take the red wire and connect it to the grey wire with the red stripe on it that is on the headlight switch (there will be half a dozen wires in and out of the switch, use your test meter to find one that goes live when the sidelights are on but has no power otherwise). Remember that your vehicle may not provide power to the headlights unless the ignition is turned on – that throws me every time until I remember.

Now connect the black wire to the brown wire of the door switch on the door pillar. The circuit will be completed when the door is open and the buzzer will be off.

Open the door – no noise. Close the door, turn on the sidelights and open the door – the buzzer should now go off.

Why did I suggest buying 2? If you want to be reminded about an open door, just wire the red wire of a second buzzer to the permanent live of the headlight switch (always live even with ignition off) or any other permanent live under the dash. Attach the black wire to the same brown wire of the door switch. Now you have a buzzer for the door being left open.

Given that these buzzers are about £3 and only go off to remind you about your lights being on, that is a small price to pay to avoid a flat battery!