JavaScript delay() function

Question

I am using a javascript-based modal dialog. The dialog is fading in and fading out fine, but if I want the fadeout to be delayed by some seconds using delay(3000), it is not working. It simply never fades out. What could I be doing wrong? It's an MVC app.

function testingh(button) {
 alert("DfdfdfF");
 $('.error-notification').remove();
 var $err = $('<div>').addClass('error-notification')
 .html('<h2>Paolo is awesome</h2>(click on this box to close)')
 .css('left', $(button).position().left);
 $(button).after($err);
 $err.fadeIn('slow');
 $err.delay(3000).fadeOut('slow');
}

If you know of a more efficient way to delay(meaning postpone) the fading out, then let me know. Using delay(3000).fadeOut seemed most efficient to me?

CSS:

.error-notification {
 background-color:#AE0000;
 color:white;
 cursor:pointer;
 display: none;
 padding:15px;
 padding-top: 0;
 position:absolute;
 z-index:1;
 font-size: 100%;
}
.error-notification h2 {
 font-family:Trebuchet MS,Helvetica,sans-serif;
 font-size:140%;
 font-weight:bold;
 margin-bottom:7px;
}

• Vinzenz: Did you try to debug it? With firebug or any other tool?
• Pointy: That sequence works just fine in a simple test. You should post what the CSS looks like, and as @Vinzenz suggests you should use Firebug or some other debug tools to check what the element CSS looks like during the animation.
• TPR: I posted CSS. Note:fadeOut on its own does work... it's justt that after "delay" it doesnt fade out at all

Answer 1

setTimeout(function() {
 $err.fadeOut()
}, 3000);

• Vinzenz: well jQuery supports delay the way he showed it so I would try to figure out first what was wrong with that
• Julio Santos: A simple hide().delay(500).show() failed for me a couple days ago. Apparently, it's common across the Internet.

Answer 2

Instead of writing

$err.delay(3000).fadeout('slow');

try writing

$err.fadeout('4000');

Answer 3

Isn't that you have to queue-chain your delay? try this

$err.fadeIn('slow').delay(3000).fadeOut('slow');

• Pointy: This should make no difference.