I have a 2002 Dodge Durango and for the past few days its been chiming/dinging constantly at me. It seems pretty random. When it first started my windshield wiper fluid light was on so I filled it, thinking maybe it would make it stop (but it was still strange since it normally only makes the chime sound once, not repeatedly). It did make it stop, for a day, before starting up again.
Sometimes it starts as soon as I start up the car, sometimes it will wait a few minutes and then start up… But when it does start it seems to chime every 5-15 seconds and it’d driving me mad.
There are no dashboard lights on or check engine lights (and none of the lights seem to be burned out either). All the gauges seem to be fine. Anyone know what could cause this? I have a 16 hour drive coming up and if I have to spend it listening to a chime going off every 10 seconds I may end up driving into a goddamn bridge abutment on purpose.
Short of fixing what’s causing it, I’ll also take suggestions on how to make it stop. Thanks in advance.
Either the central timer module is faulty, or one of the inputs to it is faulty. The inputs include various door switches, the key-in-ignition switch, and several connections to the headlight switch. Determining the cause of the problem will require testing of the applicable circuits.
The chime is built into the module, so disconnecting it will quiet the chime. Whether disconnecting the module will have some undesired side effect, I don’t know.
I assume the “central timer module” is something that pays attention to things like door switches/fluid level sensors/etc. If one of the inputs to the module was faulty wouldn’t that not only cause the chiming but also cause the light for the faulty sensor to show up on the dash?
Next question…are these inputs normally open or normally closed? Could the OP start disconnecting sensors (I’d start with the wiper fluid level sensor) and hope to find the faulty one? If it’s normally closed, then by jumping it and if it’s normally open then by disconnecting it.
Could be a dirty door switch. Try pressing the door switch button firmly in/out 8 or 10 times with your finger. Do it for each door (2 door or 4 door).
I’ve had my door chime bug me on my van. The trick with the door switches fixes it for awhile. I never have figured out which switch is causing trouble.
The door switch is a common issue. It could also be a sensor on the seat belt.
Are you storing anything on the passenger seat? If you put something heavy on the passenger seat the sensor may mistake it for a passenger who is not using their lapbelt and ding away at you.
I had the same problem with my 2003 Saturn Vue a few years ago. The chime for the seatbelt would ding constantly even if my seatbelt was buckled. Eventually the sound began to drive me mad, so I took it to the dealership and they ended up replacing the entire computer system.
In my Dakota, the key/ignition switch was the culprit. I could start the truck, and the key would actually go too far back. Still happens now and then. It’s as if the the key was in the off position even though the engine is running. I just turn the key slightly forward and it’s ok.
