chimes before start up

[LJRuddy]

Friend's 98 sho is having a strange problem lately that does not seem to affect driving at all. More of an annoyance than anything...


When he turns the key on to start the car, the chimes usually chime like 7 times i think. Well, sometimes they will chime only once, other times its 3 times or 6 times. Are these some weird code or what? Anyway to get it to stop doing this?

 

[shodoug]

Is it the car telling him, "I need WD-40 sprayed into the door latch." ???

Is the open door indicator illuminated?

Does it also wait to lock the doors until the dinging stops, if he releases the brake with the car in gear while it is still dinging?

If not, then maybe one of the weird signs of a bad battery?

Best Regards,
Doug

 

[LJRuddy]

No the door chime is not what is erratic. Once you close the door, you put the key in the ignition. When you turn the key to the "on" or "start" position, this chime begins its run of 7 dings normally. But for some reason, it has been only dinging 1, 3, or 6 times.

 

[SHOZ123]

It's the ignition tumbler.

 

[LJRuddy]

It's the ignition tumbler.

So its faulty? Are these error codes or is this just its way of telling us to replace it? :thankyou:

 

[Mr95Gl]

Aren't those chimes for your seatbelt?

 

[SHOZ123]

Well if it doesn't bother you I would do nothing. Mine doesn't hardly work at all any more. FWIW it is the tumbler switch that sends a signal to the GEM which actually does the dinging.