Door chime all the time

dmg4 · Post by **dmg4** » 31 Dec 2019, 12:50

I've just picked up a 1993 240 Classic wagon with one annoying trait: The door chime pings whenever the driver's door is open, irrespective of the ignition key position, lights off or on, etc. It's off when the door is closed, and you can of course kill it by pushing in the button on the switch on the driver's door jamb. But, why is this thing pinging away when the door is simply opened? Is the chime module faulty, or is there another cause?

Post by **RickHaleParker** » 31 Dec 2019, 15:15

Key reminder. Does it chime with the keys out on the ignition and the driver's door open?

dmg4 · Post by **dmg4** » 31 Dec 2019, 19:41

"Does it chime with the keys out on the ignition and the driver's door open?"

Yes. Same result with key in or out of the ignition.

Post by **RickHaleParker** » 31 Dec 2019, 22:00

dmg4 wrote: ↑31 Dec 2019, 19:41 Yes. Same result with key in or out of the ignition.

I found it. The left front door switch grounds the Chime and activates it.

The Chime get it's power from the ignition switch so it should turn off with the key removal. Looks like two of the contacts in the ignition switch are wielded together.

You could deactivate the door Chime by cutting the White-Black wire on the Chime.

If you have a phantom load draining the battery, this could be it. You would need to replace the ignition switch if you want the chime to work the way it is designed to. If you do not want the chime, disconnect it.

See the attached file.

1992_240_EWD.pdf: (383.11 KiB) Downloaded 216 times

dmg4 · Post by **dmg4** » 11 Jan 2020, 03:14

Thank you RickHaleParker! Looks like an easy repair of you can hang upside-down for 30 minutes. Now if I can just get those 27-yr-old ABS plastic covers off and back on without damage, it looks like I can fix this with a simple swap of a new switch.

I have to replace the handbrake cover-console anyway, so perhaps I'll just remove the front seats anyway so I can install the new console without cracking it. I modified the new console with an internal layer of glass cloth and epoxy resin, so it's never going to crack again.

: 00101_g6pBjS6hk6p_600x450.jpg (48.55 KiB) Viewed 1758 times

dmg4 · Post by **dmg4** » 29 Feb 2020, 15:36

Hah! I bought a new ignition switch and after removing the knee bolster, top and bottom trim on the steering column, removing the instrument cluster, and fighting for an hour with the many-armed wiring harness that wound around the switch, I failed. There in was no way to access the screws holding the ignition switch in place from either top or bottom. Whoever installed that switch meant for it to stay.

So, I removed the door switch, disconnected the wires, put some heat-shrink tubing on the wire terminals, replaced the deactivated switch, and declared victory. I can manually turn on the interior lights, and in 50 years of driving, I have never left the keys in the switch.

No more ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding !

crlande · Post by **crlande** » 29 Feb 2020, 17:22

Man I loved those wagons. Beautiful... I had same color '89 with a chrome roof rack. Wicked solid car, doors closed with a nice thud without slamming it, and it saved my life once.