Chime Warning System: Operation

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2004 Dodge Dakota. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The chime warning system is designed to provide an audible output as an indication of various conditions that may require the attention or awareness of the vehicle operator. The chime warning system components operate on battery current received through a fused B(+) fuse in the Junction Block (JB) on a non-switched fused B(+) circuit so that the system may operate regardless of the ignition switch position.

The chime warning system provides an audible indication to the vehicle operator under the following conditions:

Compass Mini-Trip Computer (CMTC) Reset - The Central Timer Module (CTM) chime tone generator will generate one chime each time a Programmable Communications Interface (PCI) data bus message is received from the optional CMTC indicating that the CMTC has been reset.
Door Ajar Warning - The CTM chime tone generator will generate a chime tone to announce that a hard wired input from any door ajar switch indicates that a door is open with the ignition switch in the On position and the vehicle speed is zero kilometers-per-hour (zero miles-per-hour). The chimes will continue to sound until all doors are closed, until the vehicle comes to a complete stop, or until the ignition switch is turned to the Off position, whichever occurs first.
Fasten Seat Belt Warning - The CTM chime tone generator will generate repetitive chimes to announce that a hard wired input from the seat belt switch to the Electro-Mechanical Instrument Cluster (EMIC) indicates that the driver side front seat belt is not fastened with the ignition switch in the On position. Unless the driver side front seat belt is fastened the chimes will continue to sound for a duration of about seven seconds each time the ignition switch is turned to the On position, or until the driver side front seat belt is fastened, whichever occurs first. This chime is based upon a PCI data bus chime request message input to the CTM from the EMIC, but is not tied to the operation of the EMIC "Seatbelt" indicator.
Head/Park/Courtesy Lights-On Warning - The CTM chime tone generator will generate repetitive chimes to announce that hard wired inputs from the driver door ajar switch, headlamp switch, and ignition switch indicate that the exterior or courtesy lamps are turned On with the driver side front door opened and the ignition switch in the Off position. The chimes will continue to sound until the exterior or courtesy lamps are turned Off, until the driver side front door is closed, or until the ignition switch is turned to the On position.
Key-In-Ignition Warning - The CTM chime tone generator will generate repetitive chimes to announce that hard wired inputs from the driver door ajar switch and the ignition switch indicate that the key is in the ignition lock cylinder with the driver side front door opened and the ignition switch in the Off or Accessory positions. The chimes will continue to sound until the key is removed from the ignition lock cylinder, until the driver side front door is closed, or until the ignition switch is turned to the On position, whichever occurs first.
Over speed Warning - The CTM chime tone generator will generate repetitive chime tones at a slow rate to announce that a PCI data bus vehicle speed message from the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) indicates that the vehicle speed is over a programmed speed value. This feature is only enabled on a CTM that has been programmed with a Middle East Gulf Coast Country (GCC) country code.
Warning Chime Support - The CTM chime tone generator will generate a single chime to announce that a PCI data bus chime request message input has been received from the EMIC or the Airbag Control Module (ACM). These chimes provide an audible alert to the vehicle operator that supplements certain visual indications displayed by the EMIC. Supplemented indications include the following:
- The "Airbag" indicator is illuminated. The ACM sends a chime request to the CTM at the same time it sends an airbag lamp-on request to the EMIC. The chimes will continue to sound for a duration of about four seconds each time the indicator is illuminated or until the ignition switch is turned to the Off position, whichever occurs first.
- The "Check Gages" indicator is illuminated. The EMIC sends a chime request to the CTM. The chimes will continue to sound for a duration of about two seconds each time the indicator is illuminated or until the ignition switch is turned to the Off position, whichever occurs first.
- The "Low Coolant" indicator is illuminated (diesel engine only). The EMIC sends a chime request to the CTM. The chimes will continue to sound for a duration of about two seconds each time the indicator is illuminated or until the ignition switch is turned to the Off position, whichever occurs first.
- The "Low Fuel" indicator is illuminated. The EMIC sends a chime request to the CTM. The chimes will continue to sound for a duration of about two seconds each time the indicator is illuminated or until the ignition switch is turned to the Off position, whichever occurs first.
- The "Low Wash" indicator is illuminated. The EMIC sends a chime request to the CTM. The chimes will continue to sound for a duration of about two seconds each time the indicator is illuminated or until the ignition switch is turned to the Off position, whichever occurs first.
- The "Trans Temp" indicator is illuminated (automatic transmission only). The EMIC sends a chime request to the CTM. The chimes will continue to sound for a duration of about two seconds each time the indicator is illuminated or until the ignition switch is turned to the Off position, whichever occurs first.
- A turn signal indicator is illuminated after the vehicle has surpassed a programmed speed and distance. The EMIC sends a chime request to the CTM. The chimes will continue to sound until the turn signal is turned Off.
- The "Water-In-Fuel" indicator is illuminated (diesel engine only). The EMIC sends a chime request to the CTM. The chimes will continue to sound for a duration of about two seconds each time the indicator is illuminated or until the ignition switch is turned to the Off position, whichever occurs first.

The CTM provides chime service for all available features in the chime warning system. The CTM relies upon its internal programming and hard wired inputs from the door ajar switches, the headlamp switch, and the key-in ignition switch (ignition switch) to provide chime service for the head/park/courtesy lights-on reminder, the key-in ignition reminder, and the door ajar warning. The CTM relies upon electronic message inputs received from other electronic modules over the PCI data bus network to provide chime service for all of the remaining chime warning system features.

Upon receiving the proper inputs, the CTM activates the integral chime tone generator to provide the audible chime tone to the vehicle operator. The chime tone generator in the CTM is capable of producing a single short beep and repeated chime tones at two different rates, slow or fast. The slow chime rate is about fifty chime tones per minute, while the fast chime rate is about 180 chime tones per minute. The internal programming of the CTM determines the priority of each chime tone request input that is received, as well as the rate and duration of each chime tone that is to be generated.

The hard wired chime warning system inputs to the CTM, as well as other hard wired circuits for this system may be diagnosed and tested using conventional diagnostic tools and procedures. See the owner's manual in the vehicle glove box for more information on the features provided by the chime warning system.