Chime Warning System
A chime warning system is standard factory-installed equipment. The chime warning system uses an electromechanical transducer and an electromechanical relay that are soldered onto the electronic circuit board inside of the Instrument Cluster (IC) (1) (also known as the Common Instrument Cluster/CIC) to provide audible indications of various vehicle conditions that may require the attention of the vehicle operator or occupants.
The electromechanical transducer generates beep tones and chime tones, while the electromechanical relay generates click tones to emulate the sounds associated with conventional turn signal and hazard warning flasher operation. The microcontroller-based IC utilizes electronic chime request messages received from other modules in the vehicle over the Controller Area Network (CAN) data bus to monitor many sensors and switches throughout the vehicle. In response to those inputs, the circuitry and programming of the IC allow it to control the audible outputs that are produced through its on-board transducer and relay.
The IC is capable of producing the following audible outputs:
- Slow Rate Repetitive Click - Repeated click tones that are issued at a slow rate of about 90 clicks per minute.
- Fast Rate Repetitive Click - Repeated click tones that are issued at a fast rate of more than about 180 clicks per minute.
- Single Chime Tone - A single chime tone.
- Slow Rate Repetitive Chime - Repeated chime tones that are issued at a slow rate of about 50 chimes per minute.
- Fast Rate Repetitive Chime - Repeated chime tones that are issued at a fast rate of about 180 chimes per minute.
Hard wired circuitry connects the IC and the various chime warning system switch and sensor inputs to their modules and to each other through the electrical system of the vehicle. These hard wired circuits are integral to several wire harnesses, which are routed throughout the vehicle and retained by many different methods. These circuits may be connected to each other, to the vehicle electrical system and to the IC through the use of a combination of soldered splices, splice block connectors, and many different types of wire harness terminal connectors and insulators. Refer to the appropriate wiring information. The wiring information includes wiring diagrams, proper wire and connector repair procedures, further details on wire harness routing and retention, as well as pin out and location views for the various wire harness connectors, splices and grounds.
The IC chime warning system circuits and components cannot be adjusted or repaired. If the IC circuitry, the on-board transducer or the relay are damaged or ineffective, the IC unit must be replaced.