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Home >> Ford >> 2000 >> Taurus LX, 3.0 2, AX4N >> Repair and Diagnosis >> External Pages >> Different car >> Section 1272 (Instrument Cluster (Ic), Message Center, And Warning Chimes) >> Diagnostic Tests >> Instrument Cluster (IC) and Warning Chimes >> Principles of Operation >> Warning Chimes >> Warning Chime Characteristics

Warning Chime Characteristics

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Each warning chime has unique characteristics that help to identify and differentiate each warning chime. The warning chimes use volume, chime frequency, length of time the chime sounds and the number of chime tones to identify which chime is sounding. The instrument cluster (IC) prioritizes the chimes according to a preset hierarchy programmed into the instrument cluster (IC) software. When more than one chime request is received by the instrument cluster (IC), the most important chime sounds. If a lower priority chime is currently sounding, the higher priority request takes over and replaces the lower priority chime.

There are 2 different chimes as listed below:

The following table provides a summary of the chime characteristics including the chime priority.

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (IC) CHIME CHARACTERISTICS

Chime Name Number of Chime Tones Condition Description
Safety belt Repetitive 6 cycles of 0.5 second on/0.5 second off One second on for as long as the safety belt is unbuckled and the instrument cluster (IC) receives the chime on command.
Air bag 5 On for as long as the instrument cluster (IC) receives the chime on command from the restraints control module (RCM).
Roll stability control (stage 1 and stage 2) Repetitive On for 30 seconds and off for 5 minutes as long as the instrument cluster (IC) receives the roll stability control message from the ABS module.
Key-in-ignition Repetitive On for as long as the key is in the ignition with the door ajar and the key OFF.
Headlamps on Repetitive On for as long as the parking lamps are on with the door ajar and the key OFF.
Generic message Single tone (1) This is a single one-second tone chime that sounds once per ignition cycle whenever the instrument cluster (IC) receives a new message commanding on one of the integrated circuit display warnings.
Parking brake on Repetitive On for 90 seconds or as long as the parking brake is applied.
Belt-Minder® A and B Repetitive On for as long as the instrument cluster (IC) receives the Belt-Minder® chime request.