Chime Warning System: Description
| 1 - ELECTROMECHANICAL INSTRUMENT CLUSTER |
A chime warning system is standard factory-installed equipment. The chime warning system uses an electromechanical transducer that is soldered onto the electronic circuit board inside of the ElectroMechanical Instrument Cluster (EMIC) to provide audible indications of various vehicle conditions that may require the attention of the vehicle operator or occupants. See Fig 1. The electromechanical transducer is capable of producing both beep tones and chime tones.
The microprocessor-based EMIC utilizes electronic chime request messages received from other modules in the vehicle over the Programmable Communications Interface (PCI) data bus along with hard wired inputs to monitor many sensors and switches throughout the vehicle. In response to those inputs, the circuitry and programming of the EMIC allow it to control the audible outputs that are produced through its on-board transducer.
The EMIC is capable of producing the following audible outputs:
- Fixed Duration Beep - A short, sharp, single tactile "beep" tone that is about 150 milliseconds in duration.
- EVIC Warning Chime - Two sets of three "beep" tones indicate a warning is being displayed by the Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) in the overhead console.
- Single Chime Tone - A single "bong-like" 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 EMIC 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 EMIC 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 SYSTEM WIRING DIAGRAMS . 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 EMIC chime warning system circuits and components cannot be adjusted or repaired. If the EMIC circuitry or the on-board transducer are damaged or faulty, the EMIC unit must be replaced.