Warning Chime Characteristics

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2009 Mercury Milan, 2009 Lincoln MKZ, and 2009 Ford Fusion. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

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. Generally, 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 3 different chimes as listed below:

Repetitive
Single tone
Tic-tock

The following list provides a summary of the chimes and each chimes type/characteristics.

Safety belt warning (repetitive chime)
Belt-Minder® warning (repetitive chime after a delay and after the safety belt chime is completed)
Key-in-ignition warning (repetitive chime)
Headlamps on warning (repetitive chime)
Door ajar warning (single tone chime)
Turn signal left on warning (repetitive chime after 3.2 km [2.0 miles])
Turn signal tone (tic-tock chime)
Parking brake warning (repetitive chime)
Air bag secondary warning chime (repetitive chime)
Low fuel level warning chime (single tone chime)