Chime Removal Procedure & Cluster Bulb Replacement.

Gypsy62 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 28, 2019 12:08 am

[EDIT/UPDATE:
NOPE. Just confirmed that cutting the chime-feed wire triggers a "NO BUS" message at the odometer and disables/scrambles cluster functions.

Suggestions to cure the door chime by jamming the sensor/plunger at the door itself WIN.

At some point I may try removing the chime itself from the cluster. If so, will report.

I'm going to leave the useless rambling below in case somehow it's useful to somebody. If nothing else as a warning NOT TO CUT CLUSTER WIRES!
___________________

[FOR ENTERTAINMENT ONLY: DO NOT CUT CLUSTER WIRES!]
On the instrument cluster plug, meter-confirmed that the VioletStripe/White wire is the DOOR chime feed. The seatbelt feed is a different wire, but they both activate the same insufferable chime.
After a 1/2hr failing to elegantly remove the wire's tab from the plug I cut/taped the wire; adios door chime:

HOWEVER, the chime still bleats a few times on key-insertion before muting. I have my turbo & manifold(etc) off so can't start the jeep to confirm 100% whether anything besides the door-circuit was affected. Given it will be a few weeks before my garrett arrives, if another member is aching to cut the wire to douse the door chime, test-drive & report back, great!
-I'll hack this post into digestible form shortly-]

I currently have multiple systems disassembled, including the dash. Great time to locate, remove and DESTROY the grating "Door Ajar!" chime. Sorry, but the pencil solution doesn't float my boat...
In another thread, someone referenced that it was suspected to reside within the instrument cluster. Yup.
Below is a step-by-step guide to access, remove and obliterate that rotten infuriating p.o.s. This is also a guide for replacing any burned-out instrument cluster bulbs.
And your tweeters!
I'll endeavor to improve the post by updating the instructions & pics.
Please offer corrections where I am mistaken.
REMOVAL PROCEDURE IN PICS (thx to WW for the steer towards "postimages.org"!):

More pics coming.
The chime is located directly above the tach at the top edge of the instrument cluster. It's black plastic cover looks like a donut-hole sized hockey puck:

A few advance considerations before preying upon the squawking rat-bastard chime:
- NOW will be the time to replace any burned-out instrument cluster bulbs! Take a pic of your entire instrument cluster immediately after turning-on the ignition; while it goes through the self-check sequence and all the cluster lights are briefly illuminated. Do a thorough evaluation whether any of your instrument cluster bulbs may have burned-out. If so, procure the correct bulb(s) in advance.

- You will also be removing the three pieces of trim which hide access to your audio's dash-mounted high-frequency drivers (tweeters!). You may want to evaluate the tweeters! condition/performance in advance to determine whether you need/want to replace/upgrade. If so, procure replacements in advance.

- While they're exposed and accessible, it's also an opportunity to do some cleaning of your vent-ducts and general inner-dash dusting. Procure/prepare your preferred cleaning products/tools.

Post-Op Notes:
While chilling chimelessly in serenity with your doors open, don't forget to rotate the dashlight dimmer hoop on the light-switch arm until the overhead lights go off (=Battery conservation).

[To be con't]

Keys: door open chime dash lights dead annoying ringing dinging clanging psychosis inducing antagonistic freaking bell weak piccolos no bus message No Bus NO BUS

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Mon Oct 28, 2019 10:42 am

Cannot help but laugh! :ROTFL:

It's funny how some things like a door or seat belt dinger/chime/alarm can aggravate the crap out of some people yet not even bother others. :lol:

When I installed my boost and transmission oil temperature gauges, I utilized some of the power circuits going to the back of the instrument cluster as pictured below.
Maybe this will be of help to someone?

Gypsy62 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 28, 2019 3:18 pm

Very useful, WW! Wish I'd seen your map before I wired my boost gauge; quicker, cleaner and tighter than my taps. May change my 12vdc-constant to yours now.

I'll trace the chime-supply on the cluster's circuit board and (hopefully) establish whether it is on a solo circuit from the plug. If so, removing the culpable pin out of the back of the plug would preserve the system for simple restoration to stock.

Because you're right: somebody out there loves these loathesome, bleating, rash-inducing irritants. Maybe the next owner, so... After I'm dead, they'll see this thread, pull the cluster to restore its bluster, and enjoy the chime instead.
Report back.
Thanks!

[-Are you using photobucket to post pics or...?
My 'bucket account stopped allowing in-text pic-posts], but not worth it for me to fork $$$. Dropbox has reliable links]

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Mon Oct 28, 2019 4:45 pm

Gypsy62 wrote:

Very useful, WW! Wish I'd seen your map before I wired my boost gauge; quicker, cleaner and tighter than my taps. May change my 12vdc-constant to yours now.
I'll trace the chime-supply on the cluster's circuit board and (hopefully) establish whether it is on a solo circuit from the plug. If so, removing the culpable pin out of the back of the plug would preserve the system for simple restoration to stock.
Because you're right: somebody out there loves these loathesome, bleating, rash-inducing irritants. Maybe the next owner, so... After I'm dead, they'll see this thread, pull the cluster to restore its bluster, and enjoy the chime instead.
Report back.
Thanks!
[-Are you using photobucket to post pics or...?
My 'bucket account stopped allowing in-text pic-posts], but not worth it for me to fork $$$. Dropbox has reliable links]

Yes, very clean and close and handy for wiring additional gauges, even has the dimeable dash light circuit available.

If you could find just the track on the circuit board powering the chime box, you could snip it. Could always put a jumper on it if you need to connect it back together later.
I did something similar to this on the AC compressor circuit so it only runs if the AC button is depressed instead of coming on in different other modes like defrost. AC compressor now only comes on when "I" tell it to. see picture.

Using postimages.org to post pictures. Started using it when photobucket blocked all my pictures and wanted us to pay a ransom fee to publish them. (A holes)

Gypsy62 · **Posted:** Tue Oct 29, 2019 11:22 pm

WW: it looks like that may be a pic with the cluster faceplate removed from the circuit board. If so, how did you pull the four needles off their gauges? Do they just pull-off like press-fit knobs without damaging anything?
Are there detents or slots for accurately re-fitting them?
Thanks!

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Wed Oct 30, 2019 1:56 am

Gypsy62 wrote:

WW: it looks like that may be a pic with the cluster faceplate removed from the circuit board. If so, how did you pull the four needles off their gauges? Do they just pull-off like press-fit knobs without damaging anything?
Are there detents or slots for accurately re-fitting them?
Thanks!

It's not the instrument cluster, it is the HVAC controls. No needles to deal with.
Sorry.

krb · **Posted:** Tue Nov 05, 2019 5:59 am

Gypsy62 wrote:

...Because you're right: somebody out there loves these loathesome, bleating, rash-inducing irritants. Maybe the next owner, so... After I'm dead, they'll see this thread, pull the cluster to restore its bluster, and enjoy the chime instead...

Now that is some excellent prose there, a KJ limerick!

I too detest the chime, AND the auto locking rear hatch!!!

Chime Removal Procedure & Cluster Bulb Replacement.

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