SOLVED: Chime Module not chiming

[NickyV]

SOLVED: The main issue was that one of the two grounds connected to the driver's side door jamb switch had been disconnected. Secondary issue was that the seatbelt connectors under the seat weren't connected. Fixing the severed ground on the door jamb got most of the warnings working. Plugging in the connectors for the seatbelt solved the seatbelt warning. 

 

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ORIGINAL POST:

 

I recently picked up a blue chime module from the JY. Had a black one before that. It didn't make sound, and I figured was busted. But after plugging in the blue one, I had the exact same symptoms I was experiencing with the black one:

 

[NOTE: This post has been edited since a new thread was started.]

 

Parking Brake Light and Seat Belt Light both illuminate, but no sound. So, I found this older thread and did the bench test that @schardein outlined there (quoted below). Both the black one and the blue one seem to work properly during bench test. That is, they make noise as expected.

 

Quote

When testing the seat belt warning, apply 12 volts to only the far right, upper terminal as shown in the picture.  Then apply a ground to the far left, upper terminal.  The buzzer will sound for as long as you maintain the connection.  Then, without removing the ground connection to the far left terminal, slide it over so it touches the second terminal at the same time.  This starts the timer, and the buzzer will shut off in about 5-10 seconds.

To test the key-in and headlight warning functions, ground the lower right terminal.  Touch power to the far left terminal (blue box) and the headlight warning buzzer will sound.  Touch the next terminal with ground, the key-in buzzer will sound. 

 

Testing Procedure from "Electrical Troubleshooting" (1988 MJ Edition):

 

 

So what gives?

 

Well... I have some theories. I followed the troubleshooting guide and discovered that I'm getting proper voltage out of ports 1, 7 and 8. I am also getting proper ohms readings at Ports 2 and 3... at least I think they are OK. Feel free to let me know if I'm wrong. Here's what I am getting:

 

- Port 2 gives me 0.103K ohms (black lead directly on battery, red lead coming out of port 2).

 

- Port 3 gives me 0.068k ohms (black lead directly on battery, red lead coming out of port 2).

 

- Ports 4 and 6 seem to be the problem:

 

- Port 4 and Port 6 give me "OL," which I believe means there is a problem in both of these ports. I think it has to do with a ground.

 

Here is what I know for sure:

 

1) The previous owner cut two of the wires on the driver's side door speaker connector. He did a really bad jury-rigged job on a speaker that wasn't even mounted. It was literally just tucked up under the dash. The black-with-red-trace wire is still in tact. The thicker, black (14 gauge?) wire was snipped, and the green (?) 16/18 guage wire was snipped. I think the thicker, black wire is a pass-through ground for the power windows (which I do not have).

 

2) I also know that the seatbelt connection is not connected. I'd have reconnected it tonight, but I didn't want to take the bench seat out. I can see the connector going directly to the belt, but I can't see the second part of the connection, which makes me think it's gotten wedged under the vinyl flooring.

 

So... Does anyone here know if one of those two things sounds like the culprit here? If the seatbelt connection isn't hooked up does it cause all sound to stop working on the chime modules? Could it have something to do with the snipped wires on the speaker connector? Maybe a combo of both? Or something else entirely?

 

@eaglescout526 — any ideas? P.S. Thanks for starting a new thread. Pics are below in follow-up post.

 

I'm tired and I always forget to take pics, but I can upload some tomorrow if anyone wants to see what I'm ranting about. 

[eaglescout526]

6 hours ago, NickyV said:

any ideas?

It’s tough to say at the moment before heading into work. I know the buzzer is on a circuit with a fuse. I think dome lamp. And I also know that the door switch is attached with the key in section.

If Ωhm doesn’t chime in before I, I’ll pull the electrical manual out. 

[NickyV]

Thanks. I didn't think to tag @Ωhm — great user handle! Maybe @fiatslug87 has some ideas as well?

 

To recap and hopefully add some clarity: I have both the black buzzer and the blue buzzer. Both of them buzz when I bench test them using the method described in this thread. Both of them cause my Parking Brake and Seatbelt Indicator lamps to light up properly. Below is the result I get for each step in the troubleshooting. 

 

TESTS PASSED: Remember T3 is the ground terminal.

 

- T1: With COM prong of multimeter attached to T3 of C299 (ground), I get good voltage. OK

- T3: With COM prong attached directly to negative terminal of battery via jumper, I get 0.068k Ohms (that seems like basically zero to me, considering this truck is nearly 40 years old. OK (?)

- T2: With COM prong attached directly to negative terminal of battery or attached to T3, I get about 0.1k Ohms. This seems like "almost zero" to me. OK (?)

- T7: With COM prong in T3, I get voltage pretty much as long as the key is in the ignition. Just inserted, at "off-lock" and in "ACC/RUN." OK (?)

- T8: With COM prong in T3, keys out, headlights on, or running lights on, I get voltage. With keys in all positions and truck running, I get voltage. OK (?)

 

PROBLEM AREAS: Multimeter reading of ".OL".

 

- T4: With COM prong on negative terminal of battery or on T3 (ground), I get a reading of ".OL" on multimeter. NOT OK (?)

- T6: With COM prong on negative terminal of battery or on T3 (ground), I get a readong of ".OL" on multimeter. NOT OK (?)

 

KNOWN/POSSIBLE CAUSES: Things that I currently can think of that might be contributing to this.

1. Seatbelt connection is not hooked up. I will try to hook that up eventually, but right now, the harness side connection is hidden under floor covering.
2. Two of three wires snipped on C121 (see harness diagram below and picture). I believe that "J" and "K" are the ones that got cut.
3. Something I didn't think about last night: My stereo is not hooked up using the factory wiring. I honestly can't recall exactly how I did it, but I know I ran several of the connections using new wire directly from the back of the radio directly to my speakers. It is possible that I used some of the factory connections on the passenger side to carry signal, but I think I used all new wiring on the driver's side. I am also using two separate amplifiers — one for mid/highs and one for the sub. And I have other customizations running here, like a bluetooth connection, door speakers and tweeters connected in parallel.

Currently my theory is that it has something to do with either the seatbelt connection or the snipped C121 wires, but wiring is still new to me, and by simply looking at the diagrams, I can't see what the heck it would be.

 

Picture of C121 Snipped:

 

 

Location of C121 for reference:

 

 

Diagram of Radio/Stereo circuit for reference:

 

 

Diagram of C121 for reference. I believe that "J" and "K" have been cut. "H" remains connected. I am not using this connector in my stereo setup, so there is only the female connector present.

 

 

 

[Ωhm]

47 minutes ago, NickyV said:

Both of them cause my Parking Brake and Seatbelt Indicator lamps to light up properly.

 

Chime Module doesn't control the Parking Brake Lamp, strange that it lights up with the Seatbelt Indicator.

 

C121_J & C121_K being cut shouldn't be part of your problem.

[eaglescout526]

Made a new topic. 

[NickyV]

24 minutes ago, Ωhm said:

Chime Module doesn't control the Parking Brake Lamp, strange that it lights up with the Seatbelt Indicator.

 

To clarify. The parking brake lamp only lights up when I engage the parking brake. It lights up independently of the seatbelt light. So the parking brake lamp seems to be working correctly. I only mentioned checking the parking brake lamp, because it is the first step of the troubleshooting procedure. I copy/pasted the troubleshooting procedure into my original post above. It seems that the purpose of this first step is to rule out a blown "Gauges" fuse.

 

The seatbelt lamp lights up when start/run is engaged. In my truck, it lights up even though it is not properly connected. As I mentioned above, C172 and/or C199 is just dangling free.

 

By the way, I'm not sure if C172 and C199 are two sides of the same connection. They look exactly the same in the troubleshooting manual.

 

 

 

29 minutes ago, Ωhm said:

C121_J & C121_K being cut shouldn't be part of your problem.

 

Thank you for your input here. I agree... I wondered if there was some kind of shared ground that could be causing the issue. But that didn't entirely make sense to me.

[Ωhm]

Let's stick with C199 for your Seatbelt SW. Not sure where C172 comes into play here, if at all. With C199 disconnected, chime module will think safety belt is buckled. Using a fused jumper wire, jump C199. Try it. Maybe vehicle needs to be running and maybe some time, will be needed before the chime chimes.

[NickyV]

1 hour ago, Ωhm said:

Using a fused jumper wire, jump C199.

OK. Thanks for that suggestion. I should jump it to a ground, yes?

[Ωhm]

22 minutes ago, NickyV said:

I should jump it to a ground, yes?

 

Jumper C199_A to C199_B on the Cab Harness side.

[NickyV]

Oh. OK. I get it. Bridge the A and B through a fused jumper. Got it.

[NickyV]

Before I pull the bench seat and fish out C199, I want to mention that I have done the Headlight Harness Upgrade. I also recently replaced my headlight switch. Looking back at my old post, when I did that, I installed a headlamp switch that had the extra prong, which is related to the parking lamps... something about turning them off when the headlights are on? I don't know if this input actually does anything on an MJ, but I also don't think I have ever looked to see. 

[Ωhm]

Find C118. Leave C118 connected. Backprobe both, jumper C118_10 and to C118_4. Same wires as C199.

 

 

Should be okay to disconnect C118 and jumper on the IP Harnesses side. Either way will work.

 

Edited Thursday at 05:00 AM by Ωhm
updated

[NickyV]

Thanks @Ωhm! You helped me to start looking in the right place, and I realized that my issue was between the chime module input and the driver's side door jamb switch (which the manual calls "LH door jamb switch"). Plugging in the seatbelt switch got rid of the "OL" multimeter reading on Port 4. Then I started troubleshooting Port 6. I think this is where the bigger issue was.

 

For those who are experiencing the same issue (chime module passes bench test but doesn't work when plugged in) I'd recommend checking your driver's side door jamb switch as a very early step in the troubleshooting process. There are two ground connections on the driver's side door jamb switch. I now realize that one of these grounds serves the circuit for the courtesy lights and the other ground serves the chime module circuit. Based on my experience, you need the second ground for the lights-on warning and the key-in warning. It seems like the seatbelt warning is independent, and plugging or unplugging the connection under the seat only impacts the seatbelt warning.

 

A mistake in logic that I made during this process was reasoning that my door jamb switch was fine and not looking at it sooner. I thought it was fine because my courtesy lights were working as expected. But, as I said, there are two grounds going to the driver's side switch.

 

After all was said and done, I ended up unplugging my seatbelt warning connection again and leaving it that way. After driving around for a bit, I discovered that there is some kind of loose connection in the buckle itself, because the seatbelt sound/light would come on periodically and I'd have to jiggle my seatbelt to make it stop.

 

These modules really do make an awful sound. Haha! I hope it serves to ensure I never leave my lights on or lock my keys in the Jeep again.