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This writeup is dedicated to MichaelW so he won't go crazy....
Those of you that have been following this thread have been wondering how to disable the warning chime. This is a down and dirty way and it works. Sort of. By sort of I was able to lower the volume quite a bit and change the tone and soundwave of the chime. If I get into it again, I'll do what I can to make it softer.
Disclaimer: Do this at your own risk. It involves removing the instrument cluster. While this is relatively easy, there is always room for Mr. Murphy.
Sorry for the crappy pics, I'm the only one on the planet without a digital camera. These are caps from miniDV.
Cost: FREE :bounce:
Tools needed:
Flat blade screwdriver for prying
7mm socket
Ratchet for socket
6" extension for socket
Start by removing the bottom knee bolster on the drivers side. Pull at it and it will pop free.
Remove the upper portion of the lower dash beneath the steering column(the "U" shaped piece) by either getting your fingers between the steering column at the top side, or by using a screwdriver to pop it out on the outside. Start at the top and work down. The retaining clips are the same as on the centerstack. The bottom is hinged similar to the glovebox.
Once this piece is removed, you will see 2 7mm bolts on either side of the steering column toward the bottom of the dash. These retain the instument surround piece. Remove them.
BTW, tilting the steering wheel up and down helps in accessing the fasteners and removing the pieces throughout this process.
Grasp the surround at the top and give it a tug straight back toward you. It will pop free. Same clips as on the centerstack, located at the top.
Now you will see the four 7mm bolts holding the instument cluster in place. Remove them.
Carefully tilt the cluster toward you and you will see three wire harnesses connected in the back on the top. Push the little retaining tab and pull the connectors free from the cluster. The interior lamp will go off, so don't freak out when it does.
You may now take the cluster inside to work on it. There are nine tabs holding the back on. How these work will be evident when you see them ,they are simple snap tabs.
Here are the tab locations.
Remove the back. Now is the time to be extra careful, as the back indexes the circuitboard to the rest of the assembly. It will float free, but will not come out because of the needles on the guages. Please be careful.
Here is what you will see.
Here is the offending item, the round black thingy with a hole in it, marked TMX-12S located in the upper right hand portion of the cluster.
I put a piece of electricians tape over the hole. You may try stuffing it with cotton. I still get sound out of it, but it sounds like it's breathing hard, thus the total change in the actual soundwave. This leads me to believe that there may be sound holes at the base, I didn't look that closely at it. Some hot glue around the entire base where it contacts the circuit board of may yield better/different results. At this point you could go plug it back in and see how it sounds and adjust your blocking technique accordingly. Just be careful moving it around.
Here's what mine looks like now.
After you have silenced the beast, pop the cover back on carefully, and re-assemble the cluster in the dash in reverse order.
Hope this helps everyone, mine now sounds like a warning device out of an airplane, I actually don't mind it now
Those of you that have been following this thread have been wondering how to disable the warning chime. This is a down and dirty way and it works. Sort of. By sort of I was able to lower the volume quite a bit and change the tone and soundwave of the chime. If I get into it again, I'll do what I can to make it softer.
Disclaimer: Do this at your own risk. It involves removing the instrument cluster. While this is relatively easy, there is always room for Mr. Murphy.
Sorry for the crappy pics, I'm the only one on the planet without a digital camera. These are caps from miniDV.
Cost: FREE :bounce:
Tools needed:
Flat blade screwdriver for prying
7mm socket
Ratchet for socket
6" extension for socket
Start by removing the bottom knee bolster on the drivers side. Pull at it and it will pop free.
Remove the upper portion of the lower dash beneath the steering column(the "U" shaped piece) by either getting your fingers between the steering column at the top side, or by using a screwdriver to pop it out on the outside. Start at the top and work down. The retaining clips are the same as on the centerstack. The bottom is hinged similar to the glovebox.
Once this piece is removed, you will see 2 7mm bolts on either side of the steering column toward the bottom of the dash. These retain the instument surround piece. Remove them.
BTW, tilting the steering wheel up and down helps in accessing the fasteners and removing the pieces throughout this process.
Grasp the surround at the top and give it a tug straight back toward you. It will pop free. Same clips as on the centerstack, located at the top.
Now you will see the four 7mm bolts holding the instument cluster in place. Remove them.
Carefully tilt the cluster toward you and you will see three wire harnesses connected in the back on the top. Push the little retaining tab and pull the connectors free from the cluster. The interior lamp will go off, so don't freak out when it does.
You may now take the cluster inside to work on it. There are nine tabs holding the back on. How these work will be evident when you see them ,they are simple snap tabs.
Here are the tab locations.

Remove the back. Now is the time to be extra careful, as the back indexes the circuitboard to the rest of the assembly. It will float free, but will not come out because of the needles on the guages. Please be careful.
Here is what you will see.

Here is the offending item, the round black thingy with a hole in it, marked TMX-12S located in the upper right hand portion of the cluster.

I put a piece of electricians tape over the hole. You may try stuffing it with cotton. I still get sound out of it, but it sounds like it's breathing hard, thus the total change in the actual soundwave. This leads me to believe that there may be sound holes at the base, I didn't look that closely at it. Some hot glue around the entire base where it contacts the circuit board of may yield better/different results. At this point you could go plug it back in and see how it sounds and adjust your blocking technique accordingly. Just be careful moving it around.
Here's what mine looks like now.

After you have silenced the beast, pop the cover back on carefully, and re-assemble the cluster in the dash in reverse order.
Hope this helps everyone, mine now sounds like a warning device out of an airplane, I actually don't mind it now