96 Plymouth Grand Voyager...

I have a 96 Plymouth Grand Voyager which up until a month ago was working
fine. Since that time I have had the CHIME alarm come on and stay on for 4
Mins. This is the alarm that comes on when you leave your keys in the
ignition or open your door with the keys in the ignition or when you leave
your lights on when you open the door or leave the door ajar when you start
to drive. I have had it to the dealer but they could not find out what is
causing it. They checked all the switches on the doors and all where working
fine. They thought that maybe the body control module might have built up a
static charge. They unplugged it and still no go. They suggested me to
change out the bcm and maybe that might be the problem. If that is not the
problem then I can not return the bcm because it is an electronic part and
therefore it stays mine.This part is rather expensive and would like some
help if possible trying to find the cause before I do that. This chime alarm
is starting to drive me crazy when I have to listen to it for four
mins....everytime I start the van.

This alarm comes on when I start the van and wait for about 10 secs or put
the van into drive it comes on immediately.
If you have any ideas or suggestions on what I can do then please e-mail me
at or leave a post here.....Thanks for all your
help...Tom.

 

Thanks for that info..The technician did not use a DRB scanner on it. I will
go back and see if we can see if an error code is on when the chime is
sounding. I can reproduce the fault everytime I start the van so that is no
problem. What does the engine temperature critical mean as well as the
vehicle high speed and how the chime relates to them??
Is there any way to test the BCM..? Any idea what models and years I could
look for that are interchangeable with the BCM in case I have to look in a
recycling yard...Thanks for your help in this matter

 

Engine temp critical - with a slow coolant temp increase if coolant 250F is
reached, single chime is sounded. If rise continues to 275F, four minute
continuous chime sounds. (Possible hint here???)

Engine temp rapid temp rise, (ie coolant system rupture - rapid loss of
coolant) once temp is over 239F, if temp rises another 40F in 30 seconds or
less, 4 minute continuous chime sounds.

In both cases, if it is working correctly, the engine temp warning light
should be on.

Also there are two continuous chime levels, it may help to know which it is.
50 chimes per minutes (about 1 per second) or 180 per minute (3 per second).

Sorry, for speed, the OEM manual I have mentions only "The chime system
provides the driver with warning chimes for ......... high speed warning,
........ Certainly the speed/distance signal is used for several warnings,
turn signal on after 1mi(1.6km), door/liftgate ajar over 2mph(5kph), auto
door lock 16mph signal. It just seems to elude to a fact that at some
predetermined speed, the chime will sound to warn you of such.

Sorry I can't comment on BCM test, if it is not telling the DRB it is
failing a self test, then it's the mechanics best guess. As for
interchangability, I also can not comment on that. No experience with those
items.