Intermittent Warning Chime

[sup4064]

- 1995 Bonneville, 96,000 miles
- About a month ago, my Bonneville starting sounding a warning chime intermittently. It may sound once in 5 minutes or 8 times in 1 minute. It doesn't matter if the engine is cold or hot, moving or stopped, driving straight or cornering, accelerating or stopping. It doesn't matter if the A/C is on or off, if the lights are on or off, or any other system is on or off. Sometimes the Engine Check indicator comes on. Most times it doesn't. Lately, the Check Gauges" indicator will briefly flash on, but that doesn't happen very often. The analog gauges show no fluctuations. Oil pressure, water temp, and volt meter gauges show normal readings. The gauges don't even move when the chime is sounding.
- I've taken the car to one general mechanic (3 times), a Pontiac service center, and a GM service center. The general service center found no codes in the system and could not track it down. The Pontiac service center found a code in the system, declared that a temperature sensor was bad, replaced it, charged me $375, but had no effect on the problem. They did additional trouble shooting, but to no avail. The GM service center found the same code, pulled new sensor, tested it, and found that it was working fine (as was the electrical system leading to the sensor. After over 4 frustrating hours, they reluctantly declared defeat but cautioned against disconnecting the warning chime. They also felt that disconnecting the sensor itself probably would not stop the chime.
Has anyone else had this or a similar problem? Any ideas?
Thank you.

[Tommy611]

Probably not the same issue. I noticed that if I leave the turn signal on, after about 5 min, I get the chime without anything else on the gauges lighting up. just a thought. until I figured out what the problem was it had me worried. Tom

[silverskyes]

hi. I'm having that same problem. I have a 1998 bonneville sse, and it does the same thing. the check gages will start to flash, and my driver information, which has a picture of my car, will start to flash, and all the yellow lights will come on (that are supossed to come on when there's a problem) also the navigational thing will start to flash, and then it will all go blank, and then it will go back to normal. I haven't taken my car to get checked out yet.. but as soon as i do i'll let you know what the diagnoses was!

[kalafre]

Originally Posted by Tommy611

Probably not the same issue. I noticed that if I leave the turn signal on, after about 5 min, I get the chime without anything else on the gauges lighting up. just a thought. until I figured out what the problem was it had me worried. Tom

The car has a built-in reminder system to warn you in case you forget your turn signal is on. It will start to chime after approx. 1/4 mile of driving (per the owner's manual)