95 Escort Warning Chime

[joeg59]

95 Escort LX - The chime that goes off when you open the drivers door with the key still in the ignition will not stop even when key is removed. Does anyone have any ideas. The chime stops when the door is closed or the car is running.

Also, I would like to check some fuses under the dash, but before I break anything, does anyone know how to remove the fuse box cover. I see two slots in the front. Do they mean anything? My manual does not have any info on this.

Thanks

[CheapRudy]

My '95 did the same thing. There is a micro switch inside the key switch that fails, giving you the chime as if you have left the keys in when you open the door. I opened my collar that covers the steering column ( about 3 or 4 screws) and cut one of the white wires that goes to that switch. Some people like to pull the beeper out, but cutting the wire retains the headlight alarm when engine off and you open the door. I am bad about leaving the headlights on during the day!!

Hope that helps.

[mightymoose_22]

Ditto... it's the switch. Seems like a lot of those are going bad lately...

[Selectron]

Ditto here too - it sounds as though the switch which detects whether or not the key is inserted has failed, and is permanently closed-circuit regardless of whether the key is in or not. If you can access the switch contacts, you may be able to separate them and restore normal operation but I don't know how likely that is.

I recently acquired some service info for the '95 models, and the wiring diagram confirms what CheapRudy said about cutting the white lead connected to that switch - cutting either the white, or the dark blue with red stripe would silence the chime.

Here are the diagrams - they aren't great quality but they are readable. Diagram 1 is only included for the sake of completeness. Diagram 2 shows the switch in question, and diagram 3 is a zoom view which I've added some notes to.

Diagram 1:



Diagram 2:



Diagram 3:

[wifferdill]

This thread was really helpful. I had the same problem with my '95 Escort. I dug into it today and got into the ignition switch area. I found the electrical switch for the warning chime is attached to the ignition switch lock cylinder. The switch itself was permanently closed but it was because the mechanism to open the switch when the key is removed was not working properly. So it was a mechanical problem with the lock cylinder rather than a switch problem. It looks like a 100% fix would be to replace the ignition lock cylinder itself. This doesn't seem worth the time, money, and trouble to me.

An easy way to clip a wire as previously described would be to gain access to the steering column area below the instrument panel. Removing the panel that has the parking brake release handle attached to it ought to do it. The wires from the ignition switch are on the left side of the steering column. It shouldn't be too difficult to find the DB/R and the W wires and clip and tape either one of them. I think this approach would be a lot quicker than working on the ignition switch area.

Thanks for the great info.

[oanesm]

I have a 91 with 160k and have had the same problem for a couple of years. Thanks for the good info. Now I have another problem, in that the blower motor, a/c and wipers do not work. I've traced the problem to the ignition switch. Just thought that you would like to know what's down the road for you.

[CheapRudy]

Sweet. Just when I thought it was all downhill.........................LOL I guess it really is all downhill!!!!!