headlight chime

[RPD]

I suppose this is supposed to go here, but correct me if im wrong. so I recently picked up my ranger, its pretty decent, but the problem I'm here for is that the headlight warning chime will sound whenever I open the drivers door, even when the lights are off. it turns off when the truck is on, but just keeps dinging at me if I just open the door. any thoughts?

 

[Uncle Gump]

That sounds more like the "key in ignition" then the light switch warning.

I know my 06 will sound the light on alarm with door closed and just by turning the ignition off.

 

[RPD]

That sounds more like the "key in ignition" then the light switch warning.

I know my 06 will sound the light on alarm with door closed and just by turning the ignition off.

oh wait, I meant to add this, the headlights are not on when that happens. im sorry about that

 

[Uncle Gump]

I kinda assumed that the lights were off when this happens.

Try this... all doors closed... ignition on... turn the park lights on. Now turn ignition off... light chime should sound off. This is the way my 06 works.

If the chime doesn't sound off until a door is open... I think it's a key in ignition warning.

 

[RPD]

I kinda assumed that the lights were off when this happens.

Try this... all doors closed... ignition on... turn the park lights on. Now turn ignition off... light chime should sound off. This is the way my 06 works.

If the chime doesn't sound off until a door is open... I think it's a key in ignition warning.

ok, thank you so much!

 

[James Morse]

Diff year and gen but here goes. On my '97 I had this exact same issue - key is out, but opening the door you got 'key in ignition' (but not if key was 'on'). On mine, if you take off the clamshells on the steering you can see the little contact, in this case it wasn't secure in its position and could make contact where it wasn't supposed to. I took a small strip of tape and wrapped around there to hold it, problem solved, it works properly. Admittedly that's a tape job not a "real fix" but it solved it, and, if it comes back, which it hasn't, I'd know right where to look. Not sure what the "real fix" is but it looked like it might involve replacing the ignition cylinder which I'd rather stay away from if possible.
Anyway if yours is at all like mine and you take off the clamshells you should see the contact for this function and probably it's floating around in there. Then you can move it around and probably make the chime go off and that tells you where it's supposed to be, and secure it there somehow.
Maybe could be other causes too but I thought I'd throw that out there as it sounded real familiar.

 

[James Morse]

Adding, it happened after I had my truck in my "good shop" and I was like, man, even my good shop is breaking things. Then I remembered the guy told me "I had to move the steering up because I couldn't get in" (I always keep mine all the way down). So probably the thing was always loose and it just got moved around. I still think the shop is good but just and example how you can get truck back with more than was wrong with it to begin with. I didn't notice it until I got home because he backed the truck out of the shop and it was running so it wasn't chiming. Then I got home and was like wtf. You should be able to fix it, hopefully for free (less a little of your time).

 

[RPD]

Diff year and gen but here goes. On my '97 I had this exact same issue - key is out, but opening the door you got 'key in ignition' (but not if key was 'on'). On mine, if you take off the clamshells on the steering you can see the little contact, in this case it wasn't secure in its position and could make contact where it wasn't supposed to. I took a small strip of tape and wrapped around there to hold it, problem solved, it works properly. Admittedly that's a tape job not a "real fix" but it solved it, and, if it comes back, which it hasn't, I'd know right where to look. Not sure what the "real fix" is but it looked like it might involve replacing the ignition cylinder which I'd rather stay away from if possible.
Anyway if yours is at all like mine and you take off the clamshells you should see the contact for this function and probably it's floating around in there. Then you can move it around and probably make the chime go off and that tells you where it's supposed to be, and secure it there somehow.
Maybe could be other causes too but I thought I'd throw that out there as it sounded real familiar.

ok, thanks, that sounds like its probably it

 

[RPD]

Adding, it happened after I had my truck in my "good shop" and I was like, man, even my good shop is breaking things. Then I remembered the guy told me "I had to move the steering up because I couldn't get in" (I always keep mine all the way down). So probably the thing was always loose and it just got moved around. I still think the shop is good but just and example how you can get truck back with more than was wrong with it to begin with. I didn't notice it until I got home because he backed the truck out of the shop and it was running so it wasn't chiming. Then I got home and was like wtf. You should be able to fix it, hopefully for free (less a little of your time).

ok! awesome, thank you for letting me know