Odd ignition chime tone

[Chris M]

Forgive me if this has been covered somewhere, but...

...this morning when I went to start my truck, the usual soft courtesy chiming sound was much harsher and louder, and sounded like a videogame sound effect from an old 16 bit game. This afternoon, I jumped in the truck to run out to get fuel, and it was the same. This evening, when I went to leave work, again with the same harsh sound upon starting the truck. So I decided to video it for you guys, and I shut the truck to restart it and record the harsher version of the courtesy chime noises, and it didn't do it! When I got home from work I reattempted, but again, it sounded normal! What gives!?

Low battery.
Mine started doing it just before the battery gave out.

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[Wytchdctr]

Who the hell did Ford get their batteries from on this thing?

Need to start looking into a non-crap battery to replace what is under the hood now.

 

[Racket]

Check to see if your headlights selector knob is on 'automatic' vs. just on.

 

[Glocker]

Thanks all. The battery maybe going out makes a little sense. Motorcraft batteries are MotorCRAP. This morning the truck didn't do anything weird and all sounds were as they should have been.

 

[Jason B]

Who the hell did Ford get their batteries from on this thing?

Need to start looking into a non-crap battery to replace what is under the hood now.

From a search:

"Clarios LLC, formerly Johnson Controls, manufactures Motorcraft Batteries. Clarios LLC. is a well-known and trusted company when it comes to batteries. They do not only manufacture batteries for Motorcraft; they are the makers behind other trusted brands such as Energizer car battery, Diehard car battery, Optima battery, Duralast batteries, Kirkland batteries, and a couple of others."
The problem here is not the battery, but the battery management system that charges to only 80%, IIRC. 4 years from an OEM battery is not unusual.

 

[Glocker]

From a search:

"Clarios LLC, formerly Johnson Controls, manufactures Motorcraft Batteries. Clarios LLC. is a well-known and trusted company when it comes to batteries. They do not only manufacture batteries for Motorcraft; they are the makers behind other trusted brands such as Energizer car battery, Diehard car battery, Optima battery, Duralast batteries, Kirkland batteries, and a couple of others."
The problem here is not the battery, but the battery management system that charges to only 80%, IIRC. 4 years from an OEM battery is not unusual.

I've gotta disagree on a couple of points:

-I had done some battery research in the past as I wanted the absolute best battery for my wife's car, and brands like Diehard, Duralast, and Energizer rated really low. NAPA Gold rated the highest at the time, so I went with that.

-From a conversation I had in my short stint working at a Ford service department, vehicle OEM batteries are now constructed to be more lightweight in an effort to help the manufacturers meet their CAFE numbers. The lighter construction is way less robust and the batteries tend to fail quicker. Car batteries used to have a service life of 5 to 7 years, now it's 3 to 4 years.

 

[Capt Jon]

I think its an issue with AGM batteries. The dealership changed mine on the second oil change said it was defective. When I worked as a marine mechanic the majority of battery problems I encountered were with AGM's. They are voltage sensitive and fail easier, in my experience. I use Marine GEL batteries in my boat and get an average of about 14 years life with daily use, as I live aboard my boat.

 

[airline tech]

if it does it again, look at your message center and see what the chime is sounding for, might just give a clue as what the truck is trying to warn you about.
Depending on severity, it switches Speaker Output

 

[jtzako]

Did that to me when I had the Forscan plugged into the obd2 port. So far it has not done it except when using that device.

 

[seasprite]

if it does it again, look at your message center and see what the chime is sounding for, might just give a clue as what the truck is trying to warn you about.
Depending on severity, it switches Speaker Output

I've had a few times almost sound like a blown speaker. Haven't been able to pin down a cause yet. Going to see if happens more often, like when I have the doors open for while when cleaning. Then it might be some kinda battery saving strategy. After your research it seems these batteries live on the edge with BMS and probably doesn't take much to push it past the edge to start see battery saving mode to kick in.

 

[gwhalin]

I don't think this has anything to do with battery. My battery is in great shape and this happens from time to time. Usually anytime after I have had something plugged into OBDII port (forscan, diagnostic). But not always. It seems to be limited to the startup chimes (which I should just turn off honestly), and it is just switching from the main speakers to the dash speaker. Not a big deal and always corrects itself.

 

[troutspinner]

Mine does this every time I leave the key in the ignition. When I back my boat into the water, I turn the engine off and leave the key in and window down (in the event I accidentally lock it lol) go unload my boat. When I jump back in, I get the odd chime, switching from dash chime to radio speaker chime when I start it. It has nothing to do with batteries, unless my battery has been bad for 2 years and yet working 2 years.

 

[Mustang2Ranger]

Its not the battery being bad and good at the same time

Once it drops below a certain voltage it switches chimes. As the batteries age it will happen more often. Mine almost never did it when new, now it's four years old and when I leave accessories on it changes tone but after driving switches back. So far no issues starting

 

[maxbottomtime]

Its not the battery being bad and good at the same time

Once it drops below a certain voltage it switches chimes. As the batteries age it will happen more often. Mine almost never did it when new, now it's four years old and when I leave accessories on it changes tone but after driving switches back. So far no issues starting

I think this is it. It powers off most of the remote connectivity & tech below a voltage.

 

[Msfitoy]

Forgive me if this has been covered somewhere, but...

...this morning when I went to start my truck, the usual soft courtesy chiming sound was much harsher and louder, and sounded like a videogame sound effect from an old 16 bit game. This afternoon, I jumped in the truck to run out to get fuel, and it was the same. This evening, when I went to leave work, again with the same harsh sound upon starting the truck. So I decided to video it for you guys, and I shut the truck to restart it and record the harsher version of the courtesy chime noises, and it didn't do it! When I got home from work I reattempted, but again, it sounded normal! What gives!?

I get that same weird tone change every now and then...very annoying but it's just a glitch that goes away...

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