That annoying door chime is finally quiet!
 

Well folks this was a real easy one. After reading some of the posts here on FTE about how to shut up the door chime with the key in, I took the plunge. I started by removing the three screws that hold bottom half of the steering column cover. The cover basically falls off, revealing the black with pink stripe wire going up to the ignition lock tumbler. You can't miss it, it's the only one going to the base of the tumbler. Turn the key to the "on" position and push the retainer button on the bottom of the tumbler housing and remove the key tumbler. The button is located about a key lengths distance from the hilt of the key as it's inserted in the lock. It looks like a small ball bearing in a hole. Just get a small screwdriver and push on the ball bearing and pull on the lock tumbler at the same time. Out she comes. Ok now remove the top half of the steering column cover. Examining the black/ping wire you will see that it comes up to a small horseshoe plastic retainer that fits onto the bottom of the lock tumbler housing like a set of dentures. Simply slide it out of it's groove and wrap it up with a bit of electrical tape and stash it under the tumbler housing. That part is done. Now you know that very annoying lever that you must push on to get the lock tumbler to turn all the way to the off position and remove the key? It's held down with one bolt. With the cover off of the steering column it's a 30 second affair to remove that annoying little lever that was put there by Ford's liability lawyers. It's a Torx fitting. I didn't bother with going to the tool box and getting one, I just used the pliers that were handy sitting on the floor while I was working and it came out easily. Put the top cover back on the steering column now. Insert the lock tumbler now. Turn the key off. Install the bottom cover. Now you can insert the key in the ignition with the driver's door opened and the chime will not sound. You turn the headlights on it it WILL sound. Key in or not.
One last thing. Go under the driver's seat and unplug the electrical plug under there to shut up the seat belt chime. Now the next time you get in the truck and turn the key on you will only hear the chime tone one beep and that's it with the door open and the seat belt unbuckled. Just please keep wearing your seat belt. I heard a fireman say a long time ago and it stuck in my mind. "I have never had to unbuckle a dead person."

Great information Kwik!

As an option to the seat belt chime: There is a procedure in my "02" owners manual that disables the seat belt chime by turning your headlights and ignition on and off in a certain timed sequence. Follow the instructions exactly or the disable wont work.

I read that post and tried to find it in my '99 owner's manual with no luck. I had no choice but to unplug the harness under the seat. Same effect, different solution.

Yeah, not sure if it works on earlier PSD's. If I couldn't get that sequence to work, the disconnect was going to be my back up.

Kwikkordead.

I used to consider myself a half decent back ally mechanic but now, nearly everything I get into turns into a can of worms. Your highly detailed directions on how to disarm the obnoxious chime may be a "real easy one " for you but it probably would be the famous "can of worms for" me.:'( So, I ask you, if the black wire with the pink stripe is the only one to go to the ignition lock tumbler, would cutting that wire accomplish the same as removing the little switch in the tumbler. :-huh I think I could handle the three screws and do the snip without getting into too much trouble. :-X10 .. Waddayathink ??
Thanks..

(PS. I can't believe I changed the tranny fluid yesterday...Here's hoping... I haven't taken it for a test run yet...)

Jerry, I would think so but why cut your harness? Only one more steep and you got it.

I pulled my ignition switch out and put a strip of black tape over one of the metal strips and no more door chime with the key in and I love it. Very easy to do and I didn't even have to pull any of the covers off of the column at all it was that simple.

refuse2

looks liek that lever is gonna be gone soon.....but where can i get a new ignition/tumbler....all that good stuff. my key is really loose in the ig. and i had read that its easy to change...with another tumbler that is...where cani get it?

It does not work on the earlier ones (2001's included x( ) however, we can simply push the release button on the seat belt latch and it shuts it off for that drive cycle......or unplug it. :)

I see by your profile that you have the earlier style pickup. Your's has the remote chimer box that is mounted up to the right side of the accelorator pedal. Just open the door, turn the headlights on and follow the noise to the little 2 inch square box with the umbilical cord plugged into it. Unplug the cord from the box and you're done.

RedStroker6,
You can get a new ignition lock cylinder and key set at your local auto parts store. It is very easy to replace by pushing in the small pin facing down on the end of the lock cylinder while the key is in the "on" position. Simply install in reverse order and the pin will extend to lock into place when the key is turned to "off". Some vehicle models have a small hole in the cover to access this pin with a small punch or pick without removing the cover. LOL

Kudos KWIK, I have been thinking about trying to shut that stinkin thing for a while. Hopefully this weekend the sounds of silence will reign, thanks :-X22

The whole job took less than an hour, including pausing and looking around at things I had not seen before to familiarize myself with the design.

Kwickk

Sounds good...................Thanks.......:-wink

I unplugged the harness for the seat belts and also for the door chimes (under the dash). I figure this way when I sell the truck some day I can reattach it.