So this has been out for quite awhile now and I want to figure it out and fix it. I've just been putting it off. I know it's not a big deal and some would be glad about the seat belt chime and bulb not working. I like to have everything on my truck working though. Before I take out the gauge cluster to replace the bulb. I want to make sure that it could only be a bulb. Is there a way to check that? Because neither the bulb nor the chime work. However, the chime for the key left in ignition and headlights on chime still work. Those are all on the same GEM module. I checked to see if the seat belt harness is plugged in and it is. I don't see anything obvious wrong with the wiring, it's never been messed with. I've got a Ford service manual and there's not really procedure for checking the function. I was just wondering if the bulb is indeed out then wouldn't the chime still work. Or do they work together or not at all? I remember someone here said there is some way to deactivate this function but I couldn't find any information in the Ford service manual on that procedure so I'm not sure if I did it on mistake and that's why it's not working. I don't even know what the procedure is. Any idea what the bulb number is? I know the illumination lights are 194 but I thought the symbol lights are smaller.

 

I have the same "problem" on my 87. Odds are it's just a gunked up microswitch in the female half of the buckle. One of these days i might give it a shot of WD40 to clean it up.

 

It must be more than a bulb. I tried following Ford's symptom chart but without the scanner like their's I can't do much. My little cheap scanner does show all those PID values only a couple for the engine. It did ask under Seat Belt Warning Light under bulb will not illuminate does the seat belt warning chime come on. It says if not go to pinpoint testing the Seat Belt Switch and GEM module. Do you recommend spraying some wd40 fluid in the belt buckle?

 

On my Ranger, the chime does not sound after the first several dings that occur when I go to start the vehicle. The seatbelt lamp does stay on for around 30-60 seconds after the engine has been started, and then disappears. There is no "reminder" seatbelt lamp or chime after that initial sequence.

My '03 Sable is different, there is a "reminder" seatbelt lamp and chime that will occur every couple of minutes while driving until I buckle up. I can turn this feature off if I want, but I choose to keep it on.

 

I tried cleaning the driver's seat belt buckle a couple months ago to see if I could get the Seat belt light and chime working but nothing happened. Then a few weeks later when I was leaving a friend's house I noticed the seat belt on the dash came on and the chime came on but didn't last how long it was suppose to. Once again today when I was leaving I started it up and it chimed when started but no seat belt light came on. The chime didn't even finish before it quickly went off. Is it most likely the seat belt buckle or the gem?

 

Things to keep in mind when you are troubleshooting:

The '98 Ranger wiring diagram shows that the seat belt warning chime switch is closed when the belt is unbuckled. When the belt is buckled, the switch opens.

So apparently, when the GEM senses an open circuit at pin #23 (BR/LB wire), that indicates that the driver has buckled up.

The Ford Manual describes the "logic" of the seat belt warning system as follows:

The Ford Manual lists as the possible causes of a seat belt warning indicator problem:

- Instrument cluster damaged.
- Safety belt warning indicator bulb.
- Safety belt warning indicator switch.
- Circuitry.
- GEM