My door chime was honestly the most annoying thing on earth, so i removed it from the car.
Ok due to popular demand, here it is:
Project Information:
Difficulty: Simple but extensive
Time Needed: 30 minutes to an hour
Tools Required: Phillips screw driver, socket & ratchet set, (preferably metric i believe)
Warnings: Be careful because this process messes with the Seat Belt controller, and if your not careful you could damage the seat belt controller and the seat belts may not work.
Step 1: First things first, your going to put the key in the ignition and enjoy that sound once more, because in about a half hour it wont be there! Make sure the car is not running, and put the gear shift lever (mine is an automatic) in either D or 2 by using the Shift Lock Override button while shifting. And make sure your parking brake is engaged!
Step 2: I have a center console armrest, so it may be a bit different for some of you, but basically, your going to open up your armrest, take the two screws inside the pocket, the two toward the front, and the two holding the rest on, and the whole armrest foam piece should pull out.
Step 3: Along the side of the trim, near the radio and heat controls, there's two screws on each side that hold the center plastic to the rug, and closer to the seats there are two more screws, one on each side that need to come out. Make sure you put all your screws in a spot your not going to loose them, i use the ashtray.
Step 4: It is easier to pull the center section out in my opinion if you take the radio/heater trim piece off and put it to the side under the steering wheel. There are two screws facing upwards on the top section of the trim, and there are 4 clips that hold it on so your going to pull or pry easily on it and pop it out and move it to the side. The ashtray definitely must go because it is in the way. (but you should be using this as a screw holder anyway)
Step 5: Lift the "lift for emergency exit" lever, and there is a screw on the drivers side of that on the side that you are going to have to remove, because it needs to go. Make sure you don't confuse your screws!
Step 6: Lift the parking break (easily) as high as it can go. The lever can actually move much higher then you have probably ever moved it before, so just carefully life it, it is going to need to be really high up in order for the console to slide over and off of it.
Step 7: Your going to have to undo the seat belts, so pry the dust cap off of the plastic cover near the door, and use a ratchet and socket to remove this bolt. (i don't recall what size this is) After you undo each side, put the bolts back into the metal brackets on the door so that you don't loose them, and lay the shoulder belts.
Step 8: Lift the center section up from the back near the back ashtray, and pull back on it. Inside where the storage compartment for the center console was, there are two clips that you are going to have to be careful not to catch on the seat belt mounts. They aren't attached to anything, so you don't have to worry, just don't snap them off.
Step 9: With the center section loose, look inside the hole where the storage compartment and armrest once where, and disconnect the PWR & NORM controller (button) if you have one, and the plug for the "push belt release lever down" light. The PWR & NORM button is very easy to disconnect, you just pry it out of its plastic holder, and the seat belt light should just pull right off. (mine did anyway)
Step 10: The gear shifter should still be in either D or 2 only, and the car should be off. (i hope it is) Now that there is nothing holding the center section in, you should be ready to remove it and shove it in the back seat. Its not going to go far unless you want to disconnect the shoulder belts. The parking brake should be as many notches high as you can master without snapping it off. (and im serious, do not break anything) The "lift for emergency exit" lever should be up as well. (or what is left of it)
Step 11: Lift from the back of the console section, while upwards and pull the piece over the shifter, over the parking brake, and over the emergency seat belt lever. Lift this piece up and over and lay it upside down in the back seat.
Step 12: You now should see something like this:
Step 13: This is the seat belt controller:
Step 14: Your going to lift the carpet up near the controller, and unbolt the bolts from the chassis. (again i dont remember what size, you can figure that out im sure)
Step 15: Make sure not to loose the screws, and unplug the controller from its harness. Once you have it in your hand, flip it over and pry it open (start near the female connection end) and work your way to the front, being careful not to crack the tabs.
Step 16: Once the plastic case is open, take the board out of it, yours should look like this:
Step 17: Here is the speaker that makes that infernal racket:
Step 18: On the opposite side of the board, your going to sever the connection to the speaker right where I have on mine, which will stop the flow of electricity to the speaker, and nothing else.
Step 19: Make sure that no copper is touching or else the speaker may come to life in the future, and you dont want to have to tear your car apart after this.
Step 20: Once your sure that the connection is no longer existent, and that you didn't completely annihilate the board, place it back in the plastic housing, and snap it shut. Reconnect the harness to it, and screw it back down to the chassis.
Step 21: Just to be sure that the speaker is dead, put the key in the ignition with the door open and turn it to "on" but don't actually start the car. If you don't hear anything, then your in business, and if you do, then you made a boo-boo. Close the door to make sure the seat belts still go to the closed position (because this seat belt controller that you have been messing with controls the seat belts as well)
Step 22: While you have it the center console apart, you might as well grab a vacuum and some shout and clean the carpets and vacuum up 20 years of dust and use.
Step 23: Now comes the fun part! Putting everything back together! With the belt controller back in and secured (and quiet), pull the center console section back over and just the same way you took it off, put it back over. Reapply the PWR & NORM switch into its plastic holder as it once was, as well as reconnect the Seat Belt Release warning light. Now your ready to finish! This may take some jiggling and such, but be easy, and put the front section the goes underneath the radio area in first, and then push the back down. Make sure the center console is flush and back the way you had it. Make sure the radio trim piece is not in the way when your putting this back, or you could catch the cigarette lighter wires in it, and remember this piece goes under the radio trim piece.
Step 24: With the section in its correct position, put the 4 screws that you took out back in near the seat and under the dash area on each side.
Step 25: Pull the shoulder belt back to the mount, and bolt that in, and make sure it is tight. Do this on both sides (the dust cap and hole face inside the car, and the shoulder belt should not be twisted while it is across your shoulder (so give it a test so you don't mess it up)
Step 26: Put the storage compartment back into the gaping hole you left there, and reattach the upper part of it (the foam rest part) and make sure the guiding levers are back in the holes. Put the two screws in there, and that's that. (should be a total of 6 screws for this step)
Step 27: Push the radio trim piece back on and put the two top screws back in once it is in correctly. (and make sure not to crush the cigarette lighter wires in the process)
Step 28: You can go ahead and put the car into park by holding the "Shift Lock Override" and shifting into P. (Those who have a stick shift manual Camry, you could probably have left the car in N the whole time)
Step 29: Release the parking brake by pressing the button, lifting a bit and letting it down. Reapply the screw to the "Emergency Exit" lever with the plastic piece, and push that back down.
Step 30: Put the key in the ignition, enjoy the sound of nothing, start the engine, open the door, make sure the belts still work, and shut the car off, and leave the door open and enjoy the sound of nothing. If you are still hearing something, then you made a mistake somewhere.
If anyone has a problem with this and needs help ASAP, IM me on AIM at AttackLacrosse03 or leave a message here.
Need any more pictures, something not clear? Ask!
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