A question that can't be answered in Europe. I bought this seat belt warning buzzer relay [Hella 5SA004396-00]. It is blue with white print on it. In my [Dutch] service and repair menual [image; ignore the arrow] it says how to install this relay. So what's the problem?

I have read that the same relay can be used to warn me for leaving the key in the car. In Europe this would be a another relay [with a terrible êêêê-sound]. In my book there is no information on how to fix this.
So I guessed some of you Americans could help me out with this issue.

Best regards, Niek

My car is a GL 1984, B23a

Are you asking how to change to a better sounding buzzer?

A better buzzer? I've had my 83 for 31 years now and some changes I made over the years are becoming vague memories, so bear with me....

I recall that I simply replaced the original 1983 buzzer device with its highly annoying and raucous BUZZ_BUZZ_BUZZ with the unit from a 700-series (or was it a later 240?). It was a direct fit (same pinouts and connector) and now I have a much more civilized "chime" noise to counteract my forgetfulness. IIRC, it is the same size as the old 240 unit, but is Black in colour.
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Bob: Son's XC70, my 83 240, 89 745 (V8) and XC60. Also '77 MGB and some old motorcycles

Well, in European 240's this is different; there is no 8 pin buzzer relay. I was lucky to find the US-chime on an oldtimer fair here in Holland.
So I know how to connect it as a warning sound for my seat belt but what I don't know is how I must connect it to make it a forgotten-key-warning, or a forgotten-light-warning.

Not exactly, there's no buzzer whatsoever in my car and I like the US sound better than the European. The European sound is like a shortcut in your circuit. Very annoying!

Niek, I actually did this same thing for someone about 12 years ago, except it was a 77, not an 84. He would refer to the GF terminals as "girlfriend 1" and "girlfriend 2" and so forth, as I will never forget his smile. I'll look into it soon and reply to your post if you haven't solved by then.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Be nice to your kids. They will choose your nursing home one day.

Well Art, so it is possible then. [Must have been a creative man with many girlfriends!]

Thanks for replying. I would be much obliged if you'd look into it.

Niek Venneker near Amsterdam ;)

btw Is there a notification possibility on this forum?

Yes there is a notification option in the post form. Check the box and you'll be sent an email.

I have more questions for you than answers at the moment. In the answers category, yes it is possible to get the chime to alert you when the key is left in.

The raucous buzzer that currently does that gets battery from the ignition switch terminal S (when key is inserted) on its pin also marked S. I think it is a white/red wire in your car. This needs to be re-routed to your new blue chime, on which should also be a terminal marked S.

Now for the questions.

1. Did you already connect the chime? Does the plug fit, matching 8 pins? Did you remove a seat belt buzzer and replace it with the chime? Is there currently a connection to terminal S on the Hella chime?

2. Does it now work to remind you to fasten your seat belts? Does it let you know you left the headlights on?

3. Does your Hella relay also have a Volvo part number printed on it?
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.

So I found the check box.

Answers to your questions:
1. First of all I must complain: these are already four questions! ;)
Not in the car but I did in an experimental circuit to the battery and it worked as a warning for a forgotten seat belt. There is no 8 pin connector in my car. So I have to collect the wires seperately from behind the dash and use shoes [that's the Dutch name] to slide over the pins.
There is no belt buzzer in my car; there is an empty three pin connector where it used to be however. Some owner before me must have removed it. There is an S here [red-white indeed], a black/white cable coming from the door and a grey one [I presume from the light switch]. There is an S on the chime, yes.

2. I checked all wires with my multimeter in the car and S from the ignition switch doesn't give 12V. Well it does: when I push the key ... I guess there is play in the key or in the lock, maybe it has worn. Before I repair this, it's no use installing the chime. I don't know how to make it warn me for the headlights so you could be of help here.

3. The Volvo part number is: 1324061

Pins:

GF2 GF1 GF/L S
58 Su 15 31

I'll need to take another look at how that key-in switch works. I remember from a while back making a close examination of the springs and contacts in the electrical (removable) ignition switch mounted to the back of the key lock. It required uncrimping pot metal, which is sometimes a one-time activity if not destructive the first time.

Also, I have noticed as Roland has, the occasional sticking of that switch, making a key insertion and a wiggle perhaps to un-stick it. That is in the lock, I think, but I can't ever recall which car of ours does that. But I like that switch, especially for providing a place to connect a dash panel voltmeter where I can see battery voltage even during cranking yet not drain the battery. It has no other significant loads, also, so the voltage is much nearer actual battery voltage than is the usual voltmeter connection.

Good to hear you are not expecting a "plug and play" install, because I have no Volvo wiring information indicating it could be. For 84, I am using the poor copy of the foldout wiring diagram found in Robert Bentley. It has notes for European wiring, and where these differences are concerned there is no interpolating possible between my Volvo manuals nearest (81 and 85).

The chime circuit is the chime oscillator and the timers that create the cadence, its decay, and the seat belt warning period, plus the logic to turn it on based on inputs from the key switch (S), lighting (58), the door switch (Su), the key position (15), and the seat belt latch switches (girlfriends 1&2). It also supplies lamp ground for the seat belt warning lights (GF-L) when they are supplied with battery through the key-in voltage.

Very glad you supplied the Volvo part number, so that I can add a truth table for the logic if the map of the innards below is not helpful.

Delighted this post is about making this chime work instead of "how do I find and rip this thing out" we hear most often, probably from folks who never heard the cheap sound of old worn-out buzzers (or owned an old car where it is even possible to leave the lights on). :-)


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Art Benstein near Baltimore

The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.

Hi Art,
May I thank you for your efforts to help me out? The drawing is very clear.
I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you're trying to explain in your first paragraph. This is my language problem; I just don't understand all of the words.
I guess the switch is the part where the cables come into the key lock, a sort of connector?

But this is very difficult to understand: uncrimping pot metal

[Sorry for that]

Hi Niek,

My first paragraph included a bit of my experience taking things apart. It may not be relevant. The uncrimping of the pot metal was probably a stumbling point, now that I look at it again. Let me try some pics:

Notes on 240 Volvo Ignition Switch

I figured you would want to pursue the lack of key-in signal. If it is in the switch itself (the most likely spot I'd guess) you might have the option of repairing or replacing.

If you try to fix the switch (or just want to see what went wrong in it) you would need to bend some fairly brittle zinc alloy (pot metal if I'm labeling it correctly). So it is with care you must do that if you want to bend it back again to re-assemble the switch. I figure I've done this dozens of times to other similarly constructed electrical products -- most with success, but not always.

Before you take this step I recommend assuring yourself you have "convicted" it with careful measurements. Sometimes meter probes slip. A test light with clips would be my choice.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

The short fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

Hi Art again,

Now I know a lot more about what you were trying to tell me! Before I try to demount my switch I'm trying something elae first. [A car mechanic here told me I had to get my entire dashboard out before I would be able to get to the switch. I guess that's the official way to do it.]
None of the methods appeal very much to me. At least not until I have tried it with a new key that they are going to make for me at Volvo's.

Meanwhile I have tried to connect my chime which gave me quite some Bermuda challenges:

Found cables:
S [red-white] key in, position 0
58 [grey] headlights
Su [black-white] ground driver's door
31 [ground]
15 [blue-red] contact, position 2 or 3
GF/L [yellow] warning lamp seat belt front.

Not found
GF/L [yellow] warning lamp seat belt back. Well I found it OK at the ash tray in the back but I can't figure out where it turns up in the front! There must be a Bermuda triagle somewhere in between!
GF2 [blue-red] ground switch driver's seat belt. I see a green and a black cable being divided by inserting the seatbelt. The green cable is connected to a brown cable by a connector. The brown cable is grouped with the yellow cable, a grey and a red-white one. They all go to the Bermuda triangle ...

So where can I find them? I need both of them!

By the way: I can hear the chime now when I forget my lights and when I forget my key. [That is: when I press the key a little.]

BTW I was only once in the States. I was fifteen at that time 󞩨]. I stayed at a very kind family in Massapequa NY on Long Island. They had a beige Oldsmobile and a dark green Volvo 244. Now that I think of it: that was my first drive in a 240 ever!

I think I have been stupid to stare at the US drawing and expect that situation to find in my EU-car. So I found this drawing finally representing the EU situation.
The warning lights relay is activated when there is a person [or 50 kg of potatoes] is pulling a switch in passenger seat [F], when the seat belt is off.
In this drawing I can find the two yellow cables on the relay (49a) and I know where to find this in my car. Must I take the cables off of the relay and attach them to the chime or do I just connect them both to the relay and the chime?

But even with this drawing I can't find the cable coming from the ground at the seat belt lock ... (Not in my car I can.)

Or should I just connect it with 49?

I think that if I want to do this proper I have to forget about the EU system and connect it the US way. Although I might hold on to the EU system warning me for seat belts from the driver's and the passenger's seat.

I might take one of the EU brown cables for the girlfriend 2. This will take care of the grounding [EU way].
And then loosen the yellow cables from my relais and attach them to girlfriend L. And finally the brown cables from both lamps to S of the chime.

What I was wondering about US Volvos: do they have a visual warning for seat belts also by a blinking red light? Is this blinking provided by the chime relay?

Well, today I got my new made key at my local Volvo dealer and guess what? The chime is working!

Now I will take the brown cable from my seat belt warning light and attach it to girlfriend 2. I've asked a Volvo owner here what to do with the yellow cables. I'm waiting for his answer. But my chime is almost working like it should; I like the sophisticated sound already! It goes with the car I think.

Thanks a lot for helping me out on this issue!

I see you have made some progress while I was traveling. Most thrilling is to hear you like that chime sound. Well, compared to the buzzer, I suppose it is no contest, but you might hold out for a breathy female voice coming through the radio speakers in full fidelity asking "Do you really want to leave your keys in the car?" in case you are very persistent.

While reading your thread additions, an ad for Lufthansa formed the banner on my screen. By that I was reminded it was inside one of their 707's I was closest to Holland on the way to Frankfurt. Last time I was 11. Thanks for your interesting posts!
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love and got married. The ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was excellent.

Well Art, I guess Lufthansa knows exactly who you are communicating with here; I think a Delta Air Lines banner will come up here any minute.

The chime story doesn't end here. I just happened to buy this Volvo GLE 92 today! So I'll be building the chime into this car and sell the other one. This GLE turns off the headlight automatically so a warning will not be neccessary anymore.
And I doubt if I need a waning for my keys because it has central door locking mechanism. I haven't tried so far but I think there is no way that I can lock myself out with this. That leaves me with only the warning for the seat belt. The sound is worth the trying!

Again thanks for helping me, Niek

Exactly as ours are since the 86 makeover. If you want to lock the keys in the car you have to reach in from the open *rear* door and push the central locking button. Of course you might get in the habit of doing just that, but with the keys in your pocket. :)

Next step, keyless entry for your 240.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Two fish swim into a concrete wall. The one turns to the other and says "Dam!".

Art,
Years ago I did some electrical modifications on my 1982 so that when I leave the ignition key or head lights on the buzzer would warn me when I open the door. I later traded the buzzer for a chime. What a pleasure.

I did not write any note or diagram of the connections I made but I put low amp inline fuses on these wire modifications as a safety precaution.

But I was caught a couple of times with chime warning me of head lights on or ignition key left there and I was not paying attention to it because the steering wheel contact lock will not always de-activate the chime. In other words the chime will be on for no reason while the door is open. I can get that back to normal by putting the ignition key in and out so the steering lock contact is normal(quiet).

Now I realize the chime is nice for seat belt warning but I sure would like the buzzer noise for ignition key and head lights I forget on. Some work I keep for colder days may be.

Just a comment.

Hi Roland,

I agree with everything you say. Before '86, when the headlights, at least, became automatic with the ignition switch, I've forgotten them and required a jump start ('83) because that soft chime was too easy to ignore, its sound having become associated with the Volvo, rather than the warning it was meant to give.

Then that same year of change made it hard to lock up the car without the key, so there was no longer the prospect of staring into a locked car to see the keys hanging from the ignition switch!

One bad habit I've never been able to kick is putting the key in before the seat belt is fastened. If the lights-left-on buzzer was its only function, I guess it wouldn't be so easy to become inured to that sound.

My 79 has no chime, but two separate buzzers, and still, I have walked away from that car with the lights on.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.