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Power door mod #2 (beeper mod)

20K views 16 replies 10 participants last post by  hed1117 
#1 ·
This mod is useful whether or not you've done the original power door mod. To recap, the original mod allows you to open the power door when out of park and under 3mph. This new mod simply silences the infernal beeping, such as when you press the open button while the door is closing or when two people try to open the door simultaneously.

Why the Honda engineers thought it desirable to make the door beep so much is beyond me. I mean, when you do any of these things, the door stops. That's obvious enough for me. I don't need beeping (and really LOUD beeping at that) to tell me what is self-evident.

The steps are:
1. Remove left rear panel. This is the lengthiest step because you have to do things like unbolt two seat belts and take off the left rear speaker and grill before you can get the panel off.
2. Peel back upper right corner of weatherstripping.
3. Unplug connector to speaker and tie down to prevent rattles. (Or just cut the damn thing off if you're in a bad mood.)
3.5 (optional) Remove speaker entirely, light on fire.
4. Undo steps 2 and 1.

Here's a pic stolen from the backup camera mod where this mod was accidentally discovered. The red arrow points to the speaker that is responsible for doing the beeping. The connector is next to it.
 
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#2 ·
jeez

We must think alike. Going too paint flames, too?

:stupid:

One of the first things I did was to unplug that stupid noisemaker. Still goes off in my head, but is silent to everyone else. My kids actually cheered when they didn't hear the "BEEP BEEP BEEP"!
 
#3 ·
Re: jeez

Indeed, the thought went through my mind (wonder if redrockody did this?) although I figured you did your work so quickly, you might have missed it. Since I, on the other hand, drove around for two weeks with the interior trim off, it was like a huge blast of noise pollution one day when I set the dang beeper off.

I ended up unscrewing the speaker completely and removing it from the car (I didn't want to take the chance that a Honda technician might notice it unplugged and unthinkingly reconnect it) but I also noticed that the cable came from the front of the car, so I stripped away some of the sheathing to see what color the two wires were:

- white/red with patches of gray
- black with patches of gray

So an easier version of this mod is:

1. Remove driver side sliding door trim. Just tug up and it will pop off.
2. Find fat bundle of cable and cut away a 1" patch of black sheathing.
3. Cut wire that is white/red w/gray patches.
4. Cover with electrical tape.
5. Pop the door trim back in place.
6. Paint flames. (optional step)
 
#4 ·
Thanks. I think I just found a Saturday afternoon project.:)
 
#5 ·
Based on that picture above, does anyone think one could quiet the ride somewhat by putting some of that mass loading asphalt dynamat sheeting sheet looking stuff on the metal. It sure looks like the inside skin of the quarter panel is pretty big and could resonate quite nicely as is. I'm thinking that putting some Brown Bread matting in that whole quarter panel area along with some 1/2 inch carpet padding might really improve things a bit in the noise department.

Any thoughts, opinions?
 
#6 · (Edited)
#7 ·
rlpenny said:
Based on that picture above, does anyone think one could quiet the ride somewhat by putting some of that mass loading asphalt dynamat sheeting sheet looking stuff on the metal. It sure looks like the inside skin of the quarter panel is pretty big and could resonate quite nicely as is. I'm thinking that putting some Brown Bread matting in that whole quarter panel area along with some 1/2 inch carpet padding might really improve things a bit in the noise department.

Any thoughts, opinions?
I completely covered the right rear (over the A/C) with brown bread, but left most of the left rear uncovered (a wiring hell) until I've finished tuning and testing my various installs. Most of my noise problems are now from the tires, which are going to be replaced in a couple of months. The rest of my noise issues are from wind turbulence, which I guess I'll live with. I can't tell much of a difference from side-to-side, as most of the inner metal is stressed in such a way as to allow for little panel noise. I still plan to spray inside of exterior panels with deadening material if needed, at a later date.
 
#8 ·
Re: Re: jeez

donlibes said:
... So an easier version of this mod is:

1. Remove driver side sliding door trim. Just tug up and it will pop off.
2. Find fat bundle of cable and cut away a 1" patch of black sheathing.
3. Cut wire that is white/red w/gray patches.....
While cleaning up, came across some pics showing a close-up of the speaker and guilty wires. Perhaps this will make someone feel better before they start cutting. First, a pic of the connector leading to the speaker.

Next, a close-up of the guilty wires so we can see the color of the insulation.
 
#9 ·
I have a 2000 Ody and the wire colors must be different. I found the exact white/red with double gray patches wire shown in the photo, but after cutting...the beeping continued (darn!). There are severel red and white wires in the wiring cluster running aling the driver-side floor, but only one with the double gray patches, so I'm somewhat sure I cut the right one.

Next I got my multimeter out...

I found another white/red wire with single gray patches that was hot only when the van was in reverse, so I cut it and again no dice!!! I wondered what I cut, so I checked the reverse lights, but they were still on...not sure what wire I cut.

Anyway, I patched them back together...licked my wounds...and now I guess I'll remove the rear quarter panel and disconnect the speaker itself.

Any chance the colors are different for the 2000 Ody? Or perhaps the wire color before the wiring harness is different than after the wiring harness?

Thanks for any help!
DJ
 
#10 ·
beeper mod

Friends please excuse me if what ever I am saying is not of your interest.

My wife mostly uses our fabulous Ody 04 to get to the work and also to drop our child off at daycare. Most of the times we do not notice that the door was open after loading the child in to the car seat and start the car, engage the gear, right then the beeper buzzes reminding us that we did not close the door.

This is a very important safety feature and I agree that the buzzer they was using is very annoying. Honda is using very annoying buzzer by design i guess as it is a very dangerous to drive the van with one door(s) open (even though there is no child in the van). Hence I did not really understand why any one want to bypass this safety feature.

Again I do not want to step in the territory of other's likes/dislikes but very curious to know.
 
#11 ·
Re: beeper mod

ody04 said:
My wife mostly uses our fabulous Ody 04 to get to the work and also to drop our child off at daycare. Most of the times we do not notice that the door was open after loading the child in to the car seat and start the car, engage the gear, right then the beeper buzzes reminding us that we did not close the door.

This is a very important safety feature and I agree that the buzzer they was using is very annoying. Honda is using very annoying buzzer by design i guess as it is a very dangerous to drive the van with one door(s) open(even though there is no child in the van). Hence I did not really understand why any one want to bypass this safety feature.
It's pretty mystifying to me how anyone could not notice the door was open before driving away. For starters there is a red door-open indicator on the dashboard, so you'd have to overlook that as well as somehow forget that you just put your child in the carseat without closing the door. When I would pick up my child from daycare, there was also a fair amount of noise (from other kids/adults) already on the sidewalk that would be quite loud until I closed the door. Plus the increased breeze and so on.

In the three years since I silenced my beeper, I have never driven off with the door open. It's hard to imagine that anyone would. But I guess if a person is forgetful enough or can miss all the other things I mentioned (starting with the red light in front of their face!), then I guess it's possible. But for me, it was never about safety. I won't repeat the original reasons I did it - please reread the first post in this thread for the rationale.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Re: Re: beeper mod

donlibes said:
It's pretty mystifying to me how anyone could not notice the door was open before driving away. For starters there is a red door-open indicator on the dashboard, so you'd have to overlook that as well as somehow forget that you just put your child in the carseat without closing the door. When I would pick up my child from daycare, there was also a fair amount of noise (from other kids/adults) already on the sidewalk that would be quite loud until I closed the door. Plus the increased breeze and so on.

In the three years since I silenced my beeper, I have never driven off with the door open. It's hard to imagine that anyone would. But I guess if a person is forgetful enough or can miss all the other things I mentioned (starting with the red light in front of their face!), then I guess it's possible. But for me, it was never about safety. I won't repeat the original reasons I did it - please reread the first post in this thread for the rationale.
Well thanks for the reply, I guess any one can argue that there are plenty of safety precautions and would not require this annoying stupid buzzer. These auto makers are very stringent when they are spending an extra $$ if they think it is not REQUIRED.

I am sorry if any one is offended by my post, but I really do not buy-in that buzzer is not a safety feature.

As I said earlier I do not want to step in to the territory of some one else's views/likes/dislikes.

Good luck with this DIY
 
#14 ·
Just after getting my 2006 Ody my father drove the car to a store and let me out to run out to check to see if a store was open, he left the car in gear. One of my boys wanted out. He was used to the Toyota Sienna and could not see why the door would not open, after tugging on it, it finally came open with the sound of cracking plastic. The entire door mechanism had to be replaced. This was not the implementation on the 2005 Toyota Sienna.

I agree that the Honda implementation of Safety is way over conservative. This mod may not be for everyone.

On my Sienna, there was a button on the pillar to toggle the door open/closed. If the door was opening, it would immediately stop and the door would reverse, same if it was closing. Stopping the Honda mid-cycle causes the door to STOP and BEEP at you until you tug the handle again, but then, it does not toggle the operation, it completes the operation requiring you to tug the hand yet again to reverse it. This is one of the BIGGEST annoyances of the Honda over the Toyota for me.
 
#15 · (Edited)
beeperectomy - need more advice

I presume that the "beeper" referred to is the buzzer I hear when I try to drive with the door of my newly acquired, Certified '02 Ody EX w/38k miles, in the open position.
I occassionally photograph/film out the side door of the van and would therefore love to silence the beeper/buzzer.
With the help of a technically-minded friend, we already accomplished "Power door mod #1", allowing us to open the side doors (while stopped, or at slow speed) w/o being in park.
When we attempted the "easier" mod #2, whereby one removes the doorsill and cuts a red/white wire, nothing happened re: the buzzer... except for a lengthy resoldering process.
There appear to be several red/white/silver dotted cables.
Is there any more advice on the "easier" method eg how to determine the RIGHT cable to cut, or do we need to start removing seatbelts, etc to access the rear panel that covers the speaker?
Thanks, Howard.
 
#16 ·
Re: beeperectomy - need more advice

hed1117 said:
There appear to be several red/white/silver dotted cables.
Is there any more advice on the "easier" method eg how to determine the RIGHT cable to cut, or do we need to start removing seatbelts, etc to access the rear panel that covers the speaker?
Thanks, Howard.
Pulling off the rear panel (and all that that entails) isn't particularly difficult or time-consuming. 15 minutes maybe. Two recommendations:

1) Take notes on the order in which you remove things so you can reverse it later. (The order of the parts of the seat belt, in particular, is not something you could figure out by yourself.)
2) Wrap a cloth around the tip of a screwdriver when prying off the speaker screen to avoid scratching.
 
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