I just bought a 2001 Dakota. Occasionally it will make a 'ding' sound, the same sound as the 'you're low on gas' sound. But there's no warning lights that come up on the dash (when I'm low on gas the low-on-gas light does come on). I've checked what lights turn on when you first turn over the key - all the warning lights light up like they're supposed to - especially the important ones.

Is this just a short somewhere? And ideas on where I'd try to track down this gremlin?

 

i know you said you checked, is the low washer fluid light working?

 

uhm just a thought...perhaps you are leaving your turn signal on?

 

is it a an occationall ding or is it like u left your lights on ding? turn signal doesnt ding,........ or does it? never left mine on that long if it does. i just reread your post and answered my own question.

 

You can download the 01 Dakota Service Manual at the top of the 2nd Gen page and it has several pages about the ding. Dodge calls it a "chime". When you leave the blinker on or the door open, the chime keeps sounding repeatedly. If it is only sounding the chime once, it may somehow be related to the low fuel indicator or the low washer fluid indicator, or their respective sensors. It could also be the ignition switch. My 2001 will sound the dinger if I wiggle the key in the switch just the right way.

You can also turn the ignition key on (run position) and off 3 times and on the third time leave it in run and if you have any trouble codes stored from the PCM they will show in the odometer. I doubt that this problem will have a code though.

This problem will probably not be very easy to track down. One last thing you could do is take the truck in to the Dodge dealer and see if they can find anything by scanning with the DRB diagnostic tool. They will charge you for the diagnostic time, but it may be worth it to find out the problem.

Jimmy