Disable Backup Beeping?

CHeil402

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I suppose it could depend on the state, but the regulation requiring Ford to have the noise is a federal law that mandates what goes into cars offered for sale in the US. The law does not apply to consumers. States pass laws about what is required for a vehicle to be operated on public roadways. No state that I am aware of mandates that the pedestrian noise maker operate to be legal to operate on public streets. On top of that, if a state did mandate it, how would you get caught? Some states do safety inspections, so it's possible it could get caught in that process but daily driving the cops aren't going to be listening out to see if your pedestrian noise is working under 20 mph or whatever the speed threshold is
You may be technically correct (which we all know is the best kind of correct), but I'd be very hesitant to disable the sounds as much as I dislike them. I think that's a legal gray area at best. As you pointed out there are states that do annual inspections (PA included) where this could be on their checklist. Regardless, if you did disable it and hit a pedestrian, there would certainly be a willful negligence argument to be made.
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I suppose it could depend on the state, but the regulation requiring Ford to have the noise is a federal law that mandates what goes into cars offered for sale in the US. The law does not apply to consumers. States pass laws about what is required for a vehicle to be operated on public roadways. No state that I am aware of mandates that the pedestrian noise maker operate to be legal to operate on public streets. On top of that, if a state did mandate it, how would you get caught? Some states do safety inspections, so it's possible it could get caught in that process but daily driving the cops aren't going to be listening out to see if your pedestrian noise is working under 20 mph or whatever the speed threshold is
We've had this discussion before. It's not legally required BUT, if you do disable it and get into an accident with a pedestrian, you could still be liable.
 

markboris

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Ah you said it right before me. I wanted to check the wiring diagrams and make sure the speaker wasn't 'smart' before I suggested the resistor. It appears it is not so a resistor should work.
I also checked the wiring for that speaker and yes just a simple connection. I think it’s very doable.
 

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The Bolt had a fuse that, when blown/removed, disabled the pedestrian sound (and only the sound).
....or so I understand from their forums.
Yup I had it pulled for most of my lease, only replaced it just prior to returning the car to GM.
 


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Someone got to quote the Title 49 CFR before me! Boo... But a couple interesting points... There are directionality requirements beyond the level of sound.

Also, there is a "sameness" requirement for the same sound during operation within a model/trim/year (S5.5.1)

And then the prohibition of altering the sound S8)
 
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What version of the owner's manual is that from? That's not what is on page 285 of the one I'm looking at. I do see two lists of fuses on different pages, but both lists show position 24 as "not used" even though your list shows it as "Battery Backup Sounder".
 

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Someone got to quote the Title 49 CFR before me! Boo... But a couple interesting points... There are directionality requirements beyond the level of sound.

Also, there is a "sameness" requirement for the same sound during operation within a model/trim/year (S5.5.1)

And then the prohibition of altering the sound S8)
Haha, sorry about that. I work with 49 CFR all the time, albeit normally Chapter II (FRA). Interesting find about S8. But I wonder who qualifies as an "entity subject to the authority of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration"?
 

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I suppose it could depend on the state, but the regulation requiring Ford to have the noise is a federal law that mandates what goes into cars offered for sale in the US. The law does not apply to consumers. States pass laws about what is required for a vehicle to be operated on public roadways. No state that I am aware of mandates that the pedestrian noise maker operate to be legal to operate on public streets. On top of that, if a state did mandate it, how would you get caught? Some states do safety inspections, so it's possible it could get caught in that process but daily driving the cops aren't going to be listening out to see if your pedestrian noise is working under 20 mph or whatever the speed threshold is
I don't know the legal requirements for the customer, consulting a lawyer would be the right way to go before making such changes. But there might be serious indirect liabilities. You may be prohibited by law to operate a vehicle that doesn't satisfy the safety requirements, which can entail a loss of license. You may be refused insurance or compensation in case of an accident, and you may have serious liability in case of an accident.
 

mixduptransistor

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Haha, sorry about that. I work with 49 CFR all the time, albeit normally Chapter II (FRA). Interesting find about S8. But I wonder who qualifies as an "entity subject to the authority of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration"?
The best I can find would indicate a manufacturer or a distributor (IE: the American arms of foreign manufacturers) 49 U.S. Code § 30115 - Certification of compliance | U.S. Code | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute (cornell.edu)

Those are the two categories of entities required to certify that a vehicle meets the NHTSA requirements. In another section, an individual selling a car other than for the first time (IE: used) is exempted from NHTSA requirements

I don't know the legal requirements for the customer, consulting a lawyer would be the right way to go before making such changes. But there might be serious indirect liabilities. You may be prohibited by law to operate a vehicle that doesn't satisfy the safety requirements, which can entail a loss of license. You may be refused insurance or compensation in case of an accident, and you may have serious liability in case of an accident.
Well, of course if you mow down a pedestrian you are probably in a liability nightmare anyway, and of course if you modify the car and it results in you killing someone a lawyer is going to have a field day. That applies to this speaker, painting your grill black when it was chrome, changing the tires, whatever. When an auto accident results in injury or death all bets are off regardless

But we are really getting into crazy territory to think that driving a Mach E with the pedestrian sound maker disabled would result in the loss of your drivers license. That, I am 100% confident of, would not happen in any state
 

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In case anyone is actually interested, the requirements are in 49 CFR 571.141. I don't see anything about a backup beeper, just a noise when the vehicle is moving in any direction below 20 km/hr.
That is exactly the noise I'd like to remove. I don't actually mind the back up beeper. just that stupid fake slow noise. I wonder if they are on the same fuse.
 
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The beeping is not a federal requirement. A pedestrian warning noise is, and it already has that. The beeping is emitted in addition to the normal pedestrian warning noise. I don't know of any other EV that does this.
My Prius makes the interior back up beeping noise. It's annoying. I didnt realize the mach e does this as well.
 

JCHLi

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It's interesting as the stated reasoning for the sound is to reduce pedestrian hits. However a running gas vehicle doesn't sound any different in reverse so I'm not sure why the pages of requirements for EV and hybrid in the CFR.

My guess, some wise guy CEO of an EV company resisted common sense requirements for protecting people so the codification turned into what we see today... Or lawyers wrote it...
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