The Ford Mustang Mach-E is a first-rate electric SUV.
It’s loaded with tech, and uses various tones, beeps and chimes to alert the driver.
If you are unsure why your Mach-E keeps beeping, this article is here to help.
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Ford Mustang Beeping: Headlight Switch ON
A very common cause of beeping on the Ford Mustang Mach-E is that the headlight switch is ON. If they are in AUTO, turn them OFF and back to AUTO. If they are not in AUTO or OFF, turn them to AUTO.
A large number of Mach-E owners have experienced issues with the headlight switch that has caused the vehicle to beep when it shouldn’t. Reportedly, there is a glitch that switches off AUTO on the headlight.
Here’s what owners on MachEForum.com had to say:
“Headlights on? There is a bug in the headlight switch that sometimes turns them on if you have them set to automatic. The work-around is to turn the switch off, then back to automatic.”
“Have you checked the headlight switch? That has been the most common cause.”
“There is some bug related to the headlights switch. If the switch has NO lights on and is dinging, it is a communications issue with the BCM and headlight switch. If you simply turn the knob one way or the other then back to auto it will stop dinging. Hopefully it is an issue with the BCM not sending a wake-up signal that can be updated, otherwise, the headlight switch will have to be replaced to solve it. I have seen this pop up with a bunch of people. My car has done it several times.”
“Check your lights switch. There seems to be a bug, where it switches off “auto”. I have had the issue where my lights stay on. Fix, move the switch to off and back to auto, and the beeping stops.”
“Okay yeah, that was totally it. Some sorta bug switched my lights off auto. Turned it back on and the beeping stopped.”
“Ok. I think it was the headlights. I turned them off automatic and left them off for a while before switching back. No more beeps (sweeps OR creeps).”
Ford Bronco Beeping: Airbag Warning Light
If the airbag warning lamp has blown in the gauge cluster your Mach-E will issue a warning tone. The problem is not necessarily related to the airbags themselves (although it can be), however if the bulb has blown then the beeping noise is the only way to alert the driver to a light that is no longer working.
There is a quick and simple way to check this:
- Turn the vehicle ON
- Observe the gauge cluster
- All lamps should illuminate, including the airbag lamp
- If it doesn’t you will hear the beeping noise
If there is no light for the airbag warning in the dash when you turn the vehicle on, then you’ll need to replace the bulb and the beeping should stop, be sure to also check for loose connections.
If changing the faulty bulb didn’t do the trick or you’re not confident to change the bulb yourself, we recommend contacting your local Ford dealership.
What Does The Manual Say?
The restraints control module also monitors the readiness of the above safety devices [seatbelts, airbags, safety canopy] plus the crash and occupant sensors.
The readiness of the safety system is indicated by a warning indicator in the instrument cluster or by a backup tone if the warning indicator is not working.
Routine maintenance of the airbag is not required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
- The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after you switch the ignition on.
- The readiness light either flashes or stays on.
- You hear a series of five tones. The tone pattern repeats periodically until the problem, the light or both are repaired.
Related: Ford Mustang Mach-E Alarm Going Off? (16 Main Causes)
Why Is My Ford Mustang Mach-E Beeping?
1. Lane Centering and Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control
If you are noticing a beeping sound whilst driving then this could be linked to the Lane Centering and Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control systems.
You disable these features in the settings menu.
“Do you have Lane Centering and Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control active? The car will chime every time it can’t figure out the lane markings. When it is in operation, it will say Steering below the car icon in the center of the display. When the car can’t figure out the lane markings, it will chime and say Cancelled.” – MachEForum.com
“It likely is the lane centering canceling if you have that set.” – MachEForum.com
2. Key Fob In Car
If you have left your key fob in the car then you may hear a warning beep.
“Fob-in-car reminder? A reminder that the car won’t lock with the fob in the car?” – MachEForum.com
3. Navigation Alerts
A common cause of mysterious beeps is often linked to navigation alerts. These will beep for various reasons such as exceeding certain speeds or driving through a school zone. You should be able to modify the volume and alerts in the navigation settings menu. One owner also reported that rebooting the navigation system stopped the beeps.
“Do you have Waze running? I know that can have a speed alert enabled that beeps when you go a certain amount over the speed limit.” – MachEForum.com
“It is the Waze, I normally do not use Waze but I hit it by mistake. That is the only difference, thank you!! Not a bad feature to have, I may decide to use Waze now!!” – MachEForum.com
“I realized that the navigation system was not booting up. After re-starting it from the touch screen, the ding sound has stopped. I started the car’s built in navigation system (its version of Google maps) from the touch screen. It had stopped self loading. It is self loading again. Not sure why it had stopped? Seems to coincide with the starting and stopping of the two ding chime.” – MachEClub.com
4. Acknowledge Rear Passengers setting ON
If you have Acknowledge Rear Passengers setting ON, and you get out of the car without acknowledging or the seat belt is fastened and get out, it will honk and let you know.
You can adjust this in the menu settings.
5. Headlights ON
An audible warning will sound if you have left the driver door open and the exterior lamps are ON.
There is also a bug reported that the headlights switch off from AUTO, see the first section for more detail – switch the headlights OFF and back to AUTO.
6. Doors And Locks Audible Warnings
An audible warning will sound when a door is not fully closed or removed and your vehicle is moving.
Make sure the door isn’t being obstructed and the latches are free from dirt and debris.
7. Low Fob Battery
A low key fob battery can cause a wide range of issues, including mysterious beeping noises.
Make sure your key fob battery has plenty of life left and the inside of the fob is clean.
8. Airbag Bulb Burnt Out
As previously mentioned, a burnt-out airbag light can cause beeps. The fix is simple, replace the bulb.
However, the beeps can also be an indication of an issue with the airbag system, in which case you should contact your dealer.
“You hear a series of five tones. The tone pattern repeats periodically until the problem, the light or both are repaired.” – Mach-E Owners Manual
9. Speed Limit Beep
Your Mach-E will beep if you exceed a certain speed limit if you have enabled this feature.
“You can set a speed limit for your vehicle. Warning messages appear in the information display and a tone sounds if your vehicle reaches the set speed. You cannot override the set speed when using a MyKey.” – Mach-E Owners Manual
10. Phone Alerts
Your phone could be the source of your beeping, especially if it is connected by Bluetooth.
It could be caused by one of the apps on your phone.
11. Seatbelt Sensor
If you have weight on a seat such as a bag of groceries, a dog or a laptop, the car may think you have a passenger not wearing their seatbelt and thus will make a beeping noise.
If you need to place items on the seat and don’t want to hear the seatbelt chime, simply buckle the seatbelt.
12. Faulty Parking Sensors
A warning tone sounds when your vehicle approaches an object. As your vehicle moves closer to an object, the rate of the tone increases.
The sensors however may be dirty, damaged or faulty which could be causing the mysterious beeps.
13. Weak 12V Battery
A weak 12V battery can cause a myriad of problems.
To rule this out of the equation, simply have a battery health check performed.
These can be done at AutoZone for free.
Also check to ensure the connections are tight and free of dirt and grime.
14. Electronic Devices Inside or Outside of The Car
The beeping may not actually be coming from your Bronco. Do you have any other electronic or battery-powered devices in your vehicle or your garage that could be causing the beeping? Usually, it’s their batteries going bad.
For example, a garage door opener, a smoke alarm, a carbon monoxide detector, or a dropped wristwatch.
15. Faulty latches Or Switches
If you are experiencing beeping whilst driving your Ford Bronco this may be caused by a faulty door switch or latch, if you have a ‘door ajar’ light on the dashboard then this is almost certainly the case.
Faulty latches are quite common – you may need to have it replaced although you should first try giving all latches a good clean and spraying with something like WD-40.
Similarly door switches can fail over time – they report the open/closed status of the door and might be sending false readings to the cars computer.
16. Damaged Wires
A damaged electrical wire can cause a number of issues and may be the source of the beeping.
You can attempt a visual inspection although the best thing to do is have an auto electrician run some scans on your vehicle.
17. Vehicle Requires Software Update
Some mysterious beeps might be rectified by simply updating the software on your Bronco.
To ensure your vehicle is always up to date ensure automatic updates are enabled and you are running the latest software.
- Press Settings on the touchscreen.
- Press Software Update.
- Switch Automatic Updates ON.
18. Blind Spot Monitoring
The audible alerts you are hearing could simply be linked to the blind spot monitoring.
This beep should occur (when enabled) if there is a vehicle in your blindspot and you are attempting to change lanes.
19. Electric Parking Brake On
You will hear an audible warning if the parking brake is applied and your vehicle is moving.
If the warning sound carries on after you have released the parking brake, this indicates a problem and you should have your vehicle checked as soon as possible.
Related: How Long Will a Ford Mustang Mach-E Last? (Complete Guide)
Alternative Suggestions
Check for Recalls or TSBs
By entering your car’s VIN number on Ford’s recall page or the NTHSA’s Safety Issues & Recalls page you can determine whether or not there is a TSB or recall for your vehicle and if there is you’ll want to get it addressed.
A recall is issued by a vehicle manufacturer for issues that are safety-related, while a TSB covers components that may be malfunctioning but don’t compromise the safety of the vehicle.
Disconnect the Battery
Sometimes mysterious beeping problems can disappear with a simple reboot, there are no guarantees here but it’s worth a try.
Disconnect the battery for 20 seconds and this resets many of the electronics in the vehicle.
Check For Warning Messages
When the beeping occurs can you see any lights or warning messages on the instrument panel?
This can give a clue as to what’s causing the beeps e.g. ‘Door Ajar’.
Take it to a Ford Dealership
If needed, take your Ford to the dealership.
Tell them you are NOT paying for a check on what the problem might be.
Ask them if they will check it for free.
Most dealerships and other places do quick/initial diagnosis for no money as they plan to make money for the repair of your vehicle.
If your unit is still under warranty then they should fix and resolve the issue for free.
Diagnose With a Scanner
Another option that can help you get to the bottom of your beeping issue is to use an OBD2 diagnostic scanner tool.
These are fairly easy to use and you simply plug them into your car’s OBD port under the steering wheel.
There are also OBD apps available so you can connect your car straight to your smartphone (either with a cable or Bluetooth) without even needing a scanner.
Most professional mechanics will also have access to FORScan, which is the software that Ford dealerships use to communicate with the car.
Once you have the codes, you can narrow down the source of the problem by researching online. You can also sign up to different Internet forums dedicated specifically for your vehicle and post your symptoms and issues.
Resources
https://www.ford.com/support/owner-manuals/
https://www.ford.com/support/recalls/
https://www.ford.com/support/vehicle/mustang-mach-e/2021/owner-manuals/
