You see that little plastic box on the table? That is part number E3EB-10B924-AA, a Ford seat belt buzzer from the early 1980s. And brother, I mean “buzzer”…this isn’t the happy “ding, ding, ding…” noise that Fords have had for what seems like forever now. This is the mini-Klaxon noise coming from the dash that any owner of 1970s-early 1980s vehicles knows oh so well. This is the noise that will scare the baby awake, re-wire your nerves for the day, and makes most people wish they had wire cutters handy so they could shut up the harpy screech that warned them that death was imminent if they didn’t buckle up for safety. I’ve spend the last couple of days trying to get that plastic box to function on my wife’s Fox Mustang, and I fear that I might have to break down and either learn how to repair it or replace it.
I like knowing that stupid, simple little buzzer functions. Hearing that noise when I put the key in and twist makes me think that the car I’m sitting in hasn’t been hacked to bits. And I go out of my way to repair that noisemaker in any car I own whenever possible. Why bother? Because when I go to start the car and the seat belt chime comes on, there is a satisfaction that I simply cannot explain. The car is whole. Everything works. It’s just as I remember from my childhood, from my uncle’s 1977 Camaro to my mother’s 1982 Mustang GL…key in, noise maker on for a few seconds. It’s irrational, but rational to me. And I’m sure there are other little details out there that bother some of you, and that’s what we want to hear: Insist that the clock in the car be correct? Hate it when some little electrical item doesn’t work? How about another one of my pet peeves, dash lights? Tell us below!
ooo kay…..I’ve never understood why in the US you need a buzzer or a bell or anything else to remind you to put your seatbelt on…then again, I’ve never understood why, in most US shows, people dont even wear seat belts. In Australia seatbelts came in in the late 60’s, and if you get pinged not wearing one its a hefty fine. Consequently I’ve never driven a car without them, and I think 99% of Aussies would agree with that. Nothing cool or tough about getting plastered all over the dash in an accident…
Seat belt laws didn’t kick in here until the early 1970s, and even today people are still getting busted for driving without it.
Wow,something is wrong with you. The FIRST mod on my Less than 10 minute new 1985 Mustang was UNPLUGGING that dumb thing!
My salesman was dumbfounded I found it so fast and unplugged it blind behind the left knee panel.Before Al Gore invented the internet.
Perfect for me depends,but really is just creating the familiar.
My 68 Mustang has stock seats,a 80 Mustang steering wheel and a stick. The seating position adjustment of course is mostly limited to for and aft so I adjust for arm bend,that has to be just right for me. In the Mustang it’s the normal leg spread for me (34″ inseam) but my arms are bent to just keep my elbows off my chest,everything I drive.
I hate bells and dings…but you can damn well be sure my plug wires are all spiffy and neatly routed….why…I dont know….its jsut a thing…I hate seeing a rats nest of wires on top of an engine….drives me nuts…
I just want the oil full and clean and full air preasure in my tires . Other than that if it runs good nothing else bothers me .
This reminds me of the time I found a malfunctioning buzzer in a 96 Chevy pickup, in the dark, on the road, and ejecting it out the window. Silence is golden.
Steering wheel and seat alignment. I drove a 93 W350 and the dang seat and steering wheel were about an inch and a half misaligned. I swapped in a set of seats from a Buick minivan and all was well, not all, they were still attached to a POS pickup but it was more comfortable to drive.
Speaking of auto related things I hate, the clutch switch that came on vehicles from the late 60’s on drives me insane. It is one of the first things I go about defeating, along with all the buzzers that try to p̶i̶s̶s̶ ̶m̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶f̶ force me to do their bidding. Next thing up is the daytime headlights. Sorry sports fans, but I’m having none of that either.
As long as Black Sabbath’s superb album Paranoid is playing at full volume on my custom 1500 watt sound system everything is perfect..
actually I never did say the thing that annoys me…on some newer cars, this whole stall the engine then re-start it at every stop thing…I utterly hate it. I’ve never ( nor would I ) own a car with such bullshit. I cant even stand hearing them at the traffic lights…what will these be like in 10 or 20 years time? if they’re out of tune and neglected are they going to sit there at the lights grinding away trying to start? and those poor old starter motors.. are they a hugely upgraded unit because they are doing a hell of a lot more work than a regular starter….just such a dumb idea…..particularly if you dont happen to spend most of your time in traffic jams….
I have OCD for a clean windshield, I am constantly cleaning it.
The doors have to fit right and close well. Drives me nuts if they don’t. It’s one of the first things I do with a car. The loud “CLUNK” of a misaligned door closing… It just makes the car feel beat down and worn out to me. I can live with it for awhile if the hinges are just worn out, but lining them up correctly, making them flush, and making sure they close smoothly is a priority to me.
Easy one here. I’ve got to have a clean windshield and nothing hanging from the rearview mirror.
That little air raid siren got pulled out of my 88 F150 about two minuets after the truck came home from the dealer! I did save it though, not sure why.