Random bongs/tones when locking car?

[Gaza66]

Curious to know if anyone else sometimes hears a series of bongs/tones coming from inside the car after leaving and then locking it. Had this happen multiple times and I cant figure out what it’s means ?

 

[Guinea Pig]

One time I think I noticed it said on the screen that the Smart key was not in range, so I think it's mostly just due to taking the key away from the car while it's on.

But it does happen a lot and I'm not certain this is always the cause of it.

 

[giantbike66]

Yes this has me puzzle as well. At first I thought it's warning of doors not closed properly. But it isn't. It happens randomly.

 

[Gaza66]

I’ve not noticed anything on the screen but then again i’ve not really looked, as long as it is locked ok i walk away.

I did think it might be something to do with the key but never been able to reliably replicate it.

 

[Lovemyev]

Yeah - it’s a bit hit and miss I find.
Sometimes it does it and other times it does not ?.
When you leave the seat smartly and pop the drivers door, the car then has dropped out of ready mode.
But the radio etc is still active as we know.
Why is another story, for another thread, but there you go.
You close the close and hit the fob to lock the car and you hear the bong chime, sometimes.
Is it just because there is some type of system “lag” when the car is unsure if you intend to want to drive away again or not ??.
Locking the car interrupts the delayed thinking process and displays its discontent by bonging at you .
Of course all of this is pure guess work, but I have noticed that if you leave the car, then close the door and either pause or do something else, then lock the door with the fob, it tends not to complain.
Why - Because it has even given time to understand what is going on.
Does that support my theory of a “lag” of the system then .
Same if you close the motorised hatch.
If you hit the fob to lock the car at the same time as it latches, it will protest !.
Let it fully two stage latch, wait a short time, then lock the car with the fob, no protest from the car.
It’s had time to catch up.

 

[giantbike66]

In my case. I never used the key fob to lock the car, always press the button on the door handle to lock, and it still makes this sound randomly. So it's not the delay between the key fob and the car, if this is what you're thinking of. I imagine with the door's button, it should be physically wired if my thinking is correct.

 

[Lovemyev]

In my case. I never used the key fob to lock the car, always press the button on the door handle to lock, and it still makes this sound randomly. So it's not the delay between the key fob and the car, if this is what you're thinking of. I imagine with the door's button, it should be physically wired if my thinking is correct.

I agree it probably is, however it’s the very short time of leaving the car, close the door and hit the lock button on the handle is my suggestion.
The car is still semi active of course because the 12 volt system is still powering the radio etc.
If you close the door and wait a short time, then it never seems to bong.
That is my point.
It does not like to be rushed .

 

[Fred69]

Interestingly (maybe!) my default interpretation of this was that it was supposed to play the tone when you lock it to notify you it's locking/shutting down, but for some reason it doesn't always do it.
Part of my reasoning for this is how loud it is - it sounded to me like it was coming from a place where you were supposed to hear it from outside the car, rather than it just being an internal sound like the rest of the tones played whilst driving - but then again, I've not heard how loud those are form outside the car either..

 

[emmrecs]

Just to add to this (yet another MG) mystery:

Occasionally I hear the warning bongs whilst still inside the car after pressing the on-screen tile to Power off and clicking the Confirm button. (No message on either the Driver screen or the Infotainment screen.) Not yet heard any bongs when pressing the door button to fully lock the car from outside.

 

[Gaza66]

I must admit the tone being a shutdown tone does seem a feasible explanation as it does seem to be louder and coming from the drivers side of the car.

 

[Alb]

I've never noticed this on my car.

 

[Chris H]

I've had this occasionally and wondered what causes it. Like others commented there doesn't seem to be anything particular making it happen that I can fathom.