What does it mean?
B1961 is a Body (airbags, seat belts, body electronics) fault code. It indicates: Power Liftgate Chime Control Circuit High .
Symptoms
- No warning beep when the power liftgate opens or closes
- Gate moves silently, giving no audible warning to people standing behind it
- On some vehicles powered operation is inhibited altogether because the warning device cannot be verified
- Chime works for other functions but not for the liftgate
- Fault stays stored and returns as soon as a gate cycle is commanded
Likely causes
- Chime or buzzer unplugged, or its connector pushed apart during trim work
- Open winding inside the chime unit itself
- Broken control wire between the module and the chime, often in the flexing section of the loom
- Control wire chafed against a battery feed and pulled high
- Corroded terminals in a rear connector after water intrusion
- Missing or high resistance ground for the chime unit
- Output driver failure inside the liftgate control module
How to fix it
- Command a chime output test with the scan tool and listen at the unit
- Check for supply voltage at the chime connector during the test, and confirm its ground with a voltage drop measurement
- Measure the resistance of the chime unit, an open reading condemns it directly
- If the unit is good, check the control wire from the module for continuity and for unwanted battery voltage with the module unplugged
- Inspect the rear connectors and grommets for water and corrosion, repairing terminals as needed
- Repair the wiring or fit a new chime unit, keeping module replacement as the last resort
- Clear the code and run several gate cycles to confirm the warning sounds every time