Is there any way to reduce the OBNOXIOUS reverse warning volume level??

I am 99.9% sure there are 8. It's all back together again though. In the picture I see 2 red (probably one is black striped) blue and orange on the left and then at least black green and pink on the right. There may only be 7 wires, but I don't remember an open pin with no wire.

 

Unplug the speaker.

 

Thanks, we knew that, he did that.

 

Hi, everyone! First post:

Since the location of the speaker and its connecting wires are now known, isn't it a simple matter to cut those speaker wires and insert a potentiometer? Apu's "Option 2" was to have the output be reduced, and I imagine one should be able buy a potentiometer at Radio Shack or some other local electronics supplier for pocket change (e.g., https://www.ebay.com/p/1437143829?iid=291626413935).

Though it seems like everyone here knows more about this than I do, I was surprised to see no one took that particular any further.

After test-connecting the potentiometer, have someone firewall the brake and put the car in reverse, and then you can twirl that pot until the sound is less obnoxious. If Kia fixes it with a patch, you can reach under the bumper and turn it back up to 100%, or remove the silly thing completely. Heck, if there's a box of resistors handy, one might just test to find the right resistance and solder that dude in place. It still emits a warning sound for the inattentive, but doesn't wake the neighbours.

(I have a bought-new 2011 Leaf with some just-for-fun mods I've done myself; it's one of the very first, so it originally complied with the UK's loony requirement that the external sound be wholly defeatable; I rather like being able to switch into a "stealth mode." The switch location on later years was filled with something else, like bun warmers (IYKWIM).)

 

The older style, where the amp is above the glove box, that will work... (read the whole thread), but my 2020 is different, the amp is no longer separate from the speaker, the whole shebang is behind the grill..

 

I just posted a new thread on this for 2020s doing the bumper removal method, worked great.

 

Greg, based upon the wiring diagram you pulled from Kia, were you able to isolate which wires are the ones to splice into for a switch?

 

No, the wiring diagram did not match my 2020, and looking at my switch which I pulled from my dash, the "blank button" was wired to the connector and there were no wires in the "right" locations. Thus the wiring harness I have does not seem to carry the "defeat" / "off" wire.

The thing to do is get the actual wiring diagram.

Greg

 

Is there an update on this topic since September? Did Kia fix the issue? Can the annoying beep sound get lowered to avoid waking up the entire neighborhood at 5am?

 

No, No, and yes, per the contents of this thread...

 

I haven't explored this since it isn't an issue on my 2019; your dealer probably wouldn't help since they wouldn't want to get cross-wise with KIA. Maybe an independent shop or audio specialist could pursue a solution for you along the lines outlined here if you don't feel the do it yourself so much.

 

I doubt most shops want to be party to defeating a federally-mandated safety procedure.

And of all the things least understood by dealerships and just mechanics in general it's electronics.

Greg

 

not in an on-the-books transaction, that's for sure...guess I've know too many people who work for cash...not that I'd trust most of them.

BTW: in the dream-on department, maybe Kia could do something like this:

Tesla’s new Boombox feature will let car owners fart at unsuspecting neighbors - The Verge

 

Just what I need, a car that makes a fart sound on the outside speakers.

 

I'd like the goat noises for my low speed warning and backup...people would sure look around.

 

Yeah, and they would be looking for the goat as you ran them over!

 

I just bought my 2020 Kia eNiro yesterday.

Today, I unplugged the CANN speaker module. I kinda liked the low-speed noise. I described it as a "haunted forest" noise.
But the backup beeps HAD TO GO.

I'm posting to let anyone else know if they want to do this, you don't have to go as far as previous posters to get to the wire. I just undid the top 4 10mm bolts, the 8mm screw that's in the wheel well, and the four body panel pins in that same wheel well. You can still pop the bumper up and out far enough to get your arm in there. In retrospect kinda wished I had done the drivers side, as I'm right-handed. But even then, I was able to dislodge enough of the bumper on the passenger side to get my left hand in there and unplug the unit.

Thanks to all the info from all the others that did this before me, it only took me about 20 minutes.

 

RSB515 reports how to add a switch to the fuse box next to the driver in order to selectively turn on and off VESS. It takes five minutes and Parts cost about $55, but I think it's a great solution and gives you the choice of when you want the speaker to broadcast. Look for thread;
How to disable VESS (Virtual Engine Sound System) on 2020 (US)

 

I'll make my own, $55 is a ripoff! A switch, 2 connectors and a fuse... someone is making a killing

 

Weird, I just bought a 2020 and the noise isn't that loud. Did they issue an update for this?