TC-30 Beeping at Rest

dhberb · Feb 25, 2012

My tractor just started beeping every few minutes. Just sitting out there parked where it always is and it just keeps beeping. Any comments, suggestions, or ideas as to why it would be doing this and how to stop it? Thanks!

psdx · Feb 25, 2012

Welcome to TBN!

Can you tell me under what condition is it "supposed" to beep? For example, does it have an overheat alert that beeps, or something similar? I think the answer might provide some clues. Also, just for fun I would measure the battery voltage at rest, with the key off. That might provide another clue.

yooper1 · Feb 25, 2012

Is it the same "beep" that sounds if one were to do something out of sequence when trying to start it?

My NH T1510 will beep if I try and turn the key and the brake is not on or if I do not set the brake or put it in neutral when I turn it off. It will even beep if the key is not in the ignition and I were to move the park brake lever or the shifter.

If it is that kind of beep, check and make sure all levers are set where they are supposed to be when parked.

wrenchguy · Feb 25, 2012

Is it supposed to beep if you turn the ignition off without applying the parking brake? If it is,your parking brake switch might need adjusting.

strum456 · Feb 26, 2012

My father in laws tc45 beeps about 4 times if you shut it down without setting the brake. I bet it has something to do with that.

Caliche · Feb 26, 2012

Any dealer add-ons? Where is the beep coming from?
My TC30 does not have any beepers, buzzers or chimes---that I've found yet.

ksshooter · Feb 27, 2012

When you say at rest what does that mean? It is turned off? Is it idling? My 2006 TC30 will beep if I have not set the parking brake (red lever on the transmission) or if it is not in neutral and I try to turn it on (in other words I did not put it in neutral when I turned it off). I normally just drop the bucket for a temporary parking brake when I open and close gates so it does a lot of beeping. So I would believe most likely you are dealing with a parking brake issue. Either the switch is not being engaged by lifting the red rod (how hokie) or perhaps the switch is bad or a wire became disconnected.

Caliche · Feb 27, 2012

Tom, must be a manual trans difference?
I have a hydro and no beeper.

Durhamfarms · Feb 27, 2012

According to the manual, there is an alarm condition if the ignition switch, PTO-engage and transmission lever (neutral) are not in correct positions; and no operator is situated in the driver's seat. Check your owner's manual.

dhberb · Feb 28, 2012

Thanks to all who have commented in the past couple of days. Been looking everything over and checking things out on the tractor. Basically, it's only supposed to beep if it's left in gear, the PTO is engaged, or the brake is not set...after turning off the ignition. None of these apply and yet it continues to beep intermittently at all hours of the day and night. Sometimes it is silent for hours on end, then out of the blue, it will start chirping away again; eventually stopping again. Of note might be the fact that sometimes, the beeping is not consistent in that sometimes it will beep 2, 3, 4 short beeps and other times it will beep 8, 9, 10 beeps in a row; stopping for a few seconds/minutes, then starting again not following any consistent pattern. Still baffled.

DieselMonk · Feb 28, 2012

That is the first time I hear of something like this. Is the tractor new, or did it just started to that on it's own? If it is new, I'd bring it back where it came from.

With the ignition off and the key pulled, can you turn on all the lights?
Did you wash the tractor recently or something in that nature?
I also wonder if a stick came up and did something?

When it starts beeping, I'd start pulling one fuse after the other until beeping stops, to see in what circuit the problem is in.

wrenchguy · Feb 28, 2012

dhberb said:
Basically, it's only supposed to beep if it's left in gear, the PTO is engaged, or the brake is not set...after turning off the ignition.

I'm betting one of the switches relative to your list has shifted to a point that it's on the edge of adjusted/not adjusted properly. Any small vibration or motion is setting it off then it resets.

Durhamfarms · Mar 2, 2012

I agree with DieselMonk... when she's beeping, immediately start pulling fuses, one at a time. If the beeping persists, put that same fuse back in, and try another...'til she's quiet. Then, at least your're headed in the right direction.

Let us know what fuse makes it stop.

ksshooter · Mar 2, 2012

I am sure DieselMonk is correct also. Obviously all three of the conditions you noted have switches involved. I would get out the book and locate the switches and disconnect them (or adjust the positioning) one at a time until it stops.

NWOH_Grizz · Mar 3, 2012

When it starts beeping, look at the dashboard and see if some of the indicator lights are lit. Those would be the same lights that light up when the ignition switch is turned on and before starting. If so, you might have an intermittent contact in the ignition switch. If that tractor is like my T2310 (TC40), it should beep for 10 seconds if the ignition switch is turned on and nobody is in the seat. Just something else to look for.

BeeferMan · Mar 5, 2012

I took a long time for me to come up with the right ritual to reliably keep my TT from beeping when I parked it. What a PIA. Hi/lo tran in neutral, wiggle the shift lever - check. Main tran in neutral, wiggle the lever - check. PTO off - check. Parking brake set - check. Push clutch pedal down - check. Turn off ignition, hold breath... Beep? Restart the tractor and start over. No beep? Whew! Last step is to put a piece of 2x4 between the brake pedal lever and the step in case the parking brake pawl slips - which it does all the time. Whatever attorney came up with this system should get a dope slap...

Oh, I forgot the seat switch. The reason I forgot to mention that is that (*^@%$ thing was jumpered out the first day I owned the tractor...

rrrkkk · Feb 5, 2018

Mine beeps when the key is shut off. No lights blinking I hear a relay clicking on the right front of the engine. I see a solenoid attached to the fuel-lift? pump. The relay seems to be the problem as soon as it starts clicking the beep will start intermittently

XtreemLee · Feb 24, 2018

dhberb said:
Thanks to all who have commented in the past couple of days. Been looking everything over and checking things out on the tractor. Basically, it's only supposed to beep if it's left in gear, the PTO is engaged, or the brake is not set...after turning off the ignition. None of these apply and yet it continues to beep intermittently at all hours of the day and night. Sometimes it is silent for hours on end, then out of the blue, it will start chirping away again; eventually stopping again. Of note might be the fact that sometimes, the beeping is not consistent in that sometimes it will beep 2, 3, 4 short beeps and other times it will beep 8, 9, 10 beeps in a row; stopping for a few seconds/minutes, then starting again not following any consistent pattern. Still baffled.

Possessed??? Try burning some sage around it

(smart assed reply sorry)

I didn't know about the parking brake thing, I wondered why it always beeped at me. Never had the random beep thing, that would drive me nuts...

MiserableOldFart · Mar 7, 2018

It could be a simple matter of a lever not hitting a button switch hard enough. If you have levers for the PTO(s), they might work, like mine on a simple button which is depressed when the lever is in the "off" position. These have adjustments by turning the mount bolts and can come out of adjustment from time to time.

In regard to the problem of brake pawl slippage, that is a real nuisance, but I have found that putting a good heavy foot on the brake engages farther up the line on the pawls, and prevents that from happening.

TC 30 · Mar 22, 2018

dhberb said:
Thanks to all who have commented in the past couple of days. Been looking everything over and checking things out on the tractor. Basically, it's only supposed to beep if it's left in gear, the PTO is engaged, or the brake is not set...after turning off the ignition. None of these apply and yet it continues to beep intermittently at all hours of the day and night. Sometimes it is silent for hours on end, then out of the blue, it will start chirping away again; eventually stopping again. Of note might be the fact that sometimes, the beeping is not consistent in that sometimes it will beep 2, 3, 4 short beeps and other times it will beep 8, 9, 10 beeps in a row; stopping for a few seconds/minutes, then starting again not following any consistent pattern. Still baffled.

Did you ever figure this out? Mine does the same thing as you describe.