How to immobilise alarm system?

[Stinkfoot]

Have just been trying to sort the electric windows on my '93 900.
It appears to be a switch problem on the passenger side. Drivers side I got working, with bolts holding mechanism in place loosely, all fine. Tightened up bolts and then nothing.
Tried to start the car and battery sounds flat, then the alarm started going off.  My initial guess is that I must have shorted some wiring in the door related to the alarm system.
I guess the big question for now is, how best to disable the alarm system, I'll worry about the window switch another day.
Any thoughts on how to go about rectifying my damage will be most welcome.

[Saabman]

I guess it's an aftermarket one? If so what make?

[Stinkfoot]

Hi Saabman
I'm not sure it is an aftermarket one, as it's integrated with the central locking and has a wee blinking light on top of the dash I had assumed it was a factory job. I'll see if I can find any clues and let you know if I find anything.

[phoenix]

AFAIK there wasn't ever an OEM Saab alarm for the C900- the first to have such was the 9000.

It's fairly normal for an alarm with remote fob to be integrated with the central locking but I'm struggling at the moment to see how anything you might have disturbed in the door would make the alarm sound when you tried to start the car. That may just be a result of dropping battery volts. Have you been able to charge the battery and see if the problem recurs?

[SaabCrazee]

My 1991 900 convertible has the Saab security system. The control box is under the back seat. Since I don't have the factory fobs, I can't set it... Unless it sets automatically when you use the central locking. I will have to investigate immediately...

Cheers,

Jim

[Stinkfoot]

Phoenix & Saabcrazee - thanks for thoughts so far. I am recharging battery and will see what happens when I reconnect although I will probably have a prod around the wiring thats accessible in the door to see if I can spot anything obvious before reconnecting battery.
On the subject of the alarm system, I bought a new 900 T8 in 1988 and it came straight from the factory with an alarm system.  I had forgotten about it until this came up but I remember at the time it was a bit of a pain. After you locked the vehicle (it must have been with a fob) about 20 seconds to a minute later, the electric fan would start as the heat built up under the bonnet and the alarm would go off.  It took me a while to work out what the problem was, but maybe after that they stopped fitting them for a while, who knows?

[Saabman]

I bought a new 900 T8 in 1988 and it came straight from the factory with an alarm system.

A lot of manufacturers in the eighties fitted Alarms when the cars landed in the UK due to the problems with vehicle theft we had at the time but only if there was no option from factory, A big supplier and fitter was Cobra as was Scorpion and the UK dealers classed this as a manufacturer fit.
I'm not saying this is the case with your car but it could be this happened at the time 

[phoenix]

Did a bit of research

To my surprise, convertibles did have an OEM alarm system that was integrated with the central locking for MY91-31. I say surprise because we had a late MY93 one but it didn't have an alarm. Maybe it was higher specc'd models. I'm not sure though what if any immobilisation it offered.

There is no alarm part no listed for non-convertibles but the wiring diagram suggests that there may have been an alarm module that only sounded the horn.

[SaabCrazee]

AFAIK there wasn't ever an OEM Saab alarm for the C900- the first to have such was the 9000.

It's fairly normal for an alarm with remote fob to be integrated with the central locking but I'm struggling at the moment to see how anything you might have disturbed in the door would make the alarm sound when you tried to start the car. That may just be a result of dropping battery volts. Have you been able to charge the battery and see if the problem recurs?

The wiring for the central locking system is in the door... Leads to the solenoid at the door lock. If there is any compromise in those wires, it could cause the alarm to activate. When you turn the ignition to the ON position, the alarm will sound to notify the driver that the alarm was set off since the last operation of the car.

[SaabCrazee]

If you remove the rear seat cushion, the alarm control box is on the floor (R/side of the car). There is a fuse in a wire leading from the control box. It de-activated my alarm when pulled.

[phoenix]

The only feed the alarm will have from the central locking are open/closed status and lock/unlock signal. Neither of those should cause the alarm to sound when the car was started.

And, as I said, it was only the convertible that had the OEM alarm which is under the seat as you suggest

[James]

Mine has it too.  Flat, rectangular remotes with 'SAAB' on them.  If it's troublesome, there's a 'valet mode' switch under the passenger seat to disable it.

[Stinkfoot]

Thanks for all help and suggestions so far, it’s much appreciated.
There’s a herring rouge somewhere, but I’m not entirely sure where.
In brief, removed window mechanism and motor, put back re-charged battery, alarm sounded as soon as I connected the + terminal, (as drivers door was open that would be OK but I didn’t think alarm was set) turned off alarm from fob, car now starts, window goes up and down, whooo.
Dared to test fob again, central locking & alarm on (ok)
central locking & alarm off (ok)
All looked good, but couldn’t get out of drivers door from the inside, OK lets have a look, fiddled with external latch on the door, now cannot shut door. Disassembled interior door panel again and fiddled around for about an hour to no avail, looks like a job for tomorrow!