Alarm acting up

[TomPaine]

Yesterday the alarm went off randomly, leaving the hazards flashing after the siren stopped. There was no one near the car. I turned the ignition on but there was no 'Service theft alarm' message as I had been anticipating. I re-locked the car and it appeared to behave for the rest of the day / night.

Since the car is ten years old, is this the usual failure of the batteries in the alarm unit, causing random alarms? Or does the absence of the 'Service theft alarm' message suggest it might have just been a glitch?

ISTR that, if the alarm unit is going off randomly and needs replacing / disconnecting etc, two short-term solutions are [1] locking the doors manually, which secures the car but doesn't activate the alarm, and [2] pulling fuse 14, which the car will run without but which also kills the AC.

But any reflections welcome...

[jmblack]

I had a similar problem. Using keys works. You will forget though, and after you've walked 100yds the alarm will go off!

Mine was a faulty tilt sensor. I had it reprogrammed using tech II to ignore the sensor - much cheaper than repairing...

[TomPaine]

I had a similar problem. Using keys works. You will forget though, and after you've walked 100yds the alarm will go off!

Mine was a faulty tilt sensor. I had it reprogrammed using tech II to ignore the sensor - much cheaper than repairing...

Thanks jm. Assume it was Tech 2 that told you it was the tilt sensor [ie nothing on SID?]? If I knew it was that I guess I could always do the night-panel disable-tilt stunt - though as you say, I'm bound to forget at some point...

[sgould]

Tech2 tells you what set the alarm off.

But are you sure it was random and not a genuine alarm from someone rocking the car. Or a glass break sensor from hail, or stones thrown at the car?

[TomPaine]

Tech2 tells you what set the alarm off.

But are you sure it was random and not a genuine alarm from someone rocking the car. Or a glass break sensor from hail, or stones thrown at the car?

Aye I did wonder about that, but it was in a locked car park, and my petrolhead friend and neighbour was washing his own car about 20 metres away and rang me as it had just gone off for no apparent reason.

[Audax]

Or does the absence of the 'Service theft alarm' message suggest it might have just been a glitch?

That message can be disabled with Tech-II so the lack of it means nothing. You really  need to get it on Tech-II to see what the cause was and check for any fault codes.

[TomPaine]

That message can be disabled with Tech-II so the lack of it means nothing. You really  need to get it on Tech-II to see what the cause was and check for any fault codes.

The car has been with me a long time as the second owner so I wouldn't think the message had been disabled; but yes, I plainly need to pull a code. I was just surprised SID didn't say owt.

[Norfolk Jim]

That's a bit harsh Will suggesting he lives in a bad neighbourhood where they still throw stones - do people do that anymore??

Mind you if the neighbour was only 20m away are you sure he didn't throw a stone

[TomPaine]

That's a bit harsh Will suggesting he lives in a bad neighbourhood where they still throw stones - do people do that anymore??

Mind you if the neighbour was only 20m away are you sure he didn't throw a stone

Throwing stones, takes me back...

Yes, the neighbour is pretty reliable - he was polishing his Ferrari, so I don't think he'd have been chucking stuff about!

[Milowokie]

Yesterday the alarm went off randomly, leaving the hazards flashing after the siren stopped. There was no one near the car. I turned the ignition on but there was no 'Service theft alarm' message as I had been anticipating. I re-locked the car and it appeared to behave for the rest of the day / night.

Since the car is ten years old, is this the usual failure of the batteries in the alarm unit, causing random alarms? Or does the absence of the 'Service theft alarm' message suggest it might have just been a glitch?

ISTR that, if the alarm unit is going off randomly and needs replacing / disconnecting etc, two short-term solutions are [1] locking the doors manually, which secures the car but doesn't activate the alarm, and [2] pulling fuse 14, which the car will run without but which also kills the AC.

But any reflections welcome...

My Aero is also ten years old. It had the SERVICE THEFT ALARM on it when I bought it, three years ago. I had it TECH II'd off and used the horn as the alarm sounder.

Fast forward to earlier this year, my alarm would siren started to go off. No indicators flashing, and wouldn't go off. Car would lock/unlock OK, I also had the appealing "sight" of the siren going off whilst the keys were in the ignition and car was running....

No further SERVICE THEFT ALARM appeared even when the siren was wailing away at two o'clock in the morning.

Took the siren box off (with the car battery disconnected) opened it up and pulled the siren connector. Sealed up the box and refitted it, connecting it back up to the car and put the battery back on. As far as the car "knows" it's never been off the car and is still, probably, making the now mute siren go off.

Not to bad to get at, up in the front n/s wheel-arch, not too sure what affect just unplugging it would have, I'll put a new, read s/h one in at some point. Seems an easier option than soldering in new batteries and caps.

[Audax]

Not to bad to get at, up in the front n/s wheel-arch, not too sure what affect just unplugging it would have, I'll put a new, read s/h one in at some point. Seems an easier option than soldering in new batteries and caps.

It gains you a "service theft alarm" message (if you don't have it changed with Tech-II), the thing is if you have the message it's worth getting alarm codes pulled and the message removed at the same time, then take the siren off and decide what to do. I wouldn't bother with a second-hand unit as you can get Sidmaster to repair with lifetime warranty for £45, I keep meaning to send my siren off but then I should probably get someone to fix the oil leaks too.