Service Theft Alarm (Siren Box removed)

[bgentles]

'evening All,

I have an 8 year old car and the siren box batteries were in the process of giving up the ghost. I removed the box (thank you SuperSwede66) but don't intend to fixing/replacing it. Is there a DIY means of permanently clearing the 'Service Theft Alarm' message on the SID?

Regards,

Brian

[Audax]

The only way of doing it is to get someone to remove the service theft alarm message with Tech-II or fix the siren.

[bgentles]

Thank you. Need to get some A/C errors repaired soon too so will attend to then.

Brian

[collywobble]

Bear in mind your insurance will reflect the fact that the car is fitting with a Thatcham Grade 1 Alarm.

If your car is stolen and it is discovered that you have removed the alarm siren they may not pay out.

[Neil of Stevenage]

If your car is stolen and it is discovered that you have removed the alarm siren they may not pay out.

What would they pay out on an 8yr old Saab anyway?   

[Audax]

I think most of the owners here could push them to a couple of grand less the excess.

[Martin]

The guy who repaired my SID2 also sells a kit to fix the siren box battery problem. I think it was £20 or £25 and included all the bits and full instructions. I was thinking of doing mine as I am getting the random Service Theft Alarm message but have yet had the pleasure of the random alarms (I say touching wood!).

If you are interested let me know and I will give you the details

[Audax]

The service theft alarm message can also appear for alarm sensor faults too, just be warned it isn't always the backup batteries!

[TomPaine]

What's the longest anyone's alarm batteries have endured? I'll start the bidding with 13 years and counting on my old LPT, now with my brother and still on the originals...

[Martin]

The service theft alarm message can also appear for alarm sensor faults too, just be warned it isn't always the backup batteries!

So how can you tell if it is the batteries or a sensor?

[Audax]

Plug in Tech-II and read the fault codes.   

[Martin]

Plug in Tech-II and read the fault codes.   

Doh! Never thought of that, I have a cable and software on the laptop that will give me the code next time I get the message. Thanks

[Audax]

I'd be surprised if a generic code reader will pull any of the theft alarm codes but it's worth a go. To be fair if the car is 8 years old or more then it is likely to be the alarm siren batteries giving up just I have known people who have replaced them and still found that they get the message due to a different problem.

[Martin]

9-5 Aero Dec 2000 MY01 158k so its old enough for the batteries to be well phooey

[collywobble]

On the forum that a lot of us have moved over from there was a very comprehensive pinned post about refurbishing the alarm siren which many owners have done successfully. Myself, not being confident of my skills with a soldering iron opted for the 'let someone else do it' route.

I purchased a refurbished siren from a chap who also fixes SID displays and is based in Gloucestershire for £85 with £20 refund on return of my old siren. The refurbished unit actually had screws fitted so it can be opened up in future. So £65 was worth it in terms of not having my stress levels raised any higher than they are already.

Fitting it was reasonably easy apart from the stupid long plastic nuts holding the wheel arch liner up which when you try to undo then just shear off the stud it is attached to. Should have used some WD40!