Locking and setting alarm

[mickrw]

Quick question concerning the alarm, when using the key fob to set the alarm sometimes the indicators flash and there's a "beep", "beep" on other occasions just the indicators flash. What's the difference and does it matter, i.e. is the car locked, immobilised (sp) and alarmed in both cases?

Mick (very new to car!)

[Jarrett]

The beeping indicates that one of the circuits that the alarm is monitoring is open when you set it.

If you shut one of the doors then alarm the system before the interior light goes out then the alarm sees the power drain on the battery (which it monitors) and warns you.

If the boot or any of the doors are not shut properly then it will also warn you.

If you do not do anything about the problem (i.e. shut the boot etc) then the alarm will ignore that circuit. Don't know if that is for good or if it resets and retries it after a certain time. Anybody here know?

[sixspeed]

I've wondered that for ages! Never actually thought about posting it though.

I thought I was somehow "silent" arming the system, as apposed to normally arming it (as is a feature on Clifford alarms etc).

Pissed me off because it would always seem to make a noise when I armed it at night, and arm quietly in the daytime. But couldn't figure out why. Now that I know, I'll wait for the interior light to go out in future!


-andy-

[Andyw]

You only get the beep beep when theres a fault, my car did it when it had been outside in the rain,it turned out that it had water in the door switches.

[mickrw]

Ahh, that explains it as I was setting the alarm with the roof off and the rear window removed when I noticed the beep. Thanks for the advice

Mick

[Jarrett]

mickrw,

You shouldn't get a beeping just because the roof and rear window are out as there are not any sensors on either of these.

The inside of the car is protected by microwave sensors which work with these on or off quite happily (unless you disable them - which I never do).

Check doors, boot, interior light and if none of these are causing the beeping then I would probably check back with the dealer as there may be some other fault.

Jarrett

[shamus1972]

Mine also does this. I haven't really looked into it, but I think mine beeps if you're standing away from the car when you press the button, and just flashes the lights if you're standing right beside the car...

Or perhaps it doesn't beep if the window is going up when you press the button...

I don't know actually (if you hadn't already guessed!) but I'm intrigued now! I might spend tomorrow morning playing with the alarm!

[hexhamhc]

Basically the alarm will arm silently if there is no voltage drop when it is armed. As Jarrett correctly advises if you arm the alarm with the interior light still on (i.e. before the end of the delay period) then the alarm will chirp. Either wait until the interior light goes out or switch off the interior light and silent arming will take place! Be aware that if you do not fully latch the boot lid then the boot light will stay on. The action of fully latching the mechanism extinguishes the light. Hope this helps.

[sandman]

Yeah, to stop the beeps you just have to wait a little bit after getting out before arming.

HOWEVER, Here's one for you Tuscan owners, please try it out and let me know if it happens on your cars too.

If I arm the alarm on my car using the fob, but HOLD the button down during the first two flashes, after a short time a THIRD flash occurs. At this point in the sequence, the doors are locked. If I then wait 10 seconds or so after the third flash (having now released the fob button), I get a FOURTH flash. After the FOURTH flash, the doors are NOT LOCKED.

This is actually quite important, because I I were to arm my alarm by HOLDING the button down too long, I would return to my car with the doors UNLOCKED!!!

BTW, I noticed a similar thing on my previous Chimaera (without the fourth flash), but never investigated it ...

>> Edited by sandman on Tuesday 1st October 18:01

[Jarrett]

Haven't tried this on the Tuscan but on my Chim and Griff it went along these lines;

Hold fob button for about 2secs = 2 flashes - car locked and microwave sensors active

Hold fob button for about 4secs = 3 flashes - car locked and microwave sensors NOT active (supposedly for roof off/windy, never needed personally)

Hold fob button for about 8secs = Alarm sounds - personal attack feature

Will check if this is the same on the Tuscan tomorrow.

[mickrw]

Just tried on my Tuscan with the same results. Guess it's a case of not holding the fob button pushed beyond the first flash, though mine usually sets with one brief push.

Mick

[blackmonday]

I've just spoke with Heath in Blackpool to discuss my Tuscan's 12 month service. I asked him about the alarm and he said that you will get the beeping either door, or the boot aren't closed properly and/or if the interior light is still on. If both doors and the boot are fully closed and you wait for the interior light to go out then you shouldn't get a beep.