Meta Alarm triggering problems
Discussion
Hi all,
My alarm started going off for no apparent reason yesterday night.
Had to disconnect the siren to stop it annoying neighbours overnight.
The manual says the centre light will flash 2 or 4 times every so many seconds to tell you what triggered it but my light seems to be flashing 3 times, great!
I replaced the siren about 4 years ago as it was going off randomly but the indicators weren't flashing when it used to go off then. PHer suggested rain damage to siren.
This time, even though siren disconnected last night and alarm reset, the alarm system was again flashing the triggered code in the morning. This suggests that the alarm is actually triggering rather than the siren just going screwy and going off, right ?
So how do I carry out a diagnostic on the alarm system to see what is triggering it? I wonder if it is a door switch as I have had a relay clicking noise whilst accelerating / braking which PHers suggested might be a door switch. However, the switch is well broken when the door is closed so could this really be shorting out or something and making the alarm think the door is open? Or is it the micorwave sensor, or just the whole alarm system is knackered?
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Cheers, Matt.
My alarm started going off for no apparent reason yesterday night.
Had to disconnect the siren to stop it annoying neighbours overnight.
The manual says the centre light will flash 2 or 4 times every so many seconds to tell you what triggered it but my light seems to be flashing 3 times, great!
I replaced the siren about 4 years ago as it was going off randomly but the indicators weren't flashing when it used to go off then. PHer suggested rain damage to siren.
This time, even though siren disconnected last night and alarm reset, the alarm system was again flashing the triggered code in the morning. This suggests that the alarm is actually triggering rather than the siren just going screwy and going off, right ?
So how do I carry out a diagnostic on the alarm system to see what is triggering it? I wonder if it is a door switch as I have had a relay clicking noise whilst accelerating / braking which PHers suggested might be a door switch. However, the switch is well broken when the door is closed so could this really be shorting out or something and making the alarm think the door is open? Or is it the micorwave sensor, or just the whole alarm system is knackered?
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Cheers, Matt.
The most common source of agro on a car alarm is bad switches, after that it is siren water ingress.
I would disconnect both door switches first and see if that solves your problems.
The micro can be adjusted down but they rarely need adjusting, if it worked before it probably still does. Setting the alarm without the micro working would soon eliminate that possible source.
I would disconnect both door switches first and see if that solves your problems.
The micro can be adjusted down but they rarely need adjusting, if it worked before it probably still does. Setting the alarm without the micro working would soon eliminate that possible source.
Ribol said:
The most common source of agro on a car alarm is bad switches, after that it is siren water ingress.
I would disconnect both door switches first and see if that solves your problems.
The micro can be adjusted down but they rarely need adjusting, if it worked before it probably still does. Setting the alarm without the micro working would soon eliminate that possible source.
Hi Ribol I would disconnect both door switches first and see if that solves your problems.
The micro can be adjusted down but they rarely need adjusting, if it worked before it probably still does. Setting the alarm without the micro working would soon eliminate that possible source.
,thanks for your reply. I adjusted the microwave sensor down virtually as soon as I got the car because the car cover was setting it off, so it won't be that, unless it's gone faulty. I thought of disconnecting the switches, particularly the passenger side one which was all corroded up but the gap that the contacts open to when the door is shut is huge. Surely that couldn't short over ? Who knows in a TVR eh. Perhaps the inside of the sills is coated in silver foil !
Water can get into switches, for the sake of undoing a couple of screws I would disconnect them. You could end up driving yourself nuts over a problem by overlooking the simple things(he says speaking from experience).
The micro can be left "off" via the remote so I would test it that way rather than rely on the sensitivity adjustment. You can do that by holding the remote button down long enough to get 3 flashes instead of the usual 2 for locking with micro on.
The micro can be left "off" via the remote so I would test it that way rather than rely on the sensitivity adjustment. You can do that by holding the remote button down long enough to get 3 flashes instead of the usual 2 for locking with micro on.
Ribol said:
Water can get into switches, for the sake of undoing a couple of screws I would disconnect them. You could end up driving yourself nuts over a problem by overlooking the simple things(he says speaking from experience).
The micro can be left "off" via the remote so I would test it that way rather than rely on the sensitivity adjustment. You can do that by holding the remote button down long enough to get 3 flashes instead of the usual 2 for locking with micro on.
Hi again Robol,The micro can be left "off" via the remote so I would test it that way rather than rely on the sensitivity adjustment. You can do that by holding the remote button down long enough to get 3 flashes instead of the usual 2 for locking with micro on.
It's only one screw actually. I took it out at 1am the other day when it went off - cleaned the switch up and put it back in. My concern leaving the door switch disconnected was what to do with the wires as TVR is a daily driver. I don't want to leave the switch out as water will get into the sill. Can't push wires back into sill whilst not on switch as will never get the back out again. Perhaps I can fabricate something to tie them to and lower them in.
The micro sensor turn-off thing doesn't seem to work on my TVR. I'd thought this would be an easy solution to the car cover triggering problem - just turn the micro off when the cover is on, but no. The lights flash correctly to indicate that the micro is off but the alarm still triggered. Ah well eh.
taylormj4 said:
It's only one screw actually.
Not if you take the switcheS out 
taylormj4 said:
The lights flash correctly to indicate that the micro is off but the alarm still triggered.
Cut the micro trip wire, reconnect after testing.I tied cloth tape to switch wires and stuck it to sill, I know what you mean about them going missing
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