Can anyone tell me...
Discussion
1) Why does my car sometimes beep three times (a short high pitch chirp) when it is locked. I can't see a pattern for why it does it (about one in 20 times).
2) When I lock the car the indicator lights flash twice. If I keep the button pressed it flashes a third time. Is the third flash doing something? I am wondering if I am not always setting the alarm or something like that.
2) When I lock the car the indicator lights flash twice. If I keep the button pressed it flashes a third time. Is the third flash doing something? I am wondering if I am not always setting the alarm or something like that.
Mine dose this as well, like Ribol said mine does it when you leave the bonnet up and set the alarm.
A few things to check.
Door Switches - mine were all covered in corrosion gave them a good clean and the wire connections.
Bonnect switch - its in the catch arangement, make sure the bonnet lock down properly and also give the switch a clean.
Boot - Not sure if it has one, if it does its part of the boot catch and should be ok as its inside the car, all the other are open to the weather.
A few things to check.
Door Switches - mine were all covered in corrosion gave them a good clean and the wire connections.
Bonnect switch - its in the catch arangement, make sure the bonnet lock down properly and also give the switch a clean.
Boot - Not sure if it has one, if it does its part of the boot catch and should be ok as its inside the car, all the other are open to the weather.
perhaps worth pointing out that the alarm/imobilser systems fitted to these cars varies a lot ... e.g. mine is a factory installation of a meta alarm and immobiliser, and it has no boot or bonnet switch. Mine doesn't make any beeps or whistles when it is being armed and disarmed ... just indicator flashes and clunks from the door solenoids. very hard to say what is "correct" behaviour for some one else's system unless you know it is identical to your own
WOO5IE said:
I dont have a bonnet or boot switch
Forgetting TVRs for a minute a lot of cars have alarm/light switches built into the lock mechanisms themselves and the switches are not easily visible like they were in the early days of alarm fittings. A car without boot/bonnet switches will not get Cat1 alarm approval so today most have them. My Chim (2000-X) had this type fitted from new.
All cars from 2 January 1996 onwards were factory fitted with a Meta alarm and immobiliser plus a third party microwave sensor that also uses the inputs for the boot/bonnet switches which WERE NOT FITTED (source: letter from TVR, as reproduced in the 'bible').
However, by mid-1999 these switches were fitted (at least they were in my car!), presumably wired to the same input as the door switches (as my car sounds FOUR beeps if either door, bonnet or boot are open). Under normal circumstances my indicators flash ONCE during unlocking/disarming and TWICE during locking/arming. By holding the button for up to FOUR seconds the alarm is partially set (the internal microwave sensor is disabled) and this is confirmed by THREE flashes of the indicators.
Presumably the cars sounding three beeps either have a later system than mine (they are 2000 onwards) or they are the same but report a different error condition (microwave sensor?).
However, by mid-1999 these switches were fitted (at least they were in my car!), presumably wired to the same input as the door switches (as my car sounds FOUR beeps if either door, bonnet or boot are open). Under normal circumstances my indicators flash ONCE during unlocking/disarming and TWICE during locking/arming. By holding the button for up to FOUR seconds the alarm is partially set (the internal microwave sensor is disabled) and this is confirmed by THREE flashes of the indicators.
Presumably the cars sounding three beeps either have a later system than mine (they are 2000 onwards) or they are the same but report a different error condition (microwave sensor?).
WOO5IE said:
Mine is a factory fitted Meta year 2000 and it always beeps 3 times when activating. I have assumed that this is correct operation.I dont have a bonnet or boot switch
I will have to read the write up in the handbook
Trev
It could be that I am pressing the button for longer than required.I will have to read the write up in the handbook
Trev
The TVR fob is not the best I have come across.
I will try and see if it only beeps twice if I press it for a shorter time
Trev
s5tuart said:
The META on my 98 500 does ONE long indicator flash on disarming and FOUR long flashes on arming. No beeps!
However, there appears to be no sounder, even if I open the doors when the alarm is set.
Do I need a new sounder?
Sounds exactly the same as mine (1997 400), i.e. no beeps, one flash when disabled, four flashes when armed. As far as I am aware, this is absolutely normal. This is exactly how mine operated when I first bought the car. It is also exactly how it operated after I had the alarm replaced with a new, identical unit.However, there appears to be no sounder, even if I open the doors when the alarm is set.
Do I need a new sounder?

Edited by ATG on Friday 18th January 10:54
Hang on, I misread this. No beeps arming and disarming is normal. If the alarm is triggered, all hell breaks loose.Edited by ATG on Friday 18th January 11:41
s5tuart said:
However, there appears to be no sounder, even if I open the doors when the alarm is set.
Do I need a new sounder?
If you set the alarm off and the hazards flash but there is no siren sounding then it has probably died (or is missing) - normally due to water ingress rather than through hard work Do I need a new sounder?


Cider Andy said:
Meta alarm and immobiliser plus a third party microwave sensor that also uses the inputs for the boot/bonnet switches which WERE NOT FITTED (source: letter from TVR, as reproduced in the 'bible').
Never heard of a microwave sensor that uses inputs from boot/bonnet switches, why would it?Ribol said:
s5tuart said:
However, there appears to be no sounder, even if I open the doors when the alarm is set.
Do I need a new sounder?
If you set the alarm off and the hazards flash but there is no siren sounding then it has probably died (or is missing) - normally due to water ingress rather than through hard work Do I need a new sounder?


Might have to buy myself another siren. Going to be fun getting down and changing the bugger. Wish I'd know this when I was replacing the radiator...
Ribol said:
s5tuart said:
However, there appears to be no sounder, even if I open the doors when the alarm is set.
Do I need a new sounder?
If you set the alarm off and the hazards flash but there is no siren sounding then it has probably died (or is missing) - normally due to water ingress rather than through hard work Do I need a new sounder?


Cider Andy said:
All cars from 2 January 1996 onwards were factory fitted with a Meta alarm and immobiliser plus a third party microwave sensor that also uses the inputs for the boot/bonnet switches which WERE NOT FITTED (source: letter from TVR, as reproduced in the 'bible').
However, by mid-1999 these switches were fitted (at least they were in my car!), presumably wired to the same input as the door switches (as my car sounds FOUR beeps if either door, bonnet or boot are open). Under normal circumstances my indicators flash ONCE during unlocking/disarming and TWICE during locking/arming. By holding the button for up to FOUR seconds the alarm is partially set (the internal microwave sensor is disabled) and this is confirmed by THREE flashes of the indicators.
Presumably the cars sounding three beeps either have a later system than mine (they are 2000 onwards) or they are the same but report a different error condition (microwave sensor?).
Exactly like my 1999 chim. I also have the letter, and the bonet / boot switches! However, by mid-1999 these switches were fitted (at least they were in my car!), presumably wired to the same input as the door switches (as my car sounds FOUR beeps if either door, bonnet or boot are open). Under normal circumstances my indicators flash ONCE during unlocking/disarming and TWICE during locking/arming. By holding the button for up to FOUR seconds the alarm is partially set (the internal microwave sensor is disabled) and this is confirmed by THREE flashes of the indicators.
Presumably the cars sounding three beeps either have a later system than mine (they are 2000 onwards) or they are the same but report a different error condition (microwave sensor?).

Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff


