Mk1 996 (GT3 but doubt it matters) alarm problem. Help!

[marky911]

Evenin'

My car is stranded in the garage due to some sort of alarm/electrical problem.

Here goes.

Cleaned engine bay last Thursday, using a cleaner and minimal water. Covered intake and anything obvious with plastic bags. Had car out Thursday night (a few hours after cleaning) and all was well.

Locked car in garage over weekend and when I went to open it last night it didn't recognize the remote/key. That's normal (hibernation mode), I usually just unlock the door then lock the door then the key works.

Now last night I think I unlocked the door and opened it (can't remember exactly). All I know is that the alarm went off for a couple of minutes. I quickly jumped in and turned the ignition on, but the alarm kept going and I got NO dash lights.

I popped the bonnet before jumping out to get at the battery. My conditioner said fully charged. left car for the night as that alarm is bloody loud and it was getting late.

Tonight I touched a test lamp on my battery leads and it lit up. I got in car (it was still unlocked) and alarm didn't sound. Put lights on and they work fine. Turned ignition on and nothing. Tried to start car and nothing obviously.

Lower led on dash is flashing but dash top led isn't.

Any ideas. It's pissing me off big time. Have just sat down to write this and my wife shouts down "No hot bath water" so boiler has bust too. You couldn't make it up.

One more thing, the bonnet has been open since last night but I can't see how this would stop my dash lights coming on. I daren't shut the bonnet incase I need access to the battery quickly if the alarm goes off again.

ETA - I've looked in my handbook but there is very little info in there.

Edited by marky911 on Wednesday 21st November 20:26

[MrCooke]

Club sport? Ignition cut activated on the tunnel or on the scuttle by the wipers?

[marky911]

Hi, yes CS,
I thought of that, but haven't dared fiddle with them. The alarm is so bloody loud it will pee my neigbours off if I trigger it. may have to wait until weekend or Friday afternoon.

Would I still get headlights if the cut-off was switched to off?

ETA - just been out and checked toggle switch under bonnet and it's fine. Facing forwards. Interior one has never been touched.

Edited by marky911 on Wednesday 21st November 20:54

[marky911]

Just giving this a bump so someone may see it tomorrow morning.

I'm stumped! Window drops when opening door but nothing eletrical works apart from headlights, alarm not going off now thankfully.

someone must have seen this before, It's as if a fuse for the whole car has blown. The car is just dead.

[james S]

Sounds a little like your alarm system has lost connectively with the remote control. I had something very similar on a 993 (P1000) system. Hamilton and Palmer in Kent sorted it out. It required me to send the main module (under drivers seat) back to them

[GT Glee]

Are the keys programmable? My Honda's spare key 'lost it' and is a matter of recoding.

[curley]

Are you sure it's not the battery

I had almost the same symptoms on my 997 gt3 recently .

I had been away so car was in hibernation mode , unlocked door with key but the alarm went off immediately . Headlights worked , electric windows worked but turning the key in the ignition just resulted in a blank dash or a flashing warning .
Below a certain voltage the ECU won't do certain things .


A new battery cured all .

[barchetta_boy]

if it is the battery, an overnight charge should sort it. Have you a CTEK or similar?

[Pope]

Sounds like the cut-off relay has tripped, there is reset procedure but I'm not sure of it right about now.....

IIRC it is flick switch off/on, press console button once (twice?) and switch ignition on - you wont damage anything pressing the button/flicking the switch so a few goes is fine......

[marky911]

Thanks for the input lads.

Yep, I have a battery conditioner which says the battery is full. It was on all weekend saying full and still on when the car died and the alarm went off. Just incase it was faulty though or incase my terminals weren't connecting with the battery lead clamps, I used my test light over the clamps last night and it lit up brightly.

I then placed a fully charged battery in the front compartment and coupled it up via jump leads to the car one, just to ensure it was getting power. Still nothing.

The keys are programmable so it could be that, yet the key still has power as the led flashes when button is pushed.

I tried the cut-offs again Pope but still no joy. I'm going to have a better look tomorrow afternoon.

My indy says ignition barrel/switch which I know is common, or to check the main power block beside the battery where a lot of feeds go/come from. Key feels perfect at the different ignition positions and hasn't ever flickered so I'm struggling to convince myself it could be that.

My dad is going to help me tomorrow. We'll have to start at the beginning and see just how far the power is getting once it leaves the battery.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, much appreciated. I'll report back when, or indeed if, we find the problem.