Car alarm query.

Aggieboy
Aggieboy Posts: 3,996
edited April 2011 in The hub
Anyone know what could cause a car alarm to start going off regularly when parked?
"There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world, t'would be a pity to damage yours."

Comments

  • DaveHudson
    DaveHudson Posts: 290
    Faulty door/bonnet/boot switch is a good starting point.

    Most alarms work off a voltage drop detection, if one of the door pins is activated it trips the system.

    Is the car a saloon? If so check the boot light is going off.
    2011 Cannondale Flash F1
  • Aggieboy
    Aggieboy Posts: 3,996
    Thanks for reply. I did check doors/boot but I'll double check. May stop me going out at 4am :roll:
    "There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world, t'would be a pity to damage yours."
  • DaveHudson
    DaveHudson Posts: 290
    Is it a factory fitted system? What type of vehicle? Is it used much?

    Oh and what's your inside leg measurement, Which side of the bed do you sleep on and what is your favourite cheese? :lol:
    2011 Cannondale Flash F1
  • Aggieboy
    Aggieboy Posts: 3,996
    The wife's Toyota Verso 2.2 D4D. Factory fitted. Used regularly. 34". The right. Manchego. :P
    "There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world, t'would be a pity to damage yours."
  • DaveHudson
    DaveHudson Posts: 290
    Being factory fitted and a fairly new vehicle, I'd say door switches or possibly the cars battery nearing the end of its life. Does the car start easily or is it slow to turn over?

    If the battery is starting to die it will send strange voltage levels into the alarm module which is probably built into the ecu or body control module depending on age of the car.

    I know on some aftermarket systems you can isolate certain sensors like the movement sensors so you can leave a dog in the car, Not sure if you can do this with the toyota alarms but it could be an avenue to look down.

    These sort of issues are just a process of elemination, Start at the easy bits then take it to someone who knows what they are doing :lol:
    2011 Cannondale Flash F1
  • andy2003
    andy2003 Posts: 16
    +1 on the car battery being the root cause.
    get a mulitimeter and put it across the battery to check voltage - should be 12v thereabouts.
    start the car and check voltage when running - should be over 13v thereabouts.
    if there are caps on battery remove them and top up with di water ( motor factors or halfords) water level should be over the cells in battery.
    if at first you dont succeed.....get off and push the bike!!!!
  • DaveHudson
    DaveHudson Posts: 290
    Just to add, running voltage should be up to 14.4 volts. Check the alternator loaded too by putting lights on, heaters, stereo etc.

    I've worked in a car accessory store for 12 years now and it's so common for people to test an alternator with no load. The amount of batterys we sell after a cold snap is comical, does wonders for trade :)

    If that checks out ok, Remove the positive terminal with everything switched off and place the multimeter inline. This will tell you if there is a current draw above the usual levels.

    Obviously check you have the radio code before disconnecting the battery, If you don't have it Toyota should be able to supply it if you give them the reg no or chassis no.
    2011 Cannondale Flash F1
  • butcher of bakersfield
    butcher of bakersfield Posts: 1,233
    If you pop the car along to Halfords they'll do a free battery health check. A multimeter might give you an indication if it's really ill, but won't diagnose all faults with a battery.
  • Aggieboy
    Aggieboy Posts: 3,996
    Locks checked, battery checked, made sure the windows were up. Went to Toyota and as it's still under warranty they are going to have a look. Shame a lost key(? oblong box with buttons) isn't under warranty :evil: £90 to order and £40 to sync to her car! :evil:

    Thanks to you all for replies.
    "There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world, t'would be a pity to damage yours."
  • camy151
    camy151 Posts: 32
    my vectra estate alarm also kept going off, took it back to garage under warranty and they checked the system out. turns out i had to get 2 new rear side windows fitted as one had a faulty sensor!
  • Aggieboy
    Aggieboy Posts: 3,996
    DaveHudson wrote:
    Faulty door/bonnet/boot switch is a good starting point.

    Most alarms work off a voltage drop detection, if one of the door pins is activated it trips the system.

    Is the car a saloon? If so check the boot light is going off.

    Spot on Dave. It was a faulty bonnet switch. Thanks to all that replied.
    "There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world, t'would be a pity to damage yours."
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    Aggieboy wrote:
    Anyone know what could cause a car alarm to start going off regularly when parked?
    Did you post in here, instead of Cakestop, so you wouldn't get the p*ss ripped out of you ?
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • Aggieboy
    Aggieboy Posts: 3,996
    MattC59 wrote:
    Aggieboy wrote:
    Anyone know what could cause a car alarm to start going off regularly when parked?
    Did you post in here, instead of Cakestop, so you wouldn't get the p*ss ripped out of you ?

    No, I needed a genuine answer because I can't get any sleep!!!

    If I didn't mind getting the p*ss taken out of me, would I have posted about the oil top-up saga?? :wink:
    "There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world, t'would be a pity to damage yours."

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