where is the alarm Siren?????

[kanewesley]

New to the BMW scene.

I recently bought a 2006 X5 3.0 D Sport . I believe its an E53.

Had it a week and noticed things which I didn't when I bought it.
Firstly, The Main Theft Alarm Siren doesn't sound and I haven't a clue where it is or why???
I tried to set the alarm leaving a pet in the car with 2 x successive presses of the key fob.
The car does lock but doesn't make a chirping noise ( should it???? )

I can't have set the alarm right as the flashes were flashing and there was a small audible alarm INSIDE the car but no major siren sounding??

I tried contacting the previous owner who seems to have moved to the moon.

So, can anyone tell me where the actual sounder is located?
      Should it chirp when I set the alarm?
      How can I prove it's the sounder at fault or is it something more sinister?

As I say, the central locking does work and the alarm seems to trigger as the flashes indicate but no noise !!

And secondly, if you're still with me, The parking sensors don't seem to work.
When I put the car in reverese there is a small alarm for a couple of seconds and then nothing.
I've gone right up to vehicles, walls, caravans but although the parking aid button in the car flashes or lights up, there is nothing to tell me I am near an obstacle after this first noise when reverse is selected.

Just to note, there are 4 x sensors in the back bumper which have a shiny black plastic face which I cleaned
On the front bumper ..... the bumper is silver colour coded and there are 4 x silver like plugs in the bumper. This may seem a silly question but are they this colour to stay with the colour coding of the bumper or are they missing and these are dummy plugs?

I tried googling the above but am really stuck and wishing I'd stayed with a Vauxhall Frontera.

can anyone help?

[grumpywurzel]

From memory,  open a window, shut the doors and lock the car. Then open the door through the window using the interior door handle. Your lights should go ape and the siren screaming at you.

As for the parking sensors, when u either select reverse or press the button does the led flash or stay on? If they are flashing then one or more of your sensors are broken and the whole system shuts down

Cheers

Garry

[kanewesley]

HI Wurzel (love the name)

The parking assist light flashes so it seems then as if a sensor is buggered......how do I find out which one?

And should those in the front bumper have a " Glass " type face or are they colour coded with the bumper?

AS for the alarm.... the lights flash when I trigger the alarm but no audible alarm sounds ???

[grumpywurzel]

You'll need the error codes read from the PDC module, I had the same issue and bought the BMW Scanner from fleabay. Luckily it was one of my front ones so I could just turn those off and still use the rear ones. (You can't do it Vicki verki tho AFAIK)

As for the alarm, again maybe connecting the car to the computer will give u the error but it does sound like your siren is goosed.

[grumpywurzel]

Oh and pass ref the colour/glass thing, not noticed before and as usual it's tipping it down with rain here so can't check (hate the rain lol)

[Richard137]

From the very limited knowledge I have, the alarm should be extremely loud outside......as I recently discovered when in a recent snowfall, I parked on an incline on the path next to my house, as I walked away after locking it, it decided it wanted to park another foot down the road as it slid up to the curbed grass area, mounted the high curb (One wheel) and came to rest, then the old girl decided to let me know with her sweet dulcet two tone alarm.......at least I know it works now.  )

[kanewesley]

The plot thickens......

Turn the front set off???.... how the he** you do that?

When I had the good old Frontera, I bought a software package called OPCOM, it was similar to the original software Vauxhall Stealers use to interrogate the ECU and charge you a fortune for.
Twenty quid off Ebay.

Is there anything I can buy so I can hook my own laptop up to the X5 and save a few quid?

Do any of you know where yours is Wurzel / Richard?
.....and I still don't know where the Siren is located.


Have googled it and have read it's in the boot, under the bonnet near the master brake cylinder, under the passenger wheel arch, in the glove box??????

I still cant find it....a replacements only twenty quid off ebay.

[grumpywurzel]

You'll need to buy a code reader, I bought BMW Scanner from Ebay. It can be a right pig to get it working on a new laptop but it depends.

Basically you go into one of the settings and tell the car it has only got a 4 sensor set-up and the car will only activate and use the rears. Quids in if snags is with one of the front ones.

Sorry but I don't know where the siren is hiding!

[Wes Vinglun]

Hi guys,
When I first bought my X5, like a good lad I hung  my prayer beads around the rear view mirror. Then I went indoors.... Ten minutes later a not very loud beeping from under the bonnet and indicators flashing like mad.
Reset, wait ten, off it went again.
Repeat panic, reset alarm, wait ten etc.
Couldn't figure it at all and having visions of having to leave it unlocked to stop it happening.
THEN - a moment of  epiphany ! Take the beads down!
Success! The censor is housed in the mirror and is damned sensitive, so anything around it, e.g. Smelly pine fag smell repellent will cause it to lose its reason and become somewhat unpredictable.
Best of luck finding the siren etc.
I reckon that once you've found your way round the foibles of BMWs, you'll start to really appreciate what makes 'em tick.

P.S. I have since changed my Deity.

[Richard137]

According to my book, the elusive siren is behing the radio module!!!  :blink: :noexpression: :blink:

[kanewesley]

Well.....I took your advice Wurzel and locked car door with window open...yes when I put my hand in it did set a full alarm off....and I found the siren which was under the bonnet just below the master brake vacuum setup.
It DID alarm thanks but not 2 tone only a single repeated tone, not too loud but loud enough to alert a passer by...so thanks.

Car may benefit from another siren.....don't know if it SHOULD BE 2 tone or not?????...is yours?
But at least I know its working.

Just the PDC sensors to sort now. Just read they should "click" when system is in use so I'll have to put car in reverse with ignition on and have a listen.

The PDC light flashes when reverse is selected and some say this is an indication of a faulty sensor....

The info readout on the dash doesn't report a fault though?

What was that laptop software you bought called?

[grumpywurzel]

Yes bud, if the PDC is flashing (sure it beeps or something too) then u have a sensor fault. There is no error message on the display mate for this.

Its called BMW Scanner 1.4 I think, there are others available, its not uber expensive from eBay but like I say if you have a brand new laptop you might have an issue with drivers.

Sure mine isn't 2 tone either but its reasonably loud from memory

[kanewesley]

Thanks Bud....your being a great help to me.....sounds like one of the sensors at both front and back aint clicking....have to get a couple from ebay or the breakers.

Do ALL 8  need to be working for the PDC to work or is it just those at the back for reversing purposes?

Only had car a week or so....just looking at the DVD setup in the back over the cd changer...is that solely for the sat nav system?

Pressed eject and it clicked n whirred but nothing....Is there a DVD in there permanently to be accessed for navigation purposes?

Don't suppose it plays dvd's does it?

[X5Sport]

DVD player isn't a DVD player but the Navigation Computer.  No it won't play anything, and yes it needs the disc in all the time as that is what holds the map.  If it's not ejecting then either no disc, or it's stuck.  Official discs are about £100.  Unofficial discs are banned on the forum as they are pirate software and the forum owners have to protect themselves.

Alarm is a single tone, pulsed klaxon.

Chirp for set on/off can be programmed with software.  Default is off.

You need a laptop running XP unless you can find the newer drivers, or you buy the Carly App and OBD2 adapted to suit your tablet - no PC version.

Look for Scanner 1.4.0 on the forum.  Loads of info on setting it up.  Get the coding wrong and you brick the module! 

You can also get hold of 'copies' of the BMW official software, but get that wrong and you brick the car!  Loads of info on bmwcoders dot co uk.

[kanewesley]

Hmmmm...X5Sport.....sounds a bit risky, though theres lots of software on ebay which claims to work !

Thanks for info on Klaxon...must be OK then! (single / pulsed for 30 secs )

If DVD disc holds software then there must be one stuck in it as navigation works but is way out of date...alterations to M1, M62 joining A1 (Castleford / Leeds) have been in place years yet Sat nav thinks I'm ploughing thro' a field !

Cheers !