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Alarm fixed for £10...it drove me bonkers -heres how

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:17 pm
by storminmike
Over the last few months the alarm has gone off 3 times randomly...only to be reset and go away after I checked for intruders

Well on Tuesday night it took a turn for the worse. Late in the evening it started again....but after being reset went off again.....reset went off again,......reset went off again

The period between alarms was around half hour at first so I thought it might be low voltage what with hammering the lights and heating. Jumped in the car and revved it up for a few moments....then reset....30 minutes later it went off again...then every 3 minutes.....jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez

It's now late at night and I can't shut it up. The Mrs is now as she calls it "babbysitting" the car as the only way it wouldn't go off was unlocked....not great at 3am on a drive. She googled that you kil the interior with a double button push....but to no avail

We got through the night and after another google suggested the under bonnet switch might be the culprit...and at £10 might be worth a punt. Stopped off at BMW and got one for £10 and pence....2 minutes later it was fitted.....and all is quiet

Me thinks the engine starting or door opening sent vibrations to the switch which may have temporarily sorted poor contacts

The switch when removed felt lumpy and did have deposits

It's almost as valuable as jump leads becasue as I understand it....the fecker cant be shut up when it goes off, the neighbours will be pissd and you'll have sleepless nights


BEST£10 for a nights sleep and piece I ever spent

Re: Alarm fixed for £10...it drove me bonkers -heres how

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:23 pm
by pvr
Yes, 99% of alarm faults are bonnet sensors. Mine did the same a few years back, very annoying.

Re: Alarm fixed for £10...it drove me bonkers -heres how

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:27 pm
by storminmike
[quote=""pvr""]Yes, 99% of alarm faults are bonnet sensors. Mine did the same a few years back, very annoying.[/quote]


Understatement of the century :D


where were you at 2am when I had no sleep :headbang: :D

Re: Alarm fixed for £10...it drove me bonkers -heres how

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:30 pm
by pvr
Sleeping like a baby, with my X5 safely tucked away out of harms way :D

Re: Alarm fixed for £10...it drove me bonkers -heres how

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:34 pm
by storminmike
[quote=""pvr""]Sleeping like a baby, with my X5 safely tucked away out of harms way :D[/quote]

:(

I think owners of E53s of a certain age might consider getting one in their Christmas stocking because if it fails in the middle of the night you're fecked :D

Re: Alarm fixed for £10...it drove me bonkers -heres how

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:37 pm
by pvr
You could just disconnect it :poke:

Re: Alarm fixed for £10...it drove me bonkers -heres how

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:38 pm
by Sanj
It's all been covered before in previous posts...

Mine did this last week. I'm too tight to replace the switch yet. Will get round to it eventually.

Cold weather is having fun with the cars. Bosch S4 replaced under warranty after just 2 years. :roll:

Re: Alarm fixed for £10...it drove me bonkers -heres how

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:42 pm
by pvr
So you drained your battery with the alarm going off ... you must be your neighbours best friend :rofl:

Re: Alarm fixed for £10...it drove me bonkers -heres how

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:43 pm
by storminmike
[quote=""pvr""]You could just disconnect it :poke:[/quote]

really..... does pulling the plug out kill it?

It has 3 pins....like a PDC plug.....I thought it was more sophisticated than a simple make or break switch.....like it could detect tampering...like a bomb

Re: Alarm fixed for £10...it drove me bonkers -heres how

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:45 pm
by storminmike
[quote=""Sanj""]It's all been covered before in previous posts...

Mine did this last week. I'm too tight to replace the switch yet. Will get round to it eventually.

Cold weather is having fun with the cars. Bosch S4 replaced under warranty after just 2 years. :roll:[/quote]

Well the trouble is I didn't go looking for problems till I had one....and when I did it was 2am

It's £10 quid...wont break the bank

Re: Alarm fixed for £10...it drove me bonkers -heres how

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:47 pm
by storminmike
[quote=""pvr""]So you drained your battery with the alarm going off ... you must be your neighbours best friend :rofl:[/quote]


The battery survived....the neighbours....never stirred....as is the 21st century they don't give a sh!t :cry:

Re: Alarm fixed for £10...it drove me bonkers -heres how

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:50 pm
by Sanj
Nah neighbours couldn't careless...

Besides I just locked it manually and sorted it in the morning. 11pm for me... :roll:

Disconnected until I can make my £10! Need to start charging Jig. :evil:

Re: Alarm fixed for £10...it drove me bonkers -heres how

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:18 pm
by x555
A simple search here would have given you the answer ;)
Also if you don't want to disconect the alarm you can stick/attach something to the top of the switch so's it makes a better contact with the bonnet :thumbsup:

Re: Alarm fixed for £10...it drove me bonkers -heres how

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:36 pm
by storminmike
[quote=""x555""]A simple search here would have given you the answer ;)
Also if you don't want to disconect the alarm you can stick/attach something to the top of the switch so's it makes a better contact with the bonnet :thumbsup:[/quote]


It did thanks or rather the wife did after she found a mention (but not where) but this was after I woke up (she suffers from insomnia-seriously). I thought the worst and wasn't at all rational especially as it started very late in the evening

Re: Alarm fixed for £10...it drove me bonkers -heres how

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 10:04 pm
by Sanj
Yeah I actually sh!t myself first time round and on the second time I got wise, third time I slept with the key and pressed the unlock/lock button in my sleep.

Fourth time I almost fell down the stairs, got the door open, locked the car manually and then clambered back into bed.

Then had dreams about the car being stolen/alarm going off/not locking the front door etc... :headbang: