Alarm Help (REAL Newbie question!!)

[CMCC]

Hi,

All, just discovered that my new Cally has an alarm fitted!! I think it is a standard vauxhall unit. It has a little key that is on the key ring which activates/deactivates the box in the engine bay. Now then, this was deactivated so i switched it on this afternoon and wahey, it works (that seems to have saved me a £300 mauling from gap security!!).

The reason I know it works is because when I opened the door of my car after arming it the little f£&$% woke up half of my village. The only way I ould switch it off was to get under the bonnet and switch the unit off again.

My two questions are

1. How can I be sure if this is an immobiliser as well as an alarm.
2. How the devil do I deactivate the little blighter during the course of normal use is there some kind of masons-esque style unlocking sequence or am I missing a remote control unit??

As always, maximum help and minimal ribbing greatly appreciated.

Chris

BTW, Had my Cally just over a week now and good god it is the mutts nuts!!! I've left 2 (count them) Audi TT's for dust this week!!!!!!!!! Man and machine in perfect harmony!!!!

[Mark1]

You may need to put some pic's up, that way we can see what talking about as the standard alarm works with the key in the door.

TT don't like to play, they just move over and let you go.

[CMCC]

Do you mean just standard "turn the key" unlocking should deactivate??
I know with some systems you have to turn back a quarter turn and then unlock etc.

What is it with TT drivers??, terrified of breaking a nail I would imagine.

Chris

[Mark1]

Turn the key and it just locks the car, keep turning and it dead locks and sets the alarm. You should see a flashing red light at the top of the nearside door pillar.

Most just can't drive:D

[CMCC]

Is there anything special you have to do to de-activate???

[Mark1]

The stanard alarm will turn off as you open the car with the key, but from what your saying it's not a stanard alarm.

[CMCC]

OK Here is the complete run-down.

Car is unlocked.
Opened bonnet and switched box (on)
Locked Car
LED by Gearshift is on then after a while starts to flash immobiliser style.
Unlocked car
Alarm sounds
Key in ignition, car starts fine but alarm continues.
Open bonnet, switch box, alarm dies.

That's it!!

Incidentally when I lock the cally it turns a whole half turn back to lock but only a quarter turn forward to unlock. There does not seem to be a way of locking and then going further for the deadlocks/alarm activation etc.

Any thoughts

Chris

[ross85]

You could try asking <a href="http://www.clubcalibra.net/forum/showthread.php?t=16837&highlight=toad" target="_blank">Mr Toad</a>?

As for my two cents...
Have you got r/c/l? This might turn the alarm on and off? The bit about the LED by the gearshift makes it sound like an aftermarket alarm/immobiliser. As far as I'm aware the only LED on mine was on the pillar but with yours being later it might be different? You could try seeing if there is a vauxhall alarm ECU in the car, as well as the standard Vauxhall alarm horn which is under the bonnet in the far right corner as you look at the engine.
Hope I'm of some help [img]/wink.gif[/img]

[CMCC]

The horn is there and the alarm unit (is this the ECU??) is mounted on the passenger compartment bulkhead slightly to the right of centre. It has a little key switch and a little red cap thingy. I have all the sensors inside, mounted in the little mouldings. But I did not get a remote when I aquired the car.

Does this sound like the standard Vauxhall or an after market to you??

The LED is in a little recessed moulding that looks to be part of the console and the control unit in the engine bay looks like it is meant to be there. It is in a little recess in the bulkhead.

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Chris

[Mark1]

That's not a Vx alarm you need to find the control unit for it, it may have the makers name on it. I would think you should have a remote with it to switch on and off.

Something like this.

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-WAY-REMOTE-ENGINE-START-CAR-ALARM-SYSTEM-Immobiliser_W0QQitemZ8010331854QQcategoryZ75329QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting" target="_blank"></a>

[CMCC]

OK,

I am sure that you are right, this IS an after-market alarm (the bonnet switch and LED have all had holes drilled for them). I will have to take the control unit off to find out what the maker is though (not obvious at present). The weird thing is though that the vauxhall alarm system is there as well!!!!!!

I will whip out the glovebox tomorrow to check if the ECU is there but everything else (Sensors, bonnet catch horn etc) are present.

Why would somebody have and aftermarket alarm fitted to a car that already has one???

I will post up some pictures of the control unit tomorrow but I think I will have to take it in to the Vauxhall dealer to see what can be done with the Vauxhall alarm. It has obviously been deactivated cos the Vauxhall LED in the door pillar doesn't flash or anything when I lock/unlock.

This is well odd............

[Mark1]

Factory alarms are not that good and by fitting a cat1 or 2 alarm it will help with the insurance.

I have a cat 1 fitted to mine and it just gives you that extra bit of peace of mind.

[MR_TOAD]

Pictures would help
The reason people fit aftermarket alarms was when someone broke in through lock they could get to microswitch that turns alarm on and off disarm alarm and hey its all gone.

Yours may have had remotes but been lost and the unit deactivated

get some piccys and we may be able to help

Ian

[CMCC]

Hi,

Sorry it's taken so long but here is a pic of the alarm unit, I have also stuck on a pic of the key that activates/deactivates it.

Can anyone Identify it???

Cheers

Chris

[MR_TOAD]

That looks like a GT alarm but i could be wrong they usually have a yellow panel not red

Discard it mate if you have no remotes and it was switched of it was for a reason

Ian