nraponi

Hi All,
Last night just before midnight my alarm started going off for no reason whatsoever. It's hard to explain but it didn't go off properly - there were no indicators flashing, and it just started and stopped as it felt like it (i.e. sometimes just chirped, other times went off for anything between 1 and 30 seconds etc).

I didn't realise it was my alarm at first as the indicators weren't flashing.

Anyway when I realised I went outside and tried to deal with it.

I found that when it was going off unarming the alarm didn't stop it (even though the doors unlocked etc).

I tried setting it to "ignore last trigger mode" etc and this made no difference.

The alarm even started going off when the alarm was not turned on (i.e. I locked the car up using the key and left the alarm off).

Eventually I realised that the only thing that stopped it was starting the engine. Realising that this indicated it was battery/power related I did the thing on the alarm that tells you the voltage and lo-and-behold it was only registering 10 volts.

So at 1am this morning I ended up going out for a 50mile drive in order to charge the battery!

When I got back the alarm was registering 12 volts again. As by this time it was getting late I also removed the fuse from the amp incase it was drawing power and went to bed (getting a bit tired by this time!)

I've put the fuse back in this morning and the power light on the amp is out - indicating that it "probably" wasn't drawing power.

Does anyone have any ideas why it would have gone off, or any ideas what I can look into to determine what set it off? Is there any function of the alarm that can tell you what last set it off? Also is there anyway of properly disabling the alarm so that if it does it again tonight I don't have to go for a drive?

I doubt it was that the battery had gradually gone low as the car is used for 95% motorway driving - and had done 90-100 miles yesterday.

Any help gratefully accepted

Nick

Chelspeed

Probably not helpful but....

Mine (STi 7 type UK) did the same last week, chirping and then going off then restting etc etc. Like yours it only stopped when I started the engine. As I'd been away for 4 days I assumed it was related to that. Only good news was that it happened at lunchtime rather than the middle of the night. I decided to wait and see if it did it again but not waited 4 days yet....

nraponi

Should of added that mines an STi Type UK too.

Nick

Chelspeed

nraponi

Just the two of us then. Will mention it at the next service but don't expect much useful from the dealers.

You made any progress?

nraponi

Hiya - sorry for the delay been on holiday.

Had to take the car back to the dealers on Monday and leave it with them.

Drove to work (about an hour drive), then got a call within 1/2 hour to say that the alarm was going off. Went to stop it and the damn alarm didn't stop (initially) even when the engine was running!! Rather embarrasing driving up a crowded morning high street with the alarm intermittently going off!!!

The dealer had an alarm peep look at it a week or two ago (after the problems above) and he said it was fine (i was there) - and he said it must be something else.

How on earth can that be right when the thing is going off with the engine running? (not to mention that means it wasn't immobilised and the tracker wasn't activated!!!!!

Don't see how it could be low battery given that it had just been driven for an hour.

Not happy. The dealers got it booked in all day today to look at it. Let's hope they call Mr Alarm man back in....

Nick