My Alarm keeps going off!

[McGyvr]

Does my baby HATE me or is she just so excited to see me that she can't contain it anymore!?!?

Yesterday morning I unlocked my car with the key on the driver side and the alarm went off as soon as I turned the key. Thinking it was just a fluke, I reached in, put the key in the ignition to turn off the alarm, grabbed something, locked and closed the door.

About an hour later I came back out to leave, unlocked and again with the alarm. Put the key in the ignition and rolled forward... alarm turned off. Rolled the key forward to start and nothing... The alarm system had disabled the starter. Got out, closed, locked and unlocked the drivers side door. Got back in and she STILL wouldn't start. I then went around to the passenger side of the car, locked and unlocked the car, came back around and she started right up.

This morning I went to check if I was going to have a problem when I tried to leave... sure enough, unlock on the driverside causes the alarm to go off. Starter disabled. Lock and unlock on passenger side, starter cranks. I re-armed the system, waited for full arm, then unlocked from the passenger side. No alarm. Car starts.

My fear is this... She was parked on the street the night before last... is this an indication of someone trying to break into the car? Trying to use a Slim-Jim and snaggin the wire going from the lock to the secuirty system? (She is currently parked inside a gated yard with a 120lb Rottweiler... in case I'm not just being paranoied) Am I going to have to pull my door apart to fix this or does anyone else have another idea as to what could cause this?

If the door has to be opened, any advice on what NOT to do? EG, I'm GUESSING that a chainsaw wouldn't be a good idea...

Also, has anyone done a self install of a keyless entry/remote start on a 91' with a stock security system?

 

[toy fanatic78]

This is a common problem w/the factory alarm on the MK3's.It's more than likely the wire going to the lock cylinder in the drivers door,both MK3's I had this problem with the solder joint in the switch on the end of the lock cylinder had actually broke.A little patience,and about a half hour,and it was fixed.There's a thread about bypassing the alarm,not sure if there is any write ups on aftermarket ones.Good luck,and for now just unlock/disarm with the pass.door (I did that for months.)

 

[McGyvr]

Well, I didn't see the thread, but I'm not looking to Bypass it, I will be fixing it. So if it's a common problem then it might NOT be that someone tried to break into her? I didn't see anything to sugest it, but I'm not in the best neighborhood either.

Anyway, I'm going to start pulling the door apart here in about an hour.

 

[toy fanatic78]

Yeah,I had my current one for 3 whole days before it did that.When you get in that door,bull the lock cylinder out of the handle(should have some wire leads on it..)IIRC it has continuity when you turn the key to unlock it.A lot of times the wire breaks just out of the switch,or the solder comes loose inside it.The switch just clips on the end of the lock cylinder,you can carefully un-clip it and re-solder it if need be.

 

[7mgte1988]

Well i know for a fact if u dont close your trunk good and lock up every thing the cars alarm will go off in about 5min. It scared the mess out me one night my car kept going off every 20 min

 

[McGyvr]

Yup... wire was broke right as it went under the plastic arm, before the solder point. I was SURE I had solder around here, but gota' make a trip out to the store this morning. This is the first door that didn't give me a headach while trying to get into it! I love that they actualy use SCREWS insted of thoes cheap little plastic clips that always break when you remove them!

But I should have this one fixed by 10am today.

So what are our options as far as keyless entry? Won't these sensors screw with any system that attempts to open the door electronicly?

 

[Evans]

Hey !! , actually found something with the search function !!! just bringing this to the top for any other noobs like me with this exact prob .... now I know how to fix !

 

[dsbocco]

I had the same problem. Very intermittent. Sometimes it would behave for days and sometimes it would go off each time I opened the door. Often it would go off after sitting for no appearant reason. My problem seems to of been the yellow rotary switch on the back of the lock cylinder, driver side. It just unclips and can be taken apart and cleaned. The thing is not sealed and fairly gunked up. I ohmed it out before and after. Just did it today but so far so good. It's just a bit of a bitch to get to. My solder joints looked okay.