Hi all,

I've had an ongoing problem with the alarm on my 2001 1.9TDi for a couple of years now. As with all the best electrical problems, this one's intermittant!

Basically, if I lock the car with the remote, the alarm is liable to activate randomly at any given time thereafter. Usually it'll be within 20 mins of parking. It gets worst! Once it's decided to go off, there's no way of stopping it. No amount of disarming/arming from the remote or door/ignition key has any affect (though the indicators will flash to confirm my button presses). Sometimes when the alarm sounds the lights do not even flash. The best bit is, when it's having one of these tantrums I can start the engine and actually drive off - with the alarm blaring. As you can emagine, this is VERY embarrising! Normally then, after driving for a few minutes it'll stop and behave itself. This happened once outside my house at about midnight, I ended up driving off at speed into the countryside wearing only dressing gown and slippers to get away from the neighbours! I've also had altercations in carparks when crowds have gathered saying "look he doesn't know how to work it!". Lifes stressfull enough as it is!

I've spoken to various dealers which resulted in me disconnecting the bonnet alarm switch as this can be a cause of trouble - it made no difference.

Basically I no longer lock the car! As you can emagine this is far from satisfactory but it's got to the stage now where I wouldn't mind if someone actually nicked it.

HELP!!!!

If you press the lock button on the fob twice it disables the interior sensors - not solving the problem, but maybe a half way house between not locking the car and pi$$ing off the neighbours

Chris

If you press the lock button on the fob twice it disables the interior sensors - not solving the problem, but maybe a half way house between not locking the car and pi$$ing off the neighbours

Chris

Yeah I thought I'd cracked it when I discovered that trick - not so I'm afraid! I've a horrible feeling the problem may lie deeper than a sensor issue.

****in pull all the wires out the alarm and sling them in the nearest trash can.

If it's happening even with the interior sensors switched off, I'd guess it was boot catch or one of the rear doors. Rear doors may be as a result of water ingress - has it started happening more in the recent wet weather?

Chris

It's been doing it more or less for the past two years (I sealed the doors when I first got the car). My reasoning is though (and I could be wrong) that even if a sensor was at fault it should be possible to switch the alarm off when it's sounding. I recon it's got to be the alarm 'module' = EXPENSIVE!

The situation is this... The car's knocking on in years now, has over 140k miles and is worth half of bugger all if I try to sell (was offered not much over a grand by a dealer). But... it's a 1.9TDi still performs superbly, still easily retuns over 50mpg (if I try a bit), has all the toys (AC, ABS, ASR.......) and still meets my needs as a commuting vehicle.

To cut short, it's got to the point where I'm lothed to spend a large amount of ca$h on it any more. I think I'm going to just run it into the ground until something critical and expensive fails or the niggles outway the benefits of cheap motoring. Such a shame because it's always 'nearly' been a fantastic car.

In that case, you could just "unplug" the siren which is located in the (driver's side?) rear wheel arch. That way at least the car can still be locked

Chris

In that case, you could just "unplug" the siren which is located in the (driver's side?) rear wheel arch. That way at least the car can still be locked

Chris

Ah, I wondered where the siren was:thumbup: - I'll have a poke about when I've a minute.