Originally Posted by
ThinkRob
So my Crossfire periodically decides it's being stolen and sets off the alarm. It seems to get in a mood where no matter what whenever the doors are locked it will set off the alarm randomly. Then the problem will go away for a week or two, all on its own.
Lovely.
I have a suspicion that it's a faulty door sensor, since [when it's in one of these paranoid moods] if I have the cabin light switch set to the door-activated position the lights will never go out.
So my question is: what's the cheapest/easiest way to 1) determine if that's the problem 2) fix said problem.
I don't care at all about having a functional alarm system (hey, if somebody's gonna steal the car they're gonna steal the car), but I do need the door locks to still work.
Thanks!
There are a few things to check....
1. On the door itself there is a trim piece held in by one screw that surrounds the latch. Make sure it is sitting properly on the door. This trim is what strikes the pin switch and if it is missing or is not seated properly it may not take up enough room to activate the switch.
2. The door pin switches simply provide a ground connection when elongated thus triggering the lights and alarm. Make sure each switch is moving with tension on it, if it is loose you may have an issue.
3. You can fold back the carpet and check to make sure noting is happening behind the switch if you want.
4. Now I am going to tell you to do something you may not have thought about....Remove the switch in the glovebox! That's right unplug it and see if your issue remains.
5. If you are in good with your dealer they can plug into the car and read the security codes and it will tell them what is causing the issue.
I chased a random alarm issue for nearly a year before my dealer indicated there was a series of codes that do not present themselves with my friend's diagnostic machine (not a basic obdII reader) and a quick check revealed the glove box switch was acting up. The design of the switch is really not that strong and over time the spring begins to loose tension and the button on the relay that triggers the alarm gets tripped. Heat and cold would cause the car alarm to go off. I changed out the horn, tore the car down to check everything over that year and even attempted to simulate conditions all with no conclusive evidence. My dealer read the codes for free and the part was 25.00 for the switch.