Hey TbirdTony: Thanks for the input. I had a couple of really experienced XF owners listen to my pathetic siren on the weekend and they told me not to waste my time on the battery replacement deal and just order a siren. So now all of you Americans can feel sorry for us Canadians, that $140 amazon siren converts to $250 Canadian by the time it ships. For fun I had my local Chrysler dealer give me a local dealer price, $579. Ours is fully insured too but like to keep the car in 100% working order. I'll report on what I find once I get the new one in and installed and take the old one apart.

 

Got it, but something charges those batteries. There's voltage going into them; hence, there's a regulated circuit which undoubtedly has protection somewhere. I'll dig out the owner's handbook.

I guess I should add that when I bought the car the fuse box cover was off. Since everything seemed to work I concluded that perhaps the siren was an issue and someone pulled a fuse. Perhaps this isn't the case but I need to be sure before I make the rush to judgement and buy one of the last sirens on the planet.

 

You asked which fuse and I said #9, I thought that was a clear answer. That comes from the 2004 owners handbook.

 

Ha. From other responses the #9 could mean 'take a look at message #9 in the thread'. I realize that isn't the case here. I appreciate the answer. Sometimes we need to give people the benefit of the doubt..

 

To make matters worse; I opened the fuse box and see the original card showing all the fuse designations in two languages. #9 10 amp registered 6 ohms resistance.
Looks like I'll buy the last siren on earth.

 

Lost here... What did you test at the fuse 9 location? An amount of missing information is here, do not understand how ( #9 10 amp registered 6 ohms resistance ) means you need a new siren. Please explain that. Seriously, the last siren on earth???


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Haha. Onehundred80 answered me when I asked which fuse was protecting the siren. I didn't understand his succinct answer and when he explained it again I went out, pulled the cover and tested the fuse (#9) to make certain I wasn't spending $140+ when a 50 cent fuse would do. As for the last one on earth; just a little humor regarding the disappearing list of parts available. If you search for the siren as a mopar part you will run into the "no longer available" and "discontinued" price..

 

pizzaguy, please delete this. It was a duplicate of my previous post..

 

Good luck figuring out your siren.

 

I got to the siren and discovered it was disconnected but externally looked new. I plugged it in overnight to see if the batteries would recharge. It appears they did not..

I checked the wiring going to the siren. R/Y was 12.28v, Y/R was 11.8v and Brn was apparently ground or at least it completed the circuit to the other two. I understand that the 3.6v batteries are being charged via one or both powered wires but am left wondering how this kind of circuity can produce the signal to activate the siren. Perhaps a voltage change triggers the IC. It's my only guess. I wanted to make certain that I'm not replacing a perfectly good / expensive device. I checked across the receptacle and could only get .45v or nothing at all. Continuity was was 0 ohm with any combination of tests.

Since I got so little voltage between the brown and red/yellow wire I figured the batteries were not charging and cut the siren apart like others have done. The circuit board was blackened nearly throughout - both sides. Sooo, I guess I'll plunk down the money for another siren and hope it doesn't destruct for some unimagined reason. I know the resident electronics expert is away but perhaps I'll wait an hour or so just in case he is monitoring the forum remotely..

 

I would suggest one is power, one is a signal, and the other is a ground. You do know when the positive cable is removed (or cut off like the car is being targeted), the working siren sounds right? You need a new (or good working used) siren. If you get a working used siren, you can 'refresh' it with two new batteries. Just remember to properly seal that 'rebuilt' cut open siren or you'll have a problem down the road much sooner than expected if it leaks.


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If the siren is powered by the small batteries at the circuit board.................. I would believe they will eventually go flat and no longer sound the siren ???? yes / no ?

 

No, they are rechargeable.

 

Eventually their life is spent as in my situation. The alkaline (yes there's that in the nickle metal hydride batteries) finds its way out and corrodes whatever it touches that is corrodible. Take a look at my siren circuit board after the batteries ended their lives..

Death of a siren.

 

So the new siren arrived today and I installed it. Yay! I can hear it verify the lock and unlock if I'm within 15 feet or so. Sounds like a hamster screaming or maybe an Oscar Meyer weiner whistle from the 50s. Oh well, it was only as much as my cable bill, delivered to my mailbox. Life is good..

 

I also got my siren installed yesterday and it works great. Took my old one apart and it appears there is no damage to the circuit board from battery leakage. Maybe I'll replace the batteries and keep a spare. Or discard it. Any suggestions?

 

Also did the sticky key, skin your knuckles fix today.

 

I figure the batteries in the new siren will last at least as long as we have to live. Therefore I vote to send the old siren into space like Elon Musk did with that Tesla.

 

Johnny Versatile, I have a new set of batteries. If you are planning to throw away your old siren I would be interested in it. I would pay for shipping. Let me know.

 

Send me your contact info. I know that sirens in the US are 150 but by the time we get them to Canada its 250. I am thinking if I replace the batteries and still don't use it, the new NIMH batteries will still deteriorate, so my spare "fixed" siren will still deteriorate being stored. Soooo you are welcome to it. Send me your email address and I will take some pics of it to see if you still want it. If you do, I will get it out to you.