A car alarm, like any other component in a vehicle, is a regular system of parts and components that sometimes tend to fail. Often this happens completely unexpectedly, and inexperienced owners simply do not know what to do, how to repair a car alarm with their own hands and whether it is possible in principle.
It is advisable for drivers to know how the standard alarm system works. It should be noted right away that if the electronic “brains” of a car alarm are out of order, then it will not be possible to cope with this without special knowledge and skills. However, there are often cases when the breakdown is not critical and repair work can be carried out by almost any owner of the equipment.
Typical causes of car alarm malfunction
In principle, the general scheme of a car alarm is not too complicated, and determining why the alarm does not work is quite simple. Not many components can fail there. Let's determine the places where the problem may lie and why the alarm does not go off:
- Lack of power. It is characterized by the fact that there is no reaction to an attempt to set the car alarm or remove it from it.
- Fuses have blown.
- The problem is related to the wiring.
- The “brain” of the system is frozen.
Naturally, when the owner approaches the car and tries to interact with the alarm, but nothing happens, it is impossible to understand with a simple glance why the alarm is not working, and which particular reason is to blame for the breakdown. It is necessary to look at cause-and-effect relationships and try to repair the car alarm yourself.
And only if the measures taken do not lead to success, contact the specialists of service centers, who will thoroughly understand where exactly the breakdown occurred.
What is important to know?
Cleaning the alarm key fob circuit
If the car alarm stops working when you turn on the remote control buttons, then the safety of the vehicle can be called into question. Before you remove and check the causes of the alarm malfunction and change the device, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with important information. For example, if alarm malfunctions have nothing to do with the operating system, then it is quite possible to solve the problem yourself. If you do not want to pay money for car alarm diagnostics, then first of all, familiarize yourself with the main breakdowns of the anti-theft system.
If you decide to remove and check the device yourself, then in some cases it will actually be possible to make repairs yourself. If your immobilizer is malfunctioning and you want to find out why, then remember that you should always have basic tools on hand. We are talking about screwdrivers, pliers, electrical tape, a set of wires in case of an open circuit, as well as a tester, which is used to test the wiring. Of course, if your car’s car alarm is still under warranty, it’s better not to mess with it yourself, but to entrust this matter to specialists (the author of the video is Andrey Kanaev).
Car alarm does not respond to key fob
One of the most common and common problems for the driver, as a result of which the person simply does not close the doors. It is noteworthy that sometimes it is “cured” literally in a matter of minutes, but those who do not want to understand this fall into panic.
- Battery. A dead battery in the car alarm key fob makes it impossible to perform any actions with the car's security system. The problem is simple and the repair consists of simply replacing the battery.
- There is moisture in the key fob. It is often necessary to use a car alarm in difficult weather. Drops of rain or grains of snow can miraculously penetrate inside the control key fob. Sometimes a clumsy movement causes the keychain to fall into a puddle. Or it accidentally ends up in the washing machine. In all these cases, oxidation of the contacts may occur and you will have to forget about uninterrupted operation. You need to disassemble the key fob, dry it thoroughly with a hairdryer, and clean the contacts if necessary.
- Keychain falling from height. There are such incidents. This often leads to damage to the internal microcircuit. It is necessary to disassemble the keychain and look at this detail more carefully. If you don’t understand what a microcircuit is and how to solder it into place, then it’s better to immediately go to a repair shop.
- Buttons sticking. It is necessary to disassemble, remove the chips and clean the buttons with a toothbrush and solvent. You need to be careful not to touch the display.
If all the problems with the car alarm key fob are resolved, there are no objective reasons indicating its breakdown, then the diagnosis must be continued. This, as well as comprehensive car maintenance, will be provided to you at service centers.
Resetting the car alarm
A car alarm, at its core, is also a mini-computer with a small number of functions. And, like any other computer, it can sometimes freeze. That is, the “brain” of the security system stops responding to all manipulations.
In this case, rebooting the system can help - to do this, you need to lift the hood, remove any terminal from the battery, then wait 3-5 minutes and return it back. This will turn off the power supply and the system will start again. Now you can check the functionality.
Important! When performing these actions, the security system will most likely be activated. This is a normal alarm reaction to manipulation of the battery.
If this does not help, then look further.
False alarm
It also often torments car owners; it can trigger and stop working at any time. This situation hints that a personal car alarm needs repair. Often this behavior is associated with a complete or partial discharge of the battery. This is a protective reaction of the “guard”, which is associated with a voltage drop below 8V. Once the cause is eliminated, the unpleasant moments also disappear.
Problems with personal vehicles can be very different and there is not always a need to contact specialized service centers. Often, most troubles are so insignificant that you can cope with them on your own.
For example, repairing car alarms is easily done with your own hands, in half of all known cases. Because the problem turns out to be not too complicated, and its solution lies on the surface.
Useful video
Check out the solution to the problem of opening doors with a key fob here:
Repair of any alarm system must be carried out by specialists. If the work is carried out poorly, the fault will soon reappear. However, minor breakdowns (dead battery, fallen wire, etc.) can be properly repaired yourself. Or you can identify the breakdown yourself, which will help you save on diagnostics.
If you are not confident in your actions, then do not count on luck. Contact a car service.
Repair of vehicle alarms
Nowadays, a huge number of technical services are engaged in repairing car alarms. In addition, they offer their services for reprogramming key fobs, as well as other work related to car security systems.
It is noteworthy that it is precisely such repair work that is becoming one of the most common services of small and beginning car repair shops. Probably because these actions sometimes do not require special knowledge, and banal erudition can tell you how to deal with electronics that have gotten out of control.
The most common problems that may cause the alarm to not work and that motorists encounter are:
- unsatisfactory operation of the key fob, which does not control the alarm;
- the alarm turns on independently or, on the contrary, does not respond to influences;
- It is not possible to disarm the car alarm.
All these problems are fairly easy to fix. If there are problems with the key fob, then first you need to check the battery, since most cases of the key fob not working are associated with the battery.
When it turns out that the battery is fine, the key fob may need to be reflashed. The instructions for the alarm will tell you how to perform operations to flash the microchip. You can also contact the service center. Just like a non-working battery, the need for flashing is one of the most common problems.
If the above actions did not help and the car cannot be locked, then repair of the car alarm system is necessary. The center in which it was installed, or almost any other in the city, will help solve this problem.
You can also do some activities yourself. Before starting repairs, it is necessary to carry out diagnostics and find out the cause. The breakdown of alarms is individual in each case, so it is not always possible to solve this problem in a formulaic manner. Only after diagnostics will service specialists determine the specific problem and be able to repair the electronics.
At the same time, in a good technical center, before offering to purchase a new part instead of a non-working one, they will first try to repair it, since in this case there is an opportunity to significantly save customers money. Sometimes repairs will be several times cheaper.
Tips and tricks
If any malfunction occurs in the operation of the car alarm, read the corresponding paragraph in the instructions from the manufacturer. It may be called “Faults and Possible Causes”. Having found your problem in the list, look at what solutions are described in the text.
And in any case, before starting use, read the instructions for use in full. An alarm system is a complex electronic system. It is not always possible to intuitively understand how to use it. And by exploring the capabilities of the system at random, you risk getting unpleasant consequences, such as completely disabling it.
It is better to install an alarm system in trusted services or dealer specialists are attracted by the low price of work. But often, behind such a price lies an unskilled worker and a disregard for work. The main criterion for choosing serious service centers or official dealers is the complete package of documents you receive after completing the work.
With these papers you can apply to them in a warranty case. But “garages” do not issue documents or receipts. If you complain about the quality of work performed, they may refuse to help you, and you will not be able to hold them accountable.
Unblocking car alarms
Now there is a huge selection on the car alarm market. Despite all this abundance, quite often these anti-theft devices fail. Therefore, at least once in their life, every car owner faces the problem of how to repair the alarm system, because, unfortunately, nothing lasts forever.
But don’t be upset, even if you have neither the desire nor the ability to deal with the problem on your own, there are many specialists in the city who will help solve any problem related to the alarm.
Very often, car alarms fail due to improper installation. Also, the alarm system may malfunction due to the car's electronics, a breakdown of the central locking system, or damage to the insulation on the wiring.
With the onset of severe frosts, it becomes necessary to unlock the car alarm. The reason is batteries that cannot withstand low temperatures and fail. And one of the protective systems of modern alarms is precisely when there is insufficient power. This makes it possible to prevent attackers from manipulating the car’s battery.
As paradoxical as it may sound, in addition to battery malfunction, the reasons may also be abnormal zones where the key fob signals are jammed. These are places located near large factories and factories, large metal objects, etc.
In all these cases, unlocking your car's car alarm can be done without much effort.
For example, a dead car battery simply needs to be recharged and the alarm system itself needs to be rebooted.
And when the key fob signal is jammed, you just need to bring it as close as possible to the central unit of the car alarm. Naturally, for this it is advisable to know where they were strengthened during installation.
Car alarm functions
The purpose of the alarm is to protect the vehicle and property stored in it from theft. Security functions of car alarms include:
- prevention of removal of wheels from the vehicle and its evacuation;
- preventing entry into the interior, trunk or engine compartment of a car;
- notification of mechanical impact on the vehicle.
Car alarm functions
When physical pressure is exerted on the body, special sound and light signals are activated, which have a predominantly psychological effect on the attacker. A loud siren combined with outdoor lighting deters the thief and attracts the attention of everyone nearby.
Principles of car alarm operation
