HELP! Factory alarm went wacky.

[digitaldragon03]

The other day, i locked the car with the key and it activated the alarm. So today i go to the car and try to unlock it and the car doesnt respond. I do a search and find out that if i open the car manually and try to start the ignition, the alarm will turn off. I do this and the alarm doesnt turn off. The radio came on, but the car doesnt crank. Now i have the highbeams and turn signals going off and im afraid the battery will die. What should i do to disengage the alarm, or at least save my battery?

[digitaldragon03]

Well the lights have gone off, so thats good. But im still stuck with my problem about the alarm not disengaging.

[digitaldragon03]

Does anybody have any advice? From searching ive only come to the conclusion that the 540 had a different alarm system from the rest of the models, but i still havent found a way to deactivate the alarm.

[WarrenBrown]

This is a wild ass guess, what happens when you unplug the alarm module? I've had 2 of them go bad in the 525iT. Not with the symptoms you describe, mine have started going off at random times. If it is like the 525, the module is under the rear seat on top of the fuse box. The wiring may extend over toward the battery, I'm not sure.

Warren
91 318is
95 525iT

[ra_pro]

On two occasions I had my alarm on but couldn't unlock the car with my alarm button so I had to use the key and the alarm went beserk, of course. To turn off the alarm you have to take out a fuse under the rear seat. This happened years ago so I don't rember exactly where it is but it is not easily accessible. Its under a cover and you have to put your hand in and try to find it by touch and unplug it. This will solve your immediate problem and make your car driveable.

[Qsilver7]

May I ask...has anyone turned to the owner's manual for instructions on how to deactivate the alarm in an emergency?

The BMW owners manual (for all 3 types of alarms in the e34) says to stick the key in the ignition and turn it to position 1...this will turn off the siren and stop the lights from flashing in approx 30 sec. (you have to refer to your owners manual because each are slightly different). There should be no need to pull fuses unless there is something significantly wrong with your car or alarm system.

The e34 540i's DWA (anti-theft) system and EWS (immbolizing) system is not familiar to most e34 owners unless they own or have read an e38 or e39 owners manual. Your 95 540i systems are like the systems in those newer models. Again, if you have an owners manual, turn to the section about the alarm...and (if like my e38 manual) will discuss emergency deactivation...and the process the car goes thru when unauthorized access has happened or the system thinks unathorized access has happened. (I think lights flash for 5 min and alarm sounds for 30 sec...don't hold me to this...it's off the top of my head) So it should not run your battery down if you're aware that its been activated.

The weather has turned cooler...have you checked the strength of your car's battery? (if you've unlocked your OBC you can do a TEST #9...a consistant reading between 10.5v-11.5v means the battery is very weak and you should run to AutoZone real quick and pick up a Duralast 49 DL...11.5v-12.5v is okay) A weak battery can trigger false alarms. Or how is the red LED on your key? Is it illuminating when you press the buttons? If not, it may be time to change the remote's battery. (battery number should be in your owners manual) If you do...try to swap out the battery in less than 60 sec...if you take longer...you'll have to reinitiate the remote. (something you don't want to have to bother with) ;)

[digitaldragon03]

Last night, i got opened the doors manually and took out the manual and all of my stuff (i needed my school work) and when i read the manual, all it said in regards to the alarm was that a sperate manual should have been provided with "full details of how to operate your car alarm". When i bought the car about 9 months ago, i didnt get this manual.

Did you get the information about holding the key in position 1 from the E34, or from your E38? I think im going to try that again, because the first time i tried, i tried to crank the engine and then i left it in position 2. This time i will just turn to position 1 and leave it there.

[Qsilver7]

Did you get the information about holding the key in position 1 from the E34, or from your E38? I think im going to try that again, because the first time i tried, i tried to crank the engine and then i left it in position 2. This time i will just turn to position 1 and leave it there.
Got the info from both e34 & e38 owners manuals. Since your alarm is like the e38...you can go to www.e38.org and open one of the (PDF) owners manuals (either online or download) and search for "Alarm". (the owners manual links are at the bottom of the left column)

My e34 525iT uses the 3 button RF remote http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/7/web/739000-739999/739005_36.jpg

...and it says under "Disarming by Ignition Key" to turn the key to "on"http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/7/web/739000-739999/739005_20_full.jpg

[digitaldragon03]

Ive tried everything and nothing seems to work. I think im going to pull the fuses, as that has been my last resort and i think ive reached it. Am i going to need a radio code or something? I hope not. Thanks for the help Qsilver, warren, and ra pro.

[Traian]

Sorry if some of this is reposted, haven't read all the replies yet. I had the same problem with my car a while ago. You need to do the key fob reprogramming procedure, which is in your manual (the main one, not the alarm one). I will get it for you, but it's snowing outside and I'm in my nickers :) If all else fails and you want a quick fix, you can always disconnect the battery and ground the two wires for a few min, but that means you'll need the radio code when you get back in. If you don't have it, the dealer will give it to you. Send me a PM if you want that reset procedure (it's what fixed the prob for me...at least temporarily), and I'll get back to ya.

[digitaldragon03]

Thanks for the advice Traian, but i dont have my radio code, so i dont want to do anything that will cause me to need it. I already did the key fob programming thing, and that didnt work. Im going to try to pull out the alarm fuse first, and if that fails, theres no choice but to do the reset.

[digitaldragon03]

Okay, this is getting frustrating. I took out the rear seat, and took out fuses 32, 33,and 37, for the central locking, and now i can open the doors without the alarm sounding. But, everytime i try to start the engine, the alarm goes off again. Is there an alarm fuse that i can disconnect, and it will disconnect the alarm from the entire car, not just the doors? If not, where is the alarm box? Ive seen pictures where it is just sitting there, but when i took out my seat, all i saw were the big fuse box on the drivers side and the battery on the passengers side.

[Traian]

There is a wire that runs off your positive terminal (small gauge) that you can unscrew and it will shut off your alarm. Problem is, your p/ windows, mirrors, seats are all gonna go south as well, and I believe the lights and flashers will go nuts as the car believes it's being stolen. Drove it like that once, good fun, I looked like the 4th of July :)

[Traian]

On second thought, you'll probably lose your radio code with that too. Damn, that's a bugger.

[Pixcutter]

A good possiblity is a cracked circuit board in the alarm. My car (94 540i) has the same intermittent problem. You can open the dor with the key, but as soon as you open the door, the alarm starts up. If the key remote doesn't work, be patient and it will reset. According to my local stealer, the system need a new board. If I knew where it was, I' trouble shoot it myself. (but I can't find it). Anyone know where alarm system board is?

[digitaldragon03]

Hey Traian, what do you mean it fixed your problem temporarily?(with the reset i mean) Like, were you able to start the car again? I can live with openning the doors manualy from now on if it means i wont have to deal with this anymore. I probably wont lock with the keys fob anymore anyways. Or did you mean something else?

[rockyfeller]

DUUDE! You have the same exact symptoms I had a year ago with my car! Search the forum, I had a long, frustrating expereince with it. Synopsis: My car had this unlocking and disarming problem for a few years.....Especially ocurring in chilly weather and in open parking lots...(Just an observation). Then one day my mom borrowed the car and I warned to lock the car only with key, not by remote.....(thanks for listening mom)She comes back and the car wouldn't stop going nuts...I came there (in 10 degree weather) for 2 hrs trying everything to make it stop or at least start the car. I had no choice but to tow the car to the dealer. (I assumed my small indys wouldn't know much about electricals) During the tow the car continued to go beserk (tilt sensor) and the battery ineviatbly died once it got to the dealer. Dealer spends HOURS trying to get to the bottom of the problem and they too were confused. I told em I don't give a damn about the alarm. (I could get an aftermarket later with autostart) I just wanted my car operational. They said the car's alarm is one with the modules and can't be deactivated. My general module was fried and he said there may be other modules not working either. He was trying to blame my aftermarket stereo....I know he was lying because his explanation made no sense. The bill crept up to $1000, my car was in the shop for more than a week and I was pissed! I just said gimmie back my freakin car.....So new battery, new module....but my keyless don't work and more irritating is that my OBC DOESN'T work either....All for $1000. Thank you. Well otherwise the car is operational and I'm jus leavin it alone (unless someone can PLEASE tell me how to get my OBC working without my alarm operational...Dealer says it's impossible.) Dragon you may want to look into this being a module problem. I hope nobody goes through what I went through with that nightmare.

[ra_pro]

Unless you disconnect the battery you will not need the radio code. Just try to find the fuse it's under a cover, difficult to get to. If you have large hands you may not even be able to get it out and you may need to ask somebody to do it.

[digitaldragon03]

Rocky, i had the thread you created bookmarked. I just hope that what my car has, isnt what yours had. Im in highschool and only have $200 on me and i know my parents dont have 800 to shell out.

ra pro, is the fuse your talking about behind the black box? Like in between the metal plate that holds the carpeting in the footwell for the rear passangers, and the black box? I think i see something there, and your right, my hands are way too big to reach in there.

[digitaldragon03]

Ra pro, thank you!! You were right, that fuse removed my alarm. I can now drive the car, this is great! The hazards went on for about 5 minutes, but once they subsided, the car ran like normal. Now my OBC doesnt work, but it was well worth the trade. Again, thanks everybody for all the help.

[ra_pro]

Now if you put the fuse back in everything should be fine and everything should work including your alarm. The only is I can't remember if you need to disconnect the battery to clear the electronic memory. You can try it without disconnecting the battery if that doesn't work disconnect the batter overnight and then put the fuse back in. You will need your radio code to make your radio functional (when you disconnect the battery) but you can get that from any dealer based on your car's VIN number.

[digitaldragon03]

I think i need to let the battery drain, because i tried putting the fuse back in right after i managed to start the car and the alarm sounded again. I payed a visit to the dealer and they told me the car had to be present for them to give me the code. This was before i tried to take out the fuse (That space was too tight for my hands) so i couldnt take the car to them yet. But since i now have the car running, im going to pay them a visit tommorrow.