Midnight Alarm

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dr Ed @ Aug 25 2006, 09:15 PM) [snapback]309698[/snapback]</div>

Dr ED, and everyone else trying to get MsNancy to change her reckless behaviour leading to her alarm sounding, BACK OFF! Let's give MsNancy the benefit of the doubt. She seems responsible and like she's responsibly trying to track down the problem. No blaming the victim, if you please!

MsNancy, I bet it's a weak 12V battery. I hope when the alarm goes off all night at the dealership they relent and replace it. If not, it may be worth replacing it yourself on your own dime. I discount wayward EM triggering the alarm. I can't think of any regular EM emitting device that broadcasts every 65 minutes.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bill Merchant @ Aug 25 2006, 11:50 PM) [snapback]309710[/snapback]</div>

Geez, Bill, what's up with you? She's asking for help and ideas here, we're trying to help with responses. None of my suggestions are critcal of her, and I certainly would not malign her with "reckless behavior." I think it best to consider all scenarios before running to the dealer and leaving the car 2-3 days only to find that they may not be able duplicate the problem. In my city of 2,000,000 people one cannot just zip in and out of dealer's service center. You have wait your turn. Usually better to see if one can first check if there are simple self-fixes. I agree, very likely the 12V, but I'd prefer to turn off the hatch light, etc. than buy a new battery if it's not the battery.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(msnancy61 @ Aug 26 2006, 01:39 PM) [snapback]309790[/snapback]</div>

Ummm did your neighbor not understand that you could not help it if your baby was sick and crying during the night? B)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dr Ed @ Aug 26 2006, 12:32 PM) [snapback]309771[/snapback]</div>

I kind of doubt that it is just the 12V battery running down. This seems to be based on one person who saw this with a Miata - the alarm went off but not repeatedly. We have had lots of people run down their 12V batteries but none reported an alarm going off that I can remember. Besides, if the battery ran down, the alarm would drain it further and it shouldn't then go off over and over again. That the alarm bothered the neighbors seems to indicate a healthy 12V battery.

The battery may very well die at the dealership if it goes off again and again overnite with no one to turn it off. I assume the alarm times out and goes silent if you wait long enough?

I had an Audi with a motion sensor for the alarm inside the cabin. If you left a window cracked open, it would trigger randomly on a puff of wind. What a useless feature.

- Tom

 

- the 12v battery will not drain if the car is left running.
- low 12v batteries sure have been known to do some strange things in a prius, i'll tell ya that. alarms going off can be a symptom.
- that or a loose connection at the battery. if you're comfortable, check the negative connection on the battery (it's under a panel on the passenger side of the hatch behind that taillight)
- if they can't replicate it at the shop, a tech needs to take it home with him and park it in his driveway so he can see what happens when this alarm is going off incessantly.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(msnancy61 @ Aug 28 2006, 01:37 PM) [snapback]310649[/snapback]</div>

Just remember - the two may not be related...

Wow, it's great that they found it - and kudos for sticking to your guns and making them fully check the danged thing!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dr Ed @ Aug 25 2006, 09:15 PM) [snapback]309698[/snapback]</div>

Yep! My Nokia cell phone, if left inside the Prius, will cause the alarm to trip (even if it's not receiving an incoming call, but especially when it is)! Pressing the unlock button on the key fob temporarily quiets the alarm but will not remotely disable it! Arrgh!! One has to physically walk up to the car, unlock it, then open a door (don't forget to remove the offending device, such as my cell phone), close the door, then *intentionally* leave the car unlocked to ultimately disable the alarm. This can be a very annoying event if you don't realize exactly what's going on at 3 o'clock in the morning (and don't like the idea of just leaving your doors unlocked)!

 

Just wanted to chime in that I've had two random alarm incidents. Both in my condo garage. Both caused the battery to drain to the point where the alarm was "bleating" pathetically. In the first incident, I called in for a jumpstart to get the car to turn back on; in the second, I waited about an hour after turning everything off before successfully attempting a startup. I have not taken action to replace the battery, although based on what you turn up with your dealer service, I just might buy a new one during my next service..

(2005, approaching 40K miles)


EDIT: I'd just as soon have my dealer COMPLETELY DISABLE the darn alarm. It's not likely to actually DO anything in the Los Angeles area anyway. (When's the last time YOU called the police because a car alarm went off?)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rydot @ Dec 13 2006, 01:34 PM) [snapback]361740[/snapback]</div>

This is kind of my thought on car alarms. I can't recall anyone ever caring whenever one goes off in a parking lot or whatever. I'm not sure that a car alarm has ever done anyone any good in the last decade if not longer.

Now on the other hand, hooking the HV battery into the outside panels each time the horn goes off... The door handles are hot and the panels are ground maybe?

 

it might be the sensitivity adjustment screw for the GBS, not sure if they come with a screw to adjust it, but it could most likely be that

 

By default, the alarm is in active mode from the factory. It is a PIA to set it to passive mode, so I am sure it isn't in passive mode. In active mode, the car would have to be locked to arm the alarm.

However, 12V power problems could cause the alarm to go off, among other 'strange' occurances, such as the battery cooling fan going nuts.

I too suspect the 12V battery is weak. If the car was left at the dealer overnight, then they should have seen the same symptoms you did, unless your problem did not occur every single night.

 

I know this is an old post, but I thought I'd add my two cents. While at a relatives house the Prius alarm went off in the driveway in the evening around 8pm. I unlocked it, then relocked it. Then around 3am it went off again. Then again just a few minutes later. I left it unlocked all night and no more alarm.

I did have a cell phone left in the car, which I never do overnight. I was also way out in the country and there were bugs and moths everywhere.

Since I'm sure I've had bugs in the car before, I'm going to say it was probably the cell phone. Still, I'm going to have the dealer turn the alarm OFF. The audible portion of a car alarm is useless, anyway.

 

I had a problem with my alarm going off, sometimes while I was driving. Turned out something buggered in the key fob I was using and it would occassionally signal the alarm to turn on. Pulled the battery out of the fob and problem stopped, so was able to identify the source of the problem.

Getting a new fob and having it programmed is ridiculous expensive. I think I liked it better when I was smarter than my car!