2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Theft Alarm system

[Rman]

My '02 has that theft alarm system on it that beeps the horn when you lock the doors. Well since day one of owning the truck I have had intermittant problems. When i open the doors, with the FOB or the key in the door method, the alarm sounds. Whats weird is it only does it after sitting for a long period. Generally after work when i go home it will do it.



I tried to duplicate and found that generally only on sunny warm days it would do this. For the most part it was OK all winter. Now that it has warmed a little it does it almost everyday. But after it does it it won't do it again the rest of that day or night.



Occasionally it has gone off in the mornings before work, after sitting all night. But this was only a couple times. I just can't seem to duplicate it enough, and i know the "dealer" will just give me the cannot duplicate run around.



Just curious if anyone has come across this or know what could be happening.



I quit locking my truck so it won't do it. I feel like an idiot when going home everyday setting off my alarm before getting in. To turn it off i have to press the unlock button 2 more times. The computer doesn't flash any codes on me. Strange... must be gremlins.

 

[wedodgediesel]

I found if you turn the key to unlock twice, it won't go into alarm.

 

[merryman]

Does ANYONE (other than the embarrased owner) pay any attention to those things anymore?Made a trip to Arizona a couple years ago traveling with friends in their brand new Ford. About half way down there he got disgusted enough that he tore the wires off the horn and other speaker to stop false alarms.

In parking lots, when the alarms go off, people just joke about another false alarm-----who knows whether its the owner fooling with it or a theif??



Vaughn

 

[Rman]

I hate the damn things, i just want to lock my truck without it going off everyday. I can say though, no one comes running to my aid. Albeit i'm a not a busty young blonde in distress.

 

[fourwhls]

Is it possible to disable the alarm system all together?



I bought my truck from a bank that had repossed it from the original owner. I didn't get a keyfob with the truck. I set the alarm off on friday and had no way to disable it. By trial and error I locked/unlocked it with the key a bunch of times and it shut off... lucky me.



I know I can get new keyfobs from the dealer, but if it is possible to disable the system completely, I would like to go that route.

 

[02diesel]

I have had intermittent problems with mine since day one. Usually in the mornings when I unlock it to go to work. I had an alarm installer look at it and he told me I would have to have it removed completely and a new system installed.



One question, do you guys have an LED below the dash with a small toggle switch attached to it that is plugged into the factory alarm? It presumably is the valet switch. I tried unpluging it completely and the alarm still works! I wonder if it is the cause of the intermittent problem? Just a thought.

 

[02diesel]

I dont know how many of you still experience this problem with the alarm but mine still does it at least once a week. I talked with an alarm installer this past weekend and he told me that they could remove the dealer installed alarm and install a new system. The result may or may not cure the intermittent problem of the alarm sounding upon disarm. They said that the dealer alarm gets input from some other controller in the truck and it may be the problem. Either way he told me replacing the alarm would at the least change the 3 long horn blasts to 3 short soft chirps. This may be better than listening to the horn at 4:30 AM. Hope this helps.

 

[Rman]

I took mine to a local dealer and they started shotgunnin parts. Under warranty so I didn't pay anything. I have an appointment to get the door sensors changed, hopefully that will work.

 

[ntillm01]

If you remove the "dealer alarm" which is really the Central Timer Module, you'll lose lots of other functions on your truck. It may not even start if you remove it because the CTM will prevent the engine from running as part of the anti-theft. Don't let an alarm installer talk you into taking it out!



Mostly, the DC alarm system knows the truck has been broken into because the "door open" switches have said so without a valid key/key fob unlock of the doors. They are in the door jamb, next to water/salt/elements and may be falsely saying the door has been opened.



My 0. 02...

 

[Casey Ray]

I got so tired of the false alarms, I solved the problem by....

I added air horns, disconnected the factory horns used the factory wiring for the positive feed to the air solenoid and ran the solenoid ground to a swith in the cab. So when I am at home, I switch off ground for the air horns, alarm still functions as it should but not more blaring horns. I've got 2 Chows that protect the truck, as they sound their alarms before anyone gets near my driveway. Away from home, I leave the air horns grounded, anyone messes with my truck may mess themself.



I'm still wondering if the false alarms, which result in the 3 horn blasts, are RF generated. We have a HAM a couple of houses away, with the tower and Hy-Gain antennas, since the tower went up, I've had more false alarms, especially if I leave my antenna on the truck. I have a quick disconnect on there now.



Now the wife is happy and so are the neighbors. I just have to remember to switch it off before getting in bed.



Later,



Casey