Newbie Here....got Alarm Problem

[celica98]

hi guys,

I've had my Celica 1.8SR 1998 for about 6 months and its been great but recently i've been having a problem with the alarm, it keeps going off at random times. Ive looked out for a fly or an insect in the car, thought that might be setting the alarm off but there was nothing there. Disconnected/reconnected the car Battery for a minute or two but the alarm still goes off. Any ideas to what it can be???

thanx in advance

[sotal]

The Most common cause is coins in the ashtray or around that area.

A fly won't cause the alarm to go off.

Basically the coins are very close to the alarm box which sends out ultrasonic signals and listens to the replies - should something move then the replies change and the alarm goes off. When vehicles go past the coins vibrate in the ashtray and distort the signals to the alarm which sets it off.

Make sure there is nothing in the ashtray and all should be cured.

The only other suggestion that has been raised in the past is to close the air vents in the car as wind can cause pressure changes in the car - but as far as I'm aware the celica alarm doesn't have a pressure sensor but I might be wrong.

[celica98]

thanx mate i'll take the coins out the ashtray but ive had the coins there since i brought the car and this is a recent problem which started last night....plus the car is on a driveway no passing cars. Anyone have any other solutions i can try????

thanx in advance

[Special Red]

Sotal - I dont think that coins are the problem mate, but thats something I never thought would make a difference. I have not had any problems with coins and there is about £20 in change my ashtray.

The alarm must be faulty if its happened in such a short space of time. It may be as simple as a faulty wire under the bonnet thats come loose gradually over time. Wind can blow under the car causing a break in the circuit hense the alarm going off for no apparent reason. Just a thought and could be utter bullsh!t but worth checking.

[kirst_ie]

I had that problem ended up having toyota alarm took out and replaced, Scorpion the place where i had new one fitted reckoned it went off when the Battery was to low. To this day im not 100% sure what was causing it.

[irish_kev]

I had a similar problem recently and it was my Battery. The Battery would fully charge but discharge quickly to the point where the alarm goes off. If its harder to start the car after the alarm has gone off for no reason then a dodgey Battery is likely the problem. I got a new battery and its fine now :D

[sotal]

I had the same problem with mine - last year - I had had coins in my ashtray for months and it had never gone off, then it just started randomly going off and I would have to run out to check on it. I then found on this forum that people said it was coins, so I went and took mine out and it never went off again. A few months later it went off again, I ran out and thought it was strange so I looked in the ashtray and found my wife had put coins in there again. Took them out and it's never gone off again.

SO I CAN CONFIRM THAT COINS DO SET IT OFF!!!!

The other way to fix it is to adjust the sensitivity on the alarm module. Pull the leather gaiter up around the gear stick. Look down the hole and towards the back you will see the alarm control module, it has a sensitivity dial on it with a plus and minus marked on it, turn it towards the minus.

[Special Red]

I had the same problem with mine - last year - I had had coins in my ashtray for months and it had never gone off, then it just started randomly going off and I would have to run out to check on it. I then found on this forum that people said it was coins, so I went and took mine out and it never went off again. A few months later it went off again, I ran out and thought it was strange so I looked in the ashtray and found my wife had put coins in there again. Took them out and it's never gone off again.

SO I CAN CONFIRM THAT COINS DO SET IT OFF!!!!

The other way to fix it is to adjust the sensitivity on the alarm module. Pull the leather gaiter up around the gear stick. Look down the hole and towards the back you will see the alarm control module, it has a sensitivity dial on it with a plus and minus marked on it, turn it towards the minus.

Fair point, cant argue with experience! NO NEED TO SHOUT though! ;)

[sotal]

I like shouting occasionally to get my point across ;)

[Special Red]

It made me stop and take note, so it had the desired effect!!!