Alxx Nova

I just got my 1989 944 N/A today. I noticed the door lock pins were flashing and found out it has the factory alarm. So what I'm trying to find out is ...

How do I turn the alarm on & off ?

What will trigger the alarm ?

I see the door pins flashing but have no idea how I did it. If anyone could answer this before this evening I'd really appreciate it and sleep a little easier.


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Alex Portanova
1989 944 N/A 5spd
1992 Harley FXSTC
1999 Chrysler 300M
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xsboost90

close door, put key in lock, turn till locks go down. THere ya go.

Alxx Nova

Thanks. Though I think I just pushed the lock button down on the passenger side (with the drivers side unlocked) and the lights started flashing. I think. Of course now at the time I was trying to figure it out I had Daddy's little helper (5 yr old daughter) asking me a thousand questions. Thinking about it I might have used the key on the drives side.

I'm going to run out and try it.

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Alex Portanova
1989 944 N/A 5spd
1992 Harley FXSTC
1999 Chrysler 300M
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Alxx Nova

Hmmm ... went outside. Unlocked the door. Opened the door. Both door lock ***** were still flashing.

Anyone have any tips on where to look first ?

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Alex Portanova
1989 944 N/A 5spd
1992 Harley FXSTC
1999 Chrysler 300M
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AndyK

I have NO IDEA how these alarms work. Any time you lock the doors (while driving), the red LED's light up. I've opened the hatch with the doors locked...nothing. I don't think there IS an alarm!

kevincnc

There is one, but I don't know how, or if it works either. The manual is no help. The only time I've heard mine was for about 2 weeks. Every time I turned off the car and took the key out of the ignition, the alarm would go off. The only way to stop it was to disconnect the battery, which reset it until the next random time.

xsboost90

only time mine has ever gone off is when i was in a hurry and unlocked the door but i guess didnt turn the key enough to turn the alarm off...horn was beeping and going crazy. I believe it also kills the fuel pump.

xsboost90

try to roll your windows down, lock the car up, and open the door from the inside...thatll tell you if its working. Then try to start it.

allergic2milk

You live in Cary? I live in Apex, we'll have to meet up and take pictures!!!

pikey7

I *think* the alarm option meant that you had an alarm key on the rear 3/4 panel. if you ain't got that, you ain't got a *factory* alarm. then if you ain't got the extra fob thing, you haven't got a later alarm either!

Flashing door pins were standard. (from 85.5- i believe), as was central locking.....

Luis de Prat

AFAIK, the alarm and the central locking mechanism on the late cars are controlled by two separate "brains." The alarm control module is located beneath the passenger side floorboard, alongside the DME. The central lock brain is located on the steering column.

If you leave the window down, lock the car and try opening it like Dan said, the alarm will go off.

TheRealLefty

All true. My 89 Turbo has a rocker switch on the console that triggers the door locks and arms the alarm simultaneously. For better or worse, every time you lock the car from the outside key or the console switch, the alarm is armed.

My 86 NA has the quarter panel "second key" alarm...predating central locking. Simpler, less prone to failure, but also a PITA. I stopped using it because I was setting it off myself so often by entering the car with the just the door key that my neighbors were ready to string me up! No visible alert to the owner that the alarm is armed except the position of the alarm key slot, which I never seem to remember to look for.

Let's face it, maybe it's different today, but back in the 80's and earlier creature comforts were placed way down the "engineering to do list" at Porsche. We sometimes forget what a small company Porsche has traditionally been, thus we get the odd placement of power window switches on the driver's door, etc. Having owned BMW and Benz products of the same era, they have much more logical placement for power accessory controls and clearly were able to invest more time and effort into ergonomics.

Alxx Nova

allergic2milk - yeah , as soon as I clean her up some we'll get some shots.

Luis de prat - I'll try that window down thing as soon as I get out there.

TheRealLefty - I like the door lock switch where it is. Makes things just a little harder for the bad guys. My buddy used to use his antenna to press the power door lock on my cars and leave stuff on the car floor instead bringing it to me. Though the down side is you have really reach in or else walk around to lock/unlock the passenger door if you've gotten out of the seat.

I'm going to try to do what one of the other guys here did and install a newer style alarm brain where the existing alarm brain connects. That is as soon as I get this alarm working right. So it will have a door/hatch controller on the key chain.



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Alex Portanova
1989 944 N/A 5spd
1992 Harley FXSTC
1999 Chrysler 300M
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SpecialtyConcreteCoatings

Since I haven't really figured out how the alarm system works I just disconnected the siren for the alarm. Then it doesn't look like I'm trying to steal it while I figure how to shut it off and get the car started.

Luis de Prat

Alex, just be careful what you do. The car will not start without the alarm control module in working order.