Alan

I'm developing some materials on the alarm system. For S4's model years 87 and up to '90. For those of you with (working) alarms can you tell me how it works...

Specific questions - only for factory alarms - pls specify ROW or USA - Don't guess just tell me what you know absolutely for sure (- check?):

1) What does the alarm do to show you that its armed (door post LED's later - what was before this - dashboard light?)

2) What is used to indicate that the alarm was tripped but has now gone inactive (alerted but timed-out)

3) What indicates that arming was not fully successful...?
(e.g. 1 or more triggers were bypassed due to being open - like arming with the passenger door still open).

4) What is your alarm alert anyway? Just the Horn or Horn & Lights (if yes which?)

Alan

I know what 91+ do already.. not currently collating data for before '87, but if you have it...

Shane

1-->Absolutely nothing.

2-->Absolutely nothing

3-->Absolutely nothing

4-->Horn only, no flashing lights.

All of this is for MY 1986

TopDownL79

I'll second Shane on my 86.

Imo000

Same as Shane, on both, my brothers '83 US and my '85 US.

the flyin' scotsman

Alan.............ditto Shane for my '88

Bill Ball

LED door posts started in 89. Can't recall anything pior to that. Horn only in 89. Will have to check if there is any notification of tripping/time out, but I don't recall anything, such as LED flash patterns common with aftermarket alarms.

Even within MY there appear to be slight differences. In my 89 S4, the alarm brain is tie-wrapped to the bar behind the glovebox. In SteveB's 89 GT, the brain was slipped onto a bracket welded to the bar. My S4 has no such bracket and I'm sure never did.

Alan

OK - I was looking at the diagrams and it looked like for ~88/89 there was some kind of dashboard light for the alarm - anyone have one and if so what does it do?

Alan

dr bob

My '89 doesn't have a dash light fro the alarm, but it does have a light that shows the doors are locked. That may include alarm armed too, even when the car is driving. The LED ***** on mine are supplemented with annoying 'beeps', to the point where I don't lock the doors when driving the car.

Otherwise, it works just as it's described in the glovebox manual. Arms when the door is locked. Triggers when the door is opened without using the big key. Tested by reaching in through an open window and using the inside handle. Horn sounds, and ignition is disabled until the alarm is 'reset' by using the long key in the door, cycle the lock to lock-unlock. No indication of alarm armed except the LED *****.

StevenB

Mine has this beeping as well.
Bill and I tried the door opening with the alarm set on my '89 when we were trying to diagnose my non-starting issue and no sound or lights. Haven't retried since the fix of the starter. Is it possible my alarm is not working?

Steve B

the flyin' scotsman

No dashboard light on my car but then again I never lock it when driving..........only if I leave it somewhere and then I use the 'long key' in the door.

Champagne

I don't have a light in my 88 either. No way to know what is going on with the alarm other than try it.

Paul

Bill51sdr

The "beeps" are the sounds of the capacitors flashing the LED's discharging, and I agree that it is very annoying. It is my understanding that if the alarm has been set off in this setup, the LED's flash twice in 1 second. I don't have any personal experience with this, so I will have to .

H2

Shane,

You gotta quit using that Avatar...I keep salivating on my keyboard. Afraid they might keep me in Orofino if I don't get ahold of myself.

Harvey

Alan

Yes for the later models with LED door post the LED pattern means something.. I believe this was on all 91+ cars and some '89-'90 with this as optional equipment.

When you lock/arm it flashes quickly for a few seconds then settles to an occasional single pulse. This tells you (and others) that the alarm is active.

BTW - my locks & LED's make no noise whatever after the locking click...

If the alarm was tripped while you were gone the lights will do a double pulse then pause flash. They also do this (I think the same pattern) if the car was not fully armed because one sensor was closed circuit (=grounded) when it armed. In this case it wll ignore that one until it is restored to open circuit.

Seems on the earlier cars there weren't these same indications in any form?

Alan

Giovanni

Does anyone know how to fix the problem with the beeping door locks? The passenger side does not beep, only the driver side. It is very annoying especially on long trips. Thanks... btw, on the 89.