oldfrat

Sorry to be plastering this board with newbie info requests. I AM doing a search first and only asking if I can't find the info.

My car has a pair of small lights, mounted near the lock **** on the interior door top, that don't function. A 2009 service record notes, "Disconnect dummy alarm system".

Was this truly a fake alarm? Should I have it reconnected to a real alarm?

I'm generally not a big believer in car alarms, thinking that most listeners just ignore them these days. But it would break my heart to have this car stolen and there is a good chance it will spend the night in an El Paso hotel parking lot in December.

Thanks!

Brad

joejoe

No lights on stock '81 alarm. Try your alarm. Roll window down, lock car with long key, reach in and manually unlock car and open door. It should make a fairly loud sound.

Wisconsin Joe

Don't forget that the factory alarm does more than just make noise for people to ignore.

It also prevents the car from starting.

The Forgotten On

In 81 it cuts off power to the fuel computer and the fuel pump. The car can still turn over but it will have a loud horn blaring for ~30 seconds.

928NOOBIE

Factory alarm on the 85/86 also has shock sensors....I was replacing spark plugs the other day and had the windows down so had the car locked and it went nuts. The horn kit is in the front of the passenger side fender. It has 3 looong trumpets...one of them is for the alarm..it is very loud and for some reason it's a frequency that somehow sets up a resonance in my eardrums and hurts....and yeah..its probably the loudest alarm I've heard..or one of the loudest...I didn't know it had shock sensors though..I wasn't doing much on it either..

oldfrat

Oooh, I like that! Thanks! I'll have it reconnected.

Brad

Alan

Not on stock car - you may have an aftermarket alarm...

No again - should only be the regular horns there (2) and stock ones certainly won't be the loudest thing you have ever heard (or even close). The stock alarm horn is elsewhere - hidden down in the HAVC system

Alan

upstate bob

This might be a good time to ask: my 79 came with an assortment of keys. I use a long one that is on a leather fob. Another cluster has three keys: a red handle long, a black handle long and a black handle short. Third cluster has just a short black handle and a long red. any info would be appreciated.

Wisconsin Joe

Do you mean "Long Blade" instead of "Long Handle"?

Originally, the car should have come with black headed, long bladed keys and red headed, short bladed keys.
The long key will arm/disable the alarm (the longer blade reaches the alarm part of the lock cylinder). The short key will not arm or disable the alarm.

This info is in the Owner's manual (downloads for most years are available for free in the "New Visitor" Sticky).