caitov

I've been searching and trying to figure this out but I'm stumped.

Twice in the last week when dropping my son off at school I've come back to my car and noticed the rear lights flashing (I assume the fronts as well but I didn't notice). As soon as I push the key fob they go out.

It's not constant as I've never noticed this when going to my car after work.

The only thing I can think of that is different is when dropping him off I'm locking the car after closing the passenger side.

Also, the horn isn't honking so I assume the alarm wasn't triggered.

I did have the sunroof tilted open today, but couldn't find any reference this being an issue.

Any ideas?

Thanks

jhbrennan

Try looking in the owner's manual (page 24 or thereabouts). Here's an excerpt:

If one of these alarm contacts is interrupted, the
alarm horn sounds for approximately 3 minutes.
Additionally, the emergency flasher flashes and
the passenger compartment light lightes for approximately
five minutes.
When the alarm is triggered, the light-emitting
diode changes over to double flashes.


Sounds like the alarm was triggered.

caitov

Thanks, but I really don't think it's the alarm as I would've heard the horn. It seems to be lights only.

Petza914

Have you popped the hood or tried to unlock the car as you were approaching. If you did either of those, and didn't open a door within 20-30 seconds (I think) the car will relock automatically and give you the double light flash. When it does this, it won't honk the horn unless there's a circuit open (hood, glovebox door, etc). Maybe you're timing your approach just right after initially unlocking it, to witness the relocking and light flash.

StormRune

OP, the wording in your last response almost makes it seem as though you didn't read JHBrennan's response carefully. According to what he wrote, the horn turns off before the lights stop flashing. There was a two minute window where you could have walked out to find the lights flashing with no horn beeping.

Or are you saying that due to your proximity to the car the whole time you would have heard the beeping in any case?

caitov

Thanks, but the lights are flashing continuously, not just a double flash. I am also away from the car for more than 20-30 seconds.

Yes, the latter. Based on where I am I'm almost certain I would hear the horn if it had gone off. That's why it's got me so stumped.
Having said that, I know these aren't the loudest horns. I'll keep an eye on this and let everyone know when it happens again.

Thanks for the help.

AM6007

Apologies for bumping an old thread. Did OP figure what it was finally ?

Petza914

@Wayne Smith had this same or a similar issue, but I don't recall how he resolved it. May have simply been a new battery.

https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...indicator.html

caitov

I never did find out what caused it, and it stopped occurring, so I just kind of forgot about it.
It wasn't the battery however, as I only just replaced that last year. I assume it was some type of alarm trigger having to do with the passenger door being closed last. It did that a few times over the course of a month, and haven't had any issues since.
Strange..

Wayne Smith

In my case the flashers would sometimes turn on immediately when I shut the car off. Sometimes they would turn on several minutes after I shut the car off. They might or might not turn off when the car was started. I tried a new battery. No luck. Finally replaced the front controller to fix it. But this case doesn't seem to bed the same as mine.

Phrog Phlyer

Ignition switches do strange things when they are going bad/getting old.

Wayne Smith

Good point ... A problem for VW in the 90s.

AM6007

Thanks for the replies guys. Gonna have a poke around with the doors/sunroof before heading to the dealer.

Cheers, have a good weekend !

AM6007

Thought i'll update you guys with what the issue was in my car. It was the alarm siren shorting out. Easy check, if one of your passenger doors/hood/rear engine cover/sunroof isn't fully closed and you press lock on the key fob you should hear a chirp along with a flash of the hazards. If you don't hear a chirp, you're going to need a new alarm siren/module.

Wayne Smith

Thanks for the update 8)