Oh Crap.. need help!

[Petrograde]

I think my car alarm is dead. Unfortunately,... that also means my Marauder is dead.

symptoms:
I tried opening the car with the key fob, I pressed the button... nothing. no 'beep beep'

I tried the door handle and the alarm went off, after hitting the button a few times it turned off,... but,.. I heard a relay under the dash clicking away and my interior lights were flashing along the 'click click' of the relay.

I pulled the lower dash panels and found the relay. It's right above the OBD-II port and is marked 'Lighting Control' ..I didn't think the alarm was hooked to my lights? They've never flashed while arming or disarming.

I disconnected the battery for a few minutes. The alarm sounded the second I reconnected it. The fob finally shut it off.

So, I tried to start it. The dashboard idiot lights turned on, but, she didn't even try to turn over. :help:

I did check all the fuses. They were all fine.

Could a low battery cause this? :confused:

If it is the alarm, can anyone tell me how to bypass the kill switch?

I was supposed to leave for Dallas at 'oh-dark-thirty' in the morning,.. I'm thinking I might be late. :mad:

any info will be appreciated!

Thanks!

[Krytin]

Do you have an aftermarket alarm? The previous owner of my old '90 Town Car had an aftermarket alarm/remote starter installed that would do this when the battery got low. Unfortunately the alarm was causing the battery to go dead! A few well placed snips/repairs and the offending alarm was removed along w/the crazy problems w/key fob & lights! Hope this helps!

[CRUZTAKER]

Low battery used to really scew mine up. Otherwise....:dunno:

[Petrograde]

Thanks guys,...
I'll dig out my voltmeter in the morning and check it. I hope that's ALL it is. But,.. my battery is only 2 years old? hmmm...

Either way,.. that alarm is gonna get replaced. I shouldn't have bought the cheap one. ...sigh...

[Mike Poore]

Thanks guys,...
I'll dig out my voltmeter in the morning and check it. I hope that's ALL it is. But,.. my battery is only 2 years old? hmmm...

Either way,.. that alarm is gonna get replaced. I shouldn't have bought the cheap one. ...sigh...

Now that we've established it an aftermarket unit, I'd say, for now, snip the power wire to the alarm to take it out of the system, and sort it out later.

[Petrograde]

Now that we've established it an aftermarket unit, I'd say, for now, snip the power wire to the alarm to take it out of the system, and sort it out later.

The alarm is has a kill switch. If I snip the power (assuming I can find the alarm box :rolleyes: ) will that disable the kill switch?

BTW- I checked the battery voltage: 11.42 volts. I would think that would at least crank the engine.

Man,.. I sure don't want to drive for 3 hours in my wife's Honda!! :puke:

Thanks

[CRUZTAKER]

Trickle charge that bad boy for an hour or so, and I bet the alarm agrees with everything.

[Petrograde]

Trickle charge that bad boy for an hour or so, and I bet the alarm agrees with everything.

I tried using jumper cables to start it. No go. :rolleyes: It's not the battery.

I'm just gonna have to pull out the alarm and undo the kill switch. :mad:

I guess I'll tackle that tomorrow. Damn I hate to have to drive that friggin' Honda all the way to Dallas. Oh well,....

Thanks for your help guys. :up:

[Krytin]

The alarm is has a kill switch. If I snip the power (assuming I can find the alarm box :rolleyes: ) will that disable the kill switch?

BTW- I checked the battery voltage: 11.42 volts. I would think that would at least crank the engine.

Man,.. I sure don't want to drive for 3 hours in my wife's Honda!! :puke:

Thanks
12.6 volts for a charged battery @ rest - minimum. Anything less is weak. The battery could be on it's way out. You need to check the running voltage - between 13.8 and 15 depending on load. 15 would be extreemly high and not good if it is running there all the time. If the running voltage is in range, you either have a drain on the battery or the battery is done. Good luck, sorry about the ride in the Honda.

[Petrograde]

12.6 volts for a charged battery @ rest - minimum. Anything less is weak. The battery could be on it's way out. You need to check the running voltage - between 13.8 and 15 depending on load. 15 would be extreemly high and not good if it is running there all the time. If the running voltage is in range, you either have a drain on the battery or the battery is done. Good luck, sorry about the ride in the Honda.

Well .... it was the battery. Thanks guys! :up: I had a load put on the battery and it only .98 volts on it! I went down to Napa, got a new one for $69 bucks, put 'er in and she started right up!

I still had to take the Honda to Dallas for turkey day. :( I passed a Marauder heading back today, just north of Waco on I-35E. I beeped the puny ass horn and gave a thumbs ups. Man,.. I felt like a putz. :lol: oh well.

thanks guys!!!! :beer:

[Mike Poore]

Well I passed a Marauder heading back today, just north of Waco on I-35E. I beeped the puny ass horn and gave a thumbs ups. Man,.. I felt like a putz.
The guy in the Marauder - "look at that wanna-be schmendric in the *^%$# Honda - beeping"!
....."putz"! :rofl:

Glad you got it sorted out, but look at it it this way, you saved enough fuel for a couple of really great burnouts.:burn:

[SilverStreak]

Thanks for the update and glad the problem is solved. Just another indication of the value of this board identifying problems.

[jobrien8]

Just for information, the engine will turn over with 9.2 volts. Anything less and you get a bypass so the PCM has the voltage it needs. Running, the PCM only needs 6 volts before it begins to make the car run bad.

[Krytin]

Just for information, the engine will turn over with 9.2 volts. Anything less and you get a bypass so the PCM has the voltage it needs. Running, the PCM only needs 6 volts before it begins to make the car run bad.
I don't think you'll get much of a crank out of the starter @ 9.2 volts!

[Petrograde]

Just for information, the engine will turn over with 9.2 volts. Anything less and you get a bypass so the PCM has the voltage it needs. Running, the PCM only needs 6 volts before it begins to make the car run bad.

at just over 11 volts,... all I got was 'click,click,click'

I just got finished putting all the wires and alarm crap back up under my dashboard. Sheesh! Murcury sure put enough friggin' panels under there! ..and since they all bolt to each other, you have to remove everything! :rolleyes:

At least it's done,.. and my MM is F.M.C. again!