Alarm

[dm_longhorn]

Some thug-looking kids moved into my complex a few days ago (why me?). Tonight, I took a look out my window and noticed one of them w/ his girlfriend completely examening my car. Looking in the windows real close like.. walking all around it, etc. I've seen people admire... this garnered more suspicion than admiration.

It could be nothing and I'm just over-exaggerating.. HOWEVER! I would feel much safer if I knew my alarm was activated and working.

Since buying my car, I haven't heard my alarm or even know if it's activated. What can I do, outside of going to the dealer, to find out if it's activated? Something that should make the alarm go off 100% of the time...

Breaking out the louisville is not an option.

 

[Tom]

To test wither you have an alarm or not, roll down the window and remotely lock your doors. Then wait about a minute and open it from the inside. If there is no sound then you don't have an alarm or it's not activated.

 

[dm_longhorn]

Let's say it doesn't sound.

Is there a way to distinguish between not having an alarm or not being activated... without the help of a dealer..?

 

[CaveDweller]

You could look to see if there is a horn in front of your firewall. I can't desribe the location very well without a picture because the spot is hidden.

I would seriously consider a DEI shock sensor in addition to the motion sensors in the cabin. It's a $25 part.

 

[Nataku]

when you unlock the doors, does the car chirp ? then you probably have an alarm.

when you lock the doors, does the clown nose blink, then it should be enabled.

Though, i do not have an alarm, I had the car programmed to flash the lights when unlocking and enable the clown nose to blink when locked. unofficially we call this "visual cue". I believe at least in theory that I enable the alarm feature without have the alarm unit installed.

the alarm has a motion sensor in the square plastic housing on the roof. you can arm it and then introduce some motion to trip it off

 

[epj3]

Some cars you have to press the lock button twice to activate the alarm.

 

[codex57]

If you don't want it to sound but wanna check, then there are two easy ways.

1) Pop the hood of your car. On the passenger side, where a battery normally is, I think the siren goes in there. Otherwise, it's right next to that big hole. Can't remember for sure.

2) Make sure you have clean hands. Then pry that box off that's in the middle of your roof. If something's in there, you have an alarm.

However, that won't tell you if it's activated or not. If you lock/unlock your car and there's no chirp, then you prolly don't have an alarm.

If they're checking your car out tho, best to clean it out. Don't leave anything worth stealing. There's no shock sensor in the OEM alarm (which is why CaveDweller told you about the DEI part), so a thief will already be in your car by the time the alarm goes off. If you have nothing in the car, then they won't be tempted to break in in the first place.

Oh, and send a letter to your apartment complex tellign them about the incident. That way, they're on notice and you have someone else to go after to recover in case your car is broken into.