Alarming questions

[Eagle]

I'm posting this in The Pub because the major question involves the Skoda sedan we're using while stuck out-of-country. My wife had it fitted with an aftermarket alarm system because vehicle break-ins are almost guaranteed in Santiago. (Very low violent crime rate, but VERY high petty theft and burglary rate.

 

The alarm has a habit of setting itself off between five and ten minutes after parking the car and setting the alarm. My wife has tried to blame it on a neighborhood cat, but last night it happened while parked outside a pizza restaurant. No cats in sight, and being Christmas night the lot wasn't full and there was nobody near the car.

 

Anybody got any ideas what could be setting this thing off?

 

Second question (XJ-related): At home we have two 2000 XJs. A long time ago I bought a pair of add-on alarm systems, but I never got around to installing them. Once I get home I think I will do so, but ... the engine room on a 2000 XJ 4.0L is rather crowded. Has anyone installed an alarm on a newer XJ or M? Where's a good place to mount the siren, and where should I mount the control modeule -- under the hood, or under the dashboard?

 

Thanks.

[knever3]

Well as for the Skoda it maybe a over sensitive shock sensor if it has one. If my car sits out by the road a motorcycle or loud truck passing by will set it off from 20 feet away. If it's a cheap voltage sensing alarm, the one that connects to your interior light and has an alarm siren only they are hard to troubleshoot minor voltage spikes from computers/clocks etc.

 

As for the XJ I have professionally installed them for years and I like to install the brain under the steering column. Securily mount the shock sensor with a strong zip tie to the steering column. The siren usually mounts near the battery or firewall. It's mounted with three self tapping screws but be sure to put silicone on the firewall before. I wish I had pictures of mine, it takes some time to make them nice but it's worth it.

[Eagle]

I think it's more than just voltage sensing. The car originally had manual door locks. The install added electric locks that are locked by the alarm (and sometimes by driving -- and sometimes NOT, which I really wish I could figure out), so I think it's a full-fledged alarm system. Unfortunately, the instruction manual is in Chinese and Spanish, and I don't read either language so I can't use it to try to understand how the thing works.

 

If I can find the brain, where would I look to adjust a shock sensor, and which way should it turn?

[knever3]

What does the alarm remote say? If there's a brand name or something I can go on I could help more. If they added remote locks it's a full alarm. They probably used aftermarket actuators and a relay pack. As for the thing locking on you it's probably set up for "passive locking" this means if left for a time period the locks lock along with setting the alarm. This sucks if you leave your keys in the car and shut the door to go into a 7-11. Question: Can you lock and unlock the doors while the car is on? Unless it was a factory added alarm the alarm will not lock the doors at a certain speed because it's not connected to anything. Usually you can program these annoying things out of the logic. I understand the frustration about the language barrier. How about scanning the pages into a google document and then use google translate??

[mvusse]

Don't know if the space under the hood is the same, but my 94 XJ had an alarm (and it's a theft recovery, go figure!) and the siren was mounted to the driver side fender between the brake booster and the air cleaner.

[lostissues]

probably something with how the alarm senses that he doors are open. without you having you hands on during the install it would be harder to diagnose what is happening. my guess would be what was mentioned earlier. the alarm was probably set to sense if the dome light goes on and the computer in the car probably sends pulses through that wire randomly and the alarm thinks the doors are being opened. usually you have to diode isolate those wires so that the feedback doesn't occur.