Today i had a bad experience at Sainsbury's petrol station, and i am hoping someone in the forum can relate to it and tell me what on earth is wrong? I parked up,then filled up,locked the car with the plipper but only the doors not the alarm. then went to pay,on returning to my vehicle unlocked the doors with the plipper,and tried to start the car. To my horror the car alarm started to sound, could not be overidden with the key, could not turn it off with the plipper,it just kept on going no matter what i tried, by this time people were beginning to stare. The ignition was dead so i could not start the car. Presumably the immobiliser had kicked in.Numerous times i tried to set and reset the alarm to no avail. In the end i had to push the car out of the way, and any Xantia owner will know, are a pig to move when you have no power,the suspension was low, no power steering (nightmare)
Once out of the way i could spend a bit of time on it, up goes the bonnet turned the siren overide off in the bulk head. Tried the ignition again, nothing. Decided to call for help the one time i had not taken my mobile(Sod's Law)Ran to the store to use the payphone. On returning to the car, i tried it again and i had power and could start the car. Talking to the wife she says it has happened a few times to her,but not as bad, when turning the car on, the alarm sounds for a split second the it fires. Please can someone tell me what could be going on, I have had this car for 7 years with out a problem.Could the immobiliser cut in when driving for instance. All help gratfully recieved.
Gregg
1994 Xantia SXTD 103,000
Intermittent fault ????
Moderator: RichardW
-
Richard Gallagher
- Posts: 803
- Joined: 31 Oct 2001, 02:36
- Location: South Bucks
- My Cars:
It sounds like you have a dodgy electrical connection, possibly on a battery post or one of the earth straps. The alarm going of is a symptom rather than the cause I would suggest.
Remove the battery leads and make sure they are clean, you can get a reaction between the post and clamp which then causes a hard crust to form between the two.
Remove the battery leads and make sure they are clean, you can get a reaction between the post and clamp which then causes a hard crust to form between the two.
another possibility is water/corrosion in the 30 pin brown connector under the carpet in the passengers footwell or in the alarm ECU under the carpet beneath the passangers seat,lift the carpet & check for dampness.the scuttle panel can become unbonded from the windscreen (or not refitted properly after removing) which then alows water to get inside via the heater blower intake.