The car alarm does not work: what to do, causes of failure

Automotive anti-theft protection system is an innovative technology that protects the car from burglary and provides additional comfort for the car owner. One of the important elements of this system is a key fob with a remote control, which allows you to turn on and off the anti-theft alarm system from a distance.

Unfortunately, the key fob controls are short-lived and are constantly in use, so they often fail. This is not a global problem that can be fixed on your own if you know how to identify the breakdown and deal with it.

Why might a key fob break?

Several “emergency” situations can occur with the anti-theft alarm remote control:

If dropped, the housing or internal electronics may be damaged. In this case, the remote control will be easier to replace than to repair.
If it comes into contact with water, the electronic board may fail (short circuit). In this case, control may be lost partially or completely, the device may begin to work incorrectly, but can be repaired.
The autonomous battery is discharging. In this case, you just need to replace the battery.

To repair the anti-theft alarm key fob, you need to turn off the alarm. There are three ways to do this:

Disable with Valet button. The alarm turns off, and you can drive to the nearest service station for repair or replacement of the key fob.
Emergency shutdown. It is necessary to switch the ignition key to different positions and simultaneously press the service button on the key fob.
Disable the emergency lights using the entered code. If you previously set an emergency deactivation code on the key fob, simply enter it.

Important! Any of the listed options for deactivating the anti-theft system can be activated only after you remove the terminals from the battery and turn off the external power.

The car does not start with the Panther remote control: how to fix it

During the entire period of operation of the Pantera alarm system, one day you encountered such a problem as the autostart stopped working. A car engine may not start for three reasons:

no control of a running motor - problems with programming, connection or standard wiring;
problem with the wires to the handbrake;
low battery charge.

Remote starting and stopping of the engine is carried out according to the following algorithm.

Apply the handbrake and set the automatic transmission to “PARK” mode.
Set the air conditioner settings.
Set the ventilation to recirculation mode.
Press the key with the star symbol twice. The turn signals will blink once. The engine will start.
To stop the motor, press the button with the star symbol. A siren signal and a 2-second vibration signal will follow.

What to do if the Pandora key fob does not see the car.

Choosing a new key fob

Very often, motorists do not want to waste time on repairing the key fob and simply replace it with a new control element. However, in order not to change the “awl for soap”, you should consider some rules for a good choice. The new key fob should:

buy in specialized stores from trusted manufacturers;
match the same model of the anti-theft system that you have installed;
have a programming function and additional features.

Do not hesitate to consult with sellers - this will save your time and increase your chances of purchasing a useful device. If you have an old alarm system installed, it will be difficult to find an analogue. In such a situation, be prepared for the fact that you will have to change the anti-theft system completely.

“Binding” a new key fob to an anti-theft device

If for some reason the key fob of the anti-theft system is lost, it will not be difficult to restore it: you need to buy a new remote control and “link” it to the alarm system on the car. To do this you will need:

Switch the anti-theft system to Valet mod mode using the control buttons.
Wait until the system requests the binding code.
Enter the code specified in the anti-theft instructions.

Diagnostics

If the above malfunctions have been eliminated, and the car still does not set the alarm, you will have to disassemble the key fob and check the condition of its main elements. Before performing work, you need to prepare a soldering iron, solder, oscilloscope and multimeter. Diagnostics of the key fob and control unit is carried out according to the following algorithm:

Opening the case. After removing the back cover, unscrew the bolts connecting the plastic elements. The case is disassembled, after which the microcircuit and the parts connected to it are inspected. Elements must not have cracks, chips or signs of corrosion. Breakage of the key fob can occur when the quality of connections decreases. If the microcircuit has dirt, it must be removed with a thin brush. Do not wipe the board with alcohol-containing liquids or solvents. This may damage the capacitors.
Soldering contacts. If you find that board elements are disconnected, you will have to use a soldering iron with a fine tip. Work must be done carefully. Otherwise, solder may get on other parts and damage them.
Measure the voltage of the conductors. To do this, use a multimeter, which is switched to voltmeter mode. After this, check the serviceability of the buttons and the LED element.
Assess the condition of the head unit. Diagnostics of the voltage supplied to the processor device is performed using an oscilloscope. It is necessary to ensure that pulses are received from the generator unit. After this, the ability to receive signals from communicators and the correctness of data encoding are assessed. If there are no pulses, the head unit needs to be replaced or repaired.

Troubleshooting

It’s quite simple to understand why the alarm system and control from the key fob are malfunctioning - there are not many breakdowns here, and they are all known:

faulty electrical wiring (disassemble and restore the integrity of the contacts);
lack of power supply (battery is dead - needs to be replaced);
the fuse in the key fob has burned out (replacement only);
The software is frozen (reboot the device).

If the steps taken are not successful, it is recommended to seek help from a specialist.

If the car alarm does not respond to the key fob

The anti-theft device may stop responding to commands from the control panel for several reasons:

The battery in the key fob has run out and is blocking the operation of the device (battery replacement);
moisture got inside the device and oxidized the contacts (disassemble, dry, clean the contacts);
the key fob fell or received a strong blow, resulting in damage to the internal microcircuit or contacts (repair or replacement of the device);
Buttons stick (need to be disassembled and cleaned).

Important! The key fob will not work for a trivial reason: you did not slam the car door, and there is no full contact between the surfaces.

Rebooting the alarm when the system hangs

Car alarms have their own software, which sometimes tends to freeze, after which the alarm stops responding to commands. Remove the terminal from the car battery, wait 5 minutes and return the terminal to its place. After power is applied and the system is turned on, the software should start correctly.

Attention! The siren may sound, but this is a normal reaction of the system.

Replacing fuses

Fuses often burn due to electrical overload and turn off the alarm. If you suspect that they are to blame, you should check the fuses:

for sound;
on the positive wire of the battery;
for emergency lights.

The check is carried out visually or using a special tester.

Checking car alarm wiring

Electrical wiring should be left for last, and if you do not have the skills to repair electrical systems, it is better to contact the service center specialists. The system will be ringed at the stands, the damaged area will be determined, and then repaired or replaced.

Troubleshooting on the go

This is the most common problem in anti-theft systems, due to which you cannot put the car on the alarm, or remove it from the alarm to unlock the engine start.

First, check the batteries, then bring the key fob to the central unit of the alarm system and try to turn it on again. If it doesn’t start, the breakdown is serious and you need to contact a service station.

False alarm

If the alarm goes off spontaneously, it means that the battery in the car is dead, or the anti-theft device needs repair.

If the alarm system Starline, Pandora, KGB and other models does not work: useful tips

As you can see, if the electronics are faulty, there can be many reasons (some of them were discussed above).
At the initial stage, you need to make sure that the key fob is in good condition. Also, one should not exclude the possibility of software failures of the alarm itself. If there are malfunctions, you should check the immobilizer, sensors, the alarm control unit itself, check the wiring, etc. You should also try to bring the remote control closer to the car (closer to the installation site of the central unit or antenna).

It happens that if the car is parked near an object where there is a strong electromagnetic field or a lot of radio interference, then the signals from the remote control are jammed. By the way, this situation is also not considered a breakdown.

Please note that if, while driving, the engine suddenly stalls or, after turning the ignition off and on again, the siren sounds and the internal combustion engine is blocked, this usually indicates a severe discharge of the battery or a power failure.

In this case, the alarm unit reacts to the fact that the voltage level has dropped below 8 volts and the system activates the blocking modes. This is an anti-theft feature that means that when power is restored, the locks remain and must be removed by the owner.

We also recommend reading the article on how to completely disable the car alarm. From this article you will learn about available ways to turn off the alarm yourself, how to perform an emergency shutdown of the alarm, etc.

Of course, the engine remains blocked and the siren goes off. To solve the problem, you need to make sure that the battery is working and charged, that power is supplied normally to the alarm unit, that there are no problems with wiring, etc.

We also note that a common problem associated with the alarm may be the central module (control unit) itself. Moisture or mechanical impact will eventually affect the operation of the unit; a short circuit may occur on the microcircuit.

In this case, the unit hangs, blocks the engine from starting, or the entire system malfunctions. In this situation, it is optimal to dry the unit; if necessary, its microcircuits are repaired. You can also immediately replace the microcircuit or completely replace the entire unit assembly.

Repair of alarms at service stations

Many technical services offer repair services for car security systems, linking and programming control key fobs.

Car services also solve such a common problem as unlocking a car alarm, which is associated with errors in installing an anti-theft device, damaged wiring or a breakdown of the central lock. This problem often occurs in the winter (the battery drains quickly).

DIY repair

For repairs you will need a set of tools: a screwdriver, wires, insulating tape, wire cutters, a tester. Always start by checking the key fob itself and the battery (if the LED in the key fob shines dimly). After this, you should check the wiring, check the car battery charge and reload the software.

In conclusion, it should be noted that failure of the anti-theft alarm key fob is a common occurrence: it is constantly in use and is carried on the keys. Mechanical shocks, falls, natural wear and tear, battery discharge, button sticking are typical for this device and can be eliminated independently.
If repairing the key fob does not produce results, look for faults in the alarm system itself, in the car's electrical wiring and battery. If nothing helps here, replace the key fob or go to a service station, where the problem will be solved with the help of professional equipment.

Video: emergency disabling of the anti-theft system

The Pandora Store channel in its video showed an example of emergency deactivation of a car alarm using the Starline A63 and A93 models as an example.

Do you have any questions? Specialists and readers of the AUTODVIG website will help you ask a question

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