Elise Alarm problems

Author
Discussion

robmk1

Original Poster:

34 posts

264 months

Wednesday 15th January 2003
quotequote all
Like many others, fitted to my car is the Cobra Cat 1 Alarm. Does anyone else have problems with the alarm going off all the time for no reason? Some times it will not set, and others it will set, but then some time after go off. I've lost count the number of phone calls from collegues telling me its going off again.

I have been back to the garage several times, and they reset it, tell me its now fine and then back to square one.

Bonce

4,339 posts

286 months

Wednesday 15th January 2003
quotequote all
The only problems I have are that the garage door sets it off (so I disable the movement sensor whilst parked in the garage which also prolongs battery life) and if I park in town or at the supermarket with the roof off, people often poke their head inside for a look (nothing sinister, they're just curious, I've seen it happen dozens of times) and set it off.

Your internal sensor probably needs adjusting. There is a procedure in the handbook for ensuring that it's "field of vision" doesn't spread to outside the car.

I must get round to doing mine sometime.

NightFire

41 posts

263 months

Wednesday 15th January 2003
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Must admit, I've had no problems with mine yet (thankfully) but it is very sensitive, ny brother in law literally just leant over the side slightly when I had the roof off last summer and it went off. I'm kinda glad it's like that rather than letting someone sit in the front seat before it goes off!

fergusd

1,247 posts

277 months

Wednesday 15th January 2003
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Agree with Bonce, disabling the microwave sensor saves battery energy and stops it going off so easily.

However.

There is an easy way to determine what is setting it off, or at least what sensor. Read the owners manual, it contains info on the flash codes that the alarm system gives when you disarm it, the flash code will tell you what sensor triggered the alarm.

If it isn't the microwave sensor then it'll be one of the switches, my experience is that the boot and bonnet switches are fairly crap . . . and I've had problems with both myself.

Fd

glugcom

114 posts

263 months

Wednesday 15th January 2003
quotequote all

Like many others, fitted to my car is the Cobra Cat 1 Alarm. Does anyone else have problems with the alarm going off all the time for no reason? Some times it will not set, and others it will set, but then some time after go off. I've lost count the number of phone calls from collegues telling me its going off again.

I have been back to the garage several times, and they reset it, tell me its now fine and then back to square one.


I bought a cover for frosty nights but I have to turn off the alarm before using it. I cant even find my microwave sensor?

fergusd

1,247 posts

277 months

Wednesday 15th January 2003
quotequote all

glugcom said:
I bought a cover for frosty nights but I have to turn off the alarm before using it. I cant even find my microwave sensor?


Small black box in between the seats on the bulkhead, just above the handbrake shroud . . . ?

Fd

RICHARDL

74 posts

274 months

Thursday 16th January 2003
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I am an alarm engineer by trade (but know nothing about car alarms)and we use Microwave sensors at work and they are usually very reliable. The adjustment probably refers to the range - microwaves will penetrate the car body work so carefull adjestment is essential (also insurance probs if its not right?).
false alarms like this are more likely to be component faults, so check for dry joints on microswitches etc.
As I said I dont know much about car alarms, but possibly setting with the microwave detector off may not reduce the current consumption, more likely the sensor is still powered and the relay output is ignored by the CPU.
may be wrong though.

Bonce

4,339 posts

286 months

Thursday 16th January 2003
quotequote all

glugcom said:I bought a cover for frosty nights but I have to turn off the alarm before using it. I cant even find my microwave sensor?


Why don't you just disable the internal sensor after setting the alarm? Then your car will still be totally protected. Press the small button on your doofer within 30 seconds of arming the alarm. You'll hear a short beep to confirm.

Robmk1

Original Poster:

34 posts

264 months

Thursday 16th January 2003
quotequote all
Thanks guys, i'll have a play around with at the weekend. Went off again last night at about 4 in the morning, slightly cheesed off, especially when looking for the keys in the dark with blurred vission i stood on a plug!!

Bonce

4,339 posts

286 months

Thursday 16th January 2003
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So what did the alarm telltale on the dash tell you? Was it internal sensor or door/boot/bonnet that triggered it?

Dr Bob

637 posts

269 months

Thursday 16th January 2003
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>>i stood on a plug

Ouch, I did that once, stuck right in too, had to get me mum to pull it out - I'm now totally paraoid about plugs lying around...

... to keep it on topic my alarm goes off when someone gets right up to the driver/passenger window, caught a couple of people out like that.

and when you leave the roof off and lean in to get you bag or something and the alarm goes off in your ear, how painful is that?

Right, back to work now, sorry meant back to pogo.com!

Robmk1

Original Poster:

34 posts

264 months

Thursday 16th January 2003
quotequote all
i didn't go out and look, i just pointed the key fob at the car through the window and pressed the button till it stoped! But other times, the alarm telltale flashes with 2 faily quick flashes then a slow flash.

I have to read up what that means.