Problems with the key and the alarm

[beechy]

Please help me oh wise ones of the pistonheads

Yesterday when I got out of my S2 and locked it the key felt a little stiff for the first part of the turn but then freed up. When I came to get back in the car however the key wont turn in the lock. The only way in at the moment is to climb across the pasenger seat.

The second problem is that the alarm went off 3 times in an hour yesterday. I dont know if it dose this a lot and if so I guess it could explain my recent battery problems.

Any advice on fixing these things would be much apriciated.

[cuzza]

I confess I know nothing about the S2 but on my S1 I had a similar problem and it was a loose connection on the motion sensor between the seats, this is attached by velcro to the chassis so if it's got knocked the cable may have been pulled and the plug come out.

Not sure on the lock I'm afraid.

[beechy]

Cheers Cuz
Was that a real pain to get to?

I'm not being funny but could it have been that it was raining at the time? It dosent seem like the most sofisticated alarm I've ever seen.

[Bonce]

Your internal sensor is set to be too sensitive. On the S1 there is a little dial on it which you can use to adjust the sensitivity. It's covered in the S1 owner's manual so should be in yours too.

[cuzza]

beechy said:

Was that a real pain to get to?

Nah, dead easy, look in between the seats on the rear firewall, a black box about the size of a cigarette packet. Bonce could have a point about the sensitivity, maybe that coupled hard rain on the roof has set it off??

[bogie]

For the lock, try squirting some lock lube in there (carbon graphite I think from locksmiths maybe), or a few drops of light oil...do this prior to the winter as they get worse on a winters morning.

The alarm could be a few things as already mentioned:

check the internal sensor - you can do this by turning it off using the small button on the keyfob (see manual) ...if it dosent keep going off then it must be the internal sensor needing adjustment.

If its not that then its got to be one of the other sensors - door, front panels, or boot. Most likely is the one on the boot. its under the rubber cover near the boot catch/spring. Its not sealed/glued on as std and water can get in there causing false alarms. The rubber split on mine and water got in there when the car was 3 months old - same symptoms as what you are having...dealer replaced sensor under warranty - 10min job while u wait.

HTH

bogie

[beechy]

once again thanks for the info guys. I dont know what I'd do without this place.

[dragstar]

i do..id have a life. im being serious. look, stop laughing....i mean it. FINE.