BimmerFest BMW Forum banner

Alarm problems

58K views 40 replies 34 participants last post by  occhis 
#1 ·
I have a 2002 BMW 5 Series 525i and I just started having problems with the factory alarm. When I push the button on my car keys to lock the doors and activate the alarm. Randomly out of now where the alarm is set off. Any suggestions to what may be causing the problems and what I could do to fix it? I find myself having to leave my car unarmed.

Any suggestions?
 
#2 ·
Are you sure you aren't holding down the Roundel button too long? That is one way to set the alarm off if you wish.

The other is perhaps you are sliding the key into your pocket and somehow pressing the button?

Finally, a cell phone left in the car in the 'on' state has been known to trip the alarm. Pull the phone out and see.
 
#4 ·
alarm problems

I have a very similar problem on a 1999 528i sport wagon. About 60% of the time, the alarm works OK. The other 40%, it will trigger in 2 to 10 minutes. It does not matter if I have windows up/down, press twice to disable the interior sensor, etc. My car battery is new. I changed the key batteries (I have two keys, same problem with either key). I also removed the sensor in the top panel, blew it out (clean air only), and put contact cleaner on the plug. It is extremely frustrating, because I cannot correlate it to any alarm setting procedure. Is it possible to test the alarm system when it is armed to see if it is going to trigger? I am sure I have the electromagentis wave sensor at 2.45 Ghz. This problem has started in the last 6 months. The car is a great driving car on the highway, but it is a maintenance nightmare. Something is always breaking. Please feel free to email me directly if you have any suggestions, except don't ever tell me to take it to the local BMW dealer. Been there, will never do it again.
 
#5 ·
Alarm Problems

Same problem with my 2002 530i. Alarm is too sensitive and goes off frequently. It goes off when another car drives by, etc. I've read that there may be an adjustment behind the glove box. For the time being, I just pulled the alarm fuse to stop the problem. Does anyone know how to adjust the alarm sensitivity?
 
#37 · (Edited)
Same problem with my 2002 530i. Alarm is too sensitive and goes off frequently. It goes off when another car drives by, etc. I've read that there may be an adjustment behind the glove box. For the time being, I just pulled the alarm fuse to stop the problem. Does anyone know how to adjust the alarm sensitivity?
I am having similar problem. Alarm get avctivated and start shouting..
Please let me know how can I pull the alarm fuse ..please help me...its really very frustating...

Thanks Kdaddy100, I will try your remediation..:)
 
#6 ·
I am having the same problem with the alarm (2000 528i) ! I live near a freeway, so I have a feeling the loud trucks might be the cause of it. I have the same issue within 2 and 10 minutes, the alarm goes off. I thought problem was that it was sticking in my pocket, or that one of the key buttons was sticky, but I have had both keys sitting on my desk and had the alarm go off. Is there a way to reduce sensitivity?
 
#7 ·
My wife's 2002 525iat is suffering from the same problem. I have tried disengaging the motion sensor and the alarm will still set itself off while sitting in the closed garage. In researching this problem on this forum one member suggested that the hood sensor may lose its insulation or sheathing over time. The member went on to add that the high heat generated by the engine may cause the sensor to trip and set the alarm off. I am skeptical, but, Chicago is suffering a mild heat wave (102 degrees on sun). Add the fact that the closed garage traps the heat lends some credibility to the theory. My hesitation is due to the fact that this also has occurred when my wife has parked the car in an open parking lot.

The car is at the dealership getting a Schedule I inspection and my wife has asked them to look at the alarm problem.
 
#8 ·
Hmm the heat issue makes sense to me, even if it is parked outside, because the engine is still hot! That would seem to coincide with the fact that for me, it occurs repeatedly after I park it, then "mysteriously" stops after the temp goes down. Intriguing theory. When I next drive, I'll pop the hood to cool the engine off and see what happens..
 
#10 ·
I have a 2002 525i, bought new and the car has been great but I'm having the alarm issue now. Anyone else? Have an appointment with dealer on Tuesday to check the car out.
 
#11 ·
i thought i was going crazy so i put a autostart alarm on it but i dont use it as much as much as i thought i would but its all the same to me. but anyways i would leave a phone in there and when it would ring my alarm would go crazy. i think my might go back to the stock one just toget it back to stock stupid idea dont try it haha.
 
#12 ·
The problem was the hood switch, got it fixed for about $190. $20 for the part, the rest labor.
 
#15 ·
Same problem - was the hood switch. Unplug the hood switch yourself, set the alarm, and see if it goes off randomly. If not, then you know it's the hood switch gone bad. It's VERY easy to replace it yourself...
 
#16 ·
Hood switch for me too at 36000 miles. The alarm would go off when the outside air temperature increased. From 10:00 am to about 7:00 pm the alarm had a mind of it's own.

Dealer found that the false alarm "event" was stored in the computer, so it was easy to trace.

If the car was out of warranty, I would have just replaced the sensor as a cheap starting point.
 
#18 ·
My hood sensor was bad also and caused the alarm to trigger intermittent the first couple of weeks I owned my 03. I found paperwork that the previous owner had complained about the same problem, but her dealership was stupid and couldn't figger it out. One morning it would go off every time I locked the doors, so I ran it by Pacific (it was still under warranty at the time) and they checked the computer - 36 events on the hood sensor were stored there...... pretty easy to see what the problem was. They just disconnected it until I could get it in for service the next week. Problem solved. :thumbup:
 
#17 ·
Can someone tell me exacty where the hood switch is and part number if possible. On REAL OEM they just list two switches, but don't say the location.

Thanks!
 
#25 ·
Arlam goes off randomly for 2002 X5

I have a 2002 X5 and the arlam goes off randomly at 3 am in the mornings as well. I don't wan't go to the stealer and pay $500 to $1000

Please help

History:

My batery was 6 1/2 years and my car had starting problems so replaced the battery. (I don't know if the Alram going off randomly was runing the battery down. Immediately after replacing the battery the remote keys stop working and I had to replace the Basic Moudule and program it at the dealer.
 
#26 ·
I have a 2002 X5 and the arlam goes off randomly at 3 am in the mornings as well. I don't wan't go to the stealer and pay $500 to $1000

Please help

History:

My batery was 6 1/2 years and my car had starting problems so replaced the battery. (I don't know if the Alram going off randomly was runing the battery down. Immediately after replacing the battery the remote keys stop working and I had to replace the Basic Moudule and program it at the dealer.
Well***8230;this is the E39 forum, and it's a thread from 2007***8230;

The X5 is not an E39. Many things are similar between the vehicles but many things are different.

Sounds like your dealer is ripping you off, unless it's common for X5 General Modules to break when the battery is replaced. Try one of the BMW independents listed at bimrs.org.
 
#29 ·
I have been having this alarm problem with my 2003 530I with 142k on it. Glad to know its the hood sensor thats gone bad. hahah I took it to a local mechanic first and asked him if it could possibly be a faulty sensor and he all knowingly said no no that cant be it its a problem with the car computer. So he resets the comp and it still goes off haha what a tard Im about to call him and tell him what to do. I paid him 160$ to fix the alarm and get a oil change
 
#31 ·
replace the battery first.
 
#33 ·
i've been having the same problems with my alarm. it seems to go off every 5 - 10 minutes. can anyone tell me how to disable the hood sensor or reduce the sensitivity of the alarm?
Just unplug the sensor from the harness it's attached to. Should be a plug at the bottom.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top