2003 E39 Alarm Issues

So thanks guys for the ideas. Just unplugged the hood sensor. We'll see... Hopefully it will keep me from having to buy my wife a new car!!!

It worked! What a relief! Thx to all.

im having trouble with my 03 540i i was having the alarm problem and now my key wont lock/unlock plus everytime i wanna drive i gotta give my car a jump..im tired of it and i'd like to get some advise before i unload my ak-47 on the damm car, thats not all..like someone said my car has gone "transport mode" and i dont know what to do u guys!! please advise...oooh by the way i tried disconecting the hood switch and nothing happened..also removed the alarm fuse..

hi, guys i have e39 540IA 2001 model this car gives me sleepless night first was the alarm just going off for no reason and later the remote will lock the car sometimes and of late the remote will not lock the car. i checked the fuse in the trunck its fine, checked the gas door after locking the car with key and its locked. i tried to programme the keys, got inside the close all doors turn key on and off within 5sec press the unlock button and press the lock button three times nothing happened


please help

Originally Posted by Bonecrusher2099

im having trouble with my 03 540i i was having the alarm problem and now my key wont lock/unlock plus everytime i wanna drive i gotta give my car a jump..im tired of it and i'd like to get some advise before i unload my ak-47 on the damm car, thats not all..like someone said my car has gone "transport mode" and i dont know what to do u guys!! please advise...oooh by the way i tried disconecting the hood switch and nothing happened..also removed the alarm fuse..

What a long lasting thread I created here!
Bonecrusher, sounds like you have a bad battery, have you checked that? Besides having to jump the car, a bad battery will wreak havoc with the alarm system.

Randy

I just wanted to also add that I am having alarm issues with my 2003 540i Sport.

The alarm started going off constantly. It finally stopped going off but now the lights just flash like crazy. My guess is the siren stopped working Either way now the key fob stopped working and only pops the trunk...Seriously frustrating. Is there a separate fuse for the siren? It's possible mine popped from how much it was going off. Also, I noticed the alarm going off more when it was windy.

Originally Posted by FusionZ06

I just wanted to also add that I am having alarm issues with my 2003 540i Sport.

The alarm started going off constantly. It finally stopped going off but now the lights just flash like crazy. My guess is the siren stopped working Either way now the key fob stopped working and only pops the trunk...Seriously frustrating. Is there a separate fuse for the siren? It's possible mine popped from how much it was going off. Also, I noticed the alarm going off more when it was windy.

Sounds like a key fob issue, have you used that key fob lately? It charges up when you drive, if it dies, I think you have to replace it. Do you have the second fob?

Check your owners manual, I'm pretty sure there is a way to turn off the motion sensor when it's windy.

Originally Posted by Touring Dude

Sounds like a key fob issue, have you used that key fob lately? It charges up when you drive, if it dies, I think you have to replace it. Do you have the second fob?

Check your owners manual, I'm pretty sure there is a way to turn off the motion sensor when it's windy.

As far as I know, all Bimmer alarms since the late 90s have a way to turn off the motion and tilt detectors so that the car can be towed or have tires changed without unlocking the car. Again AFAIK this is always done by pressing the buttom one more time after locking the car. The manual is a little unclear about how to do this but it can be ascertained with a little experimentation.

+1, I was having some issue with my car not unlocking the doors or opening the trunk with the key fob....sort of intermittent. I swapped to the spare that is practically new, never used, and now everything is fine. I also had some alarm issues as well, with it randomly going off. I replaced the hood switch, and also added a little piece of adhesive foam under the hood liner where it contacts the switch, just so it presses down a bit more (a suggestion from a BMW tech friend). All good now.

So the other day the alarm went off during a heavy rain my 02 525 I thought nothing of it. When I got into the car next I noticed the rear floor boards were wet and I could hear water sloshing in the rear ac. Yesterday I used the shop vac to try to dry up as much water as I could and then left the car in the sun. Well after I did that the alarm went off about three times over a 4 hour period. The alarm usually sounds and the lights flash but then it goes silent and the lights stop after about 5-10 seconds but then they start up again about a minute later till I unlock the car

Also sometimes when I lock / unlock it does not chirp but the lights flash.

Just now the alarm went off 3 times within 15 mintues I unplugged the hood sensor and it went off again about 2 minutes after that.

I have been locking it with the double lock press and I see the red light flash to confirm but it still goes off.

Any ideas? Car battery? The water that was in the floor boards get it to some connector?

I am thinking it is the battery as it is the original from the car and since the alarm horn keeps going out.

Originally Posted by 87vert

I am thinking it is the battery as it is the original from the car and since the alarm horn keeps going out.

Are you having any dead battery starting issues?

Originally Posted by Touring Dude

Are you having any dead battery starting issues?

No have never had any problems starting the car. It pretty much sits M-F every week but so far it has started every time on the weekend.

changed the battery (duralast 49DL), came home set the alarm and 5 minutes later it was going off.

I pulled the fuse for now but I would like to get this fixed. Any other ideas?

on a side note I found a http://blitzsafe.com/catalog/bmw/bmw...1/prod_41.html was installed LOL. Now I can use my iPhone.

Originally Posted by 87vert

changed the battery (duralast 49DL), came home set the alarm and 5 minutes later it was going off.

I pulled the fuse for now but I would like to get this fixed. Any other ideas?

on a side note I found a http://blitzsafe.com/catalog/bmw/bmw...1/prod_41.html was installed LOL. Now I can use my iPhone.

Sounds like your problem is more that the usual hood switch issue. I would suspect the water that got in the car may be the problem. You any good at electrical problems? You may have to start chasing electrons.........

Originally Posted by TimeOut

This morning, I found my hardwired radar detector hanging off the windshield (stupid suction-cups). So I'm now thinking that the alarm was triggered by the motion sensor when the radar detector fell off the windshield. But, the jury is still out.

that would be quite funny if that were the case all along...I know my gps holder falls sometimes too

Originally Posted by 87vert

So the other day the alarm went off during a heavy rain my 02 525 I thought nothing of it. When I got into the car next I noticed the rear floor boards were wet and I could hear water sloshing in the rear ac. Yesterday I used the shop vac to try to dry up as much water as I could and then left the car in the sun. Well after I did that the alarm went off about three times over a 4 hour period. The alarm usually sounds and the lights flash but then it goes silent and the lights stop after about 5-10 seconds but then they start up again about a minute later till I unlock the car

Also sometimes when I lock / unlock it does not chirp but the lights flash.

Just now the alarm went off 3 times within 15 mintues I unplugged the hood sensor and it went off again about 2 minutes after that.

I have been locking it with the double lock press and I see the red light flash to confirm but it still goes off.

Any ideas? Car battery? The water that was in the floor boards get it to some connector?

my rear passenger floorboard was getting wet during rainstorms and car washing...found out it was the door seal needed to be replaced! hope that helps a little!

I disconnected the inclination sensor and so far the alarm as not gone off with the other two sensors connected. I will leave that one disconnected for a few more days and see if that is it.

It is located in the LH side of the trunk behind the amp or disc changer.

There's no other electrical problems in the car and I got all the water out of the car. (shop vac and a sham-wow.)

Originally Posted by 87vert

I disconnected the inclination sensor and so far the alarm as not gone off with the other two sensors connected. I will leave that one disconnected for a few more days and see if that is it.

It is located in the LH side of the trunk behind the amp or disc changer.

There's no other electrical problems in the car and I got all the water out of the car. (shop vac and a sham-wow.)

That could be the problem, sensors do go bad sometimes.
Good Luck!

Originally Posted by Touring Dude

That could be the problem, sensors do go bad sometimes.
Good Luck!

no alarm so far. every now and then when I lock / unlock it does not chirp so I don't know if the alarm siren is also going bad.

hey, i had that problem to, it can possibly be the lock on the hood of the car that needs to get replaced, theres a little button or switch where when the hood closes it catchs something to sit on, that can go bad over time. thats all i know, so there u have it, best of luck.

Can someone post a pic of the hood switch?

Originally Posted by kipsE36

Can someone post a pic of the hood switch?

I know this is seven months old, but for anyone searching...
Why does my alarm keep going off for no reason?

Originally Posted by jamesdc4

...for anyone searching...
Why does my alarm keep going off for no reason?

That's an excellent thread.

In fact, in the VERY best of E39 Links, we have your thread (and a few others) referenced for folks looking at alarm problems in the future:

- How to understand the BMW E39 EWS alarm drive-away protection system (1) (2) & troubleshoot the alarm & hood switch (1) (2) (3) (4) or replace the siren (1) or disable the unlock chirp (1) (2)

Originally Posted by QSilver7

I noticed something about a month ago about the hood alarm switch.

If yours is acting up...it may not be the switch's fault...it might be from the insulation on the hood. If you lower your hood slowly, you'll notice that the tip of the hood switch DOES NOT touch any of the exposed metal on the hood...but actually pushes up into the insulation on the hood.

If you look closely at the insulation just above the exposed metal section of the hood (where the microfilters would be located on the e38 7 series)...and it is worn away...this could be what's causing the hood sensor to false trigger the alarm siren. The switch may not be pressed down far enough.

You just saved me the cost of a new hood switch, thanks!

I took my insulation off a couple months back because it was beginning to sag and was touching the engine cover which had allowed the silver paint to be burned off of the cover and onto the insulation. Since then, I've had the same issue with my alarm going off seemingly at random and this has to be the best reason for as to why that would be that I've heard yet. I'm going to see if I can't either make the old insulation work or buy another piece that's either new or used but in better shape.