Alarm Light Never Comes On

[chenner]

I'm a Viper newbie after having picked up a blue and white '96 GTS around 3 weeks ago. I searched this forum quite a bit but can't seem to find an answer to my problem. Ever since I got the car the alarm light has never come on. Locking and unlocking the car with the key fob works fine. Beeps once when locking and twice when unlocking as it should. I just figured that the light must have died. Well tonight I was following the instructions on programming a new key fob when the alarm light came on! Threw me for a surprise! Okay, so now that I know that the light works why the hell won't it come on when I lock the car?

Any ideas?

 

[dave6666]

Hood or hatch switch check operation and/or adjustment

 

[DarcShadow]

I had that problem with the hatch switch. One the drivers side (I believe) strut there is a cap like thing fitted around it. Be sure that it doesn't slide up or down on the strut and that when the hatch is closed the larger part of the strut slides all the way into the cap thing and clsoes the switch.

 

[chenner]

Thanks for the replies guys. I went out and checked both the hatch and hood switch and everything appears to be fine. It catches as it should and there's nothing sliding up and down the hatch strut.

Any other ideas?

 

[dave6666]

How did you verify the switch on the hood and the switch on the hatch trip the contacts when the hood is closed and the hatch is closed respectively? This has nothing to do with whether your hood closes properly or the rear hatch closes properly.

Per my original post... Hood or hatch switch check operation and/or adjustment

The switches are adjustable and can fail.

 

[chenner]

How did you verify the switch on the hood and the switch on the hatch trip the contacts when the hood is closed and the hatch is closed respectively? This has nothing to do with whether your hood closes properly or the rear hatch closes properly.

Per my original post... Hood or hatch switch check operation and/or adjustment

The switches are adjustable and can fail.

That's a very good question. How exactly do I verify the switch on the hood and hatch? Other than a visual inspection is there an actual way that it can be tested?

 

[Steve-Indy]

Before we get too focused...I have a BASIC question for you, chenner: After locking your car with the fob, have you tried to activate the alsrm by opening the hood or hatch to determine if the alarm does anything at all?? I have seen a 2001 GTS that had a similar problem...doors locked/unlocked with fob, but alarm did not function...admitting that the 2001 is different for a couple of reasons.

Please try above "test" when you can and let us know.

 

[coupe]

After arming the alarm and getting the "honk," do you get the confirmation "honk" 15 seconds later? It is supposed to do that, then it's actually "armed" and the dash LED will do it's flash routine.

If yours isn't doing this, then something is probably keeping the KEM (Keyless Entry Module) alive and telling it to not arm. Most likely a hood switch or a hatch switch as stated. Try unplugging those switches and check it. If this is what's happening, you may also be having a battery drain issue. Mine was doing the things that I mentioned. Also a 96 GTS.

 

[chenner]

Before we get too focused...I have a BASIC question for you, chenner: After locking your car with the fob, have you tried to activate the alsrm by opening the hood or hatch to determine if the alarm does anything at all?? I have seen a 2001 GTS that had a similar problem...doors locked/unlocked with fob, but alarm did not function...admitting that the 2001 is different for a couple of reasons.

Please try above "test" when you can and let us know.

Good idea. I'll give this a try tomorrow!

 

[chenner]

After arming the alarm and getting the "honk," do you get the confirmation "honk" 15 seconds later? It is supposed to do that, then it's actually "armed" and the dash LED will do it's flash routine.

If yours isn't doing this, then something is probably keeping the KEM (Keyless Entry Module) alive and telling it to not arm. Most likely a hood switch or a hatch switch as stated. Try unplugging those switches and check it. If this is what's happening, you may also be having a battery drain issue. Mine was doing the things that I mentioned. Also a 96 GTS.

The car only does the initial honk after the door has been locked. What is the battery draining issue? The car had a new batter installed 6 months ago but it just ran out of juice the other day after sitting for 8 days. Can this be related?

 

[dave6666]

My 2001 honks only once when arming, and once when disarming. When I had the hatch switch misadjusted after replacing the cylinders, the alarm worked as normal (or so it appeared) but the red dash light did not blink. I adjusted the switch on the gas cylinder to work correctly and the dash light blinked upon arming again.

BTW, with a few extra hands, you can manually set the switches with the hood and hatch opened to test the red light. Push the hood plunger switch down and take a small object and activate the reed switch on the hatch.

 

[chenner]

So I checked to see if the alarm was arming and, like most suspected, it is not. Did some more searching last night and you guys are on the money - must be the switch on the hood or hatch.

Dave, can you tell me what the switch looks like? I was looking around the hood latch today and was hoping for some obvious wires running into a switch but no such luck. So I basically have no idea what it looks like which makes it a challenge to fix!

 

[dave6666]

Hood switch - passenger side - plunger switch - right by the hood loop latch on the chassis. The hatch switch is in the driver side gas cylinder.

 

[chenner]

Great, I'll take a look this weekend. Thanks!

 

[chenner]

So......Dave! It turned out that it was the hood switch (didn't see it back there). I've tested it by holding it down and setting the alarm. The light came on and the car chirped again 15 seconds later when the light started flashing. I've tried adjusting the rubber stop beside it even turning it into the lowest position but the hood will still not make contact with the switch. There doesn't appear to be a way to extend the switch.

Any idea what I should do next?

 

[Steve-Indy]

Stick an adhesive backed rubber or heavy felt pad on top of switch to extend length...found at any hardware store...often called "sliding pads".

 

[chenner]

Cool, I will look into that the next time I'm at the store. In the meantime I have unplugged the switch so the alarm is now arming. I figure those who know how to open the hood on these cars will also be under the impression that the alarm will be triggered if done.

Thanks Steve.

 

[Steve-Indy]

Thanks to Dave !!

 

[dave6666]

I thought the switch was on an adjustable threaded barrel. Maybe not it sounds. However, I think the rubber stop you were tinkering with is one of the actual hood adjustment features. Like body panel alignment kind of thing. I would get that back to where it was lol.

 

[chenner]

Dave - YOU ARE THE MAN.

After reading your post I picked up the switch and played around with it. It "appears" to be threaded but it's actually not. I loosened and slid down the retainer, put the switch in a vice, and lightly tapped the ring around the switch to raise the plunger up. Put it back in the car and voila!

Here's a pic of the actual switch after I was able to raise the plunger:

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In case anybody runs into this in the future and comes across this thread the switch does have to be removed in order to raise the actual plunger.

Thanks again Dave!

 

[Steve-Indy]

Thanks, chenner !!

 

[coupe]

Your battery should appreciate you for the fix too. It is a related issue.

 

[dave6666]

Looks like you Armorall'd it too. Poser