Alarm Randomly Going Off!

[jcrome04]

Well hello there guys 'n' gals!

I have this odd new issue on my 1997 LS400 with ~160k on the clock.

Yesterday my alarm randomly just started going off. It did this twice. The second time about 5min after it went off the first time.

And this morning I guess it went off again while I was in the shower.

Please tell me this isn't the begging of some huge electrical problem..... or a problem with the alarm system.... :(

[Threadcutter]

Well hello there guys 'n' gals!

I have this odd new issue on my 1997 LS400 with ~160k on the clock.

Yesterday my alarm randomly just started going off. It did this twice. The second time about 5min after it went off the first time.

And this morning I guess it went off again while I was in the shower.

Please tell me this isn't the begging of some huge electrical problem..... or a problem with the alarm system.... :(

Uhhh.........seems pretty obvious.....Stop taking showers!!!

I'll be here all night, tip your waitress!

[DrJfrmLA]

Well hello there guys 'n' gals!

I have this odd new issue on my 1997 LS400 with ~160k on the clock.

Yesterday my alarm randomly just started going off. It did this twice. The second time about 5min after it went off the first time.

And this morning I guess it went off again while I was in the shower.

Please tell me this isn't the begging of some huge electrical problem..... or a problem with the alarm system.... :(

More likely a problem with the key. Take the battery out of the key and see if the trouble stops. If it does, replace the battery in the key and see if the problem starts again. If it does, you got to replace the key or live without the remote functions.

If taking the battery out of the key doesn't stop the problem then all the nightmares you are imagining with the electrical system are about to come true. Just kidding--I have no idea what the electrical gremlins might be. You might try disconnecting the car battery and reconnecting it. Sometimes a hard reset of the whole system will cure the gremlins.

[eatingupblacktop]

Well hello there guys 'n' gals!

I have this odd new issue on my 1997 LS400 with ~160k on the clock.

Yesterday my alarm randomly just started going off. It did this twice. The second time about 5min after it went off the first time.

And this morning I guess it went off again while I was in the shower.

Please tell me this isn't the begging of some huge electrical problem..... or a problem with the alarm system.... :(

Is this why you're so excited by the possiblity of getting a Genesis? :chairshot:

Seriously, besides stopping your showers you could check that your "door lock/anti theft ecu" is securely in place. After doing the batt thing, try a few cycles of locking/unlocking the car. Also try locking up while inside the car. Then move/jiggle the ecu a bit to see if that triggers the alarm. If it does, you'll have to either get it tested and/or check the connections.

[jcrome04]

I know it could be a lot worse like some problems other people are having.... but what a pain in my a**!! <_<

I thought showering everyday was a good thing?

So are you saying I'd need a new KEY or a new remote?

Also yesterday.. I locked it from the outside with the key, and it still went off... So I'm assuming it's something to do with the system itself... :(

Where is the "door lock/anti-theft ECU"???

[Sean D.]

I know it could be a lot worse like some problems other people are having.... but what a pain in my a**!! <_<

I thought showering everyday was a good thing?

So are you saying I'd need a new KEY or a new remote?

Also yesterday.. I locked it from the outside with the key, and it still went off... So I'm assuming it's something to do with the system itself... :(

Where is the "door lock/anti-theft ECU"???

This happened with my 1995 LS and when I ended up taking it to the dealership the $ number they gave me was outrageous (don't remember what it was). So I took it to a local well respected alarm installer and had a new alarm put on the car for under $500 with keyless entry, AND auto trunk opening. This worked perfectly and still worked when I sold the car several years later. Just a thought...

[eatingupblacktop]

I know it could be a lot worse like some problems other people are having.... but what a pain in my a**!! <_<

I thought showering everyday was a good thing?

So are you saying I'd need a new KEY or a new remote?

Also yesterday.. I locked it from the outside with the key, and it still went off... So I'm assuming it's something to do with the system itself... :(

Where is the "door lock/anti-theft ECU"???

Maybe your car doesn't like the shampoo you using! :P

Did you try disonnecting the batt?

Could be something as simple as a door/jamb hood/trunk switch acting up.

Here's the location of the anti theft ecu on a gen1:

Could also be a transponder/amp prob:

http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_1997_LEXU...EAGKA_8424.html

[landar]

While I am not sure if you would get a meaningful code(s), I would hook up an OBDII reader to the port and

have it ready when the false alarm occurs. It might give clues to the perceived source for the alarm trip.

Tell you what (what?), I will hook my OBDII reader to my 98 and purposely trip the alarm and see if I get any codes.

Will report back later...after I take my wife out for Valentines dinner (I dont think it would be a wise idea to postpone the dinner

whilst I checked the alarm!) :P

[landar]

While I am not sure if you would get a meaningful code(s), I would hook up an OBDII reader to the port and

have it ready when the false alarm occurs. It might give clues to the perceived source for the alarm trip.

Tell you what (what?), I will hook my OBDII reader to my 98 and purposely trip the alarm and see if I get any codes.

Will report back later...after I take my wife out for Valentines dinner (I dont think it would be a wise idea to postpone the dinner

whilst I checked the alarm!) :P

Ok, I tripped the alarm with the OBDII reader connected and checked for any clues...notta one.

I found myself a little stumped trying to set off the alarm at first. I rolled the drivers window down, then

locked the car with the key fob and waited for the alarm to arm. Then I reached in and pulled on the door handle...nuttin.

Ok, I pressed the unlock button...nuttin. Ok, I tried pulling the trunk release...nuttin. Ok, hood release...it did unlatch the

hood but again, no alarm. Then I went to the front of the car and started opening the hood...bingo! Good thing because breaking all the

windows was next on the list

I put the key into the ignition and turned it to silence the horns, performed a scan but got no codes. I would have thought the engineers would have

made provision to store some sort of anti-theft code like "Alarm: hood latch" but apparently not. :(

[eatingupblacktop]

While I am not sure if you would get a meaningful code(s), I would hook up an OBDII reader to the port and

have it ready when the false alarm occurs. It might give clues to the perceived source for the alarm trip.

Tell you what (what?), I will hook my OBDII reader to my 98 and purposely trip the alarm and see if I get any codes.

Will report back later...after I take my wife out for Valentines dinner (I dont think it would be a wise idea to postpone the dinner

whilst I checked the alarm!) :P

What a guy! Now this is membership at it's finest! Lots of props to Landar (and his wife). Enjoy your evening and hope your alarm doesn't go off during dinner. :P

[amcdonal86]

WAIT!!!!! I stumbled upon an interesting discovery and immediately thought of this thread. Apparently it could have something to do with faulty "courtesy switches".

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/electrical/fcourtesy.html

This is one of the first things I fixed after I bought my car. The symptoms were a slow drain on the battery and the factory alarm went off randomly. I replaced these in the middle off a Minnesota winter, it was cold! Also, I did this almost a year ago so a few things may be slightly off. The hardest part about doing this was unplugging the wiring connectors since they're sort of tucked away.

Sounds like something could be slowly draining your battery.

[jcrome04]

You know what...

I installed LEDs in my interior. And I noticed at night that the foot well and key ring lights don't turn off 100%...

I can't imagine that being a HUGE drain on the battery...Who knows maybe my switches ARE bad..

[jcrome04]

Oh.. and FYI...

There are no door pins on the 2nd gen.... <_< so where would the door sensor be? Near the hinge with the rest of the wiring?

It just did it again.... boy I'm getting sick of this :censored:

I'm not going to pay the local dealer to look it over. They will BS around for hours and hours for $75/ hour. And there are no local shops that specialize in Lexus..

#$%&(*%(*#&@$^^%$#*&^(&*&^%@$#&

[amcdonal86]

Oh.. and FYI...

There are no door pins on the 2nd gen.... <_< so where would the door sensor be? Near the hinge with the rest of the wiring?

It just did it again.... boy I'm getting sick of this :censored:

I'm not going to pay the local dealer to look it over. They will BS around for hours and hours for $75/ hour. And there are no local shops that specialize in Lexus..

#$%&(*%(*#&@$^^%$#*&^(&*&^%@$#&

Take it to a Toyota specialist. ;)

[jcrome04]

I might have to... I bet even the Toyota techs around here have barely worked on Lexus'.

I have the batery disconnected as we speak... hopefully this will fix something...

[jcrome04]

I disconnected the battery for a while, and reconnected it.

I locked the car remotely... and guess what.... It just started going off 30 seconds after locking it..

I got to looking at my key fob. And it says "CANADA" all over the back... WTF??

Maybe a previous owner reprogrammed a used Canadian key fob cause he didn't want to buy one brand new??

[eatingupblacktop]

I disconnected the battery for a while, and reconnected it.

I locked the car remotely... and guess what.... It just started going off 30 seconds after locking it..

I got to looking at my key fob. And it says "CANADA" all over the back... WTF??

Maybe a previous owner reprogrammed a used Canadian key fob cause he didn't want to buy one brand new??

Hey don't forget, Canada's cool, so are Canadian fobs, just maybe not for US cars! :P What happens if you take out the batt in the fob and lockup with just the key?

[amcdonal86]

Mine also has CANADA all over the back. I think it's just indicating Canada's equivalent of the FCC ID.

[jcrome04]

I've just been manually locking the lock by the door handle and things seem to have been fine...

If I get an aftermarket alarm installed will it override the stock alarm system?

I have an alarm system in my closet from my old LS. a Clifford Matrix system with remote start...

[amcdonal86]

Is there a way to test for a parasitic drain on the battery?

[jcrome04]

MSRP for a fully loaded 2010 Genesis Coupe is ~$26g....

It's looking better and better :D

[amcdonal86]

Stop talking like that!!!!!!! :chairshot: :chairshot:

[jcrome04]

Well it did it again... with the battery out of the fob... so I guess that's not the problem.

Ok ok I'm sorry for talking like that... let me try again...

2010 Ford Fusion Sport .... mmm.... NOW we're talking :D AND I could help stimulate the American economy while I'm at it :D

[eatingupblacktop]

Well it did it again... with the battery out of the fob... so I guess that's not the problem.

Ok ok I'm sorry for talking like that... let me try again...

2010 Ford Fusion Sport .... mmm.... NOW we're talking :D AND I could help stimulate the American economy while I'm at it :D

Too bad it wasn't as simple as the fob. I guess your back to checking the system. As I posted earlier, have the transponder/amp and anti theft ecu checked. As for hooking up an aftermarket, careful with the intallation or you could have even worse probs, like not getting in. I would also try Landar's suggestion.

[jcrome04]

I don't have a code reader. And It happens so randomly I can't just be sitting here ready to run when it goes off.

This is really making me mad...

there are no door pins to check..

The list of things keeps getting longer.....

I'm SO ready to get a new car. I'm VERY interested in the new Fusions... Sport model starting at $25g ;)