First problem with the 1985
07-03-2013, 11:27 AM
#1
Advanced
Thread Starter
First problem with the 1985
So thought it would be nice to take the vette to good ol Walmart today. Getting out of the car I slide the door locks over to lock the doors. Go in grab what I need. Come out unlock the doors with my keys, open the door and the alarm goes off.... Who knew a 28 year old car had one.. Had any one else come across this problem? Any fuses I can pull to just eliminate the alarm?
07-03-2013, 12:08 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
So thought it would be nice to take the vette to good ol Walmart today. Getting out of the car I slide the door locks over to lock the doors. Go in grab what I need. Come out unlock the doors with my keys, open the door and the alarm goes off.... Who knew a 28 year old car had one.. Had any one else come across this problem? Any fuses I can pull to just eliminate the alarm?
Won't go off if you know how to use it.
07-03-2013, 12:14 PM
#3
This happened on my 85 I had years ago. I neve could get it to work right so I just started using the key to lock the door after I was out of the car with the door shut. This keeps the alarm from being armed in the first place. Mine was actually so bad that I would have to disconnect the battery to disarm the alarm to be able to start the car.
07-03-2013, 12:22 PM
#4
Advanced
Thread Starter
This happened on my 85 I had years ago. I neve could get it to work right so I just started using the key to lock the door after I was out of the car with the door shut. This keeps the alarm from being armed in the first place. Mine was actually so bad that I would have to disconnect the battery to disarm the alarm to be able to start the car.
07-03-2013, 05:09 PM
#8
Racer
07-04-2013, 12:39 AM
#9
Melting Slicks
Yeah i noticed that alarm in my 85 when i first got it.
To enable that use the lock door button before closing door, then use the key on the door lock to unlock the car and cancel the alarm before opening door.
If the alarm goes of usually putting the key in the door and turning it will cancel the alarm.
If you lock the car with the key the alarm is not activated.
Anyway i never use it due to auto arming imobiliser required for insurance here in Australia, have a remote central locking key fob for the aftermarket alarm.
To enable that use the lock door button before closing door, then use the key on the door lock to unlock the car and cancel the alarm before opening door.
If the alarm goes of usually putting the key in the door and turning it will cancel the alarm.
If you lock the car with the key the alarm is not activated.
Anyway i never use it due to auto arming imobiliser required for insurance here in Australia, have a remote central locking key fob for the aftermarket alarm.
07-04-2013, 03:19 PM
#11
Le Mans Master
07-06-2013, 02:25 PM
#12
Advanced
Thread Starter
just getting back to the forum after the 4th. but car does not have power door locks. i will have to play around with it. maybe it was a freak thing. never had the problem before and my uncle being the previous owner never had the problem.
07-06-2013, 04:49 PM
#15
Drifting
1986 is the year when "VATS" was introduced. They should have never used it.
07-08-2013, 12:50 AM
#17
5th Gear
Member Since: Jun 2013
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Had a similar problem. I have an '84 with the 4+3 manual transmission. Left the window open and reached in to unlock the door, alarm went off. Huh?
Truly was a surprise that one even existed. I got in, put key in ignition, clutch in, and started her up. Alarm went off.
I tried repeating the alarm going off but it wouldn't work. I figured out that if the car is in Reverse, the alarm is engaged ... and the ignition is locked until the clutch is in. If she's in any other gear, the alarm is not engaged, and check this out - you can start the car without the key ...
So, it's Reverse, and put the windows up and I'm good to go.
Or, I get the Starsky and Hutch mode: leave her in 1st, window down, jump in without opening the door, sans keys ... and I'm good to go
Truly was a surprise that one even existed. I got in, put key in ignition, clutch in, and started her up. Alarm went off.
I tried repeating the alarm going off but it wouldn't work. I figured out that if the car is in Reverse, the alarm is engaged ... and the ignition is locked until the clutch is in. If she's in any other gear, the alarm is not engaged, and check this out - you can start the car without the key ...
So, it's Reverse, and put the windows up and I'm good to go.
Or, I get the Starsky and Hutch mode: leave her in 1st, window down, jump in without opening the door, sans keys ... and I'm good to go
07-08-2013, 01:29 AM
#18
-Passenger side disarms the system just like the drivers side.
-Turning on the ignition has no effect, once system is triggered. The alarm will not cancel. Eventually the alarm will time-out, but it will reset, and the starter interrupt will be active until disarmed with an outside door lock key. EDIT: If the system is armed, then set by closing a door, but ignition is then turned to RUN (without opening a door or the hatch), the system is disarmed.
With manual door locks, the system is armed when both doors are locked using the inside ****, prior to the last door being closed.
To disarm the system, use either outside key lock and unlock the door.
The "SECURITY" light in the DIC indicates system status:
Flashing = System disarmed, door open.
Goes solid = armed, waiting for door to close.
Light goes out a few seconds after last door closed = system is active.
It seems like the OP's drivers outside key lock switch is not functioning to disarm the system. Try it with the passenger side key lock.
All C4 factory theft deterrent systems work this way. Later years have some oddities like park lights will trigger alarm, and PKE cars will let you pop the hatch with the alarm set without triggering it.
VATS is an enhancement / improvement (?) over the simple starter interrupt on the 84-85. VATS and PKE don't change the way the system is armed or disarmed with the door locks and outside keys, nor the way the security light indicates system status. That's the same for all C4's.
-Turning on the ignition has no effect, once system is triggered. The alarm will not cancel. Eventually the alarm will time-out, but it will reset, and the starter interrupt will be active until disarmed with an outside door lock key. EDIT: If the system is armed, then set by closing a door, but ignition is then turned to RUN (without opening a door or the hatch), the system is disarmed.
With manual door locks, the system is armed when both doors are locked using the inside ****, prior to the last door being closed.
To disarm the system, use either outside key lock and unlock the door.
The "SECURITY" light in the DIC indicates system status:
Flashing = System disarmed, door open.
Goes solid = armed, waiting for door to close.
Light goes out a few seconds after last door closed = system is active.
It seems like the OP's drivers outside key lock switch is not functioning to disarm the system. Try it with the passenger side key lock.
All C4 factory theft deterrent systems work this way. Later years have some oddities like park lights will trigger alarm, and PKE cars will let you pop the hatch with the alarm set without triggering it.
VATS is an enhancement / improvement (?) over the simple starter interrupt on the 84-85. VATS and PKE don't change the way the system is armed or disarmed with the door locks and outside keys, nor the way the security light indicates system status. That's the same for all C4's.
Last edited by DaveP85C4; 07-08-2013 at 01:44 AM.
07-08-2013, 12:13 PM
#19
""Once the system is triggered" turning on the ignition has NO effect.
VATS includes an output to the ECM to enable injector fueling. The output signal sent is an asymmetrical square wave pulse that can be duplicated with Radio Shack components, but not by the average car thief. The Starter Interrupt on the 84-85 can be defeated with a set of alligator clips. That's what I meant by "improvement".
Back in the day, "that little pellet" probably prevented numerous Y and F cars from being stolen by popping the steering column by thief's that weren't willing to deal with the "pellet". I was told this by a guy that enhanced his income by providing car parts at discount prices. I inquired about obtaining a set of wheels from a 90. (This was in about 95) He quipped "No man. Those years have the little thing in the key. They're too hard to steal".
True story.
VATS includes an output to the ECM to enable injector fueling. The output signal sent is an asymmetrical square wave pulse that can be duplicated with Radio Shack components, but not by the average car thief. The Starter Interrupt on the 84-85 can be defeated with a set of alligator clips. That's what I meant by "improvement".
Back in the day, "that little pellet" probably prevented numerous Y and F cars from being stolen by popping the steering column by thief's that weren't willing to deal with the "pellet". I was told this by a guy that enhanced his income by providing car parts at discount prices. I inquired about obtaining a set of wheels from a 90. (This was in about 95) He quipped "No man. Those years have the little thing in the key. They're too hard to steal".
True story.
07-08-2013, 12:42 PM
#20
My responses in RED:
Where did you get this information?
From testing the alarm system on hundreds of C4 Corvettes during NCRS Operations checks. From the GM Helm's Manuals. From my 85's Owner's Manual. From the way my 85 (same year as OP's car) has functioned since I took delivery of it new on June 7, 1985.
It's wrong on all counts.
No its not.
The passenger side door has nothing at all to do with arming or disarming the alarm system.
Yes it does.
You can turn it all day and the alarm won't be disarmed.
Only if it's not working properly.
Turning the "ignition on" or opening the "drivers side door" with a key is the only way do disarm the system once it's set or triggered.
No they're not. Understand there IS a difference between "set" and "triggered". Yes, driver's [or passenger] door will disarm a TRIGGERED system.
Turning the ignition on will cancel a "set" system, but will NOT cancel a "triggered" system. If it did, the starter interrupt would be ineffective, no?
The alarm WILL cancel when doing either one of those two things. That's how GM engineered it.
No they didn't "engineer" it that way. Read the Helms manuals as to how they're wired, and for the trouble shooting flow charts for properly evaluating the system's operation. Then if you have the opportunity, go check the validity of that documentation against the operation of hundreds of different C4's in the field.
As far as VATS? Enhancement or improvement are probably the two worst words that can be used for it.
I put a "?" in quotes. My way of "questioning" the 'wisdom' of the design. VATS is still an "enhancement" over starter interrupt. But could have probably have been better sorted-out prior to release.
Have a nice day.
From a n00b that knows how these cars are supposed to work.
Where did you get this information?
From testing the alarm system on hundreds of C4 Corvettes during NCRS Operations checks. From the GM Helm's Manuals. From my 85's Owner's Manual. From the way my 85 (same year as OP's car) has functioned since I took delivery of it new on June 7, 1985.
It's wrong on all counts.
No its not.
The passenger side door has nothing at all to do with arming or disarming the alarm system.
Yes it does.
You can turn it all day and the alarm won't be disarmed.
Only if it's not working properly.
Turning the "ignition on" or opening the "drivers side door" with a key is the only way do disarm the system once it's set or triggered.
No they're not. Understand there IS a difference between "set" and "triggered". Yes, driver's [or passenger] door will disarm a TRIGGERED system.
Turning the ignition on will cancel a "set" system, but will NOT cancel a "triggered" system. If it did, the starter interrupt would be ineffective, no?
The alarm WILL cancel when doing either one of those two things. That's how GM engineered it.
No they didn't "engineer" it that way. Read the Helms manuals as to how they're wired, and for the trouble shooting flow charts for properly evaluating the system's operation. Then if you have the opportunity, go check the validity of that documentation against the operation of hundreds of different C4's in the field.
As far as VATS? Enhancement or improvement are probably the two worst words that can be used for it.
I put a "?" in quotes. My way of "questioning" the 'wisdom' of the design. VATS is still an "enhancement" over starter interrupt. But could have probably have been better sorted-out prior to release.
From a n00b that knows how these cars are supposed to work.
Last edited by DaveP85C4; 07-08-2013 at 01:15 PM.