lance_b_1

Hello all, this is my first post to the forum but I joined back in March when I got my first Vette, a 2001 Convertible. I have learned and diagnosed so many problems with the help of the forum, and now have a 1994 I am putting a lot of work into and using as a daily driver.

One thing I haven't been able to find any info on is the problem I am having with the alarm system. I had some issues with the door ajar sensor and have cleaned and adjusted those, so the alarm no longer goes off after I start to walk away after locking the doors. But, I have had it malfunction on me several times since. I will lock the door with the electric lock button and arm the system, then when I come back and open the door with the key, I carefully turn it all the way right then back up vertical. I get in, start the car, THEN the alarm goes off? Seems kind of a pointless system if it allows the car to start with the alarm sounding. I have a pellet in my key, so I can only assume the ignition should recognize this.
I then have to turn the key off, reach out with my door key and turn the lock in the door to disable it. I haven't tried to do this without turning off the ignition though.

I know when the alarm WILL go off, because after I unlock the door and get in, the security light is solid instead of blinking, and it will stay on solid after I start it and I can hear the relays clicking.

I did not get the PKE fob when I bought the car. Does it sound like somebody installed a bypass? And if so why would the alarm wait to sound until I actually start the car and can drive away. For now I have the horns disconnected, but would like to fix this or at least bypass it so I can use the horn as a safety feature.

Where should I start? thanks!

Eilias

Does the alarm always sound when entering the vehicle? I know with mine it occasionally will sound the horns after I start my car, but this is at most once a month it happens. When it does I just kill the car and restart it, normally cuts the alarm off for me. YMMV.

The ignition key is one of the ways to disarm the alarm, along with the door key and the PKE fob (which is what I normally use). When you unlock your car, do the interior lights turn on?

lance_b_1

yes- when I unlock the door with the key, the interior lights go on. I turn it back to vertical, remove the key and get in. The alarm has never sounded when I actually open it and get in. It only seems to go sound when I start the car. Today, I started the car with the security light lit solid and the relay clicking, and with the car running, put the door key in the exterior lock and turned it to turn the security light off (while it was running). It seems like there is a problem with the electric door locks or switch most likely?

lance_b_1

come to think of it- all the times I have had this problem with the alarm going off when I start the car- it was after I unlocked the door with the key, then got in and unlocked the passenger door using the electric switch rather than reaching over and pulling the lock forward. Perhaps there is a problem in the driver side electric switch that arms the alarm?

lance_b_1

I had an email saying there was a response but I don't see it here- so I pasted it: " There are three CCM fuses in the end of dash fuse panel. Check that all three are good.. If = YES, report back.
Also how long had it been since engine last ran before using inside power lock button? ( Magic number is 20 minutes).
Does alarm sound when key is INSERTED, or only after it is CRANKED? "

I checked the CCM fuses, they are good- however, ALL the fuses are corroded, both in the end of the passenger side of the dash and under the hood. I am strongly suspecting this car was in a flood, or sat outside with the top off for a while. I will stop the engine, take the key out, get out, the Security light is flashing, I lock the door with the electronic lock, it goes solid, shut the door. That is withing 20 seconds rather than minutes. I have come back anywhere from between 20 minutes and an hour, and when I put the key in and actually crank it, the car starts, that's when it goes off.

I have been playing around and reaching over and unlocking the passenger door with the manual slide lever, and it has not gone off doing that. I am leaning at this point towards a problem with the auto lock switch?

thanks for the help so far!