Motion sensor issue
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,486
Likes: 109
Motion sensor issue
The motion sensor alarms when my dogs are left in the car even though I am extremely careful to make sure that the light is on on the Intrusion and Inclination Sensors Disable Switch (page 39 in the owner's manual for my 2016 Stingray). And yes, I know that when you press the door lock button it turns off the Intrusion and Inclination Sensors Disable Switch, so my routine is to open the door, press the lock button, press the Intrusion and Inclination Sensors Disable Switch, triple check that the light on the Intrusion and Inclination Sensors Disable Switch is lit, then I get out, check the Intrusion and Inclination Sensors Disable Switch light again, check the door lock switch light again for good measure, then close the door. A bit more than 50% of the time, the dogs moving around in the car will set off the motion sensor.
WTF?
Am I doing something wrong?
Is anybody else having the problem?
Can I disable this piece of crap altogether?
Any helpful advice is appreciated by me and my dogs. (They are a pair of Great Pyrenees, in case it matters.*)
* I'm pulling your leg about the dogs. They're actually 16lb dogs. But I'm pretty sure size doesn't matter in this case.
.
WTF?
Am I doing something wrong?
Is anybody else having the problem?
Can I disable this piece of crap altogether?
Any helpful advice is appreciated by me and my dogs. (They are a pair of Great Pyrenees, in case it matters.*)
* I'm pulling your leg about the dogs. They're actually 16lb dogs. But I'm pretty sure size doesn't matter in this case.
.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 4,362
From: Chirper Island
Funny, because my first thought is that the dogs were big enough to trigger inclination alarm anyway. 
Try doing only one instead of all?
When I leave a passenger in the car, I turn the ACC on, which does triple duty of allowing the passenger to choose music, disables the alarm, and allows the fuel door to be opened and shut. I doubt the dogs care about the music.
Try doing only one instead of all?
When I leave a passenger in the car, I turn the ACC on, which does triple duty of allowing the passenger to choose music, disables the alarm, and allows the fuel door to be opened and shut. I doubt the dogs care about the music.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,486
Likes: 109
Funny, because my first thought is that the dogs were big enough to trigger inclination alarm anyway.
Try doing only one instead of all?
When I leave a passenger in the car, I turn the ACC on, which does triple duty of allowing the passenger to choose music, disables the alarm, and allows the fuel door to be opened and shut. I doubt the dogs care about the music.
Try doing only one instead of all?
When I leave a passenger in the car, I turn the ACC on, which does triple duty of allowing the passenger to choose music, disables the alarm, and allows the fuel door to be opened and shut. I doubt the dogs care about the music.
Try doing only one instead of all?
I don't understand what you mean about one vs all.
When I leave a passenger in the car, I turn the ACC on, which does triple duty of allowing the passenger to choose music, disables the alarm, and allows the fuel door to be opened and shut.
Interesting idea and will be appreciated by my occasional non-canine passenger (I usually carry non-canines in one of my other cars).
I looked up ACC mode in the 2016 owner's manual and found this on page 177:
"ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber Indicator Light) : This mode allows the use of some electrical accessories when the engine is off. With the ignition off, pressing the button one time without the brake pedal applied will place the ignition system in ACC/ACCESSORY.
The ignition will switch from ACC/ACCESSORY to OFF after five minutes to prevent battery rundown."
Five minutes isn't long enough. I don't leave the dogs in there for very long, but it might be more than 5 minutes.
What happens to your passengers after 5 minutes, when the ignition turns off?
Also, maybe the 5 minutes thing is a clue. Maybe the motion sensor can only be disabled for 5 minutes and the dogs set off the alarm thereafter?
.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 4,362
From: Chirper Island
It seemed like you are pushing a lot of buttons, which may be undoing what you are attempting. Try opening door, pressing the sensor disable button only once, get out and shut the door, press lock on your fob (if you don't have passive locking set up).
The motion sensor button disables it for the ignition cycle, so when properly disabled (pressed only once), it should not re-arm.
Hopefully, I'm making more sense.
The motion sensor button disables it for the ignition cycle, so when properly disabled (pressed only once), it should not re-arm.
Hopefully, I'm making more sense.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 4,362
From: Chirper Island
The DIC should also briefly show a message that says MOTION SENSOR OFF.
eta: It sounds like you are disarming it correctly, so logic says it's malfunctioning, which should be looked at by the dealer. Good Luck!
eta: It sounds like you are disarming it correctly, so logic says it's malfunctioning, which should be looked at by the dealer. Good Luck!
Last edited by owc6; Feb 23, 2018 at 10:04 AM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,486
Likes: 109
I have seen that message before, but it doesn't usually show up. I "believe" I have seen it once or twice with the ignition off, but cannot replicate that experience. Does yours say Motion Sensor Off if you press the button with the ignition off? If I press the button with the ignition on, I'll get the message, but when I turn off the ignition and press the lock button on the doors, the light on the switch goes out.
Thank you for the reality check.
eta: It sounds like you are disarming it correctly, so logic says it's malfunctioning, which should be looked at by the dealer. Good Luck!
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 4,362
From: Chirper Island
I've never tried it with the motor running, so I don't know if it will actually allow it to (dis)arm the system. The OM says the vehicle must be off. Maybe, that's the problem you are having? Sometimes, it's hard to help over the internet.
"With the vehicle turned off, press "off" on the right side of the hatch release button. The indicator light will come on momentarily, indicating that these sensors have been disabled for the next alarm system arming cycle."
Maybe, someone else will chime in to give a new perspective from their experience.
"With the vehicle turned off, press "off" on the right side of the hatch release button. The indicator light will come on momentarily, indicating that these sensors have been disabled for the next alarm system arming cycle."
Maybe, someone else will chime in to give a new perspective from their experience.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,486
Likes: 109
For the record, if I press the sensor-disable button when the motor is running, the DIC messages "Motion Sensor On" and if I press it again it messages "Motion Sensor Off"
And I get the feeling the dealer isn't going to be able to figure out this issue. Maybe I'm just pessimistic, but an intermittent problem with disabling the motion detector just doesn't seem like something they're going to fix.
I'm going to try to see if I can consistently repeat the problem with me in the car so I can tell the dealer how to verify.
Thank you for your suggestions.
And I get the feeling the dealer isn't going to be able to figure out this issue. Maybe I'm just pessimistic, but an intermittent problem with disabling the motion detector just doesn't seem like something they're going to fix.
I'm going to try to see if I can consistently repeat the problem with me in the car so I can tell the dealer how to verify.
Thank you for your suggestions.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
Likes: 9,821
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
I can turn the motion sensor off after I have turned off the car. I trailer my car and when I forget to turn it off the horn starts blaring as I pull away from a stop. If I am someplace where I can can get out of the truck and walk back to the car I open the door, push the motion sensor button (you will hear a beep), close the door and let it lock automatically while I am walking back to the truck. The motion sensor is off until the next time I start the car.
Bill
Bill
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,486
Likes: 109
Thanks for that info, Bill.
That seems like the way it should work. One key difference between your setup and mine is that your car is configured to lock automatically and mine is configured not to do that.
Maybe I'll set it to auto-lock and see if that cures the problem.
That seems like the way it should work. One key difference between your setup and mine is that your car is configured to lock automatically and mine is configured not to do that.
Maybe I'll set it to auto-lock and see if that cures the problem.
Le Mans Master
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From: St. Peters MO
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Maybe I’m wrong but my understanding is that when you push the disable button it will turn off the motion sensor BUT when you lock the vehicle after it is disabled, it will activate the alarm again including the motion sensor.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,486
Likes: 109
That is in fact the case.
But if you lock the door first, then press the sensor-disable button, the sensor-disable button's light stays on.
Thus my practice is to open the door, press the lock button on the door, press the sensor-disable button on the lower left dash, get out of the car, double-check that the sensor-disable button is still lit, check that the door lock light is still on, if yes to both questions then close the door.
Reminds me of this Monty Python routine from the Meaning of Life:
HUMPHREY: All right, settle down. Settle down. [clunk] Now, before I begin the lesson, will those of you who are playing in the match this afternoon move your clothes down onto the lower peg immediately after lunch, before you write your letter home, if you're not getting your hair cut, unless you've got a younger brother who is going out this weekend as the guest of another boy, in which case, collect his note before lunch, put it in your letter after you've had your hair cut, and make sure he moves your clothes down onto the lower peg for you. Now,--
WYMER: Sir?
HUMPHREY: Yes, Wymer?
WYMER: My younger brother's going out with Dibble this weekend, sir, but I'm not having my hair cut today, sir.
PUPILS: [chuckling]
WYMER: So, do I move my clothes down, or--
HUMPHREY: I do wish you'd listen, Wymer. It's perfectly simple. If you're not getting your hair cut, you don't have to move your brother's clothes down to the lower peg. You simply collect his note before lunch, after you've done your scripture prep, when you've written your letter home, before rest, move your own clothes onto the lower peg, greet the visitors, and report to Mr. Viney that you've had your chit signed. Now, sex. Sex, sex, sex. Where were we? [sniff] Well, had I got as far as the ***** entering the vagina?
(Runtime 1 minute)
But if you lock the door first, then press the sensor-disable button, the sensor-disable button's light stays on.
Thus my practice is to open the door, press the lock button on the door, press the sensor-disable button on the lower left dash, get out of the car, double-check that the sensor-disable button is still lit, check that the door lock light is still on, if yes to both questions then close the door.
Reminds me of this Monty Python routine from the Meaning of Life:
HUMPHREY: All right, settle down. Settle down. [clunk] Now, before I begin the lesson, will those of you who are playing in the match this afternoon move your clothes down onto the lower peg immediately after lunch, before you write your letter home, if you're not getting your hair cut, unless you've got a younger brother who is going out this weekend as the guest of another boy, in which case, collect his note before lunch, put it in your letter after you've had your hair cut, and make sure he moves your clothes down onto the lower peg for you. Now,--
WYMER: Sir?
HUMPHREY: Yes, Wymer?
WYMER: My younger brother's going out with Dibble this weekend, sir, but I'm not having my hair cut today, sir.
PUPILS: [chuckling]
WYMER: So, do I move my clothes down, or--
HUMPHREY: I do wish you'd listen, Wymer. It's perfectly simple. If you're not getting your hair cut, you don't have to move your brother's clothes down to the lower peg. You simply collect his note before lunch, after you've done your scripture prep, when you've written your letter home, before rest, move your own clothes onto the lower peg, greet the visitors, and report to Mr. Viney that you've had your chit signed. Now, sex. Sex, sex, sex. Where were we? [sniff] Well, had I got as far as the ***** entering the vagina?