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newbie question

zapc

Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Messages
9
Location
ny
Corvette
1987 conv
Other than the vats system, is there a factory alarm that was available in the 87's. There is no telltale signs of an aftermarket alarm that was installed. I entered the car the other day, the horn started beeping, the car started but horn kept beeping. restarted car several times could not get horn to stop. finally stumbled upon turning on headlights which shut off beeping horn. also have not been able to reproduce. don't know what I did to arm it that one time.


thanx
 
Next time that happens...use the key in the door. try both sides in case one is malfuntioning.
 
The outside door lock cylinder is also a switch for the factory alarm system. VATS will disable the ignition and fuel pump and the horn will sound if either door is opened when the factory alarm is set. Using the power door locks to lock the doors or using the key to lock the driver's door sets the alarm.

The security module is located above the carpeted underdash panel on the passenger side. You can disable the system by simply removing the module.
 
Welcome to the:CAC

There's a wealth of info to be gained here and the members rock!!:_rock
 
The alarm can be set and go off, however if you trigger the vats, the car will not start for a certain amount of time. The vats system uses the resistor chip in your key. However my brother has a factory intalled no start. It is on the opposite side of the dash, in the same position as the fuse panel. It is a round key with notches. When activated the car will not start. I wasn't aware they had this option.

Craig
 
If you are having a problem with the factory alarm arming itself when you didn't arm it manually let me know... I just went round and round on my 92 and finally found the problem.

Welcome to the forum.
 
factory alarm

thanx for the replys

so how does it work?

how do you arm it?

I just purchased the car last week, haven't put it on the road yet,
I've been in & out of the car 2 dozen times, locked the doors with the door
using the keys and the power door lock button, but this happened only once.
what did the headlight switch have to do with disarming the system.

please be pretty specific guys, I am the newbie. great harley mechanic though!!!!


thanks again
 
zapc said:
thanx for the replys

so how does it work?

how do you arm it?

I just purchased the car last week, haven't put it on the road yet,
I've been in & out of the car 2 dozen times, locked the doors with the door
using the keys and the power door lock button, but this happened only once.
what did the headlight switch have to do with disarming the system.

please be pretty specific guys, I am the newbie. great harley mechanic though!!!!


thanks again


Let me start by saying I have a 92 and somethings maybe different.

To arm the system you either need to use the power lock button on the door or lock the car using the key in the lock cyl.

To disarm you need to unlock the car using the key only.

If you have a problem with the system arming itself that will be alittle harder to address.
I had this problem... I never set the factory security system because I have an aftermarket system that has a keyless entry key fob. I was unlocking the car with the key fob then opening the door and the factory security system would start sounding and I would have to put the key in the door to turn it off. I kind of did a process of elimination(I do not recomend) I started to look at the door switches on the key lock cyl's and I started at the pass door because I figured that if one would fail it would prob be one that hardly got used (I was wrong).
What I did was I unpluged the switche one at a time and drove the car a couple of days to see if it still happened. Well th elimination took me to the drivers door and when I unplugged that switch the problem went away so I purchased a new switch and installed it. Everything has been fine so far, it has only been 2 weeks.


Hope this helps
Dana
 
zapc said:
thanx for the replys

so how does it work?

how do you arm it?

I just purchased the car last week, haven't put it on the road yet,
I've been in & out of the car 2 dozen times, locked the doors with the door
using the keys and the power door lock button, but this happened only once.
what did the headlight switch have to do with disarming the system.

please be pretty specific guys, I am the newbie. great harley mechanic though!!!!


thanks again
It is armed whenever you exit the car and lock the doors either with the power locks or by using the key. Try this test. pop the rear hatch while inside the car and doors closed. Exit, lock the doors using the power locks and close the door. Now go close the rear hatch. The alarm will sound. To turn it off, use the door key and unlock the drivers door. It really doesn't require a seperate action to arm. You could call it a passive system almost.

Len:w
 
its a convertible, so i guess I could leave a window rolled down lock the doors and open it from the inside?
 
zapc said:
its a convertible, so i guess I could leave a window rolled down lock the doors and open it from the inside?
Yes... lock the door using the power locks with the window open. Close the door... wait 60 seconds or so, manually unlock the door by sliding the lock lever then open the door. To turn off insert the key in the lock and unlock the key cyl.
 
well I give up, can't get it to work at all from either door. guess I'll be putting in an aftermarket alarm.

thanx for the replys
 
Alarm system or PKE

I have a '95 so it may differ but here's how it works.

The alarm can be turned on and off (completely, not just shut off after it sounds) by holding down the 'door' button on the fob when the key is out of the ignition. Obviously the fob must be in range. When the 'door' button is depressed, the doors may unlock and the locks may twitch a little. You MUST continue holding the 'door' button until the locks cycle fully closed/open (typically 5-10 seconds).

This will 'arm' an inactive system or 'disarm' and active system.

Once the system is 'armed' the alarm may be triggered by the methods described in this string (lock with the fob, unlock by manually moving the slider on the door by reaching through a window - or just sit in the car and unlock manually).

Search "PKE" to find a lot more.

Hope this helps
PS My wife was really ticked the first time she exited the locked car after waiting 'too long' to run an erand. So I had to learn how to 'disarm' the PKE.
 
Zapc...I feel your pain, I've got an '87 convertible too...there is no rhyme or reason why the alarm sounds or doesn't...I've chalked it up to the bugs of a 17 year old car's technology….You got a great taste in cars though


zapc said:
well I give up, can't get it to work at all from either door. guess I'll be putting in an aftermarket alarm.

thanx for the replys
 
thanks for the reply jmccloud, but I don't have a keyfob for this car, nor do I think there was one untill the later year vettes.

thanks also to kenney, don't think theres too much specific to the 87 only, but would love any tips and avice you got for me


thanks

chris
 

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