Will Someone Please Stop The Horn!

[Patrick]

Well, I had an experience this morning, and learned something about my '90 in the process. This is a little story I just had to share...

Yesterday, I took her on her first road trip. A co-worker was getting married, and the ceremony was down in Colorado Springs, and it was one of those long ceremonies. Between that, and stopping for a late dinner with some friends (the reception is actually tonight), it was close to 11:00 before I hit the road to head home. Very nice drive home with the top down, no clouds on a starry night, temps in the mid-60's. I took highway 83 up, and enjoyed the ride!

Cut to this morning. After getting up, I make a quick trip to the grocery store for some OJ and other provisions. Now, here's where my usual habits didn't serve me. The '90 apparently never came with a factory key fob, and after years of having cars with key fobs, I've gotten into the habit of using the key fob to lock and unlock the door. Not having a key fob for the '90, I just shut the door and walked away, leaving it unlocked. (Yes, I know- what was I thinking? But it was early, the parking lot was empty, and I was virtually the only one in the store.)

I'm in and out of the store in about 10 minutes, and go to start up and drive back home. I put the key in the ignition and turn- the horn starts blaring, the security light stays on solidly, and there isn't anything happening with the ignition. I take the key out. The horn keeps honking. I get out and open up the hood. The horn keeps honking. I fiddle with the wires around the battery. The horn keeps honking. I go over and look at the fuses in the fuse box. And the HORN KEEPS HONKING!

After about five minutes of the horn honking, it stops, but the Security light remains solidly lit. Okay... time to try some trouble shooting. (Bear in mind that when I got the car, it did not have an owners manual with it, and I've been pestering the dealer I bought it from to get me one.) Cursing the dealer for not moving fast enough to provide me with a manual, I look around at everything I can think of which might be a contributing factor. Scratching my head, not being able to find anything, I get back in and try turning the key. Still nothing.

I get back out, and... THE HORN STARTS HONKING AGAIN! This was passing irritating, it was becoming embarassing. Other cars were starting to file into the parking lot, and people were staring. And they weren't staring to admire the car.

In a fit of frustration, I disconnect the horn. At least it's silent, but I can hear the clicking as the car is trying mutely to sound the alarm.

Well, I figured, let's see what a phone call can do. I take out my cell phone, walk over to the phone booth, and look up the number of the nearest Chevrolet dealer. (As a matter of interest, in case anyone followed my thread last year about being a site planner on a car dealership, this was the closest Chevy dealer, so I called them.) The service department was open, and I explained my problem to them.

In less than 15 seconds, they had diagnosed that by not locking my doors, when I let the car sit with the doors unlocked, and then tried to start it, I had thrown the car into "theft deterrent mode." And they told me that to fix it, I needed to lock the doors, and then use the key to unlock them. It worked like a charm. The car fired up immediately. And best of all, when I reconnected the wires to the horn, there was blissful silence!

All of this could have been avoided if I had gotten an owners manual with the car. Since the dealer is dragging their feet on getting me one, I think I'm just going to have to visit the Helm, Inc. website and order one for myself. But I at least learned one important thing about how my factory theft system works (and I can attest that it functions quite well with the horn.)

-Patrick

 

[KOPBET]

You want me to buy it for you too? :L

CLICK

 

[KOPBET]

In less than 15 seconds, they had diagnosed that by not locking my doors, when I let the car sit with the doors unlocked, and then tried to start it, I had thrown the car into "theft deterrent mode." And they told me that to fix it, I needed to lock the doors, and then use the key to unlock them. It worked like a charm. The car fired up immediately. And best of all, when I reconnected the wires to the horn, there was blissful silence!

-Patrick

While I agree with the outcome, I disagree with the cause. How can leaving the car unlocked for 10 minutes and then trying to start the car cause the car to be "thrown" into theft deterrent mode?

Sheep dip.

Unless there are differences in a '90 (aside from not having PKE), on later models I beleive there are just two ways to arm the TDS, either locking the door with the power lock switch with the driver's door OPEN, or with PKE. Don't know for sure about a '90, but putting the key in the ignition will disarm the TDS on a '96, along with using the key in the door.

I bet this isn't the last of that horn . . . :W

 

[Patrick]

I bet this isn't the last of that horn . . . :W

Another reason for getting the owners manual and learning what I did, or didn't do, to put it in TDS mode. Thanks for the link, though. Very much appreciated... looks like I'm doing a little buying this morning. Do you know Helm wants $35 for the owners manual if you get the leather case with it? :eyerole

-Patrick

 

[geekinavette]

While I agree with the outcome, I disagree with the cause. How can leaving the car unlocked for 10 minutes and then trying to start the car cause the car to be "thrown" into theft deterrent mode?

Sheep dip.

Unless there are differences in a '90 (aside from not having PKE), on later models I beleive there are just two ways to arm the TDS, either locking the door with the power lock switch with the driver's door OPEN, or with PKE. Don't know for sure about a '90, but putting the key in the ignition will disarm the TDS on a '96, along with using the key in the door.

I bet this isn't the last of that horn . . . :W

Agreed. That doesn't make much sense.

Bill

 

[gmjunkie]

I'm with ya There, KOPBET!! gmjunkie!!

 

[ßill]

As far as I know the 90s didn't have PKE or a fob. The only way I know of to set the security system is with the electric lock switch. The only way to turn off the security system is to cycle the lock (either door) with the key. I wonder if the lock switch was bumped or viberated almost to the locked position?

 

[G Winter]

I leave my 90 unlocked with the key out in the garage all the time, never a problem

 

[Scottsredvette]

I bet this isn't the last of that horn . . . :W

Patrick, Patrick, Patrick,,,,, Ya coulda called. Remember what year I own-----
There are a couple of other idiosyncrasys your gonna run into with the alarm system. Call me next time. Heres one to remember--- I set my alarm by using the auto door lock even with top down. Make sure you use the key and unlock the car from outside, don't reach in and open the door or you will have an instant replay of the above occurance. Couple other things I can show you too. That alarm system is designed to embarrass the crap out of the owner with its little quirks

Scott

 

[Hrtbeat1]

I leave my 90 unlocked with the key out in the garage all the time, never a problem

:ugh Without injectors or the plenum I don't think its going far!

 

[Hrtbeat1]

Wait till he has to reset the "Change Oil Light"


The "DIC" has some pretty nice features once you take the time to do some experimenting. There is one mode that you can get to to check all the relays that the CCM controls, very helpful if you don't want to dig into the dash to find a suspect relay. Using the DIC you can cycle each of them ... Test #9 is the horn relay.

 

[G Winter]

:ugh Without injectors or the plenum I don't think its going far!

Hasn't gone far for almost a week. Injectors should be here tomorrow. Then it is going to be a mariithon tomorrow night getting it together. At this point I am thinking the one injector was bad when I bought it a yr ago. I am really wondering now what kind of preformance I will have. I was down the best part of 2 cyl. and still was getting 22 to 24 mpg.

 

[Goodnt]

Same embarrassing horn incident

Per Scott's reply: I stopped at grocery store with top down. Locked the door with electric lock. Came out, reached in and hit the unlock. Horn started. Very embarrassing! I had a manual, however, and quickly paged through, but did not find the answer in the five minutes until horn stopped. My car started and I drove off to the next store. Opened door and horn started again. I drove home with the horn blaring. Very, Very embarrassing. Once home, I checked manual and discovered that Scott's answer is correct in that the security is disarmed by simply unlocking door with the key.

I am relaying my incident in hopes that it makes any other out there not feel like an idiot. It's worse in my case because I have an owners manual, but did not remember this important detail. Live and learn.

 

[67HEAVEN]

Patrick,

We wait until after the wedding to beep our horns all the way to the reception, up here in Heaven, but I see you do things differently in CO.

 

[geekinavette]

Per Scott's reply: I stopped at grocery store with top down. Locked the door with electric lock. Came out, reached in and hit the unlock. Horn started. Very embarrassing! I had a manual, however, and quickly paged through, but did not find the answer in the five minutes until horn stopped. My car started and I drove off to the next store. Opened door and horn started again. I drove home with the horn blaring. Very, Very embarrassing. Once home, I checked manual and discovered that Scott's answer is correct in that the security is disarmed by simply unlocking door with the key.

I am relaying my incident in hopes that it makes any other out there not feel like an idiot. It's worse in my case because I have an owners manual, but did not remember this important detail. Live and learn.

That sounds like precisely what it should do. The "key" clue is that you opened the car without using the key (or fob)....which would be the case if a thief were to gain access to the car. There are separate switches on the key tumbler mechanism in the door and the door lock mechanism itself. If the door lock (or trunk lock) mechanism unlocks and the system doesn't detect that it was done using the proper methods (ie key or fob)...then it thinks someone is breaking in and lets the world know.

Bill

 

[geekinavette]

Patrick,

We wait until after the wedding to beep our horns all the way to the reception, up here in Heaven, but I see you do things differently in CO.

We DO have a valid excuse....LACK OF OXYGEN! :L

Bill

 

[Patrick]

Patrick,

We wait until after the wedding to beep our horns all the way to the reception, up here in Heaven, but I see you do things differently in CO.

*SIGH* :eyerole

It was AFTER the wedding, 67, before I had this incident. Fully 12 hours AFTER the wedding, and another six hours before the reception on Saturday night. I'm beginning to think these drawn-out, formal weddings are part of THE PROBLEM.

As for doing things differently in Colorado, you are correct. Having a bit less oxygen, we can't afford to carry on about things the way you flatlanders do.


-Patrick

 

[Toms007]

I am laughing sooooo hard right now Patrick. I can see you at that Quick shop trying to figure out what the H*#@ to do.

I thought of you guys this weekend. I actually stopped to see milehighgreg at his house Saturday afternoon.

 

[Patrick]

Tom,
I have to admit, it was something of a comedy of errors. :L (Although, I wasn't laughing at the time.)

With any luck, my bid on Ebay will be the winner, and I'll have a leather-bound '90 Corvette owners manual to prevent this... ahem... tragedy from happening again.

So, did you go to VOTR? I really wanted to, but this dumb- er, very important wedding from a work collegue I admire and trust- oh, who am I kidding! Dumb wedding kept me being able to go. Chris (89x2) was there, and the reports from our local Corvette club have been generally positive on the event this year.

-Patrick

 

[Scottsredvette]

Per Scott's reply: I stopped at grocery store with top down. Locked the door with electric lock. Came out, reached in and hit the unlock. Horn started. Very embarrassing! I had a manual, however, and quickly paged through, but did not find the answer in the five minutes until horn stopped. My car started and I drove off to the next store. Opened door and horn started again. I drove home with the horn blaring. Very, Very embarrassing. Once home, I checked manual and discovered that Scott's answer is correct in that the security is disarmed by simply unlocking door with the key.

I am relaying my incident in hopes that it makes any other out there not feel like an idiot. It's worse in my case because I have an owners manual, but did not remember this important detail. Live and learn.

Wait until you have the door open, hit the electronic lock, then change your mind and unlock it with the door still open. Talk about oxygen challanged---- I've done that one twice now. Didn't learn the first time.
Tom, you were in Colorado and didn't call??????

Scott