Sal Collaziano

Uhoh. I don't have my door key. My alarm is going off and I don't know of any other way to stop it. I just pulled out my horns. What can I do? Is there a specific fuse for the stock alarm system? I can hear it clicking in the car so I know it's still going off. Any advice before my battery runs out? I'm afraid to drive it too - it could just turn off as a security measure. Right?

Thanks :confused:

VetteNoob

Pull the battery cable and find your door key. Im sure someone else can tell you how to turn it off, but this will prevent you from having to buy a new battery while you wait.

Sal Collaziano

Unfortunately, I need to get a door key from Chevrolet. I wont be able to do that until Monday and I think I'll be lucky to actually get a key. Any other suggestions? Does the system reset itself after several minutes? How did I activate it anyway?

vader86

somthin like this happened when i first got mine, i unlocked the doors by reaching in from the outside (big No No) and it went nuts. The guy i bought it from didnt mention how the VATS worked. I locked the car back up, waited for the alarm to shut up, and unlocked it with the key and started the car.

I'm sure there is a fuse, but you have to get a door key

Sal Collaziano

It looks like I'm stuck driving the Dodge Shadow again until I get that key.. Thanks all...

JHammer

Man... talk about bad luck.

I looked in my manual ( for a '95 ) so I don't know if it's the same. According to it there are 3 options:

1- Unlock any door with your key (which you can't)
2 - Put the ignition key in the ignition (which you can't)
3 - Use the Passive Keyless Entry System (which you would have if you had it)

Looks like you've got to wait. :mad

It goes on to say "Your horn will sound for three minutes, then it will go off to save battery power. And, your vehicle won't start."

Get a couple of keys made....




[Modified by JHammer, 11:35 PM 3/30/2002]

dmalhi1

yeah i got a lesson on vats from my friend who owns an 86 and also from my mums 85 cadillac fleetwood.

always shut the drivers door last after hitting the lock switch...... if you shut the drivers door first after locking the doors and then shut the passenger door or the hatch glass? the car will do a nice loud sound off. the only way to turn off the alarm once activated is to simply lock/unlock the driver side door using the lock key. i don't think using the ignition key to try and start the car will help deactivate the alarm either since your starters been deactivated by the alarm being thrown.

and you were wondering about how to deactivate and activate the alarm? well i went over deactivating it up above. but heres how to deactivate it if your doors are locked..... always use the key.... never reach into the car and unlock it it'll go berserker on ya. to activate the alarm after stepping out of the car simply hit the lock switch on the either side of the car and make sure that if the drivers door is open that the drivers side door is the last door to be shut or the alarm will think someone is breaking in.

atleast this is what i was told. and the dealership i got the car at told me not to worry...... but heck i never listened to them but one day i did being curious and locked the doors and shut them but left the hatch open when i shut the hatch down the car went off.... so always remember........ drivers door last.

HG

You do need the key to turn off VATS once acticated. So, here is a small tid bit of advice you may need. On early vetts, my 87 did this several times, after you shut off the car, it won't start. It appears to have a dead battery. In most cases, it's the VATS system. For some reason, I can't explain, the VATS shuts off the ignition system for no reason. If this happens, wait for about 15 or so minutes, or disconnect at reconnect the battery cable. This resets the system and it should start. :U

ZBRA

Why can't you just put the key in the ingnition to turn the alarm off?

I have unlocked my doors by reaching in the window and thus causing the factory alarm to go off. I just stuck the ignition key in and turned it on. The alarm quit and the car cranked fine.

I have a '94, maybe it is different due to the PKE or something. :confused:

Aerovette

Hey there Sal. I saw your post about the top and now this one. You may want to try to get your hands on an owner's manual. I know Corvettes of Houston sells them for most c4s and you can get them at swap meets occasionally. It seems like it would come in handy. They explain both posts you have. Good luck with the car. :seeya

Sal Collaziano

Yes, I will be looking for a manual. :) Thanks...

Aggravated4life

Hey Sal,
Hope you get the door key soon...have an easy test for you to do when you want to see how it all works...

Get in the car when the alarm isnt activated and see the security light flashing when you hold the door open? Ok,leave the door open and then hit the power door switch to lock the door...see the light freeze? Its arming itself.Hit the door lock again to unlock and the security light will blink again.

Its not until you shut the door and wait a few that the system arms itself completely.

Which is why,like the other said,reaching inside the door when the window is down,system armed,unlocking the door by the switch will set the alarm off because it set itself after you shut the door.You didnt dismarm it at the keyhole so it goes nuts.

Both doors inside on the keyhole have a switch on them.Sometimes they go bad and need replacing.I remember when I first got my car,my drivers door switch wasnt working.I would unlock the door by key and open it and the alarm still went nuts...I would turn the key back and forth and the alarm kept blaring...went to the passenger side door,insert the key,turn key back and forth and the alarm stopped.

I ended up having to pull the door panels off and installing new keyhole switches on both sides,even though the passenger side still worked.Wanted to do both doors and found out the original switches were suspect to corrosion inside and the new switch was made with a better metal inside the plastic ring.

So far so good now...and yes,if you dont have the key you can pull the vats fuse on the passenger side of the dash corner,and then remove the negative from the battery to disarm/reset it again.The reinstall the fuse and battery terminal and it should be OK to go.You dont always need to pull the fuse but I did it that way to ensure it would stop the dang system from going off again on battery reconnection.

:)

zippy90

I found a fuse on my 90 to disable the alarm by accident. If you remove the carpeting on the passenger side by the fuse box (it's attached with velco), there is another fuse box located under the glove box. It will be tucked in with the wires. I removed the fuse labeled Alarm and voila, no more waking up the neighbors every time I open the door in the morning.

Goody

I concur here. Did the same thing with my car before I got a replacement keyfob. Hatch can be open and it will not set off my alarm if I close it last. I have a '93. :seeya