combwork said:

Hi,

Is it possible to turn off the alarm on a Multipla but still have
remote central lock/unlock? The handbook shows a keyslot for this in
the fusebox but the photo is from a left hand drive car. On my right
hand drive car, the fusebox is in the same place (under a cover on the
dashboard) but no key slot. The only keyslot in that area is to turn
off the front passengers air bag.............. Jim.

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virtual22 said:

Hi Jim, on mine I have to put the key in the ignition and then switch it between the first on position and off a few times then the red LED will flash a couple of times then remove the key quickly.

I think that this basically turns off the sensors in and around the car so you can leave windows open etc and lock the doors without the alarm going off.

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combwork said:

Thanks virtual 22. I tried that; it works but the problem is you have to remember to do it each time you use the car. I was looking for a way of turning off the siren so that it stayed switched off but still allowed remote central lock/unlock.

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JTDman said:

Maybe yours had a fault on the key switch and it was removed by the previous owner , the manual does show the key in the fuse box........is there no wires where it could have been.[/quote]

No sign of a key switch and no spare wires that I can see. The picture in the manul is from a left hand drive car, and I've been told by a Fiat dealer that not all `standard' items (including the alarm key switch and the card with emergency start code sequence) shown in the owners manual were fitted to cars sold in the U.K. If I want remote locking that doesn't set the alarm, it looks like I'll either have to fit a circuit breaker on the siren, or maybe fit one in the security sensor circuit? If there's a common power supply to the sensors, that might be the way to go.

All this started because one of the two keys that came with the car has some kind of power drain. With new batteries fitted everything works as it should, but after a few hours the batteries are flat. It still works in the door locks and ignition, just doesn't disarm the alarm. This means that if I've fitted new batteries to the dodgy key and locked the car using the remote, come the morning the remote no longer works and I have to unlock the doors manually. This sets off the alarm, which as the batteries in the key are now flat, cannot be turned off:yuck:. I can't even get away with strolling casually away and pretending it's not my car; it's the only Multipla around here

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multiplamike said:

I ended up unplugging the alarm unit. I tried the whole switching it off routine but it constantly rearmed itself. It was really annoying, chirping loudly every time I locked the car. And worse in the end going off of its own accord. Don't like car alarms anyway, nobody pays any attention. Since I didn't plan on using the alarm I decided to remove the unit. mounting was corroded and had to be cut out of car. Anyway much happier now. Car locks and Opens quietly and immobiliser still works.[/quote]


Thanks multiplamike, that sounds good. Thanks to an unfriendly truck and an even less friendly lamp post my metallic orange Multipla is no more, and has been replaced with a later model metallic silvery one. Still a `proper' Multipla with the high headlights, but someone has already disabled the siren. Not sure how they did it; remote central locking still works so I'm leaving it alone. It's still only a partial fix; even without the siren the hazard lights flash continuously if the alarm is triggered. This can be disarmed by pushing the button on the key, even if it's in the ignition with the engine running.........

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