Microscan Alarm Problems

[centaur]

Ok, the previous owner fitted a Microscan alarm to the Punto. I am not sure which type it is though.

Any ideas on how to find out?



It has a two button fob. Left button activates/deactivates the alarm, as well as operating the central locking. So when the car is open, I press the left button on the fob, it locks all the doors and arms the alarm, the indicator lights flash once and there is a single beep. I press the button again, and there is another flashing of lights and another beep. The car remains locked. If I press the left button lots of times in succession, it activates the panic alarm (lights going, lots of noise with different types of alarm sirens sounding). Yet another press will unlock & deactivate everything and the flights will lash three times.

What does that second press of the button actually do?


However, here are my actual problems:

Problem 1
Sometimes, when I press the left button on the fob, it does not always work, and I have to press the right hand button first, before the left hand will do its job.

WHat can I do to cure this?

Problem 2
Sometimes, (especially when it is wet, ie when raining or just been washed) the alarm siren does not sound at all or extremely weakly. The doors always lock/unlock and the lights flash when I push the left hand button, but the beeps dont happen. I might leave it a couple of hours/days, and the beeps suddenly come back.

Any ideas as to why this is happening, and what I can do to fix it?


I would really appreciate any insight or help, as I am really not experienced with this sort of thing. :worship:

 

[MB7201]

Right button is for silent arm, press it and then the left button and it will arm without chirp

Pressing left once, and then left again will arm but turn off a sensor(s), can't remember which one

Holding left constantly sets off the panic alarm

As with the other stuff, maybe the water is getting into it? Try relocating it

 

[centaur]

Right button is for silent arm, press it and then the left button and it will arm without chirp

Pressing left once, and then left again will arm but turn off a sensor(s), can't remember which one

Holding left constantly sets off the panic alarm

As with the other stuff, maybe the water is getting into it? Try relocating it

Thanks for letting me know what you think the buttons do, appreciate it!

If water has got into it do you think I will need to replace the unit?

 

[MB7201]

Depends if its broken I suppose

Got any pics of it installed?

 

[centaur]

will try and post some up

 

[y2dom]

On the microscans the siren is the main part of the unit.
So if its getting wet then i would presume thats the problems your getting.

I found with my microscan alarm the battery died or got weak very quick. which could be another cause to your fob problems

I have a microscan pager system that might intrest you, operates over a 1km area.

I installed it into my old car but it didnt work properly, i think it was because it had a auxzilliry[sp] beeping output. When both installed and activated, and then making it beep would cause the alarm to go off.

PM me if you are intrested in the pager we can negociate a price.

 

[Trancendental]

I don't have a Mircroscan alarm but

Press one of the left button might be lock+arm.
Press two of the left button might be deadlock+arm.
Holding the left button probably activates the panic alarm.
Pressing the left button while the alarm is running probably deactivates the alarm.

Maybe the right button is UnLock+Unarm Alarm

To test dead lock you'll have to lock yourself in the car. What deadlock does is prevent the doors from being opens when you pull the handle so if someone did smash a window and get into the vehicle they would be be able to easily remove anything from the vehicle as they would not be able to open the doors.

Some buttons are set on a time, a quick press and release will perform a different fucntion to a long hold of the button and release.

 

[centaur]

Well I think the following is right (for my fob anyway):

Left Button:
First press = locks car/arms alarm, lights flash once, a little "tweet" from the siren

Second press = deactives the microwave sensors (but not sure if I have them fitted? No sensors inside the cabin, as far as I can see), lights flash once (again), a little "tweet" from the siren (again)

Third press = unlocks car/disarms alarm, three flashes of the lights, two little "tweets" from the siren

Repeated pressing in rapid succession = activates the panic alarm

Right button = not entirely sure but does not seem to do anything with the car, really


My problem now is that the siren is not working at all, whether I set the panic alarm, arm or disarm the car. The beeps don't happen, and the alarm does not go off. It worked before so I know it can work. Just unsure as to why it is not working now. I am afraid I am very thick when it comes to this sort of thing

****sigh****

 

[MB7201]

Well i have this alarm and thats what the buttons do on mine

Right button is for silent arm, press right then left to arm without chirp

Also there is delay before all the features turn on and the microwave sensor should be hidden away somewhere

 

[centaur]

Ok I have discovere something now, after a bit of bonnet lifting and fiddling with wires.

I reckon there is some dodgy wiring somewhere, although why it should work ok for a while then all of a sudden not.

Anyway, I decided to activate the panic alarm and lift the bonnet to see if I could hear anything. I jiggled a couple of wires going directly into the siren and I could hear the alarm but it was very faint, and everytime I jiggled it a bit more the siren either didnt sound or remained very faint.

The problem is that I can't get to the damn thing from under the bonnet, and when I got under the car (being hugely nervous after using a trolley jack to lift one side up) I tried to unscrew the screw but they were wedged firmly in and not budging at all.

So the alarm is working it is just damned quiet!

Any idea what is causing the faint/quiet siren?

 

[MB7201]

No idea on that one

 

[Ozzie1989]

Probably got water in it, the Cobra ones are waterproof I'm not sure of those ones. And you're right about what the buttons do.

Best thing to do is blow a hairdryer into it for a while and try to "flick" it and see if you can hear any water

 

[MB7201]

You could also take it off, take out the rubber pot cover and leave it inside somewhere dry for a couple of days

 

[centaur]

Got to the bottom of it. Basically the siren had been on its last legs (probably because of water getting in). I fitted a nice new (and much louder!) Toad siren, and everything is now as it should be.

Thank god!

And thank you all for the replies and feedback. It is appreciated.