Expert: INSTALLSUPPORT - 5/8/2008

Question
I have the following issues with my 1997 Lincoln Town Car, which has keyless entry (as well as keyed) and alarm system.  The keyless entry unit on my key chain has not worked since about a week after I purchased the car, but I just relied on the key and/or punching in the code numbers.  Then, a week or so ago, the alarm began going off without any known cause, first rarely and then with increasing frequency.  I had to go out repeatedly to stop it until finally it could not be stopped and, also, the car would not start.  I put a full charge on the battery, and the car then would start, and the alarm did not keep getting triggered. But, as a preventive measure, I took the car to a local garage, where I was told the problem was with the horn circuit, and the mechanic disconnected the horn.  No problem for several days until now, a week or so later, I went out today, unlocked with key, tried to start, and the car would not start; but then I punched in the entry code numbers and tried again and it started.  These various symptoms are hard to make sense of.  Do you see a pattern in them?  I don't want to throw money at this, if mechanics are not diagnosing the real cause and cure.  Can you suggest a step by step process to rule out what is NOT causing these symptoms, and rule in what IS causing them, so I can get only that fixed?

Answer
Please be more descriptive if possible.

"GOING OFF?"

I need to determine whether it's a factory alarm
issue or, if it's an aftermarket system you are
dealing with.

Is it: Headlights flashing, car horn honking
and a worded SECURITY" light in the dash flashing?
(doubtfull since none of the notes show this
car as having a factory alarm system)=FACTORY

Or,

is it: flashing parking lights,
an LED in the dash area, and a siren
going off?= AFTER MARKET

Let me know more on this to better
advise you on a course of action
to take.

Best Regards,

Robert Martin
CEO/ALARMTEK
CARALARMMAN.com