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Auto Theft Prevention/2000 Sebring alarm

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Question
Hi Rob,

I have owned a 2000 JXi convertible since 2006, and have never yet been able to really understand the alarm. When following the instructions in the Sebring user user manual such as using the key etc to turn off the system, I've never been able to get it to work exactly as advertised.

I suspect it's a factory system since the annunciator is the car's horn. The remote's FCC ID is KYPTX002 which lists as a Chrysler factory item. Anyway, here's how it works.

The car is parked with the alarm armed. There is one 1/4" round  red LED installed to the left of the steering column sticking 1/8" out from the dash padding. There is another LED built into the right-hand area of the instrument cluster. When the alarm is armed, they blink (at different rates). I click the top left button on the remote and get one horn chirp. The doors unlock, the alarm disarms and I insert the key, start the car and drive. Door locks autoengage after 20 mph or so.

I stop the car and remove the key. I exit the car, close the drivers door and hit the top right button on the remote; I hear three chirps - a set of two then a single one. This locks the doors and arms the alarm. Both LED's go back to blinking.

If the driver's door is closed and I don't press the Arm button on the remote, I have around 30 seconds before the alarm arms itself, accompanied by two chirps. Both LED's go back to blinking. The doors do not lock themselves in this case. If I then hit the Arm button, I hear two single chirps, and the doors lock. The alarm remains armed.

This is rather painful due to the rushed exit I must always make from the vehicle, but whatever.

When the alarm on this car goes off, the horn beeps what sounds like morse code but what I'd wager are error codes or something from the engine. Staccato, different duration, beeps of every length and rhythm. It goes on for around 60 seconds then shuts up. Sometimes hitting the disarm button will bring it back to SOP as outlined above; sometimes nothing works and I must wait for it to stop, then reset the system using the remote by holding down the two buttons for > 5 seconds. Then I wait for around 15 minutes, and then I can arm and disarm as before.

So today I had my car worked on, and due to the alarm hassle they disconnected the battery, probably while the alarm was going off. When I picked the car up, they put the battery cable back on and the alarm went crazy immediately.

I hit the Disarm button and drove out of the lot. I got into traffic and the horn chirped once, then again, and then the alarm went off *while I was driving*. This has never happened before, and I'm pretty sure it's now in some weird state or another.

It went off twice more on the way home (2 miles). I parked it and armed the alarm as usual. Then I decided to make this post before driving it again.

I'd love to be able to disable the damn thing until I sell the car next spring, but I can't figure out what's up. The extra LED on the dash makes me think it's aftermarket, but the LED in the cluster, the horn annunciator and the Chrysler remote indicate 'factory'.

I think I found the valet button but it doesn't seem to work. I thought it was supposed to turn off the system, but it's had no effect so far.

QUESTION: How can I turn this alarm system off?

Sorry for the length of this post, but the devil's in the details and he loves typing. :-)

ANSWER: Hello,

What you have here is a real mess. It sounds like you have is a factory alarm and an after market.

There are two reasons I can't offer complete assistance. I am not at the car and Lord knows what kind of after market junk is installed.

The factory system does not chirp, you will hear a beep. The factory uses the horn not a siren.

I am also con erned abot the two leds. You may have two after markets and the factory alarm because generally the factory uses a security light in the dash on Chryslers.

Wow, I am wondering how you went this long without a problem.

I would suggest you go to http://www.autotheftexpert.com and contact me directly and maybe I can give you some guidence.

Rob

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Sorry for the misunderstanding. When I used the word 'chirp' above, I didn't mean an aftermarket siren; I intended to convey that the horn gave an extremely short beep, shorter than I could do manually. Reimagining it from that perspective, what is the factory method for turning it off?
Thanks

Answer
Hi Stephen,

the factory alarms are not designed to be turned off or disabled. They are wired into many other circuits.

There a number of comments you have made that lead me to believe you are dealing with aftermarket too.

Two leds are not from the factory system. You state you have only 30 seconds to start the car before it arms.

You are speaking of a passive system where it sets by itself.  Factory systems
are active in which they require the driver to arm and once disarmed will stay that way.

To reset most factory systems, the door is locked with the button and the door closed. The driver's door is unlocked with a key.

That is the general reset for the factory systems.

You seem to have much more going on than just the factory alarm.

The aftermarket stuff can be removed, but here is your problem with factory installed-- the Chrysler dealer is the only one that can diagnose.
Worse yet, chances are real good replacement parts are no longer availae.  The car is too old.
In fact, because the car is 10 years old, Chrysler may no longer have the software to diagnose any problems in the factory system.


Contact me and we can talk about the problems. Extensive answers I do not get into with excessive typing.

Rob  

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Rob Painter, ASE, CFL, CFEI

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My background in auto theft is extensive. I have been directly involved in the repair of over 10,000 theft recovered vehicles. I also do insurance investigation as to how a vehicle was last operated. My clients are insurance companies and attorneys. Was featured in the A & E auto theft documentary "Stealing Wheels" July 26, 2000. Has consulted with Daimler Chrysler steering column engineers to make their steering columns harder to defeat. Holds patent # 6,039,140 for 8 different variations to protect air bags from theft.

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ROB PAINTER, ASE, CFL, CFEI Forensic Vehicle Component Analyst Diplomate, Board Certified Forensic Examiner ASE Certified Auto, Collision, Med/Hvy/Duty Truck Technician Certified Forensic Locksmith Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator Certified Vehicle Fire Investigator Certified Forensic Auto Theft Examiner Certified Auto Theft and Fraud Expert http://www.autotheftexpert.com Email-rpainter@wi.rr.com P.O. Box 190 Big Bend, WI 53103 Phone (414) 698-9696 Fax (262) 662-1352 As per federal court rules of evidence (702) (Daubert) my testimony has qualified me as: Auto Theft and Fraud Expert Forensic Vehicle Analyst Fire Origin and Cause Expert In the trial transcript of Holiday vs Progressive Insurance Company (March 12, 2002?Eugene, Oregon) with Holiday being my client-named ?the expert for experts.? BUSINESS EXPERIENCE Founder of the ?Forensic Institute of Auto Theft Analysis? (January 2002). This is the training school that will set the standards in determining the last operation of a reported stolen vehicle-burned or unburned. Much of my testing and procedures have been accepted as the guide for the forensic community. 1986 opened Auto Recovery Specialists Inc., providing exclusive repair of theft recovered and vandalized vehicles. The initial concept of the business was to return vehicles to their original shape before the theft, vandalism or fire. In 1987 bought the rights to the theft deterrent known as the ?Chicago Collar?. Duties include complete component replacement: dash, stereo system, interior, locks and coding, rebuilding steering columns, repairing and installing vehicle security system components (factory and after market), engine components, body repair, glass replacement, repair and service of air conditioning components, brake and suspension repair, and replacement, wiring harnesses etc. to return vehicle to pre-theft condition Complete reconstruction. During the past 17 years directly involved in the repair of over 10,000 theft-recovered and fire damaged Personally examined and rebuilt thousands of steering columns on both import and domestic vehicles Internationally acknowledged as expert in auto theft including court, consulting with insurance companies, attorneys and law enforcement. Consultant on steering columns, locks, stereo systems and vehicle security for Special Investigation Units for many large insurance carriers during the past eight years. Consulting services include but not limited to: How a vehicle was last operated (with or without keys in burned or unburned vehicles), Origin and Cause of vehicle fires, and vehicle defects. Provides services as a consultant and researcher to attorneys and insurance companies, and private industry throughout the US in cases related to vehicles. Has worked with crime prevention officers throughout the US establishing training programs designed to protect the public from becoming victims of auto theft. PATENT: 3/21/00 issued patent# 6,039,140 for 8 different variations of airbag anti-theft devices. PUBLICATIONS Currently authors articles and test reports on an ongoing basis for SIUs and the forensic/vehicle fire industry. Published author: (1,297 slide training course) Auto Theft/ Fraud Training Course) ?The Modern Forensic Approach to Auto Theft Investigation.? (January, 2001) Author: ?Variables to Be Considered In Vehicle Fire Investigation after Suppression.? (Insurance publication-November 2001) Author: ?Ford Magnesium Steering Columns and the Results to Ignition Components after a Fire?. Article for peer review from the fire and forensic community. (November 2001) Author: ?The Truth About GM VATS.? (Article) (November 2001) Author: ?The Truth About GM PASSLOCK TM? (Article) (November 2001) Author:? Auto Theft Investigation: Hollywood vs. Reality? (Article) (February 2001) For the John Cooke Fraud Report. Published author: (Manual) ?Forensic Vehicle Fire/ Arson and Auto Theft Investigation? (October 2000) Published author: (Article) ?Petty Claims? for the John Cooke Fraud Report (October, 1998) Published author (Manual) ?AUTO THEFT: LET THE TRUTH BE KNOWN!? (1998) (Previously distributed by Barnes & Nobel) Co-authored the investigation manual, ?Surreptitious Entry & Auto Theft & Burn & the Investigator.? (1999) Authored test questions on the subject of steering columns and vehicle security for CFL designation to be given by the International Association of Investigative Locksmiths. January, 2000 Published author: (Manual) ?Saginaw Steering Columns-What Has Not Been Told? Training manual for fire investigators. (March 2000) Published (Article) ?Beyond The Lock? (May 2000) Published Author: (Article) Fraud Defense Network-August, 2000 Edition-?Melting Steering Column Tests.? http://www.fraudreport.com/index.cfm?month=08&year=2000 Published author: (Test Report) ?Burned Toyota Steering Column Testing to Determine How Last Operated?. Tool marks and procedures. (December 1999) Currently at the FBI Crime Lab in Washington DC and the US Army Crime Lab in Atlanta, GA for peer review. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Defeated the ?unstealable? Ford Securilock transponder system for a court case 10/10/00. They said it could not be done! Primary designer of a state of the art ?bait? car for a police department to catch car thieves. Worked with The National Highway Safety Transportation Administration and discovered a potential fire hazard on a vehicle and determined origin and cause of under hood fires on this type of vehicle. Featured as ?Auto Theft Expert? in the A & E auto theft documentary ?Stealing Wheels? that aired July 26, 2000. Contacted by Sears and Edelman Marketing to be a national spokesman for an anti theft device for vehicles. (November 1999) Invited to provide evaluation and consulting to steering column engineers at Daimler Chrysler Corporation in Auburn Hills, MI (10/19/99-10/22/99). The purpose of this project was to demonstrate how steering column locking mechanisms could be defeated without the use of a key and how to reinforce the columns against theft. Court Qualified as an Auto Theft Expert and my videos of defeating columns were also accepted by a Cleveland, Ohio Court in October 1999 as a valid piece of evidence. Contacted by Disney Touchstone Pictures for technical assistance in making the movie ?Gone in 60 Seconds? (March 1999) CONSULTANT FOR FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS ? Former contributor for The Insurance News Network (Auto theft and prevention) includes heading a forum for the public on how to protect their vehicles for 3+ years. ? Former editor and consultant for the public on matters involving auto theft and prevention 2000-2001 on the web at http://www.autotheft_forum.com. ? The Insurance Career Center (Auto theft and fraud). ? National Association of Investigative Specialists (Auto theft and fraud) ? Expert Find (Auto theft and fraud} TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE ? ASE (National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence) Certified in Auto: brakes, steering and suspension, engine repair, manual drive train and axles, air conditioning. Med/Heavy duty truck: gasoline engine repair, electrical/electronic components. Collision: elec.....

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