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Engine Immobilised !

3K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  TheGreekMason 
#1 ·
Hi folks..have a 940 Estate which I have happily owned for around 6 years now with absolutely no problems whatsoever. Well it seems that the old girl is getting cranky in her twilight years as recently I went to start her and the bloody alarm that I did not even know was fitted and therefore never used suddenly activated with horn blaring sidelights flashing and engine immobilised ? I have never owned any keys to de activate said alarm except for a small one that fits into a slot on the dashboard to the right of the steering column that does nothing anyway as it seems upon inspection that the wiring has been disconnected! I took advice from another website and disconnected the positive lead from the battery and tapped it on the terminal several times before re connecting and this works periodically I think by re setting the system. I really dont need the alarm system especially when it denies me the use of the best car I have ever owned so would like to disable it at least temporarily so I can use her. So two questions really. One why did the alarm system suddenly kick in after all these years of use ? And secondly any advice on overcoming this mysterious problem will be very much appreciated.
 
#2 ·
sorry to hear about your problem. never heard of anything like that. the first question is have you done anything to the car prior to the alarm going off? changed radios, battery died, etc. secondly, being from the u.s., unless it is a factory installed unit (needing a visit to the dealership) usually they are aftermarkey units installed either by the individual dealership or prior owner. if that is the case, i would find the local kid who knows stereos and have them trace it down and remove it. i know i had purchased an 850 r that had a piggyback system to the factory alarm. its internal battery died leaving me stranded. not until i got the local car thief, handing him 50 bucks, did he then find this unit and removed it before i even finished my cigarette. of course i then parked my volvo in the garage from there on out. good luck and keep us updated.
 
#3 ·
QUOTE (slicknick @ Jan 8 2014, 05:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi folks..have a 940 Estate which I have happily owned for around 6 years now with absolutely no problems whatsoever. Well it seems that the old girl is getting cranky in her twilight years as recently I went to start her and the bloody alarm that I did not even know was fitted and therefore never used suddenly activated with horn blaring sidelights flashing and engine immobilised ? I have never owned any keys to de activate said alarm except for a small one that fits into a slot on the dashboard to the right of the steering column that does nothing anyway as it seems upon inspection that the wiring has been disconnected! I took advice from another website and disconnected the positive lead from the battery and tapped it on the terminal several times before re connecting and this works periodically I think by re setting the system. I really dont need the alarm system especially when it denies me the use of the best car I have ever owned so would like to disable it at least temporarily so I can use her. So two questions really. One why did the alarm system suddenly kick in after all these years of use ? And secondly any advice on overcoming this mysterious problem will be very much appreciated.
it can be your pin switches for your hood above the right head light has had rust on it so check and clean each of the pin switches found on your door frame and the trunk/boot.they are push in pin switches.
 
#4 ·
I did remove and recharge a flat battery prior to the car giving me these problems but there was a period of a couple of weeks when she ran sweet before the alarm went doolally ! Also the central locking has not worked for many years and has again suddenly started to operate periodically without me being near the vehicle... wierd. How is the alarm system activated on a fully functioning car ? There is a sensor or pressure switch of some kind above the rear view mirror that I think may be what sets off the whole thing. Will have a good look over the old girl this weekend with your suggestions in mind and many thanks for them.
 
#5 ·
the reason i ask about the battery dying, sometimes that is what is needed to wake and shake things up. funny story, but on my 850r, there was a saucer shaped thing that was mounted on the firewall, couldn't figure out what it was, pulled wires, reconnected, etc. never did anything, so i left it alone. well, when the internal battery of the piggyback immobiliser started to crap out, it stated to wail. it was the alarm horn!!!! never knew that it had one. but it had been re-routed to this unit. and until the unit died, it never did anything at all. i locked the car with the key fob, lights flashed, doors locked, but no chirp, nothing. once the unit was removed, i found out that the alarm worked like all alarms did. good luck and keep us posted.
 
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