Chasing an Electrical Gremlin...

[MadStang]

First step would be to set it to read DC volts. Start up the car and turn on the A/C and headlights (put them on highbeams.) Touch the Voltmeter leads to the Battery and see how much voltage you have at the battery while it is running with the accys on. You should have at least 13-13.5 volts. That will tell you what the ALT is putting out, and only takes 60 seconds to perform. You can also unhook the batt and check the voltage. leave it unhooked and check it later (at least a couple of hrs, the longer the better).
If the voltage has dropped sufficiently while unhooked, batt is not holding a charge. You can do this test hooked up to the car after you verify the batt is ok. You dont need an expensive volt tester, but I would suggest a digital from sears. Let us know what you find.

I might do it an easier way (for me at least) and datalog the results with my SCT. I can check the voltage through the handheld and it's a digital read out.

 

[ttocs]

it's tied directly into the stock alarm. when I changed the switch position now every button I press on the OEM is audible by the horn.

The stock alarm had no led, it was all in the trunk as well. What you have might have been installed by a dealer but it is by no means a stock alarm. I would check those connections in your kick panel. A poorly installed alarm can cause all kinds of problems.....

 

[MadStang]

The stock alarm had no led, it was all in the trunk as well. What you have might have been installed by a dealer but it is by no means a stock alarm. I would check those connections in your kick panel. A poorly installed alarm can cause all kinds of problems.....

I know it's not stock, I'm just saying its tied into it. I'll definitely check it as the wires are not neatly tucked up and I can't count how many butt connectors were used.

 

[g36 monkey]

Wonder wtf that thing is. Creepin me out lol

 

[96GT02]

Could also be an ignition switch. Youtube it, pretty common problem I am finding.

 

[MadStang]

Wonder wtf that thing is. Creepin me out lol

lol, just an added feature to the stock alarm I think.

Could also be an ignition switch. Youtube it, pretty common problem I am finding.

cool thanks. I'm going to start with the basics and go from there though

 

[ttocs]

willing to bet you will find a completely different alarm system up under that dash in addition to the stock one that is in the back. It looks like an old code-alarm led/switch combo which was the manf for the stock alarms. It was commong for dealers to order a car with out the alarm and then install it on the lot when the customer requested it. When this happened they didn't just plug in the factory piece but install a completely different system that used the same remotes(two large square buttons, on arm/long the other disarm/lock). These were often hacked in by the dealerships mechanic that knows nothing about alarm installastions. The wost DIY installs I have ever fixed were mechanics cars and electricians cars, audio security is just a little different area of those sections...

Pull out the drivers kick panel and take me a pic, takes 3 secs and will tell me alot....

 

[MadStang]

Alright I'll do it in a sec, just got home and boy was it an interesting ride LOL.

When i got in the car and shut my door the fogs flashed and the horn beeped. I thought that was weird but went about my business and had to stop at the gas station to fill up my car. I shut it off, get out, and start filling up my car and then next thing I know my horn is blaring constantly. I pop the hood, start wiggling the negative battery wire thinking I didn't tighten, didn't stop the the horn. Wiggle the positive wire and a couple seconds later it shuts off. I don't know if that was what shut it off or if it's on a predetermined timer but the alarm is batshit crazy. now when I switch back and forth on my remote it doesn't change the way the car locks at all. This may be the cause for my issues, but we'll see I suppose.

 

[MadStang]

okay alarm is still tripping balls even now that I'm home. found out the alarm is on a timed setting to stop blaring the horn. so it wasnt the wiggle on the battery lol

Something tells me this harness is not stock...

 

[MadStang]

BINGO. Clifford XL100 Immobilizer. Found the source of the problem buried in the kick panel haha. thanks Scott!

Now... help me unwire/remove it! lol

 

[MadStang]

 

[ttocs]

fawk, scotch locks, those have no place in car security and can cause a problem after a few years. Now the bigger problem is that clifford uses a normally open starter kill so there is a chance just pulling the alarm will mean that your car will not start. Disconnect the hrns going to the alarm and see if the car cranks. If it does then you can just pull each wire from the scotch lock and not worry about it, if it will not start you will need to reconnect the starter wire.

Now your problem went away by wigging the batter ground? You should not be able to move that at all and if it turned off the alarm that signals a problem. Last week on my truck I was driving home and suddenly a few warning lights came on and then it died and I had no power. I was just barely able to wiggle the power enough to clear the corrosion that developed because it was not perfectly tight and then it started.

 

[MadStang]

fawk, scotch locks, those have no place in car security and can cause a problem after a few years. Now the bigger problem is that clifford uses a normally open starter kill so there is a chance just pulling the alarm will mean that your car will not start. Disconnect the hrns going to the alarm and see if the car cranks. If it does then you can just pull each wire from the scotch lock and not worry about it, if it will not start you will need to reconnect the starter wire.

Now your problem went away by wigging the batter ground? You should not be able to move that at all and if it turned off the alarm that signals a problem. Last week on my truck I was driving home and suddenly a few warning lights came on and then it died and I had no power. I was just barely able to wiggle the power enough to clear the corrosion that developed because it was not perfectly tight and then it started.

Didn't see this reply but I did have Jeremy (g36 monkey) around to help me out. Decided just for now because those scotch locks are such a pain in the ass to remove to just cut the wires, wrap them in electrical tape and call it good till the weekend. I just need my car driveable until then. I cut everything out, There was nothing tapped into the starter, so I just cut everything and taped it. Sort of a hack job but good enough for now. Car starts and runs fine by the way. I appreciate the help and will update as we go along. Who knows, I may have my cruise control back and not know it.

Pics of me rampaging the alarm:

My electrical Tape mess:

As for the battery ground, I THOUGHT it did, but I was wrong. the alarm was on a timer and it just so happened to stop when I attempted to wiggle the wires, which btw, are VERY snug so they didn't actually wiggle on the terminals I just thought something might have been loose. But again I think this might be the conclusion to my problem... at least thats the hope.

 

[framda]

Congratulations!!

 

[ttocs]

those red connectors just pull off of the scotch locks, then they just unclip and fall off but be sure to put some tape around the place where they use to be.

I am almost suprised that it starts as the white wires (one with red stripe) are the starter wires. Maybe this was a different model that is normally closed, dunno. When you get in there and disconnect those wires make sure that the wire hooked up to that one is connected or it will not start.

 

[MadStang]

those red connectors just pull off of the scotch locks, then they just unclip and fall off but be sure to put some tape around the place where they use to be.

I am almost suprised that it starts as the white wires (one with red stripe) are the starter wires. Maybe this was a different model that is normally closed, dunno. When you get in there and disconnect those wires make sure that the wire hooked up to that one is connected or it will not start.

I wasn't sure, so I didn't try, I'll give it a shot this weekend for sure.

ohhhhhhh, yeah I used a butt connector and reconnected the red/white wire together again lol.

 

[ttocs]

ahhh I thought you had to do something as I can see where it was cut and connected. That is one of the few brands that uses the normally open starter kill so that even if the theif pulled the alarm out it would not start with out connecting that wire.

I would find it hard to believe that it has anything to do with the cruise though.

 

[MadStang]

ahhh I thought you had to do something as I can see where it was cut and connected. That is one of the few brands that uses the normally open starter kill so that even if the theif pulled the alarm out it would not start with out connecting that wire.

I would find it hard to believe that it has anything to do with the cruise though.

Well needless to say, that alarm isn't going to be plaguing anymore vehicles, I beat it with a sledgehammer....

I can dream can't I? lol =P I did relatively well for not knowing too much about electrical this time around. Hopefully my bandaid holds until the weekend when I can clean it up and make it look a little more factory...

Thanks again for the help man. I'm starting to get more of a grasp on electrical I think.

 

[vermilion]

well http://www.directeddealers.com/manuals/og/clifford/45210010_Clifford_XL100_Owners_Guide.pdf i may be too late.

 

[g36 monkey]

Yay for Brett