FirebirdUK

Apologies in advance - bit of a long tale... I have done lots of googleing but not read anything to convince me one way or the other as to what I should do...

I've got an MY03 WRX Wagon (picked it up a few years ago, and touch wood has been trouble free).

Just before Xmas, I started noticing that the key fob wouldn't always arm/disarm the car. Often I'd have to get into the car, turn the key a few times on/off and eventually the alarm would go off and I'd be ok. There would be times when I'd crank the car and the alarm would sound, but thought nothing of it.

Bought a new battery for the fob, but this didn't make any difference - was still random when the car would lock/unlock.

I tried the pin code on the security panel, but this didn't work either - the alarm would still sound and the car wouldn't start.

After a nights frost, the car wouldn't start. So, thinking the battery was probably getting on a bit, bought a new one and my problems seemed to go away - the alarm worked again and all was well with the car.

About a month ago, without warning, as I stopped the car, the alarm went off and wouldn't stop. Pressing the key fob would do nothing. Tried the old turning the key thing, but that didn't work either. Unless I disconnect the main battery on the car, the alarm keeps going off. Tested the battery again (even charged it overnight), and this hasn't cured the car this time.

I can't find the pin for the car now, but guessing that as it didn't work before it probably wouldn't know.

Does this sound like a problem with the alarm itself?

I've been speaking to a mobile alarm fitter, and they can fit a new alarm (taking out the old one) but they've said if the problem was with the key/transponder they wouldn't be able to do anything about that.

Obviously I don't want to have a new alarm system fitted if that's not the cause of the problem.

Just after some reassurance that it's the alarm that's likely to be at fault, or if I'd be better off taking it to auto-electrician (or even a main dealer)

Thanks for reading

albob

difficult one -- I was going to say battery, but you have changed that..

does it happen after rain/washing (water getting in somewhere.) ?

Ayde

iTrader: (6)

It sounds like the 9v battery back-up in your siren has gone mate. It's located under the scuttle panel. Mine was doing this, only way it would stop is by disconnecting the car (12v) battery. On opening up the siren it was damp inside, I sourced a siren from a Subaru breaker off a slightly later car. The later siren has bond/sealant where the wire enters it where as mine just had a rubber grommet and a slightly different bracket. As a stop gap you can disconnect the 12v battery feed from the circuit board in the car so it won't go off - alarm will still function as normal - just no siren.

Dubzy

iTrader: (4)

i can give u the information via pm on how to change your pin code and how to reprogram a replacement fob, a used fob wont cost much so worth trying first.

FirebirdUK

If it is the 9v battery back at fault, would this explain the key fob not working?

Should the putting the key in and turning on/off a few times still override the immobilizer?

Funnily enough, it did start happening a few days after we took it to one of those hand car wash places. Didn't even think of that.

The annoying thing is that we had a mechanic friend come to have a look - he helped push the car - ended up with a big bum print in my boot from where he pushing against the car

Ayde

iTrader: (6)

So whilst your siren is sounding if you press the fob does it lock/unlock the doors and arm/disarm the immobiliser. If it does it could be your back-up battery? If not it's probably something else...

cobyjim

I had similar problem and it turned out to be main car battery. charged her up over night and she worked great. But happened a week later so just bought a new bosch battery and is working a treat now. I thought it may have been some damp wiring as we had some terrible storms over that week. Fob would not work or the pin entry. Put new fob battery in and didnt make a difference until a scooby.net member advised about the main battery.

FirebirdUK

Went and tried a few things on the car last night...

Tried looking under the ashtray for the security code (no luck, wasn't there).

Paid attention to what happens when I press the key fob - hard to tell if it's registering as the light by the clock is flashing on and off anyway. The hazard lights are going when the alarm sounds (they start flashing as soon as you connect the main car battery).

I read about finding two wires and re-connecting them, so I looked in the footwell for the wire first one (guess I found the correct one) - as it was there disconnected (with plastic connectors to allow you to join them together).

I think I've found the one by the ignition switch - was a bit frightened to join this one though. The two black wires with a white tracer goes into a black connector block - guessing I need to bridge them together? They don't join to anything on the other side of the connector black. There are another two wires in the same connector, these do join up to something else - I've got a picture I can put up if that helps...

I am just wasting my time trying to go down that route?