Rep Power: 284

A little over a month ago I got a Viper 350 alarm installed at bestbuy. I had to turn the sensitivity down b/c it kept going off. Now its turned down so much I can beat on the window or kick the tire and nothing sets it off. Late at night like 2 or 3 all of a sudden I'll hear it go off. It goes off so much that I end up not arming it at night and that defeats the purpose of it. Whats wrong with it???

 
Rep Power: 343

Maybe thieves are coming at night and banging on the window with big blow-up hands and blow-up feet from the party store.

 
Rep Power: 284

damn when I saw a response I thought someone had already solved my problem...

 
Rep Power: 343

Lol no. I'm just a *****. Try asking skipbarber. He installs alarms.

 
Rep Power: 607

ROFL

 
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true story

 
Rep Power: 452

well does it go off each night at the same time, or sometimes? Maybe people drive by with loud exhausts or loud music and it sets it off.

Maybe take it back to best buy and ask them what is wrong.

 
Rep Power: 284

Thats what I thought but during the day there are people coming by with exhaust and nothing sets it off. I actually sat out one night after the first time (b/c it usually goes off again not long after) just to make sure. Not a sound around and it went off.

 
Rep Power: 284

^^^ we need undercover thread cops to pick ya'll off

 
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mine will go off if there's cars with loud exhausts, etc... you should have an option to where you can arm it, to where it only goes off when the door opens (motion sensor turned off). i use that option at work, because tons of cars go buy and it would go off every five minutes. to set it (at least on my alarm), you press the arm button once, then the arm and disarm button at the same time. read the manual if you have one.

 
Rep Power: 284

I looked through the book and it didn't mention anything about doing that. I think I'll call bestbuy tomorrow. I'm just scared b/c they have the 30 day deal and its been longer than that.

 
Rep Power: 452

I am pretty sure alarms have warranties longer then 30 days. But of cource we all know how shitty best buy is.

 
Rep Power: 284

yeah it should the 30 day thing is just their deal and they may try to charge me for taking it out and sending it off.

 
Rep Power: 452

that is something that they wouldnt have to send off. That is something they could fix at best buy. And if they can't, they should just give you another one.

 
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viper and any dei has lifetime warranty

 
Rep Power: 284

I hope so. I liked circuit city's install a lot better. The guy at bb just left the alarm hanging there and right behind the fold out piece under the column. It would take a thief 2 seconds to connect the starter disable wires

 
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ask them/the installer nicely to show you the different options on arming & disarming your vic, and let them know your not to familiar with it. they SHOULD be cool with it. ****...you helped pay their salary, by buying it.

 
Rep Power: 284

Least I've got the rage of all the neighbors in the apts beside me as proof that it does go off at night (when I go out and kick the s#!t out of the tire and it doesn't go off) when they don't believe it gets set off

 
Rep Power: 284

The only problem is there will be not a sound at all when it goes off. I sat out one night and waited for it to happen. During the day cars with all kinds of systems and exhaust will ride by and they don't set it off. Thats why I don't know if turning that part off will help.

 
Rep Power: 452

most likely it is on valet mode or silent mode, however they call it. Just take it to best buy and they will fix it. Go when they open so they wont give you **** about paying anything, and because no one else will be there.

 
Rep Power: 284

I know how to turn it on valet mode and that only keeps the alarm from going off at all. It disables all the alarm features but allows you to unlock and lock your doors. Silent mode only keeps the alarm from chirping when you lock it. It doesn't affect anything later

 
Rep Power: 0

when you set it, there should be one chirp. to disarm there are two chirps. also, you should be able to arm and disarm without it chirping. look at the led light blinking if you have one, it should flash on and off while it's armed. just take it back, and talk to them. don't worry about it too much brotha

 
Rep Power: 331

hit arm 1 time, the alarm will chirp once, lock the doors and set full alarm for impact/door trigger. within 5 seconds press arm once more, it chirps once and again loudly, this will set alarm for door/trunk trigger ONLY. if it still goes off, they either hooked it up to the wrong door pin or the alarm is defective. BB and CC both have life time installation warranty on all alarms, and all alarms have a life time warranty included. Just take it back to them and they should put a new one in there for you.

BB installations suck, they like to half *** **** and crimp cap everything. Not to mention that around my area, they only have one certified installer per shop and even those guys seldom know what they are talking about.

Circuit City twists, solders, and tapes each and every single connection on an alarm. This not only prevents the wires from coming lose, but makes a much better, nearly resistance free connection. blah.

 
Rep Power: 306

An alarm is only as good as its install.

If you can find your alarm brain in seconds, just wonder how long it will take an experienced thief to find it. Most mass install shops are full of either lazy or inexperienced people. They always put the brain in the easiest space available.

Hell, I can find most Lo Jacks in 10 minutes or less.

Just to think, the dome light circuit works off the multiplex system. After a period of time, it shuts down the dome light circuit to save power. Where did they tap into the circuit for the doors.

Try this, disconnect the door trigger for one night, see if it goes off.

 
Rep Power: 284

Thanks for the tips. I thought of another thing that is weird about it... it doesn't give the warn response. It goes straight to the siren. I'm going to check on which wires they tapped into (won't be hard with the brain that close) I may try unplugging each wire that could cause an instant trigger one at a time. (starting with the one you said first rick)

Edit: I just saw you were from anniston rick. I feel like less of an alabama minority now

 
Rep Power: 331

rickinthescv-

an alarm isnt always as good as its install. Some alarms are just trash. 7thgen's, or all civics for that matter DO NOT work on multiplexed doorpins. As a matter of fact, only the Immobilizer and SRS system(s) are multiplexed. Just about everything else is good old fashioned ground triggers. civics are just too cheap to be multiplexed, eventhough multiplexing is becoming much more common because it cuts down on production time and cost both during and after production.

7thgens all have a factory alarm plug that contains individual doorpins and trunk pin. Most shops will diode isolate these pins into the green negative door trigger on the main harness of any DEI alarm. This is what techsoft and wiremagic tell you to do. However, the true door pin on these cars is located next to the main DKP harness and is just a two pin plug that goes up the drivers side pillar to the dome light. This is the most reliable source for door trigger.

 
Rep Power: 284

I went and talked to bestbuy today and they set up an appointment to look at it. Today was the same way. There was a big *** storm that came through and a lot of loud thunder that rattled all the windows in my apt, but the alarm didn't go off. Then just about an hour ago it goes off. No sound or shake will set it off. I even got inside the car and armed it and after a minute I thumped the brain and nothing... Its gotta be a faulty alarm or the door trigger is setting it off (is that possible?)

 
Rep Power: 0

Hey bagged check out the part in the manual that states that the alarm is capable of notifing you what sensor has tripped the alarm. Ever wonder why the LED flashes after you disarm the alarm. It's flashing a code that you can look up in your manual. This code will let you know what sensor tripped the alarm.

And for you guys that are worried about thieves finding your alarm, have you ever thought of how long it would take them to find your battery???

 
Rep Power: 284

Good thought catalin, I'll check on that thanx. A lot of people on here hide an extra batter to another siren.

 
Rep Power: 306

When I said an alarm is only as good as its install, it was implied that a trashed alarm installed would still be trash. A great alarm installed trashy would be still trashy.

You are right about the factory alarm plug. But you are wrong about the multiplexing. ON page 114-3 of the factory schematics, the door triggers are fed into the multiplex unit at the underdash relay box. When the door is left open for an extended of period of time, the multiplex unit cuts power to the light (to save the battery), thus is grounds out that circuit.