how to completely disable ’92 E34 alarm
Printed From: Bavarian-Board.co.uk - BMW Owners Discussion Forum
Category: Technical & Model Specific Forums
Forum Name: BMW 5 Series
Forum Discription: This forum will deal with any issues on the BMW 5 Series (E12, E28, E34, E39, E60 & E61)
URL: http://www.bavarian-board.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=47508
Printed Date: 08-May-2024 at 15:56
Topic: how to completely disable ’92 E34 alarm
Posted By: bookerfatz
Subject: how to completely disable ’92 E34 alarm
Date Posted: 21-January-2011 at 12:20
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I can't seem to find anywhere information on how I can disable my malfunctioning alarm. The damn thing just goes off whenever it feels like it. Can't i just disable this alarm completely? I have key that the original owner told me was for the alarm system but I can't find the location. I've seem some photo's of an alarm "box" with a keyhole but it was for a round key (like a bycycle chain key) and my key is flat. I don't need the alarm either and this is driving me and my neighbors crazy.
------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Replies:
Posted By: 540 V8
Date Posted: 21-January-2011 at 21:35
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Which alarm fob do you have? Mine is the square one with the corner cut away, a single button and red LED. My alarm unit is situated on the drivers side of the engine. I sits between the engine and chassis leg about half way between the front and back. The unit is black, rectangular and has a dome section which must be where the siren comes from. Just below that is a small black cap which you have to flip up to expose the key lock. My key is also a flat one so sounds like it's the same. If you are still struggling, let me know and I'll take some pictures. Mike ------------- 
Current:E34 540i Touring 6 speed manual(Mpower bodykit & suspension)& Chrysler Voyager 3.3 V6 auto Previous:E34 530iSE AC Schnitzer suspension. E28 525e auto-Standard |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 21-January-2011 at 22:23
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Yes, my fob (new word for me that) is the same. I've taken the car to a 'specialist' but he's also been stumped. Tomorrow afternoon I'll see him and get the word and then get back to you. It does sound like we've the same. thanks for the reply BTW. ------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 22-January-2011 at 15:26
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I'm back to struggling it seems. I looked everywhere you mentioned and the box you described is not located there. I read somewhere that they sometimes put the alarm behind the glovebox. One thing though: my car had an after-market alarm installed as well (SpyBall). This box is located about where you mentioned the original would be. There is no lid like you mentioned (unless it's behind the unit?). Would 'they' have been able to replace the original with after-market? That's been totally disconnected now but, to my surprise, what must be the original alarm is still going off. Funny thing is that it happens exactly at 4 hours after car is locked. This alarm uses the car horn too. The SpyBall alarm used the it's own noise. If you then open and shut doors and lock again it won't come on again (Until the car is started again and the whole process begins anew). The 'expert' is stumped. He's used to working on French cars though (I live in Paris) and perhaps the BMW's are over his head? Nice guy but I sure wish he could have figured a way to disconnect the damn thing. Well MIke, if you could send me a photo of your alarm and it's position that would be a great help. Booker ------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: speedy
Date Posted: 22-January-2011 at 23:07
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Sounds like you may have an aftermarket alarm fitted. My car has the same as what 540 V8 has with the flat key. The alarm box itself is on the passenger side inner wing on my car. edit, added pic  ------------- 1995 520i se auto 24v saloon |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 23-January-2011 at 11:34
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yes, my car did indeed have an aftermarket alarm installed and indeed "the box" (alarm itself) was installed about where your photo (thanks for that) indicated. That alarm (Spyball) has been completely disconnected. I original alarm is still going off every 4 hours though. That is what I'm trying to figure out how to disconnect. My car has left side steering. I wonder if that would make a difference of location? Does my '92 525 TDS have a box that I can insert the key into??
------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: 540 V8
Date Posted: 25-January-2011 at 23:32
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That picture shows the same alarm as mine. Not sure where your's could be as a different engine will have it located elsewhere possibly.
-------------
Current:E34 540i Touring 6 speed manual(Mpower bodykit & suspension)& Chrysler Voyager 3.3 V6 auto Previous:E34 530iSE AC Schnitzer suspension. E28 525e auto-Standard |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 26-January-2011 at 08:10
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thanks for your posts here but I guess it's not going to help this time. I've really and truly looked everywhere for the location of mine and it's not to be found by me. It's in there somewhere though as the activation of the alarm itself attests to. The alarm 'specialist' can't help (60€) and nor at this forum neither. We're making an appointment today with the BMW dealership (120€) to have the thing disconnected. As far as I can tell there are no other options for me to reclaim my car. What is revealed to me though is that this is one of the very few times when the internet has failed to provide me with correct and adequate help. Perhaps I should just chalk it up to BMW's penchant for secrecy? Either that or they built the system so very well that they never break down and thus the lack of online help? Nah. ------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: Sporty1
Date Posted: 26-January-2011 at 10:07
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The OE fit anti theft control unit is under the rear seat bench, on the right hand side, same side as the battery.
------------- 
Sport Evolution Schwarz #043 |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 27-January-2011 at 05:04
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If you could be more specific that would be great. I looked under there (again) yesterday and the only thing I see in the the location you mentioned is the battery itself and it's housing, and some wire harness that looks to go towards the rear of the vehicle. As I am not exactly sure what I'm looking for perhaps it's there but for the life of me, I can't see it. There is certainly nothing there I can insert a key into. Is this 'control unit' underneath (or inside) the frame itself?
------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: Sporty1
Date Posted: 27-January-2011 at 10:12
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It has been a long time since I looked under the rear bench seat of a E34, but that is where the OE alarm control unit was on the a friends E34 M5 or similar vintage. It is not something that a key can be inserted into, the key, if you have one with your car, turns off the under bonnet siren as picture by speedy above. The alarm unit will have to be unplugged and the immobilier 'cut' removed in order to allow the car to start and run. Can you post up a picture of the area under the seat? -------------
Sport Evolution Schwarz #043 |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 02-February-2011 at 10:08
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I ended up at the dealership for removal. I needed my car back and having to disconnect the battery everyday was a drag. Thanks for all those who posted.
------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 02-February-2011 at 15:51
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NOT FIXED- I posted the last before I got the car home. 2 hours after I got it home, the car alarm started again!!! My wife called garage and he told it was impossible as he had disconnected the alarm. He said it must be my horn! Now, when the alarm goes off, the flashers are going and so is the horn. Funny thing is though, that my horn has a problem because it keeps blowing fuses! So now it's not even working. That's another issue though (I think). I always figured the alarm must be hard-wired directly to the alarm bypassing that normal horn circuit. I think that the little red light under the dashboard grill is off though for what it's worth. I don't know what to think now. I figured maybe BMW was yanking my chain so cover the asses for not getting the alarm disconnected but I'm a cynical sort. Anybody got a clue here? I'll try to take a photo today of the battery well. BMW charged me 250€ with VAT!! ------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: Sporty1
Date Posted: 03-February-2011 at 10:44
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If BMW have disconnected the factory alarm and a siren is going off with hazards flashing then I would guess that at some point someone has added another aftermarket alarm to the car. The OE fit BMW alarm does not use the cars horn, they are separate items, and if the horn is sounding it should not be flashing the hazards. -------------
Sport Evolution Schwarz #043 |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 03-February-2011 at 15:29
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well I'm all messed up now for sure. I just noted today that the little light underneath the dashboard grill is "on". Supposedly the aftermarket alarm has been disconnected. For sure that unit had it's own horn/siren as I can see it. What's weird and strange is that the horn and lights are going off now still after BMW says they have disconnected it. Would not that little red light be off? I'm really not sure what to think.
------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 03-February-2011 at 16:28
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I have a photo of that backseat battery 'well' you asked for but I can't figure out how to load it. What kind of public site can I use?
------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: ThosH
Date Posted: 03-February-2011 at 16:52
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Hi, A comment, rather than a suggestion, I'm afraid -- I think that it is dreadful that a BMW Dealer charged €250 +VAT to disconnect an alarm and did not check that the problem was solved. If the problem reappeared very quickly, they should have been able to spot that too -- i.e. they could have left the car on test. Now that it has still not been fixed, can you go back to them? They may say that they were asked to d/c a BMW alarm, and that is what they did. However, this is not good enough. I'm sure that you explained the sympoms of the problem ....... they are the experts, they should know whether tha fault lay with the BMW alarm or with an after market one. They could have left the car on test, to be sure that the problem was sorted. ThosH |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 03-February-2011 at 20:45
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I certainly agree with you 100% We have an appointment next Thursday for at the dealership and trust me when I say that I will express clearly my feelings about this whole matter. I live in Paris and my French is not so good so some things slip by me when trying to communicate my wishes. STill, there is no excuse. I hope they are not trying to squirm out of getting the job done either!! The reason we went to the dealership in the first place was to get this problem solved because we trusted that the people that make such a quality product and who represent that product and that we pay top $ for that product would indeed deliver when called upon to do so. TBC ------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: Sporty1
Date Posted: 04-February-2011 at 10:30
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If you right click on the icon of the tree with the green arrow point upwwards in 'Post Reply' and then select the picture from 'My Pictures' you can upload ithe picture in to a post. Were BMW asked to disconnect the aftermarket alarm or thestandard fit OE system? For 250+ they should have done both as ThosH has said giving you the car back wiht the same issue is not on. -------------
Sport Evolution Schwarz #043 |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 05-February-2011 at 11:12
 excuse me but the 'icon tree' when I click on it says "enter web address of imagine". Not sure what to do. Picassa?CAr alarm went off again last night. Seems to be intermittent. I will just have to disconnect the battery. I have a hunch that the after-market alarm is the problem but who knows. Still- that little red light is on and the BMW garage certainly should have caught that. (I would assume that if the alarm is disconnected this light should be off. Is this really a fact though?). It's going to be tricky I think getting them to accept the car back as work incomplete or unfinished. ON the phone the mechanic was pretty adamant that he had disconnected it properly. It's funny though because one of their quality control people called our home as a follow-up and left a message asking "if we were satisfied with our service". We'll certainly give them our story on Monday. 
------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: Sporty1
Date Posted: 05-February-2011 at 15:37
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Icon of the tree with the green arrow point upwards. Or just used Picasa of photobucket etc. -------------
Sport Evolution Schwarz #043 |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 06-February-2011 at 11:56
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------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: Sporty1
Date Posted: 08-February-2011 at 09:36
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Do not see any picture.
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Sport Evolution Schwarz #043 |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 08-February-2011 at 09:41
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I am having a damnable time posting a photo. I have to photo but haven't been able to post it or even offer the link. I have a feeling it's because I use a Mac as I can't seen any other reason. I do not have an icon with an arrow+greentree- just one with a green tree (without arrow). Whenever I try to insert my picasa link i get a broken picture icon. I'm trying to get my wifes help and use here PC. I don't know what else to do.
------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 08-February-2011 at 10:48
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Duh- try this then:<https://picasaweb.google.com/117059346212753049159/ BMWBatteryWell#>.
------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: Sporty1
Date Posted: 09-February-2011 at 09:21
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Doesn't work.
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Sport Evolution Schwarz #043 |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 09-February-2011 at 13:14
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------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 09-February-2011 at 13:20
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Can I post images?
Images can be added to your posts, if the
forum administrators have allowed uploading of images you can use this
to upload an image from your own computer into your message. However, if
image uploading is not available then you will need to link to the
image that needs to be stored on a publicly accessible web server, eg.
http://www.mysite.com/my-picture.jpg. I cannot post images. even when I try the above it does not work. thanks for your attention here but this is really just frustration. I'm taking the car back to the BMW garage tomorrow. I will post an update after I get the car back. ------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |
Posted By: bookerfatz
Date Posted: 11-February-2011 at 22:24
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well, it's been 15 hours now and not a peep from the car. Took it back to the garage yesterday AM and left the car making it very clear that we felt that they had not done the original 'disconnection correctly'. Picked the car up today and so far so good. The garage was actually quite polite and correct in their dealings with us. They told us there were 2 'boxes' (controls?) in the car and they had only deactivated one on the visit. No charges of course. I asked them where those control points were and the guy at the front desk didn't have a clue. So, after all of this, my car alarm (at this point anyway) is deactivated and I'm glad of it. Still, it cost us 310€ (250€ first BMW garage visit and a 60€ visit to the other car alarm 'specialist') including VAT and I'm not one mm closer to knowing how to do the job then I was when I first started looking for help on this blog. I wish I could chime in here with some news about how to do this procedure but I guess it's for others besides myself to offer up the answers. thanks for all your suggestions and attention. Until next time... ------------- Booker 2002 E39 5 series Touring |