Cause for Alarm!
 

Well away in the land of Nod at about 0200 last night, and was awoken by a car alarm, "parping" away in our back yard where residents park. I thought "what idiot's car is that, it's annoying".

It took me a while to even think that that horrible little beeping horn might be cause for concern, so looked out and could see my hazard lights flashing.

Grabbed a coat, shoes, torch and keys and got out there then fairly swiftly.

Never having experienced the alarm activation on the car, it took me a few seconds to find that I had to open the car, put the key in the ignition and turning to position one and back, to cancel it.

I could find no marks in the condensation on the car body, so no evidence that the car had been tampered with. I was not aware of any flying insects within the car (which I had noticed in a neighbours car years before). So, decision made and left the car open which luckily is not such a problem where we park.

This morning, I have delivered notes of apology to the neighbours and checked the car but could find no reason for the activation, which I will look at again in a short while.

Cat perhaps jumping on it? We have light guards on the machines at work and sometimes they trigger for no apparent reason!

Hmm, I think I should get out there again, and check it out though there were no paw prints in the condensation either, unless the cat went out on it's own for a walk.

Nothing found, no marks on the car, no insects in it, so alarm set again, testing.

T4 will be able to tell you what caused it if you have one nearby.

I had that happen once on redfive.. Somehow water had got into the bonnet switch, I dried it out and gave it a protective spray against the damp seemed to fix it

All seemed quiet, until I just got in early this afternoon and it went off again, shotgun in hand (just joking) out I went again, nothing there to cause it so left it unset.

At the suggestions of members and thinking it the quickest approach, as I don't have immediate access to a T4, I went for the bonnet switch. Not wet but one of the electrodes was well greened up with verdigris, so as delicately as I could, I cleaned it, reassembled, and sealed the base of the rubber cover.

Now on test again, so hopefully, it won't occur again, unless it's necessary.

Did that sort it?? Ity happening to mine - the rubber cover is missing - water ingress?

Water ingress to the bonnet switch takes a while to clear.

Thanks Trikey! Is it easy to get ou:shrug:t and will the alarm go off again when I remove it from the circuit. Its showing a bonnet open on the IPK and was driving in pi...ng rain today on m/way!