I got a 2 button system with no siren...programed the rob and after words to lock the door I must turn panic on then off then press it again to lock the door but 7-9 seconds later my hazards go off and I hold panic to turn them off and 7_9 later happens again and I can unlock the car only if the car was locked by the fob...95 m3 with bad altenator causing battery to be low ...LED NEVER FLASHING ...u said to prevent the car battery from dying led will not flash ..will the alarm work once altenator fixed ?
Fly, thanks for an awesome write up here! I just finished doing my 3 button system tonight - here are my comments:
-couldn't find hood lever connector, so I left that unpluged (only plugget in big harness connector) (I also have adjusted my hood before so I was worried I'd accidentally cause it to go off)
-Didn't have a siren, so I substituted an extra horn I had lying around
-'programming' the module via chip was really easy - held for 30 secs then when I released the button the LED flashed twice
-when I hit lock, it 'chirps (honks lol)' once.
-when I hit arm, it chirps twice
-when I hit unlock, it chirps three times
-when it can't lock, it chirps three times (like a door is open).
Overall really easy install - did it and the microfilter in under 2 hours. Thanks so much, this helped me a ton!
all i have to do is find a 3 button fob and im golden! thanks fish.
found a brand new one on ebay for $40. (like it was in a dealer box when the guy got it).
There is usually 2-3 on ebay all the time for 30-50
totally worth it! I feel like I'm in the 21st century now! If only I could get my car phone to work!
...and now that I told my dad that it's so easy to install...guess who get's to install one this weekend on his/my vert...lol
If anyone wants to install this system I have 1 two button fob unit and 3 of the three button fob units no fobs for any of them but I have 2 sirens too. PM me and we'll work out a deal.
That's 2 complete units including siren and two units with the module and harness and led.
Last edited by flyfishvt; 05-21-2012 at 09:29 AM.
Bleed your cooling system http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1709482The ULTIMATE OEM Alarm/Keyless thread http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1792200
My 2 button system was working fantastic when I got it five years ago, but over time the "chirp" would get softer and softer until eventually it just doesn't make any noise anymore when I arm/disarm it. Is this a problem with the siren?
Sounds like it
Bleed your cooling system http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1709482The ULTIMATE OEM Alarm/Keyless thread http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1792200
Good write up, however im 99% sure the alarm disables the ignition. My car flipped a lid a few weeks ago and the alarm went bananas. Long story short I knew that if I could start the car the alarm would stop. When I turned the key the siren stopped but the lights continued to flash and when I tried to start the car it wouldnt start, no crank or anything. Somehow unlocking the trunk brought everything back to normal and the car started normally. Oh, I have the 3 button system, dealer installed.
Sorry but it doesn't disable the ignition. I just went out to my car and got inside. Closed the door and used the alarm to lock the doors. Put the key in and turned it to start. The locks unlocked and the car started right up.
As I said before. Its only a keyless entry and alarm. Its not connected to any other functions in the car. And the alarm doesnt flash any lights unless you modify the car to make it do that. Something else was going on with your car.
Last edited by flyfishvt; 05-21-2012 at 09:41 PM.
Bleed your cooling system http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1709482The ULTIMATE OEM Alarm/Keyless thread http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1792200
If the alarm goes off, panic mode, the hazards do flash on my car. I have not modified it in any way and knowing the PO (my dad) he didnt do anything to it either. This is interesting.
Edit: I just went out and did what you did. I locked myself in the car, with the alarm set (double lock), and tried to start the car. It did not start. Everything lights up in position two but when I turn the key all the way nothing happens.
Last edited by Found94; 05-22-2012 at 03:38 AM.
Ok, First off thank you so much for this thread i happen to come across it by accident. I have had an alarm(since 08) and I have never managed to make it work. I bought it from somebody off ebay and it came with a remote that looks like the three button remote. Anyways, I was always trying to use the two button remote that the po bought brand new not knowing the car didn't have an alarm.
I never got it to work so I just left it plugged in. Then one day I noticed that slot for the chip to go in and thought it was missing. I went to the junk yard and found an alarm module (totally smashed up unfortunately; but the chip was ok) an put it in. Still nothing happened. So i gave up completely on it.
Two years later I sold the brand new two button for $15 to a guy here on the forum.
So tonight after reading your thread I went out and pulled that chip out of it and took apart my remote that looks like the three button one and programmed the chip and it works. The led doesn't flash though.
My remote however only has one button and the fcc number does not match the fcc number on the back of the alarm module. The alarm module's fcc number matches the numbers in your 3 button alarm module but the remote doesn't. Any clue to where this random one button remote came from?
pic of the sticker from alarm module.
alarm module
alarm fob
alarm fob
We were both right and wrong. When you said the lights flashed I thought you were talking about when you used the fob to lock and arm the system. Any e36 that goes into panic mode will flash the hazards and sound the siren/horn if it has an alarm system installed.
What you described is EWS not the alarm system. When you use the fob to lock the doors and arm the system it puts them into "double lock". At that point the EWS takes over. You have a 94 so you have EWSI. With EWSI when the car is in double lock the ignition is disabled. Even if you have the correct key. The inside door handles are also disabled until the car is unlocked. This is true if you have a keyless entry system installed or not. The alarm system is only activating the locks. Its not tied into the ignition system in any way. I have a 97 so I have EWSII. My ignition is also disabled unless I have the correct key with the correct chip inserted into the ignition. Like your car my inside door handle are disabled until the car is unlocked. Unlike your car...turning the key in the ignition takes the car out of double lock and allows the car to start. Like your car, this is true if I have an alarm system installed or not.
So as I said before....the alarm system merely operates the locks and acts as an alarm if someone enters the car without using the fob. It does not disable anything.
It should fix your issue if its actually being caused by a low battery. Just to correct you on one small point....the LED will flash for 36 hours then it stops flashing. Even though it stops flashing the alarm is still armed.
First lets look at your fob and fcc number. If you look at it the number is identical to the alarm module except you fob number ends in what looks like "87". It has an extra digit. Other than that and the fact it only has 1 button instead of 3 it is identical to the 3 button fob in my pics. i'm guessing that the extra digit is because of the slightly different style. The fcc number is a critical piece of info. If they don't match correctly the fob and control unit can't talk to each other. I'm not sure what the corrolation is between the two but I know it is true. The one exception to this is the Subaru fob that looks just like the 2 button fob and has the correct FCC number but doesn't work with our system
I haven't seen a 1 button fob like that so here is a theory. Its a different version of the 3 button fob that incorporates all functions into one button. pushing the button locks and unlocks the car. I bet holding it or doing a "double click" will either arm the system or send it into panic mode. The normal 3 button fob has a separate button for lock and arm. The LED does not flash until the system is armed. The 2 button fob has one button that locks AND arms at the same time. That is the major difference in the two. I bet if you play with it you'll find a way to make it arm the system.
I would be curious to try a experimenting with it. Try locking the doors with one button push then unlock any door with the key and open the door. If the system is properly armed.....as soon as you pull that door open the alarm should go off. You could also try rolling your windows down then get in the car and use the fob to lock the doors. I bet you'll find the inside handles will allow you to open the door. One pull unlocks it and a second pull opens it. That means the system did not "double lock" the doors. When the system is properly armed the LED in the dash will flash and the doors will be double locked.
Play around with it and let us know what you find.
Last edited by flyfishvt; 05-22-2012 at 05:55 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Bleed your cooling system http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1709482The ULTIMATE OEM Alarm/Keyless thread http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1792200
I am very curious too. I will play around with it in the morning in case i set the alarm off. I don't want to wake everyone up.
I did however take it apart and it appears to "possibly" be wired to have the use of all three buttons.
Last edited by crawlermonkey; 05-22-2012 at 06:13 AM. Reason: errors
Interesting...almost like a "valet" fob
Bleed your cooling system http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1709482The ULTIMATE OEM Alarm/Keyless thread http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1792200
ha ha I remembered I never connected the horn and I don't have a siren. I might just have to buy one of your extra ones.
So I went out got in the car and locked it with the remote. I then pulled door handle once, it unlocked. Pulled twice and the door opened.
I then got out shut the door and tried a "double" click. Nothing.
I unlocked it.Then held the lock button down. Nothing again.
So I read you part about it possibly being a Valet fob. That made me think.
I drilled a small hole in the fob case above the remaining two buttons. I then went outside and locked the car. I then pushed the second button down on the fob(on your fob this would be the arm/disarm button) and heard a distinct clunk and the led lit up and commenced flashing. I pressed this same second button and another clunk noise and the led stopped flashing; but the door remained locked. So I armed it again and then pressed the unlock button and it disarmed and unlocked the car.
I climbed in the car and locked and armed the alarm and sure enough I could not get out. The doors were double locked. So then I put the key in the ignition and turned it to position 2. the alarm disarmed and unlocked the doors. Oddly though the back c piller light came on only on the drivers side. It was the bottom light in unit. The bottom lights come on when you open the doors or pull the key out of the ignition. I have never seen it only turn on one like that before.
So it appears the alarm bob is just a normal alarm bob just in a single button case. I will fabricate some type of system to use the other two buttons that looks nice.
Ah I see, that makes sense. I have to read up on this EWS system some more. Thanks for clearing that up.
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LOL - so today, get out of my car - hit the fob, nothing. The chip had fallen out of the holder in the fob...
Am I going to need to pull the brain out to re-program them? I hope not...
Probably not. That chip should still be programmed. Put some tape on to hold that chip in. Worked for me on one of my old units.
Bleed your cooling system http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1709482The ULTIMATE OEM Alarm/Keyless thread http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1792200
My doesn't work at all. Where should I start looking or what should I try to fix?
-Three button
-I've replaced the battery in the fob
First thing is a simple test of the fob. Push a button. Does the little light on the fob turn on? If not then it could be a bad fob. Next is pull the glovebox and check the fuse in the alarm module harness. Is everything plugged in correctly? Is your control module the correct one for your fob? Pull the chip out of the fob and use the programming instructions. Check your fusebox for blown fuses. See if someone has a three button fob you can borrow to see if it's the fob or control module.
If all else fails. Replace it
Bleed your cooling system http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1709482The ULTIMATE OEM Alarm/Keyless thread http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1792200
What's typical range for a 3 button system? I can only get to about 20ft...(new fob battery).
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