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Thread: E36 M3 Alarm not chirping anymore... HELP

  1. #1
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    E36 M3 Alarm not chirping anymore... HELP

    Hi the chirping sound is not working anymore... The key fob still works and all I hear is the sounds of the actuator unlocking/locking... I did leave the car unlocked for an extended period of time because I was diagnosing my slave cylinder so im guessing that caused it to not chirp anymore. I really need this chirping sound again for the safety and making sure my car alarms when someone is trying to break into my car... Please HELP!!! Do i have to buy another siren or did my battery in my siren go out because i left my car unlocked too long?

    RECAP: KEY FOB STILL WORKS W/ UNLOCKING/LOCKING CAR AND WHEN ITS IN PANIC MODE, THE HAZARD LIGHTS BLINK CONTINUOUSLY.

  2. #2
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    Moved from E36 forum to E36 M3 forum
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  3. #3
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    So everything works except the sound? Make sure the cable is still plugged into the siren under the hood before you go nuts ripping stuff apart to source the issue

  4. #4
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    Please restate your problem. DO you have a BMW alarm?

    Your car does not chirp. Well does it lock the doors? Does the alarm go off if you tamper with it? Like open the door without pressing the alarm to deactivate?

    What is this panic mode? All it does it set off the alarm... or does it just unlock the doors since you hear no noise?

    What is HAZARD LIGHTS BLINK CONTINUOUSLY. ??? they only flash when activated or deactivated. if they flash all the time then you may have a alarm problem.

    Battery on remote does not affect alarm sound. The alarm does not have it own battery normally. If you did drain the car battery Then your alarm setting may be reset or erased. Leaving the alarm off does not erase the siren.

    The siren is just a fancy speaker with tiny voice coil wires. They can break Thus the question check your wires.... Measure the siren wires for voltage as you activate the alarm or attach a light bulb and look for a flash. Then probably get a new $15 siren

    And yes there is a setting to silently activate and deactivate the alarm when you do not want to disturb the neighbors.
    Last edited by gc325is; 09-28-2019 at 10:17 PM.

  5. #5
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    Yes it is the OEM alarm system! everything works except the chirping sound aka the siren. It was working a few days ago now its not giving out the sound! When it used to work, it gives one chirp for lock and 2 chirps for unlocking. How do I get that chirping sound back because when I activate the alarm by holding down the LOCK button which triggers the siren to go off, the signal lights blink along with the siren but no there is no sounds whatsoever. Even unlocking or locking the car, all i hear is the sound of the actuator.
    Last edited by Dannnzz; 09-26-2019 at 11:21 PM.

  6. #6
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    The chirping sound can be disabled via the remote by pressing the two buttons together for a duration. It is covered in the users manual.
    BMW Alpine 2-Button Keyless/Alarm Install Directions - http://photo.msportparts.com/E36/Doc...rm_Install.pdf
    BMW Alpine 2-Button Keyless/Alarm User Manual - http://photo.msportparts.com/E36/Doc...ser_Manual.pdf

    If that doesn't resolve your issue, the OEM Alpine sirens have the blue and gray wires coming off of them. For whatever reason, underneath the taped on electrical sheathing, you'll find that they use a butt connector to extend the wires to the BMW siren connector. It is common for that butt connector to fail. Inspect the full wire length on the siren side (not the car side).

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Braymond141 View Post
    The chirping sound can be disabled via the remote by pressing the two buttons together for a duration. It is covered in the users manual.
    BMW Alpine 2-Button Keyless/Alarm Install Directions - http://photo.msportparts.com/E36/Doc...rm_Install.pdf
    BMW Alpine 2-Button Keyless/Alarm User Manual - http://photo.msportparts.com/E36/Doc...ser_Manual.pdf

    If that doesn't resolve your issue, the OEM Alpine sirens have the blue and gray wires coming off of them. For whatever reason, underneath the taped on electrical sheathing, you'll find that they use a butt connector to extend the wires to the BMW siren connector. It is common for that butt connector to fail. Inspect the full wire length on the siren side (not the car side).
    ^ This.

    I've had my car for ten years and just found out that I could turn the chirping ON. I was never sure it locked if I wasn't close enough to hear the locks (even though they're loud, in noisy environments it can be tough to hear from very far away). I just held both buttons down until it chirped like it does when you don't have the door closed (that was the only time it chirps if it's turned off).

    Actually, that's not a bad way for you to test it - leave a door open and try to lock it. You'll get three chirps if it's still functional.

    -Josh: 1998 S54 E36 M3/4/6 with most of the easy stuff and most of the hard stuff. At least twice. 271k miles. 1994 E32 740il with nothing but some MPars. 93k miles.

  8. #8
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    No chirping sounds like a win. Both for you and whomever might be around and have to listen to it. The doorhandle is always a good test to see if it's locked if you can't hear it.
    98 328is
    02 525ita
    80 528i
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    and decades of owning and driving BMWs

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Braymond141 View Post
    The chirping sound can be disabled via the remote by pressing the two buttons together for a duration. It is covered in the users manual.
    BMW Alpine 2-Button Keyless/Alarm Install Directions - http://photo.msportparts.com/E36/Doc...rm_Install.pdf
    BMW Alpine 2-Button Keyless/Alarm User Manual - http://photo.msportparts.com/E36/Doc...ser_Manual.pdf

    If that doesn't resolve your issue, the OEM Alpine sirens have the blue and gray wires coming off of them. For whatever reason, underneath the taped on electrical sheathing, you'll find that they use a butt connector to extend the wires to the BMW siren connector. It is common for that butt connector to fail. Inspect the full wire length on the siren side (not the car side).
    I will forsure try to inspect the wires! yeah none of the thing worked... but I will look to see if the butt connector failed. How do you know if it fails?

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dannnzz View Post
    I will forsure try to inspect the wires! yeah none of the thing worked... but I will look to see if the butt connector failed. How do you know if it fails?
    You find out by inspecting the wires on the siren.

  11. #11
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    Have you done something simple like trigger the alarm to see if it's the siren itself or if it's just the chirp that's off?

    It will chirp three times if you try to lock it with the door open, even with the chirps turned off. Or just lock it with the remote and unlock it with the key and open the door.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by blckstrm View Post
    Have you done something simple like trigger the alarm to see if it's the siren itself or if it's just the chirp that's off?

    It will chirp three times if you try to lock it with the door open, even with the chirps turned off. Or just lock it with the remote and unlock it with the key and open the door.
    Yeah i tried triggering the alarm, no siren at all but the alarm works. no chirps at all

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dannnzz View Post
    Yeah i tried triggering the alarm, no siren at all but the alarm works. no chirps at all
    Did you solve this? I have a factory fitted BMW alarm system (Key Fob has 1 button only) and just today I had the same problem as you, hence I googled and found this thread. Everything works: Key fob, it locks/unlocks, led indicator, if the alarm is triggered - the siren sounds & hazards blink. EXCEPT, it has stopped chirping when lock/unlock. Used to chirp once/twice when lock/unlock however now it's silent. However, the signals flashes when lock/unlock. Any fixes to the chirps?

  14. #14
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    As far as I'm aware the factory alarm does not flash ANY signal lights when locking / unlocking - just when the alarm is activated.

    However, my car has a 2 button alarm, so it's possible older alarms with a different remote also function differently.

    -Josh: 1998 S54 E36 M3/4/6 with most of the easy stuff and most of the hard stuff. At least twice. 271k miles. 1994 E32 740il with nothing but some MPars. 93k miles.

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