Frenchieboy Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 I had to take the wife shopping this morning so there was no option but to get the Frontera going even though it was well below freezing. The locks were frozen solid so I had to use some hot water to thaw out the locks and get the doors open. The motor went fine for about a mile and a half then it tried to cut out. I pulled in and restarted it but after it had gone another 25 yards it cut out again. This time the alarm decided to arm itself which in turn armed the immobiliser. On top or that the front door locks both started going up and down like they were posessed by a demonic force. I tried disconnecting the battery and reconnecting it again knowing that this will often reset the alarm but this was to no avail. Now when I connect the battery the alarm warning light stays permenently on whereas it should nornally flash on and off. I have even tried putting new batteries in the remote in case the ones in it were low on power, still no joy, when you operate the remote it doesn't even make a clicking sound. I think I might have got a bit of water in the alarm switch in one of the doors and this has now frozen and is shorting out and triggering the alarm and imobiliser. Any thoughts please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 hmm can't help but worth asking on: http://www.muddyfrontera.co.uk/forum/ or http://www.fronteraowners.co.uk/forums/index.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 Not enough power in your car battery I'd say Frenchieboy. This in turn means your alarm won't respond to the remote to switch it off, when you disconnect the battery and reconnect the alarm defaults to on status and your back to square one. Put a set of jump leads on it connected to another car then use your remotes to switch the alarm off. You will then be able to start the car and get the power sorted. Obviously I can't diagnose if it's a battery or alternator problem but my guess would be the extreme cold has knocked your battery out if it was a little week. I'll pm u my mobile number and give me a shout if you want me to explain what to do with the alarm mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william1 Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 hi mate had the same happen to me it turned out to be the emobliser had to call brake down and they took it out. ok ever since atb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 (edited) This almost certainly doesn't sound like an alarm issue at all, it's a loss of power on the car and the alarm goes to armed mode. Before you spend any money calling anyone just give what I said a try mate. I think you'll find it will sort your problem out The opening and closing of your central locking also sounds like an alarm malfunction due to low power. this will sort itself out once power is resumed from the car battery. Cos Edited December 6, 2010 by Cosd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark@mbb Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 I had to take the wife shopping this morning so there was no option but to get the Frontera going even though it was well below freezing. The locks were frozen solid so I had to use some hot water to thaw out the locks and get the doors open. The motor went fine for about a mile and a half then it tried to cut out. I pulled in and restarted it but after it had gone another 25 yards it cut out again. This time the alarm decided to arm itself which in turn armed the immobiliser. On top or that the front door locks both started going up and down like they were posessed by a demonic force. I tried disconnecting the battery and reconnecting it again knowing that this will often reset the alarm but this was to no avail. Now when I connect the battery the alarm warning light stays permenently on whereas it should nornally flash on and off. I have even tried putting new batteries in the remote in case the ones in it were low on power, still no joy, when you operate the remote it doesn't even make a clicking sound. I think I might have got a bit of water in the alarm switch in one of the doors and this has now frozen and is shorting out and triggering the alarm and imobiliser. Any thoughts please? Frenchieboy could be water in the diesel we have suffered a lot with the plant the last few days and the weather has took the best out of most batteries that have been parked up Atb Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owdnorthener Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 A mate had a similar problem a while ago ..... I am sure it was just his battery. A good tip from Cosd, sure worth a try. Good luck, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 Had the same problem in my Frontera, immobiliser kept fitting and wouldn`t let me start it even though i had taken the battery out while it wasn`t being used to fully charge it, i just pulled the relevant fuse in the fuse panel at the end of the drivers side dashboard, i no longer have central locking either but then again i can start my vehicle, when i`m done for the day i just put the fuse back in over night :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hodge911 Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 low temp will defo knack a battery that isn,t tip top get a lot of brake downs in these temps that are down to batteries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted December 7, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2010 hmm can't help but worth asking on: http://www.muddyfrontera.co.uk/forum/ or http://www.fronteraowners.co.uk/forums/index.php Thanks for that Nick, i am a member of the Fronty owners Forum and have posted on there already! I appreciate the thought though, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted December 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 Just a quick update! I went to see a farmer friend who offered to tow the Frontera back to my home for me, which was very kind of him. We got the motor home yesterday and it was so cold that I decided to do nothing at all to it till this morning. OK I have just been out to the motor with the aim of taking the battery off to top it's charge up as we used the hazzard lights etc while it was on tow. Before I took the battery off I decided to try starting the engine "just for the hell of it"! Would you believe that the engine started first time but after about 5 seconde the hazzard lights started flashing and the alarm started sounding. To stop them I had to turn the engine off and disconnect the battery. This does suggest that there is moisture shorting out one of the door/alarm sensors which might have frozen up. Any more thoughts please guys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted December 8, 2010 Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 charge the battery fully and try it again. Removing it will reset the alarm etc and you may find its an issue with voltage drops etc. You may need to try a known good battery on it as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted December 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 charge the battery fully and try it again. Removing it will reset the alarm etc and you may find its an issue with voltage drops etc. You may need to try a known good battery on it as well Cheers for that Al4x! I have the battery on charge as I type this, it's almost fully charged now. The battery is fairly new and in good condition but I have a mate who only lives a few doors away and might be able tp run jump leads from his motor at the same time to make sure that I am getting full voltage and amperage through! Sould advice from you though, many thanks mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy75 Posted December 8, 2010 Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 Is it an aftermarket alarm, or the original dodgy Vauxhall 501 system that lives on the back of the glovebox? If it's the 501, they were ****. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted December 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 (edited) Is it an aftermarket alarm, or the original dodgy Vauxhall 501 system that lives on the back of the glovebox? If it's the 501, they were ****. It is the original 501! I am now at the stage where if I connect the battery the alarm resets itself and the car will start. It will run for about 5 minutes then the alarm will start sounding and the hazzard lights will start flashing! I have to disconnect the battery to stop the alarm from going but after a couple of minutes the battery can be disconnected and the car will start again but only for about 5 minutes and then it is back to the drawing boards again! Any more thoughts please? I am starting to think that a gallon of petrol and my Zippo lighter might help it on it's way! Edited December 8, 2010 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 9R Posted December 8, 2010 Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 Are the door locks still going up and down? if not then I would bypass the alarm, had to do it on my old vitara's cobra system as a call out would have cost more than the car was worth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy75 Posted December 8, 2010 Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 The 501 can be bypassed fairly easily iirc. Someone on one of the forums should have a wiring diagram to get back to standard, if not let me know - i still have a boxed new 501 in the shed that has the diagrams with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted December 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 (edited) The locks seem to be all right now. I can get the engine to run for about 5 minutes then the alarm kicks in. When this happens I have to disconnect the battery and then reconnect it to reset the alarm. The strange thing is not that when the alarm kicks in the engine keeps running so the imobiliser is not kicking in as well! I'm just having a hot brew while I bump the battery up a bit more then I will have another go! I have sent you a PM Andy75 Edited December 8, 2010 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted December 8, 2010 Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 I'd rip the siren out but that is me otherwise get it to a local auto electrician you'll save so much agro in the long run and odds are he will know the problem straight away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted December 8, 2010 Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 The alarm packed up on mine last year... Never bothered to get it looked at either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted December 8, 2010 Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 The alarm packed up on mine last year... Never bothered to get it looked at either to be fair its unlikely that your model of Vauxhall excellence will attract the local scroats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted December 8, 2010 Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 Not unless they have a particular liking of Fox guts and empty rimfire cartridges I don't even bother locking it these days :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted December 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 (edited) If I could find how to bypass the alarm system I would do without hesitation. Ripping the siren out will not help as when it does go off the hazzard lights start flashing as well - If it hadn't have been for that the siren would be in the bin all ready I can assure you! As for the local scroats and them having a go at breaking in to the motor without an alarm system - Sometimes I wish they would, then they might feel sorry for me and leave me a nicer newer motor! Better still - Maybe I should write a nice letter to Santa and promise not to take any pot shots at Rudolph this Christmas Eve! Edited December 8, 2010 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 9R Posted December 8, 2010 Report Share Posted December 8, 2010 (edited) Sorry I don't know the wiring on a Frontera, my Vitara had the alarm box behind the glove box and another behind the dash so I had to pull that out, trace the wires to the igntion and solder / heat shrink them as well as those on the actual alarm, did'nt help that all the wires for the alarm / imobi were all black LoL Edited December 8, 2010 by Red 9R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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