So my alarm just stopped working...

[ERiC AiXeLsyD]

I haven't had my '98 Legacy Outback wagon all that long (...just since
around May of '03) and last night my Alarm/Remote entry just stopped
working. I thought at 1st that it was the remote, which was odd...
since I recently replaced the batteries in both remotes... so I tried
the other remote... and still, no dice.

I'm *hoping* there's an easy fix for this, and not one that's too
costly... anything I should check into before I end up having to cart
it back to the dealer? I'm not sure if my warranty covers this...
would the alarm/remote entry be covered in the power/tran warranty? I
somehow doubt it.

How does the alarm work anyway? Does it run off the car battery, or
does it have it's own?

Man, I really should learn more about my wagon...


THANKS IN ADVANCE!

-Eric
(e-mail address removed)

 

[WRXtreme]

I'd try pulling the ground wire from the vehicles battery for a couple of
minutes and seeing if that changes anything. Another possibility is that
you may have set the alarm to silent mode (do the remotes still unlock/lock
the doors?) I had done this at one point in time, I can't remember how I
got out of silent mode though....maybe held the unlock button for a few
seconds...not sure exactly, a search of this group may be able to assist you
on that

 

[ERiC AiXeLsyD]

Someone at work reminded me... it MIGHT just be a fuse. Anywhere I
can get a diagram of the what the fuses are for?

 

[ERiC AiXeLsyD]

Pulling the ground wire from the battery? Hmm... how does this work?

Also... the remotes are definitely not locking/unlocking the doors or
doing anythign to the alarm.

I looked at the fuse at lunch time today... it was like an episode of
the THREE STOOGES.

My alarm hasn't responded to the remote for a few days now... so I
pull off the lid to the fuse box & pull out the fuse marked for the
doors/locking because there's not one for the alarm, right? The fuse
is fine, so I put it back... and BAM! The alarm is going off in
Wendy's parking lot. Of course, the remote is still not working so I
can't turn off the alarm. It goes for about a minute and a half at a
stretch, and shuts off until you f___ with anything on the car. The
car won't start even with the key while the alarm's going off... I
shut & lock all the doors, open one with the key slowly like the
manual says... and it does not disengage the alarm. I pull the door
lock fuse out completely again, & the car will still not start. I
called the dealer & they told me about the reset button... and that
did turn it off eventually... after I put the key in the ignition, in
the lock position. (This is apparently what I should have done before
touching any fuses also.)

So... I know the alarm itsef is working now, & I did just replace the
batteries on both remotes... which aren't working at all... Could it
be a problem with the receiver/antenna on the alarm itself?

Does anyone know how these work?

Should I chance trying to "reset" the alarm w/ the remotes that seem
to not be responding at all?

Maybe I bought really sh*tty batteries?