Alarm Not Setting

[Daniel]

On my S1, the boot sensor isn't closing properly and hence the alarm won't set. It's an early S1 with the boot bag and the plastic boot lid above it. The plastic cover doesn't seem to be closing the sensor, but I can't see whats wrong or how to adjust it.

 

Any tips?

[dobbo]

If it used to work and now doesn't, you really need to find out what's changed. Has the rubber boot that covered the switch disintergrated ? It's only thin, but if it was just enough to operate the switch and it's now gone, the switch won't work properly.

 

You can pad out the inner boot lid with some stick-on stuff (replacement rubber feet from DIY stores can be used).

 

There's no adjustment, AFAIK.

 

In the meantime, you can disconnect the switch (unplug the connector underneath) and the alarm will work again, albeit probably not fully complying with your insurance....

[Mark H]

Make sure you havnt knocked the wire to the sensor and broken it.

[Daniel]

It was working, but I've had a new back clam and I don't feel like driving all the way back and bugging the guys as they've donr a top job on the repair. If I open the boot and hold the sensor down, then it's fine.

 

I just wondered if it's missing some padding on the bootlid or something?

[dobbo]

Make sure you havnt knocked the wire to the sensor and broken it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Breaking the cable would be the same as taking the switch off - it leaves the circuit open i.e. broken, which is what the alarm system wants. If the cable were broken, a burglar opening the boot wouldn't set off the alarm.

 

You could be really unlucky and break the cable and short circuit one wire to the other, but that's pretty unlikely.

 

I drove the old one for a bit with the switch disconnected and the alarm armed fine every time.

[Daniel]

Could someone with a bootbag type boot see if their alarm sensor looks the same as mine? I think my old one may not have been flush but raised a little. Here's a pic of it now (Bad quality, sorry)

[Mark H]

I have the same sensor on mine and a similar problem, the way I fixed it was to apply some adhesive padding (similar to draught excluder) to the underside of the lid and then when you close it on the sensor it pushes the sensor down that little bit extra and voila.