Hey everyone,

I just parked my car and disconnected the battery. I can't get the lights (interior and exterior) to stop flashing even when the car is off.

It started when I unhooked the battery yesterday beforegoing to sleep. I was trying to reset the ecu--never had this sort of problem after disconnecting a battery, even in my old jaguar. Today when I left for work, I connected it back up, and immediately the lights started flashing and the doors locked themselves. Dash lights, tail lights, and front indicators all flashing. As I drove I swear the problem went away, but when I parked it again it was still happening. When I pressed the brake lights, the headlights dimmed a LOT. This wasn't happening before either. I can hear what sounds like two separate relays clicking in the steering column. I'd like to know what this is before I have to drive home after my shift. Does anyone know what happened? Is it the remnants of an alarm system or something?

Thanks in advance!

 

Sounds like an issue with an alarm or something. Mine does the same thing until I hit the disarm switch on a keyfob.

Mine has a black box under the steering column that's the alarm brain - it's had the siren removed, but it still clicks/flashes until disarmed.

You can look for a box that looks like it doesn't belong and also check on the passengers side up beside the blower motor - mine had the factory alarm connector cut off and a couple wires jumpered out to the aftermarket one. If that harness is hacked (it has 8 pins on either side and one in the center), it may have part of an old aftermarket alarm.

Did you just get the car? Had you ever disconnected the battery before?

 

I got the car a few weeks ago. First time disconnecting the battery!

No key fob came with the car at all. I'll check out those areas for sure, especially under the steering column as that's where the clicking is from. I'm also going to try reconnecting the battery with the key in the on position. It may have something to do with one of my doors always registering as open.

Should I find this black box, what would I do with it? Just disconnect it? Thanks for your help! Also, what a useless alarm, I was able to drive with no sort of immobilization at all. I guess with the horn it would be more noticeable, but it still reminds me of Grand Theft Auto.

 

Well, I saw the box in question and just unhooked the longest strip of connectors. No more flashing or clicking! Thanks a ton!

 

Odd that a series 5 would have an alarm module near the blower motor. I thought it was integrated into the CPU?

 

Try putting the key in the door and lock,unlock,lock,unlock.

My S5 alarm went off out of the blue and frankly I didn't even know it had an alarm until I heard Honking one night...LOL!..I was screaming "who the Hell's car it that?.."..(uh..mine..duh!).

Pinky is on track.
But looking fast at the FSM it looks like it is in a CPU on the driver's side.

Try Foxed.ca for the Factory Service Manual.You will find the Theft Deterrent system under Body/electrical.

 

..that's what I get for typing slow..ya had time to fix it..hahhahha!

 

US S5 models had it built into the CPU. US S4 cars with alarm had it behind the glove box.

What did you disconnect? The Canadian models are slightly different than US but not by much. If you reached into the driver kick panel and unplugged a large connector from the top of a black box, you unplugged the CPU. If you did that, your horn no longer works :p

 

I tried the key thing, but my lock is broken anyway... haha, that door is a poor specimen... I had to climb out the passenger side earlier because the battery was unhooked and I couldn't roll down the window to open the door from the outside!

I disconnected a black box that had connectors on the top and the left side;I only unhooked the left strip as well as a blue and a red connector next to it. This box was clicking. It looks aftermarket, sort of, as it was hanging loose and had an old school wire antenna like a Sony alarm clock. There was some text on it too, like a brand or something, but I couldn't make it all out. It was just hanging loose above the dead pedal. There was also a white circular thing blinking green and red.

And no worries about the horn, my quick release won't allow that anyhow. If it was indeed the CPU, what else does it affect?

 

Mine's an S4, and it was just the harness connector, not the module itself.

 

It sounds exactly like the aftermarket alarm that is in my car - only thing it still controls is the door popper relays, so that's the only reason I'm keeping it. All other plugs are out of it. I doubt you unplugged the CPU. It sounds aftermarket.

 

True, it does sound aftermarket. And my locks are still powered; first thing I checked once the flashing stopped!

I must have looked real funny on the highway to work today! I thought it had stopped by then but apparently not. At least the tide home will be okay. Thanks again for your help, everyone.

 

Yeah, mine has remote control power locks, which I'm keeping. LOL