So I was at one of the cheap **** autostores that are everywhere now and I was changing out a tail light bulb. So I threw my keys in the trunk area and then closed the hatch when I was done and locked myself out. Ohh wait but I left the sunroof up!! So I got a stick and reached in and pushed the door lever up on the passenger side because it sits higher than the drivers side and was easier to reach. So I unlock the door and I'm now expecting the alarm to go off when I open the door because this is not the right way to do it. But it doesn't go off. Why isn't my alarm working? Oh and after I lock the car the alarm buttom doesn't blink on the center panel like it did on my last fd.

what should i check first?

thanks crew

 

when you set the alarm you have to hold up the door handle when you close the door. and also the light could be burned out on the alarm light

 

to arm the alarm dont you have to hold the door handle up to arm it

 

i am always too late lol
oh well looks like you do

 

Your alarm isn't setting itself, most likely due to one of the door/hood contacts staying open. Check them out carefully. Also, not sure if the sunroof has a contact as well; I'd imagine it does, but I could be mistaken.

 

Mr. surge monster,

Nice name btw. I had the problem with my alarm thingy not lighting up so I switched the little lightbulb thingy mo-do-bob with the lightbulg thingy mo-do-bob in the exhaust overheat thingy. I found radio shack actually carried the bulbs but the cute little packaging that mazda has is needed and I lost mine

 

Nope, not true. My FD doesn't require any of this retarded engineering to turn the alarm on. Whatever mfr first thought of the "hold the handle up to lock the door" should be shot.

In a nutshell, you don't need to do this. Just push down the lock, both doors will lock, you'll hear a beep, and close the door. Simple as that.

 

what you effectivly did was the same thing as if you went it to your car, locked it from teh inside, then unlocked it from the inside and then got out/opened the door, the stock alarm is still proballly ok in anycase.

 

for me all I have to do is lock the door, either with the key or from inside the car (or with my keyless entry).

dont need to wait for a beep, never did. It beeps about 10 seconds after the door closes.

later

 

sry... your right. i thought i read it in the owners manual on time, i feel like a idoit!

 

Mine for some reason does, and there was a thread on this a while back. If you simply close the door without holding the latch (which, yes, I think is ridiculous), the doors will not lock, and the alarm will not arm. Apparently, some models-- whether year-based or other-- vary on this requirement.

 

this is why a new aftermarket alarm system is needed, as i did.

 

maybe someone can goto www.iUseToLoveMyRX7ButNowImSellingIt.com and download the owners manuals and see. Thats kinda weird.

 

I locked my keys in the car about a month ago and was able to break in with 2 pieces of wood trim in about 30 seconds.

And I have no sunroof. It was scary.

 

HAHA

guys why the hell are there so many replies? I just posted this, then went to do some chores around the house and 13 replies wtf?? When I have an emergency I never get replies, I suppose everyone knows about alarms and not everyone knows about engine stuff Im the opposite.

Now on both my 93 and this 94 I have to lock the drivers door from inside then hold the handle up and close it from the outside. Or what I usually do is just close the door and lock it with the key. I remember on my 93 when I used to lock the door from inside I'd hear that beep sound. I don't hear that on this car. Is there a fuse or something I can check?? I don't believe the alarm is arming.

THANKS !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

My car will not lock / nor will the alarm arm, unless I hold up the handle when shutting the door.

 

Mine is a 94 and your should work like mine. There is a sensor thingy in the door handle. It has atleast 2 wires. one is green with red stripe, the other im not sure. The green with red stripe is the disarm, the other is the arm. Both take a single negative ground pulse to set or disarm the alarm. When you take the door panel off, toward the left top of the panel just below the window you will see where the connector is, its the wires that connect from the door handle into the harness. an easy way to test this is to take a ground wire and jump it into the harness where the arm wire is. See if the alarm sets. If it does, your lock alarm sensor is loose. Or im just talking out my *** and dont know ****.

EDIT: if it still doesnt set the alarm, the problem is probably in your harness thats in the door. Mine had some corrosion at the contacts so my power windows and door locks were intermittant, which I have fixed now.


IM me later if you need details.

 

Anyway, you had the hatch open, and the alarm shouldn't arm with it open. The drivers door has to be the last one to shut.

 

David Beale is right (for my car, anyway).

If I open, then close my hatch, I can't arm the alarm with the key unless I open and close the driver's door.

 

thats funny. with my car if the hatch is open and the doors are shut and doors locked the alarm will not set. if I close the hatch it will set 10 seconds later, I do not have to re-open the drivers door.

Mazda is great for consistency.

 

I can shut the doors/hood in any sequence and the alarm will still arm.

 

Given the level of crappyness of the stock alarm and the typical amount of aftermarket parts that people put into FDs one would think that more owners would invest in a decent aftermarket alarm.