Sitting on the PC and heard a repetitive beeping (whistle like) sound, not particularly loud, coming from outside........from my car?
Unlocked it, locked it and all silent so far.
It wasn't the alarm and no signs of interference. Boot, bonnet up and checked for vermin.
Battery charged up recently.
Any ideas?
PS: It's off the road behind two other vehicles so not easily stolen.
Beeping sound from parked up car?
Re: Beeping sound from parked up car?
Gone off again at 4am this morning!
Now thinking it is the alarm after all? Lights flashing and a little louder.
The only think I can think that might have set it off is a loose tarpaulin on the back of my boat, waving around in the vicinity of the passenger's door but as I regularly squeeze through the 10" gap during daylight with no effect on the alarm i'm not so sure.
Anyone know where the sensors are located?
Now thinking it is the alarm after all? Lights flashing and a little louder.
The only think I can think that might have set it off is a loose tarpaulin on the back of my boat, waving around in the vicinity of the passenger's door but as I regularly squeeze through the 10" gap during daylight with no effect on the alarm i'm not so sure.
Anyone know where the sensors are located?
Re: Beeping sound from parked up car?
Try disabling the internal sensors? Can't remember how you do this but there's a mention of how to in the owner guide on my MC.
Re: Beeping sound from parked up car?
I think to disable the internal sensors, you simply press the lock button on your fob twice in quick succession. You should do this if you put your car on a ferry - fat chance at the moment!
Re: Beeping sound from parked up car?
Hi, I've had my Z3 for nigh on 21 years and this has happened to me on a number of occasions in the past (not recently - touchwood).
I found the issue to be the spring loaded bonnet alarm switch. I took it to be that I never needed to lift the bonnet that much and put it down to 'in-frequent' use. I'd suggest lifting the bonnet and depressing the switch, letting it flick back up under its own spring action. Do this a number of times in the hope that its clearing the electrical contact surfaces. if isolating the sensors - which I agree is done by two quick presses on the key fob - means you don't have your car alarmed this may be worth giving a go. Hope it helps, good luck
I found the issue to be the spring loaded bonnet alarm switch. I took it to be that I never needed to lift the bonnet that much and put it down to 'in-frequent' use. I'd suggest lifting the bonnet and depressing the switch, letting it flick back up under its own spring action. Do this a number of times in the hope that its clearing the electrical contact surfaces. if isolating the sensors - which I agree is done by two quick presses on the key fob - means you don't have your car alarmed this may be worth giving a go. Hope it helps, good luck
Re: Beeping sound from parked up car?
Been a while since I've answered an alarm problem thread...
Random alarm triggers can be any of the interior movement sensors, tilt switch, bonnet switch, stereo anti-theft switch, the door switches and the boot switch.
You can eliminate the interior and tilt switches by double-locking the car using the fob. The bonnet, boot and door switches remain active.
If it still goes off, then try disconnecting the bonnet switch. If this is it, then it can be fixed more permanently by swapping to the X5 one, which has a longer plunger, or simply gluing something to the plunger to make it longer, so it operates the switch more fully.
The door switches can wear over time as well, the telltale usually being that the interior light stays on. These can also be fixed by gluing something over the worn part.
Stereo anti-theft switch is wired in parallel with the bonnet switch. I cable-tied mine up, as it didn't work with my aftermarket stereo.
If you are still having false alarms, try not setting the alarm, by just locking with the key. If it still goes off, this is likely water in the tilt switch. This has been known to cause the alarm to go off whilst driving as well.
People have had trouble with radio taxis in the past, driving past and the interference sets the alarm off, but I don't think these are an issue any more.
Finally, some personal experience. I had a spate where my alarm would go off randomly. Then one morning I found an BMW EWS sticker in the drivers footwell. My guess is that it had come loose, and a slight draught would move it, and as it is right next to the sensor inside the centre console, it set the alarm off. No more sticker, no more problem!
Cheers R.
Random alarm triggers can be any of the interior movement sensors, tilt switch, bonnet switch, stereo anti-theft switch, the door switches and the boot switch.
You can eliminate the interior and tilt switches by double-locking the car using the fob. The bonnet, boot and door switches remain active.
If it still goes off, then try disconnecting the bonnet switch. If this is it, then it can be fixed more permanently by swapping to the X5 one, which has a longer plunger, or simply gluing something to the plunger to make it longer, so it operates the switch more fully.
The door switches can wear over time as well, the telltale usually being that the interior light stays on. These can also be fixed by gluing something over the worn part.
Stereo anti-theft switch is wired in parallel with the bonnet switch. I cable-tied mine up, as it didn't work with my aftermarket stereo.
If you are still having false alarms, try not setting the alarm, by just locking with the key. If it still goes off, this is likely water in the tilt switch. This has been known to cause the alarm to go off whilst driving as well.
People have had trouble with radio taxis in the past, driving past and the interference sets the alarm off, but I don't think these are an issue any more.
Finally, some personal experience. I had a spate where my alarm would go off randomly. Then one morning I found an BMW EWS sticker in the drivers footwell. My guess is that it had come loose, and a slight draught would move it, and as it is right next to the sensor inside the centre console, it set the alarm off. No more sticker, no more problem!
Cheers R.
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
Re: Beeping sound from parked up car?
Thanks all,
Sorry for the late reply but I think i've found the cause, a huge Badger!
We've had a few Foxes wander into the front garden over the years and i've seen the occasional Badger half a mile up the road near the allotments but this fella was caught snuffling through some bird seed, probably after the mealworms. It's not like we have rolling acres but in order to get under the back gate and to the bird feeders he would have had to squeeze by or more likely go under my Zed! (Hopefully not over the top
)
I understand that lockdown has meant wild animals, who would normally feast on restaurant bins, discarded takeaways and roadkill are struggling to find enough food so are getting braver by the day. I put a torch on this guy and watched him for around 20 minutes through a window, took a couple of photos using flash, all from about 8ft away and he didn't flinch.
Sorry for the late reply but I think i've found the cause, a huge Badger!
We've had a few Foxes wander into the front garden over the years and i've seen the occasional Badger half a mile up the road near the allotments but this fella was caught snuffling through some bird seed, probably after the mealworms. It's not like we have rolling acres but in order to get under the back gate and to the bird feeders he would have had to squeeze by or more likely go under my Zed! (Hopefully not over the top
)I understand that lockdown has meant wild animals, who would normally feast on restaurant bins, discarded takeaways and roadkill are struggling to find enough food so are getting braver by the day. I put a torch on this guy and watched him for around 20 minutes through a window, took a couple of photos using flash, all from about 8ft away and he didn't flinch.
