Z3 car alarm.1997.

[Mathew hayes]

Hi, happy new year.2022.
i have an alarm issue on my bmw z3 1997.
The battery was flat so I had it on charge. When the + and - where connected the drivers door locked up . But not the passenger side. Then when I entered the car the alarm started going off. It’s in my garage and the car is all unlocked. I have tried a sequence. Unlock lock driver door, get in put key to position 1 then off the again. But it still goes off. Sometimes the hazards stay on and the siren stops. It’s all confusing. It’s never happened before. Would a new battery dove the issue. Thanks. Hope someone can help. Mat.

 

[jonco]

Happy New Year Mat.
The joys of this vintage EWS alarm when it goes out of sync - sometimes the fob needs re-programming and on others it will reset and the reason is never known ( have been there on both).
Process of elimination, which may be lengthy. Do any parts of the system activate/de-activate using the remote fob or are they only on the key?

 

[Mathew hayes]

Hi thanks for the reply most appreciated. Key fob doesn’t work . So it’s just key at the moment. Is there anything else I can do. Thanks. Jonco.

 

[jonco]

..

 

[jonco]

Key fob doesn’t work . So it’s just key at the moment.

Can you lock the car from either door or boot lid?

 

[Mathew hayes]

Car will lock on both doors and boot lid but alarm goes off when I do. Then after 30 secs. Indicators come on and a peep noise from under bonnet. Then if I try door again goes off again. Flipping annoying.??

 

[Mathew hayes]

I’ve opened the glove box as one forum said.but cannot find how to reset the alarm box.

 

[jonco]

I’ve opened the glove box as one forum said.but cannot find how to reset the alarm box.

Should have asked question earlier but is it a BMW EWS II system as you need to remove glovebox to access? Need input from more `expert' members for example @mrscalex , @colb or @NZ00Z3. Sounding as if alarm system has armed on power up of charged battery - could try disconnecting battery to see if it resets (shot in the dark I admit)

 

[Mathew hayes]

Ok thankyou so much for your information. I will have a tinker tomorrow see if I get anywhere.i will post any info on . Wish me luck.thanks.

 

[colb]

Not unknown for the boot loom of doom being a cause of locking issues, strip back the outer wiring cover between the body and the boot lid and look for breaks and or corrossion on the wires, repair any using solder joints and heatshrink. If its really bad you should source a repair loom on ebay.

 

[Mathew hayes]

Thanks for the information. Most appreciated.

 

[jonco]

Not unknown for the boot loom of doom being a cause of locking issues,..........

Hi @colb - I had considered that but what I can't get my head round is that the key (central locking) appears to function correctly from all locks but the remote alarm fob does not work, so the alarm system should not be activated, yet alarms are going off?

 

[colb]

I wonder if the EWS needs resyncing with the DME which is often the case when the car has a flat battery situation. Have you scanned the car for any fault codes, INPA or BMW Scanner 1.4 would be my first choice to scan the car as they will read all modules in the car. If it needs resyncing here is a how to link using INPA

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSFvmDYvz4Y

 

[jonco]

@Mathew hayes - do you have a red LED on the centre console - if so is it lit/flashing?

 

[Mathew hayes]

Hi the red led has never flashed since I had it. I’m going to try today. I have a code reader for obd 1. Which could work. But thinking I need to reset the alarm module. Only thing is the fob has never worked just the key on it from the barrel. Maybe if I rest the module it may work the fob. ?