Car problems

This morning I went to my car as usual to go to work, put the key in the door to unlock it, turned it, and then my whole world changed! Horns started blasting, lights started flashing, and I was totally taken by surprise. I have owned this Kia Sportage (1997) for 8 months believing there was no car alarm wired to it. Apparently there is!

Wierd thing is, as I tried to figure out how to turn off an alarm that doesn't exist, I realised that the car had actually been unlocked all night (late finish due to hunting trip) and what I had actually done to trigger the non-existent alarm was to LOCK the car. So to de-trigger it, I locked the car back up again. Obvious huh

So I was locked out my own car by a non-existent alarm. There is no keyless entry with it. Everything I can find online shows that no alarm was factory fitted on the base model, and the guy we bought it from said they had never done anything to it, and they had it from new.

Any mechanical, electrical or simple crazy ideas welcome at this stage please!!!

 

dynamite

 

I'm wondering if someone at one of the Kia dealerships could acutally answer your question without costing you anything. I personally never used a car with an alarm system, so I'm not sure how this goes. I guess all you can do is try to find out if someone has any idea as to help you with your situation.

I wish I could be more helpful, and I hope you get back in your vehicle soon!

<keeping fingers crossed for you>

 

try putting the key in the ignition and starting it. my trucks alarm is designed to turn off when started with the key, also there should be a button or switch for the alarm somewhere.

 

the new cars automatically lock themselves. w hen u just leave it. maybe it was a theif? .........who knows goodluck in solving this

cars that have built in alarms are um under the steering wheel sort of. its like a little box its usually clear. thats like the main thing of the alarm make s ure those wires and stuff is all set. it has a switch too its on and off well my old camera had it was like a 98? it had this. i ripped it out cuz everytime a truck drove by it would always go off. i live near the mainstreet

 

Hey Lev, I don't know anything about Kia's but any Ford with a factory alarm has a key fob (remote entry) and power door locks. The alarm usually arms when you lock the door with the the key fob or the power lock switch on the door panel inside. It won't arm with the key.The lock cylinder (keyhole) on the door has a switch on it inside the door that disables the alarm when the key is turned. When this switch fails as is the case with my Windstar, the alarm will go off when you unlock with the key and then lift the handle. I can only unlock mine with the key fob or the keyless entry pad on the door. Your car could be fitted with an aftermarket alarm system and the fobs are lost, but usually they have a siren (you've heard them I'm sure) and not the car horn. Try it again, then try the passenger door lock.

 

Hey Lev, are you sure it was your car?


-Steve

 

Bring in the nearest 15 yearold boy in the neighborhood. HE'LL get it working for you in a flash, I'll bet ya.

 

I can see a book in the making, "The Lisa Chronicles"! Lev, best wishes with your car!

 

ROFL...you guys are killing me!!


@sibeer & fadead...there is no keyless entry. The alarm triggered as I supposedly unlocked (but was actually locking) the door. I never even got to pull the door handle. I found some stuff online along what you are saying re under the steering wheel and behind the driver's door lock, so will look into that (whilst earing ear defenders!)

@evilevets...sadly, yes it is my car, thogh funnily enouhg outside the store a couple of weeks ago someone parked an identical car next to mine and I did try to get in theirs by mistake lol

@Gensuknives....you may recall my saying last week about our eldest son having his car stolen. Maybe I could recruit that person to help me with mine! Btw...he got the car back this week. Ignition is screwed up and CDs and shades stolen, but otherwise very little damage. Not sure how he got in.

@British TV nut...there are only 200 Kia dealerships in the whole of the US...and I don't speak Korean But yes, that is an option, thanks

Thanks guys for all your input.....keep it coming if you have anymore but you've certainly given me some stuff to think about and try

 

Well if you can get into the car open the hood and disconnect the battery so that the alarm wont go off when you open the door.

 

Hmmm...doesn't that kinda defeat the object? Usually if I want to get into my car it's because I want to drive it.......not an easy thing to do with the battery disconnected

I'm quite happy to drive it round the freeway with horn blasting and all lights flashing...it's nearly Christmas so I might be able to get away with it if I stick a Christmas tree on the roof!

 

oh yeah when u do go in search for the alarm best to leave the car off. you dont want to get fried =O

goodluck

 

No i said when you open the car, alarm goes off, then before you look for the alarm, disconnect the battery this way you dont need a hearing aid next time you come back by the way you requested a 15 year old....thats me . But still yeah not a bad idea for christmas. Then just color one headlight red and the other one green lol. Could be short though or the the car's ecu is gone goofy and needs to be reset. Try resetting the computer and see if that helps ya. Good luck and merry xmas.
-the new tech guy

 

LOL....good posting. But we are talking a base KIA here...haha....ECU????? You have got to be kidding me

 

new tech is right. Your car has an ECU and other processing modules even if it is a base unit. Disconnect the battery, turn on the ignition and turn the key to the crank postion. Release the key and leave it in the run position for a minute, then turn it off and remove it. Reconnect the battery and see if it is fixed. Caution, some alarms may sound when you reconnect the battery so be ready. Don't forget to wash your hands after handling battery connections.

 

does your car come with a owners manual?

 

All vehicles have a computer. My guess is that it has to be reset and that computer controlls lots of stuff like air fuel mixture and whatnot. I know we have a Hundai (dammit i cant wait till march when i can finally get a permit) and one time the air fuel mixture fell below normal levels and the engine light came on. computer controlls most of the car stuff. Do what sibear said to reset the computer. Be ready to set the clock and date and radio again. Let us know if it helps...
-the new tech guy
ps: Im tellin the truth im 15! I learned this stuff from playin good old gran turismo! And im not a bad driver either.

 

Mabye They did it??

New and amazing Human Alarms !


Tired of you and your freinds games getting interupted? Install the all new Ha on every car (atv etc) that enters your clearing!

With this ingenious device you can track AND disorientate your advisaries.Small compact and easy to install comes in attractive(mud clump or squashed bug)


brought to you by Donny Deer and Bobby Boar

Available at finer locations everywhere!

SORRY that was really BAD! LOL

 

Confusing, i dont get it.
-the new tech guy

 

Thanks for the input guys. It seems to have resolved itself...until the next time. Dont you just hate those intermittent faults that don't stay faults long enough for you to fix them?

No it didnt come with a manual, and I'm kinda one of those people who explores and works it out rather than pay the extortionate amount they ask for these books!

I did some online research...seems a few people have had this problem. It's the two yellow wires located in the driver's side door lock. Cheap Korean asembly..what more can I expect? If I lock the car by pressing the lever down, and not use the key, then the alarm does not get set, so this shouldn't happen again. If someone wants to steal a Sportage, good luck to them I say! lol

 

Might be worth asking the local dealership if there is a recall for this. A lot of times they'll have recalls for little things where they won't notify owners or publicize, but quietly fix it the nex time your in for an oil change, etc.

I lost the link, but there is a place online where you can put in your VIN # and it will list all of the recalls for your make/year.


-Steve

 

Thanks evilevets...I already found the recall list and sadly this isn't included in them. It's just the price you pay from buying cheap I guess.

 

At least you were able to get in your vehicle. Thank goodness for that. I know it's just a pain to deal with when you don't know what's the deal when something like that happens.

I'm glad that everyone helped you out and even put a smile on your face amongst chaos.

 

WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR TARDIS FROM??? I want one

Yeah...that's one thing I love so much about this place. It's a guarantee someone will make you laugh in the face of your adversity

 

haha you could tear the floor board out and go at it Flintstones style.

 

LOL....give it a couple of years...with a Kia that's probably a very feasible option!!

 

OR you can go electric. Just dont drive it through puddles though. You will electrcute yourself lol.
-the new tech guy

 

Maybe I'll just replace the motorcycle I had in the UK. I miss riding, and let's face it, you can't get locked out of a motorbike

 

Yeah must be fun riding a motorcycle. One disadvantage: no stereo unless you stick a headset under the helmet. Have fun with the cheap car lol.
-the new tech guy

 

That's exactly what we do Or ,if you are loaded, you buy a big Gold Wing armchair and cruise along with the stereo blasting out the fitted speakers.

Hmmm....if I was loaded, I wouldn't be driving a Kia in the first place

 

Good point. I would rather stick with a car. If i was loaded with more money than i knew what to do with i would be driving an amg. Unfourtunately im not so im probably stuck in a hundai. So i think were in the same boat. lol.
-the new tech guy

 

All newer vehicles do.

Not all vehicles have a computer.

 

Well true that not all vehicles do. Mainly older vehicles from like maybe like 89 back do not.
-the new tech guy

 

and cheap Korean Kias

Trust me...look under the hood...it's like going back in time to the 60's lol

 

Well I did Googled and found one. Granted it was a little too huge to put here since there was a limitation so I shrank it using Paint Shop Pro's Animation Shop.

Anyway I found the person's website at http://www.sevenoaksart.co.uk/ where there are a couple of Doctor Who links. I found the TARDIS I'm using on the first link. There was another one on the "New" link, but that didn't look good since it was a black background and not transparent with the TARDIS disappearing and reappearing.

Okay, I'm done babbling.

Enjoy!