Poxy alarm/central locking!

[arbee]

My alam system behaves strangely!

Always 'arms' fine. However when disarming it will never unlock first time. Remote button makes the 'click' noise and occassionally the indicators will give a quick flash, but nothing else happens. It usually takes a fair few presses of the button to get it to unlock :? Strangely tho, once it has unlocked, it will lock/unlock after that no problem. It just seems to be when the car has been sitting locked for a while.

I haven't swapped the remote battery yet. It could just be that but i'm doubting it's that simple!. Any other ideas? If i swap the remote batteries is there a particular technique or does it need to be reprogrammed by the dealer? While I think of it does anyone know the battery type off the top of their head and I'll pop intpo maplins on the way home!

[pzorb]

I have the very same problem. Mine's definitley the fault of the passenger side lock. See I think that when you press the fob to lock, the first flash is it knowing you want to lock it, and the second is it being sucessfully locked. When I just get one flash, the passenger 'titty' was too stiff for it to move, so the rest of the car didn't lock. When I unlock, the rest of the doors unlock but not the passenger! So it refuses to lock itself again until I open the door manually from the inside, clearing the stuck 'titty'.
Spray some WD40 into any 'tittys' you think might be a problem, that's what fixes it for me.

Good luck!

[arbee]

An interestind theory and interesting terminology! - assume you are referring to the door pins? I havent noticed doors not locking/unlocking independently but that could well be it. It would tie in with the fact that once it has operated once it seems to lock/unlock ok. I dunno!

[pzorb]

assume you are referring to the door pins?

The very fellows! Next time it happens, have a look round the car for any that haven't moved or have gone half way.

As an additional thought, it might also apply to the fuel cap lock and rear hatch lock, so check them too. When I got my car, someone had disconnected the fuel cap lock motor - when I plugged it back in this problem started soon after (maybe a lack of overall voltage...? WD40 is cheaper than a new battery!)

[arbee]

I seem to have discovered the technique... grateful if anyone can confirm this is normal or not?

Car unlocked
Press 'lock/unlock' - car locks and deadlocks, LED flashes slower for several seconds, then flashes a wee bit faster, just about noticable.
If I press 'lock/unlock' within the initial period it unlocks on the first press on the button.
If I press 'lock/unlock' after the initial period all that happens is the indicators flash, the interior light comes on, and the LED stops flashing
I then have to press the button again to get it to start the LED flashing ('initial period')
I then have to press it the third time to get the car to unlock!

Is this normal? any way of changing this configuration?

Also, the horn gives a short beep when arming/disarming. Anyone know how to turn this off?

Cheers all!

[pzorb]

If everything, like the 'titties', are working, it's simply press the button to lock/unlock! Horn doesn't make a peep either. Mind you... I'm not sure if my car has an alarm per se, i've never been able to set it off (stopping short of a brick through the window!) so I dunno if this behaviour is just for remote central locking. It has "Volvo Guard" on both frontside windows.

Maybe you have an aftermarket alarm? Is it a volvo fob?

[arbee]

nah its defo the real mccoy volvo alarm. Even got a little pamphlet explaining its functions - the instructions say the beep on arm/disarm is a dealer changable function, it may be that there is an option to do something oither than uplock on the first press but I can't find any reference to it! Think i may have to visit a dealer!

[Rufe]

the door locks on the 850's, and the V70's are all prone to playing up... one of volvos longest running common faults.