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Posted on Nov 11, 2012
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The car soulds like the battery is low but when it starts the flashers come on.

After the first start it not as hard to start? Could the alams system be causing the problem? It is a factory alarm..

1 Answer

Jamie Alton

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  • Master 1,007 Answers
  • Posted on Nov 12, 2012
Jamie Alton
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Joined: Oct 30, 2012
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Often an alarm system will register a low battery voltage and presume the vehicle's battery is being removed to prevent the alarm from going off. They will then begin flashing and or sounding the horn.
In your case, I would presume that the battery voltage is too low which may indicate either a failed battery, or a parasitic voltage drain.

First, get the vehicle started, and run the vehicle for a good twenty or so minutes to get some charge to the battery. If you don't want to waste fuel however doing this, then I suggest using any battery charger, as all we want to do is get some voltage back in the battery. If you are using a charger though, then charge on a lower voltage setting overnight.

Once you have the battery charged, run off any surface charge by turning the vehicle lights on for a minute, then turn them off again.

You need an ammeter for this next part:


Disconnect the battery positive terminal and connect the ammeter in series with the battery and positive lead.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE!

With all vehicle systems off, the key out, doors closed and alarm 'OFF', bonnet close switch depressed, or bonnet/hood clasp closed (need a screwdriver), take a reading from the ammeter.
After probably no more than twenty minutes, the ammeter should be reading 0.03 amps and not much more. Anything like 0.5 or 1 amp means you have a battery drain.
If this is the case, then start by disconnecting the alarm system. If the alarm system has it's own separate speaker/horn, then disconnect this first. Many of these horns have backup batteries, which only last three or four years before they fail, which causes them to constantly draw from the vehicle battery and then flatten it when parked.
Every time you disconnect an item or system, check that ammeter again to see if the amps have returned to normal. Pull fuses one by one, checking the ammeter each time for any change until you find the system which is causing a drain, then attend to that system.

If your amps are normal however and your battery is still loosing charge when parked for any short length of time, i.e. a few days or so, then your battery is at fault and requires replacement.

Just before changing your battery, do one last check, which is with the vehicle running. You need to reconnect any battery cables, and start the vehicle. Using the voltmeter once more, check the voltage across the terminals with the engine running. This is your charging voltage and it should go up to around 14 volts if revving the engine slightly. If still around 12 volts only, then you have a charging issue, which is probably the alternator.

5 Related Answers

Anonymous

  • 1 Answer
  • Posted on Aug 07, 2009

SOURCE: My car won't start be cause the alarm sounds as soon as i turn ke

I have a 95 camry 2.2 and it did the same thing. i helped jump a buddy's car then the horn started sounding. so i called the parts service for toyota they told me theres a switch under your dash, on the floor board, right above where the left is placed. there was a switch, he told me to flip it then my car started working no problem. that was about 1 yr 1/2 ago.

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alicantecoli

Colin Stickland

  • 22516 Answers
  • Posted on Sep 08, 2009

SOURCE: the factory alarm won't shut off

the factory alarm has cut in ,,,dealer only to put right iam afraid

Anonymous

  • 32 Answers
  • Posted on Jan 05, 2010

SOURCE: 97 toyota 4runner factory alarm not allowing to start

lock your doors and close it wait till alarm resets and then unlock door with key and this should take care of you problem

johnjohn2

Johnny Brown

  • 5763 Answers
  • Posted on Oct 31, 2010

SOURCE: The factory car alarm on

Okay, lets first try something, go to the car and use the key to lock and then unlock the driver door, this should shut down the alarm, if it doesnt work then try pass/side door lock then unlock with the key, this should start the car, this factory alarm wired through the computers so you may be driving with alarm going you may need to unhook horn wire at front of grill, also this is important!!! are you sure the car battery is good, if the battery is low it would cause this problem, the alarm would go nuts because of low voltage, try jumping it if the key doesnt work, hook cables to it then use the clicker to disarm and try it, let me know what happens i would like to know, good luck and i hope this helps.

Anonymous

  • 1861 Answers
  • Posted on Jul 31, 2011

SOURCE: i have a 1994 toyota

Hello. Welcome to FixYa. Please allow me to assist you. If you have a factory alarm system (not one that was added from a non-Toyota alarm manufacturer), the way to disable the alarm is to insert the key into the ignition, cycle the key from lock to on (not to the start position) five times. Try that and see if that fixes your problem. Remember, this trick will not work if you do not have a Toyota system installed.

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