Alarm system in my 1996 230E Estate petrol started to behave funny recently - during these cold days. Last Friday it was OK in the morning but after been kept outside garage during the day it started to produce screeming sounds just after been unlocked by the standard Mercedes wireless central lock key. Siren and usual alarm lights were activated periodically during driving. It stopped after driving ca. 500 yards but the Left indicator on the rear-view mirror was periodically blinking. I went to the local Mercedes garage - they said it must be weather conditions, water getting in from melted snow, etc. They said that rear view mirror is essential part of the system - I guess it is a kind of display panel for the diagnostic tool.
There was no problem for a couple of days but today in the morning it started again:
1. Just after unlocking siren and lights are getting off.
2. In the rear view mirror there are Left and Right indicators which were blinking kind of randomly for a few seconds.
3. I drove to the Mercedes garage again and siren and light flashing disappeared after ca. 500 yards (after some 5-6 times getting on/off).
4. Left indicator on the rare view mirror kept blinking periodically - ca. every 5-6 seconds.
5. Mercedes garage said there is no cure - just to de-activate alarm system (3 hours of labour).
6. I drove around for some other business for a while with a few stops and starts - no problem whith alarm siren or lights at all except that Left indicator on the rear-view mirror kept blinking periodically.
Thus, the real questions are:
Q1: Can it be just a weather? I.e. the fact that after driving in the cold weather for some short time the system gets "better" can be used as a reasonable argument for the need of drying up it which cures everything?
Q2: Is there a way to disarm alarm system while keeping central lock working on this model (I have no idea where is control block)?
Q3: If not Yes for Q2 is there a way to disarm alarm system totally i.e. leave only manual lock of the car?
Q4: Can anybody tell me how to read meaning of the blinking indicators in the rear-view mirror.
Q5: Can it be that electronics in the rear-view mirror is actually causing a problem to the alarm system rather than anything else?
I hope to hear from you soon.
There was no problem for a couple of days but today in the morning it started again:
1. Just after unlocking siren and lights are getting off.
2. In the rear view mirror there are Left and Right indicators which were blinking kind of randomly for a few seconds.
3. I drove to the Mercedes garage again and siren and light flashing disappeared after ca. 500 yards (after some 5-6 times getting on/off).
4. Left indicator on the rare view mirror kept blinking periodically - ca. every 5-6 seconds.
5. Mercedes garage said there is no cure - just to de-activate alarm system (3 hours of labour).
6. I drove around for some other business for a while with a few stops and starts - no problem whith alarm siren or lights at all except that Left indicator on the rear-view mirror kept blinking periodically.
Thus, the real questions are:
Q1: Can it be just a weather? I.e. the fact that after driving in the cold weather for some short time the system gets "better" can be used as a reasonable argument for the need of drying up it which cures everything?
Q2: Is there a way to disarm alarm system while keeping central lock working on this model (I have no idea where is control block)?
Q3: If not Yes for Q2 is there a way to disarm alarm system totally i.e. leave only manual lock of the car?
Q4: Can anybody tell me how to read meaning of the blinking indicators in the rear-view mirror.
Q5: Can it be that electronics in the rear-view mirror is actually causing a problem to the alarm system rather than anything else?
I hope to hear from you soon.