Holding the lock/bmw roundel

[alpwhite46]

I'm curious regarding this ...(not sure if it was holding the lock button or the trunk button)... i will have to double check

When the car is locked, on my inside rear view mirror, a light flashes every 4-5 seconds...

Once i hold the lock button (or maybe the trunk button) for about 5 seconds... the red light on the inside starts going at about every 2 seconds.... what does this do?

[wolfman1807]

Do you have a security system?

[Z4inAZ]

Originally Posted by wolfman1807

Do you have a security system?

Surely he must if he has the blinking light.

Maybe its a force override to turn on all security features. I know someone mentioned recently their car had an alarm but the tilt sensor and motion detector wasnt activated. Maybe doing this turns those on and it blinks faster to signal the alarm is in a more alert mode.

Really just making stuff up. I have no idea.

[wolfman1807]

Originally Posted by Z4inAZ

Surely he must if he has the blinking light.

Maybe its a force override to turn on all security features. I know someone mentioned recently their car had an alarm but the tilt sensor and motion detector wasnt activated. Maybe doing this turns those on and it blinks faster to signal the alarm is in a more alert mode.

Really just making stuff up. I have no idea.

Sounds good to me!

[alpwhite46]

I just got the car a few days ago...

The car doesn't have any remote for an alarm though... I just have 2 bmw regular keys with 3 buttons! ... weird?

[Z4inAZ]

Originally Posted by alpwhite46

I just got the car a few days ago...

The car doesn't have any remote for an alarm though... I just have 2 bmw regular keys with 3 buttons! ... weird?

To my knowledge the alarms on these cars do not have a seperate fob like older cars did. At least on my E39 M5, the key controlled everything. I imagine, especially since your key seems to be altering something with the alarm (thus changing the blinking rate of the LED) that it functions this way too.

Panic button is the only thing that would be missing without a traditional alarm fob (since the unlock/lock is on the key), and you can turn on panic mode by holding down the lock button and the trunk unlock button together for a few seconds.

[Vanne]

Really? I had no idea about the panic mode.. Will have to try that...

Also anyone know if there is a sensitivity adjuster for the alarm? (Not meaning to hijack the thread btw

[StickMon]

I was tempted to try some things, but then decided it was best not to chance setting off my alarm at 10:00 PM.
Maybe I'll try tomorrow.

But I did stumble across this, while looking at 1-touch modules:

Gap-Tech says: "Because you are not clicking twice on the lock button your interior movement or tilt sensors will not get disabled as will occur with other remote modules."

Do we even have an interior movement sensor?
I tried leaning into the car and waving my arms around once with the top down and alarm set, and nothing.
I did discover that opening the center storage compartment will set the alarm off (Storage compartment lock disabled by previous owner. I decided to leave well enough alone. At least it alarms.)

[alpwhite46]

Hmm interesting... thanks.

If i turn the alarm on... how do i stop it? just with the unlock button??

[StickMon]

I'm pretty sure that's how I turned it off the one time I set it off.

[pungo]

The below works properly if the coding was done to enable all the functions. Many installations do not have the interior motion sensor since it cost more. The below is from the manual of a 2007.

Alarm system*
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
> When a door, the hood or the luggage compartment
lid/tailgate is opened
> When attempts are made to start the vehicle
> When there are movements in the vehicle
interior: interior motion sensor, refer to
page 24
> When the car's inclination changes, for
instance if an attempt is made to jack it up
and steal the wheels or to raise it prior to
towing away: Tilt alarm sensor, refer to
page 24
> When there is an interruption in the power
supply from the battery
The alarm system signals unauthorized entry
attempts for a short time by means of:
> An acoustic alarm
> Switching on the hazard warning flashers
> Flashing the high beams
Arming and disarming
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.
The hazard warning flashers light up once when
the alarm system has been properly armed.
You can have different acknowledgment
signals set to confirm arming and disarming.<
Even when the alarm system is armed, you can
open the luggage compartment lid/tailgate
using the button on the remote control,
refer to page 19. When you subsequently close
the luggage compartment lid/tailgate, it is
locked again and monitored.

Switching off an alarm
> Unlock the car with the remote control, refer
to page 19.
> Turn the master key in the ignition lock to
position 1, refer to page 40.
Indicator lamp displays
> The indicator lamp beneath the interior mirror
flashes continuously:
The system is armed.
> The indicator lamp flashes immediately
after the vehicle is locked:
Doors, hood or luggage compartment lid/
tailgate are not properly closed. Even if you
do not close the alerted area, the system
begins to monitor the remaining areas, and
the indicator lamp flashes continuously
after approx. 10 seconds. However, the
interior motion sensor is not activated.
> If the indicator lamp goes out immediately
after the vehicle is unlocked:
Your vehicle has not been disturbed while
you were away.
> If the indicator lamp flashes for 10 seconds
immediately after the vehicle is unlocked:
Your vehicle has been disturbed while you
were away.
After an alarm has been triggered, the indicator
lamp will flash continuously.
Tilt alarm sensor
The inclination of the vehicle is monitored. The
alarm system reacts e.g. to attempts to steal a
wheel or tow the vehicle.

Interior motion sensor*
Coupe
All windows must be closed in order for the interior
motion sensor to function optimally.
Roadster
The system monitors the footwells and the
seating areas of the driver and passenger. Even
when the convertible top is open, the alarm system
including the interior motion sensor is
armed. Objects falling into the vehicle, e.g.
leaves, can trigger unintentional alarms, refer to
Avoiding unintentional alarms.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor
can be deactivated at the same time. In this way
you can avoid unintentional alarms, e.g. in the
following situations:
> In duplex garages
> When transporting the vehicle on car-carrying
trains, by ship or on a trailer
> When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and
interior motion sensor
> Press the button on the remote
control twice in a row.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and
the interior motion sensor are deactivated until
the vehicle is again unlocked and locked.

[Z4inAZ]

Originally Posted by alpwhite46

Hmm interesting... thanks.

If i turn the alarm on... how do i stop it? just with the unlock button??

Yes

[papitosabe]

I don't have an alarm, but mine does the same thing as OP...its just a deterrent if you don't actually have the alarm installed, or you may have it installed but not activated by the dealership but I doubt one would have it installed and not have it activated but its possible

[StickMon]

Pressed the lock button twice fast and now it's flashing once every 2 seconds.
Or did it always flash once every 2 seconds? Now I can't remember!


I disabled my tilt sensor with Progman long ago, because the driveway's pretty steep and I'm in earthquake land, so maybe it's always been in that mode.
Or I just double-secret-disabled the tilt sensor and I just don't know how to get in back to "normal".

[gtMc]

OP - Its generally a way to turn off the motion sensor that Pungo mentioned in his list above. I pull this move all the time in the wifes X3 when we leave our dog in the car for a few minutes (with windows ajar of course) but want to lock the car. This way the dog doesnt set off the alarm and also make himself deaf at the same time.

The motion sensor and subsequent interior alarm that my 540 has is so sensetive and loud, its designed to actually disorient any potential intruders. 'eardrum pearcing' is an understatement. Anyone wanting to test thiers... be ready for it!

[alpwhite46]

Ok thanks for the heads up and warning!

[papitosabe]

Originally Posted by gtMc

I pull this move all the time in the wifes X3 when we leave our dog in the car for a few minutes (with windows ajar of course) but want to lock the car.

yikes, I know you say a few minutes, but we know how those few minutes turn into a lot longer or a lot of people. You may want to see how hot it can get with the "windows ajar."

[gtMc]

Originally Posted by papitosabe

yikes, I know you say a few minutes, but we know how those few minutes turn into a lot longer or a lot of people. You may want to see how hot it can get with the "windows ajar"

Yep, in Houston I would never leave an animal inThe car, but when its cool weather here in the northeast, were veeeeery careful about it when we do this. Trust me. We are extreme animal lovers!

Sorry don't mean to thread jack.