Honda Car Forum

I have a 95 Accura Integra that I bought used in 1997. It has a Tornado Avital
alarm system installed and ProLock. I haven't started the car for about 4-5
days. I went to start it today and it not only refused to start, but the alarm
went off! I tried to disarm it with the remote, but it wouldn't respond. I went
back in the house and got the spare remote -- still no response. Flipping the
disable switch with the key in the ignition did squat. I tried both keys to make
sure one hadn't been damaged; same thing. I thought there might be a battery
problem, so I tried to jump it -- no response. The alarm light keeps flashing to
indicate it's armed (but it no longer goes off, even after I let the lid slam
shut after the battery jump attempt). The Prolock widget is firmly in place and
has been all along. It flat-out won't start. WTF?

How do I proceed at this point? What do I need to do to get my car started?
It's been in a locked, garage since the last time I used it and there are no
signs of any kind of break-in, so this is VERY odd. Is there something I can do
to get it started or will I have to have it towed somewhere? Where would I tow
it? A mechanic or a car alarm store? It's out of warranty and was installed
about 40 miles away in any case (but I do have the papers for the installation
and, of course, to prove I've owned the car for the past 6 years).

Robin Coutellier

Robin Coutellier <rc@youknowwhat2dorobinc.org> wrote in
news:MPG.1a834bca352d506a9899ed@news.newsguy.com:

> I have a 95 Accura Integra that I bought used in 1997. It has a
> Tornado Avital alarm system installed and ProLock. I haven't started
> the car for about 4-5 days. I went to start it today and it not only
> refused to start, but the alarm went off! I tried to disarm it with
> the remote, but it wouldn't respond. I went back in the house and got
> the spare remote -- still no response. Flipping the disable switch
> with the key in the ignition did squat. I tried both keys to make
> sure one hadn't been damaged; same thing. I thought there might be a
> battery problem, so I tried to jump it -- no response. The alarm
> light keeps flashing to indicate it's armed (but it no longer goes
> off, even after I let the lid slam shut after the battery jump
> attempt). The Prolock widget is firmly in place and has been all
> along. It flat-out won't start. WTF?
>
> How do I proceed at this point? What do I need to do to get my car
> started? It's been in a locked, garage since the last time I used it
> and there are no signs of any kind of break-in, so this is VERY odd.
> Is there something I can do to get it started or will I have to have
> it towed somewhere? Where would I tow it? A mechanic or a car alarm
> store? It's out of warranty and was installed about 40 miles away in
> any case (but I do have the papers for the installation and, of
> course, to prove I've owned the car for the past 6 years).
>
> Robin Coutellier
>

Try a new battery in the remotes.They go bad after awhile.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net

In article <Xns947FDCE7124ECjyanikkuanet@204.117.192.21>, jyanik@abuse.gov
says...
> Robin Coutellier <rc@youknowwhat2dorobinc.org> wrote in
> news:MPG.1a834bca352d506a9899ed@news.newsguy.com:
>
> > I have a 95 Accura Integra that I bought used in 1997. It has a
> > Tornado Avital alarm system installed and ProLock. I haven't started
> > the car for about 4-5 days. I went to start it today and it not only
> > refused to start, but the alarm went off! I tried to disarm it with
> > the remote, but it wouldn't respond. I went back in the house and got
> > the spare remote -- still no response. Flipping the disable switch
> > with the key in the ignition did squat. I tried both keys to make
> > sure one hadn't been damaged; same thing. I thought there might be a
> > battery problem, so I tried to jump it -- no response. The alarm
> > light keeps flashing to indicate it's armed (but it no longer goes
> > off, even after I let the lid slam shut after the battery jump
> > attempt). The Prolock widget is firmly in place and has been all
> > along. It flat-out won't start. WTF?
> >
> > How do I proceed at this point? What do I need to do to get my car
> > started? It's been in a locked, garage since the last time I used it
> > and there are no signs of any kind of break-in, so this is VERY odd.
> > Is there something I can do to get it started or will I have to have
> > it towed somewhere? Where would I tow it? A mechanic or a car alarm
> > store? It's out of warranty and was installed about 40 miles away in
> > any case (but I do have the papers for the installation and, of
> > course, to prove I've owned the car for the past 6 years).
> >
> > Robin Coutellier
> >
>
> Try a new battery in the remotes.They go bad after awhile.

Thanks for the suggestion. That might be the case with ONE remote, but it's
highly unlikely to be the case with BOTH of them. I'll try a new one tomorrow,
but I'm pretty sure it's more complicated than that.

Robin Coutellier

"Robin Coutellier" <rc@youknowwhat2dorobinc.org> wrote in message
news:MPG.1a834bca352d506a9899ed@news.newsguy.com.. .
> I have a 95 Accura Integra that I bought used in 1997. It has a Tornado
Avital
> alarm system installed and ProLock. I haven't started the car for about
4-5
> days. I went to start it today and it not only refused to start, but the
alarm
> went off! I tried to disarm it with the remote, but it wouldn't respond.
I went
> back in the house and got the spare remote -- still no response. Flipping
the
> disable switch with the key in the ignition did squat. I tried both keys
to make
> sure one hadn't been damaged; same thing. I thought there might be a
battery
> problem, so I tried to jump it -- no response. The alarm light keeps
flashing to
> indicate it's armed (but it no longer goes off, even after I let the lid
slam
> shut after the battery jump attempt). The Prolock widget is firmly in
place and
> has been all along. It flat-out won't start. WTF?
>

Sounds to me like your alternator might be bad and your battery is too low
(but enuff to light the LED). Turn on your headlights and see if they are
bright.

My buddy had this happen. It was a bad remote.

--


Rob

"Jim Yanik" <jyanik@abuse.gov> wrote in message
news:Xns947FDCE7124ECjyanikkuanet@204.117.192.21.. .
> Robin Coutellier <rc@youknowwhat2dorobinc.org> wrote in
> news:MPG.1a834bca352d506a9899ed@news.newsguy.com:
>
> > I have a 95 Accura Integra that I bought used in 1997. It has a
> > Tornado Avital alarm system installed and ProLock. I haven't started
> > the car for about 4-5 days. I went to start it today and it not only
> > refused to start, but the alarm went off! I tried to disarm it with
> > the remote, but it wouldn't respond. I went back in the house and got
> > the spare remote -- still no response. Flipping the disable switch
> > with the key in the ignition did squat. I tried both keys to make
> > sure one hadn't been damaged; same thing. I thought there might be a
> > battery problem, so I tried to jump it -- no response. The alarm
> > light keeps flashing to indicate it's armed (but it no longer goes
> > off, even after I let the lid slam shut after the battery jump
> > attempt). The Prolock widget is firmly in place and has been all
> > along. It flat-out won't start. WTF?
> >
> > How do I proceed at this point? What do I need to do to get my car
> > started? It's been in a locked, garage since the last time I used it
> > and there are no signs of any kind of break-in, so this is VERY odd.
> > Is there something I can do to get it started or will I have to have
> > it towed somewhere? Where would I tow it? A mechanic or a car alarm
> > store? It's out of warranty and was installed about 40 miles away in
> > any case (but I do have the papers for the installation and, of
> > course, to prove I've owned the car for the past 6 years).
> >
> > Robin Coutellier
> >
>
> Try a new battery in the remotes.They go bad after awhile.
>
> --
> Jim Yanik
> jyanik-at-kua.net

In article <101mc8tgiepoe16@corp.supernews.com>, lost.in.the.zone@sasktel.net
says...
> My buddy had this happen. It was a bad remote.

Yes, but this happened (or rather DIDN'T happen) with TWO different remotes, even
after replacing the battery in one of them. Fortunately I currently have
possession of my son's car (UNfortuantely because he's serving in Iraq), so at
least I have alternative transportation until I can get this straightened out.

Robin Coutellier

"Robin Coutellier" <rc@youknowwhat2dorobinc.org> wrote in message
news:MPG.1a8509e9c56bf9489899ef@news.newsguy.com.. .
> In article <101mc8tgiepoe16@corp.supernews.com>,
lost.in.the.zone@sasktel.net
> says...
> > My buddy had this happen. It was a bad remote.
>
> Yes, but this happened (or rather DIDN'T happen) with TWO different
remotes, even
> after replacing the battery in one of them. Fortunately I currently have
> possession of my son's car (UNfortuantely because he's serving in Iraq),
so at
> least I have alternative transportation until I can get this straightened
out.
>
> Robin Coutellier

From your description of the problem, I would think it is:

1) Bad power connection to the alarm - measure the voltage to ground going
to the alarm. Verify that the fuse is good with a meter - I have had fuses
that looked fine, that were no good.

2) Your battery in the car is bad, and not providing enough current to
properly power the alarm. Check the voltage of the battery, both with and
without a load (headlights off - read voltage, headlights on - read
voltage). If the voltage reads below 10.5 volts I would suspect a bad
battery. If the battery is low enough, "jumping" the car will not solve
this problem.

3) The "brain" of the alarm has gone bad, due to age, cold, power spike,
etc. If this is the problem, you need a new alarm (or have it
repaired/replaced in if warranty)

HTH,
Don in Phoenix

>>Flipping the disable switch with the key in the ignition did squat.
>>I tried both keys to make sure one hadn't been damaged; same thing.


The Valet switch will do nothing with the key simply in the ignition.
The Key must be turned to the on position, not accessory, but on; then
the alarm will allow the Valet switch to work.

As long as the car has good power in it (ie the battery isn't dead) and
with the ignition in the on position, the alarm will go into valet mode
after you throw the switch. You will know its in valet mode when the
small red LED is on constant. (ie not blinking or off)

Good luck.

PS....I bet your car battery was dead. Then you misunderstood what
the alarm was doing after you hotshoted it.

In article <MPG.1a8509e9c56bf9489899ef@news.newsguy.com>, Robin
Coutellier <rc@youknowwhat2dorobinc.org> wrote:

> In article <101mc8tgiepoe16@corp.supernews.com>, lost.in.the.zone@sasktel.net
> says...
> > My buddy had this happen. It was a bad remote.
>
> Yes, but this happened (or rather DIDN'T happen) with TWO different remotes,
> even
> after replacing the battery in one of them. Fortunately I currently have
> possession of my son's car (UNfortuantely because he's serving in Iraq), so
> at
> least I have alternative transportation until I can get this straightened
> out.
>
> Robin Coutellier


Is it possible that the car has a hidden kill switch as well as the
alarm?? I used to have a switch wired in to the EFI relay circuit on
my Integra. I had different lock cylinders with rod disconnected, full
alarm and the kill switch. Is it possible that you son may be as
paranoid as I used to be? You can't drive away with my car with the
keys or the remote unless you know about the over ride on the EFI
circuit...

Just trying to help...

Andrew.