Honda Car Forum

My wife just bought an Accord EX and the Honda factory alarm seems to
have a 30 second preset which means if she's unloading something from
the trunk, 30 seconds after she shuts off the car it locks and if she's
digging around in the trunk or if a door's open, the alarm sounds. Th
dealer said there's no way to change the time so that it doesn't lock
until say, 3 minutes after the car is shut off. Is this true? It's a
real pain in the ass.

T.B.

That would be a pain. I have a 2003 Accord LX-G (Canadian model) and I have
to lock the car myself with the remote in order to activate the alarm.

Since you bought an EX, I'm assuming you have remote keyless entry. When
you or your wife gets out of the car and need something in the trunk, use
the remote to lock the car. Then use the remote or the key to open the
trunk. Since you used an authorized method of opening the trunk, the alarm
should not go off. Keep in mind this a guess though since I'm not that
familiar with the 2004 Accord's alarm system. Makes me glad I got a 2003
instead. I hate, and refuse to buy, any car that has any form of an
auto-lock. I can't stand cars that automatically lock the doors when you
start to drive or lock after so much time after taking the key out. It's
like the car companies think we're stupid.

"Thomas Bell" <TBell@socal.rr.com> wrote in message
news:3FB98EB9.9010802@socal.rr.com...
> My wife just bought an Accord EX and the Honda factory alarm seems to
> have a 30 second preset which means if she's unloading something from
> the trunk, 30 seconds after she shuts off the car it locks and if she's
> digging around in the trunk or if a door's open, the alarm sounds. Th
> dealer said there's no way to change the time so that it doesn't lock
> until say, 3 minutes after the car is shut off. Is this true? It's a
> real pain in the ass.
>
> T.B.
>

On the few after-market alarm systems I have worked with, the auto-lock
feature can be turned off altogether. Perhaps the factory alarm has the
same feature. Did you fine-comb the manual for information on this?

Also, are you sure it is a factory alarm? A friend just bought a new
Civic and thought the dealer put in a factory alarm, but later found out
that it was an after market system. Same thing happened to me back in
'94.

Thomas Bell wrote:
>
> My wife just bought an Accord EX and the Honda factory alarm seems to
> have a 30 second preset which means if she's unloading something from
> the trunk, 30 seconds after she shuts off the car it locks and if she's
> digging around in the trunk or if a door's open, the alarm sounds. Th
> dealer said there's no way to change the time so that it doesn't lock
> until say, 3 minutes after the car is shut off. Is this true? It's a
> real pain in the ass.
>
> T.B.

"Thomas Bell" <TBell@socal.rr.com> wrote in message
news:3FB98EB9.9010802@socal.rr.com...
> My wife just bought an Accord EX and the Honda factory alarm seems to
> have a 30 second preset which means if she's unloading something from
> the trunk, 30 seconds after she shuts off the car it locks and if she's
> digging around in the trunk or if a door's open, the alarm sounds. Th
> dealer said there's no way to change the time so that it doesn't lock
> until say, 3 minutes after the car is shut off. Is this true? It's a
> real pain in the ass.

I didn't think much changed between the '03 and '04 Accords, but I guess
this is one of the changes. I haven't read anything about this though. I
have a 2003 Accord EX and the car NEVER locks itself. I can leave it
unlocked overnight in my garage and it will still be unlocked in the
morning. I have the '03 and '04 Accord feature list and it also doesn't say
anything - in either brochure - about an auto-lock feature. So, to repeat
what another poster said, are you sure this is a factory alarm and not an
aftermarket alarm?

Thomas Bell said for all posterity...

> My wife just bought an Accord EX and the Honda factory alarm seems to
> have a 30 second preset which means if she's unloading something from
> the trunk, 30 seconds after she shuts off the car it locks and if she's
> digging around in the trunk or if a door's open, the alarm sounds. Th
> dealer said there's no way to change the time so that it doesn't lock
> until say, 3 minutes after the car is shut off. Is this true? It's a
> real pain in the ass.

Well, maybe it's partly true.

Here's how my 2003 EX V-6 Accord Coupe works:

Assume the car was locked with the remote, so the alarm is
activated:

a) If window is open and you reach in and unlock door, alarm
goes off, even at 6:00a when your neighbors are trying to sleep.
I know this to be a fact.

b) If you unlock doors with remote, but do not open the doors
within 30 seconds, the doors re-lock themselves. I know of no way
to lengthen or shorten the 30 second timeout. This is a pain at
times.

c) As far as I can tell, unlocking the trunk with the remote has no
real effect on any of this.

d) I know of no scenario where you can arm the alarm with the doors
open causing the horn to start blowing, unless pressing the Panic
button on the remote can cause this. I'm not going to try it for
my neighbor's sake.

Simply turning off the car and getting out does not result in my
doors automatically locking, no matter how many days pass by.


Casey

I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol.

Thomas Bell <TBell@socal.rr.com> wrote:
> My wife just bought an Accord EX and the Honda factory alarm seems to
> have a 30 second preset which means if she's unloading something from
> the trunk, 30 seconds after she shuts off the car it locks and if she's
> digging around in the trunk or if a door's open, the alarm sounds. Th

I don't have the alarm on my 2003 Civic. There is a 30 second timeout on
the door locks. If I unlock them with the remote, they will lock again in
thirty seconds if I haven't opened a door.

I find that the car is locked sometimes, and I haven't quite figured out
when, but it seems like it has something to do with me having opened the
trunk. I don't have a remote for the trunk, though. I am fairly certain
that something is locking my doors occasionally, though. In my case,
I can't lock the doors if one is open, but I can lock the doors with
the trunk open.

--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8-122.5

"Casey" <cclremovethispart@cox.net> wrote in message
news:qqwub.11350$vi5.1213@okepread04...
> Thomas Bell said for all posterity...
>
> > My wife just bought an Accord EX and the Honda factory alarm seems to
> > have a 30 second preset which means if she's unloading something from
> > the trunk, 30 seconds after she shuts off the car it locks and if she's
> > digging around in the trunk or if a door's open, the alarm sounds. Th
> > dealer said there's no way to change the time so that it doesn't lock
> > until say, 3 minutes after the car is shut off. Is this true? It's a
> > real pain in the ass.
>
> Well, maybe it's partly true.
>
> Here's how my 2003 EX V-6 Accord Coupe works:
>
> Assume the car was locked with the remote, so the alarm is
> activated:
>
> a) If window is open and you reach in and unlock door, alarm
> goes off, even at 6:00a when your neighbors are trying to sleep.
> I know this to be a fact.
>
> b) If you unlock doors with remote, but do not open the doors
> within 30 seconds, the doors re-lock themselves. I know of no way
> to lengthen or shorten the 30 second timeout. This is a pain at
> times.
>
> c) As far as I can tell, unlocking the trunk with the remote has no
> real effect on any of this.
>
> d) I know of no scenario where you can arm the alarm with the doors
> open causing the horn to start blowing, unless pressing the Panic
> button on the remote can cause this. I'm not going to try it for
> my neighbor's sake.
>
> Simply turning off the car and getting out does not result in my
> doors automatically locking, no matter how many days pass by.
>
>
> Casey
>
> I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol.

I agree 100% w/ Casey. I read the owners manual cover to cover too. This 30
second delay is a pain. I'll unlock for someone to run back to the car and
I'll walk away and if they don't open the door fast enough, it's locked
again. Same if I unlock then go in the trunk first. I wish we could override
this! I also do not like that you can't lock the door w/ the fab if any door
is open. I use this feature often in my other car. A bunch of us go to
unch - I'm first out - I lock the doors - when the last one closes theirs,
the alarm sets. W/ the Honda I forget and think I locked the doors like in
my other car and they're not.

I set my alarm off today - I popped the hood release - got out - locked the
doors - opened the hood - ooppppsss. But it was 7 AM - everyone should be up
anyway.

Jim / NJ

I just bought a 2004 civic... and had the same problem... The alarm
system would go into auto-arm mode after 30 seconds unless you
followed a certain procedure of unlocking and putting the key in the
ignition (which I could never get used to). While driving the alarm
would start wailing because the shock sensor would be triggered
because of the vehical's motion.

For me, I found out that the alarm is not a factory alarm... it's an
alarm made by Audiovox (Pursuit) They call it a factory upgrade
meaning they use the same key fob that comes with the honda keyless
entry. This alarm costs only about $80 retail, but the dealer charges
almost quadruple for it!

Anyway, you can set your alarm to not be in auto-arm mode... you need
to call your dealer and find out where they've installed the valet
switch (or feel around under your dashboard for it)... then have them
walk you through the steps to turn off auto arm (ie automatically
turning on after 30 seconds). You can set up a whole bunch of other
options such as whether or not the car beeps when you lock it, or if
the lights flash or not... but you need to know where the valet switch
is, it's a small metallic pin-type thing that you can push in and it's
probably located somewhere under the steering wheel or just above the
foot rest or front hood release switch).

If yours is also a pursuit, you can follow the procedure listed here:

owner's manual:
http://www.audiovox.com/manuals/owners/1286021_OM.pdf
installation manual:
http://www.audiovox.com/manuals/inst...1286022_IM.pdf


Next time, I would find out what kind of alarm they would put in if I
ordered it from the dealer, then go buy that and have them install it
for another $80. Of course they will tell you you MIGHT void your
warranty and scare you that way... but now we know better... just get
the dealer install it for you.

Thomas Bell <TBell@socal.rr.com> wrote in message news:<3FB98EB9.9010802@socal.rr.com>...
> My wife just bought an Accord EX and the Honda factory alarm seems to
> have a 30 second preset which means if she's unloading something from
> the trunk, 30 seconds after she shuts off the car it locks and if she's
> digging around in the trunk or if a door's open, the alarm sounds. Th
> dealer said there's no way to change the time so that it doesn't lock
> until say, 3 minutes after the car is shut off. Is this true? It's a
> real pain in the ass.
>
> T.B.

Casey <cclremovethispart@cox.net> wrote:

> d) I know of no scenario where you can arm the alarm with the doors
> open causing the horn to start blowing, unless pressing the Panic
> button on the remote can cause this. I'm not going to try it for
> my neighbor's sake.

After faintly hearing the horn honking in the driveway, I decided to
superglue the panic button. I have set it off several times with coins
or keys while in my pocket.

--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8-122.5

"Jim" <jkc84@optonline(unspam).net> writes:

> But it was 7 AM - everyone should be up anyway.

No.