Tizaala Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 My 2003 forester has been playing up for the last 12 months, If the temperature of the key fob gets chilled you have to warm it in your hand for a couple of minutes before it will lock / unlock and let you start the car despite fitting brand new batteries several times. then today it would not lock or unlock at all, after dismantling both sets of keys I removed the tiny circuit board and found it full of sticky gunge and the button switch stuck down. so , out with some meths and washed it off and managed to release the switch, dried it all off and reassemble the keys, new batteries again, I did however , manage to set the alarm off. so disconnected the car Battery , left it for half an hour. put in the 4 digit code *^^^^# still nothing. what am I doing wrong ? I am booked on a cross channel ferry to France on Wednesday so getting desperate. HELP PLEASE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stants Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Do you have the sigma alarm ? If so do you have the manual, you should be able to dissarm the alarm from the keypad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizaala Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 Not sure what alarm I have , how do I find out ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stants Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Is it factory fitted? You have the little keypad located somewhere in the dash area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizaala Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 Sorry for the delay in reply, Yes factory fitted small key pad by the bonnet catch release pull. that's the one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizaala Posted October 12, 2014 Author Share Posted October 12, 2014 This is the keypad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stants Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Ok I think it's a sigma, however I dont have this alarm so if someone else confirms this would be good, theres a link to the alarm manual I'll dig out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizaala Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share Posted October 13, 2014 Many thanks , appreciate your efforts.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizaala Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share Posted October 13, 2014 I rang the Suburu dealer for the codes, fine, still doesn't work , can you send me two new keys? ... " Yes Sir, they are £300 each....... Stuff that says I... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stants Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Ooof thats a bit steep, if you still need the manual send me a pm and I'll email it in pdf format. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steveuk260.Esq Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Yes that is a sigma subaru factory alarm and you can program keys yourself using the keypad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizaala Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share Posted October 13, 2014 the sparky came out ,checked all the fuses , all ok. ..shorted the car Battery out and pressed the key button. and it stopped the alarm. and now the keypad does not respond to any input at all .the armed light has gone from flashing to solid on. he thinks the problem is in the module itself. so tomorrow I have to hire a car to get us to France. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steveuk260.Esq Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 What sort of moron shorts Battery out. Thats probably one of the worst things that can be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizaala Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share Posted October 13, 2014 Just found these people at Stoke-on-trent. perhaps this would be the cheaper option....a unit bypass for £110 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steveuk260.Esq Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Put key in ignition turn twice so icons light up engine, oil, batt, etc then press unlock key on fob see if light flashes once if it does it should allow you to start the car. I would try everything twice I could before bypassing alarm or immobilizer not (shorting Battery terminals) immobiliser/alarm is there for a reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizaala Posted October 15, 2014 Author Share Posted October 15, 2014 An update on the alarm problem : Had to cancel the trip to France until the car is sorted, so I phoned a different dealership at Abergavenny, talked to the guy in the parts department, told him all the symptoms, he confirmed that it is the main alarm unit burned out. Also told me that the original units have a component that cannot be obtained anymore but they have a new replacement for the whole thing , a plugin unit that comes as a kit with new keys for £238;50p so I will get that this week. apparently this is a very common problem now. He also told me that replacement keys are only £35 each . not the £350 quoted by Shuckers of Shrewsbury. Forget that by-pass unit from Stoke , they no longer make them. Hope this helps any other member for the future with similar problems. Thanks to everyone for your help guys. regards Doug ( Tizaala.) PS for anyone looking for their unit , it is either behind the glovebox , or above the clutch pedal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steveuk260.Esq Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 At least you getting it sorted now. Too bad about the trip tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I can bypass faulty alarms or remove leaving just the default transponder immobilizer, for £100 to £200. I wouldn't say the main modules are that common for faults but hand fobs are as get thrown around, wet etc. Highly likely just fobs have issue over main module & I suspect disconnecting power if still armed made further alarm confusion. I've dealt with more sigma alarms on subarus than I can remember & normally reprogramming key fob, new key fobs or batteries & setting new 4 digit pin codes is all that needed Only ever replaced couple of main modules & lately rechargeable PP3 Battery in siren housings Good topics on Sigma with useful links is below. http://uk.subaruownersclub.com/forums/topic/1543-alarm-system/ http://uk.subaruownersclub.com/forums/topic/306-remote-needed/page-3 Sigma User Manual https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7Ub2apq5-pfcjJhSm5XUHNyUzQ/view?usp=sharing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizaala Posted October 15, 2014 Author Share Posted October 15, 2014 Thanks for your offer but I will go with the dealers unit to be on the safe side as we are well out of your area in Mid Wales Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Hope module route works out for you. Biggest issue as getting old is Battery cell in the siren housing. User manual in above link is quite useful, hopefully you get alarm working normally & you can rebook your ferry trip soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stants Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 For that price you could get a really good cat 1 aftermarket alarm installed if you wanted, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizaala Posted October 24, 2014 Author Share Posted October 24, 2014 The saga continues, Having ordered the replacement kit last Friday ( a week ago today) the dealership had it in stores on Saturday,but instead of dispatching it on Monday it got delayed because someone had a day off ....so the couriers Hermese , ( useless twats ) collected the package on Tuesday, Now common sense dictates that I should have got this on Wednesday/ Thursday at the latest , no show by mid afternoon so I rang the MD of the franchise and complained bitterly. the guy from the parts dept then rang me this morning to say that he had ordered another kit and was delivering it in person, and sure enough this afternoon he turned up with it . Much better customer service. Should the courier ever show up I won't sign and will make them return the parcel. what a perlaver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 :-S Hope kit works out perfectly besides the delivery, at least they seem to of put some effort into resolving the delivery which good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steveuk260.Esq Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Well with hermer you get what you pay for. Shoddy delivery 99% of the time. Reference. Personal experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stants Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 they have to be the most incompetent company. My old dear has a worm farm, they manaed to kill two deliveries that aaid luve animals all over them buy leaving them in a depot over the weekend [emoji35] still you got there in the end Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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