Hi everyone I'm new to the forums, need a little help with the alarm on my 98 civic.

I had disconnected the battery to work on my car, and now when I try to reconnect the battery the alarm goes off. I have searched these forums and elsewhere, apparently this is a common problem but none of the solutions I have found is working for me. The car came with a remote but from what I understand that is paired to the factory radio, which the previous owner swapped out with an aftermarket, so the remote no longer works. I have tried locking and unlocking my car with my key, I have tried pulling a bunch of fuses that I thought might be for the alarm, but nothing seems to work.

I have tried turning the ignition to ON before reconnecting the battery, the alarm doesn't go off right away but the LED behind the steering starts flashing, and every little thing after that trips the alarm.

This is killing me, I don't understand why there isn't a simple way to reset the damn thing. Please can anyone help? I might not be able to try it tonight if it gets too late, the neighbors are probably already pissed with me, but if there are any suggestions, I'll give them a go tomorrow. Thanks!!!

 

So... Anyone?

 

aftermarket alarm?? If it is disarm it with the remote

 

if aftermarket, you can also try turning the key to on and pushing the valet button. this will disarm the alarm.

 

Yeah I think it's aftermarket. It's not sure what's the brand but it has a Rattler remote, though like I said the remote never worked since I bought the car so it's been sitting in a drawer somewhere. In any case I'll buy a replacement battery when I get off work today and try it out, just glad I never tossed the remote away.

I tried looking for a valet button but didn't find one, from what I've read they are usually near the driver side fuse box? Where else could they be? Can I track it down by following the wires from the alarm? Thanks for all your help!

 

Aftermarket? Can't help you. Contact the manufacturer or take it to an installer. And are you saying that since you had the car you neither tried to get the alarm working nor replaced the battery for the remote to try to get it to?

 

Here's an update, got back home real late last night so I didn't get a chance to work on this, and I got stupid and assumed the remote is going to use a 3V coin battery, turns out it uses one of these,



So I got under the dash and pulled out the brain instead in the hope of finding the valet button, looks like it's a rattler model 300,



Anyway, this is what the valet button looks like, though it sure doesn't look like a button to me, here's nothing to press. I tried poking it with a screwdriver, it seems to depress but doesn't disarm the alarm. I tried just jumping the wires which of course tripped the alarm too.



Looks like I'm back to the remote, but even before the remote died it has never worked, I'm guessing it somehow isn't programmed right. If this doesn't work what are my other options? I know if I sit down with the electrical diagram long and hard I can probably figure something out, but does anyone with experience have any advice?

 

Pull that blue fuse out and you're golden.

 

No, it can't be that simple.

OP, your valet/program button is broken, also that is a terrible install, remove it and start again with a newer unit, or bench test that one and if good reinstall it properly. 94

 

I'll be damned but that actually worked! Thanks a bunch bro! Although a curious side effect is that my car cannot crank with the driver car closed, the abs light will come on, but it seems to drive fine if I crank with the door open and close it after. Very strange, but hey if it drives for now I'm not complaining.

You're right the wiring is definitely messed up on this car (and I don't mean just with the alarm system), when I have a whole weekend to spare I'll go through and sort them out.

Thanks again for everyone's help!

 

My guess is the PO has a "kill" relay installed on the starter lead wired to the door pin switch, I cant see any other way that would happen.

Locate the black/white starter lead off the ign. switch, fallow it and see if it has been cut and a relay installed on the line, remove the relay and reconnect the cut starter lead.

In fact, I would remove that alarm completely, and repair any OEM wiring the alarm was connected to.

Just checked the wiring diagram for that unit, it has a built in starter cut relay, I can see the two black in/out leads in the pix you posted.

Fallow those two black lead to where they are connected to the starter lead and remove them and reconnect the starter lead.

They should not be causing your problem, however the way that alarm is wired anything is possible.

You can test it by unplugging the black leads from the alarm and connecting them together and see if the engine cranks with the door closed. 94

 

here is an install manual to that alarm: http://www.directed.com/guides/manua...tler/N431R.pdf

and here is the wires in your 98 civic
http://www.the12volt.com/installbay/...tail/1051.html