green-

Ok, so when I bought my car i had this little thing on my dash, it has a little red light on it with a black button. The dealer didnt give me any remotes or anything for it so I just thought it was something like a "theft deterant" light.
Here is a pic from the front


Here's the wiring from behind


It looks kinda ghetto taped, not from the factory.
You can see the wiring under the dash here..it's the one that is hanging real low


Wiring again, i'm pointing to it. It runs up behind that white plug and I dont know where it goes after that.


So does anybody know what the hell this thing is? The red light staring back at me is annoying as hell, and i dont want to go start cutting wires. Thanks

sohcvtec97

well dont know if this is the same thing, but my friend bought a civic from a little dealership and they had installed a light very similar to that, and it was so that they can track the car so if she missed a payment they would know where to go and collect.. when she finished paying for the car she took it back and they removed the annoying little ****... hope this helps.. I dont recommend cuttin wires till you know 4 sure though>!

hatchi

is that a momentary push button on it?? is the light on constantly?

dwnthehatch

iTrader: (1)

Tuck it under the dash and forget about it.

Hatch'd

how many wires are hooked up the the light? if it was a alarm light it will have two wires going into it.

doublethink

Get a multimeter/test light and see what the switch is doing.

It could just be an LED that was added to give the illusion of a theft system, in which case you could just leave it.

I have seen dealers do that before in the past.

If you really want it gone just cut the wires one at a time and tape them off as you go and forget about it.

jlacoy82

Too bad they bastardized the gauge cluster trim to install it.

green-

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jlacoy82 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Too bad they bastardized the gauge cluster trim to install it.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Exactly why I havent taken it out.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hatchi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">is that a momentary push button on it?? is the light on constantly?</TD></TR></TABLE>
The light is on constantly, never shuts off. When you press the button, nothing happens.

I am starting to think this isnt just a theft deterant light. Why would they run 4 or 5 wires into that little switch?

nutchee

maybe a false alarm led.

Teggys1ClnDA

That's weird. I've never seen anything like that. Could just beso thieves think you have an alarm like the other people said... hmm..

Ninety5Ex

if you push the button and nothing happens try holding it in for a couple of seconds with the car on or off and see if anything happens. also look under the hood for a siren

green-

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ninety5Ex &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">if you push the button and nothing happens try holding it in for a couple of seconds with the car on or off and see if anything happens. also look under the hood for a siren</TD></TR></TABLE>

Read my post up above. Nothing happens.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by green00EX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The light is on constantly, never shuts off. When you press the button, nothing happens.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Bump for the central time after dinner peeps. Someone must know what this is?

sohcvtec1995

I would say continue tracing the wires they have to lead somewhere. and obvisouly one is a power source, and the other is ground. so just try to figure out what the rest is. OR just take it to a alarm shop or bestbuy/circuit city and ask them.

ek4d00r

what color are the wires and how many are there?

Archidictus

Why don't you call the dealership and demand an explanation? Jesus Christ: they sold you the car, if they don't know, have them professionally uninstall it at their expense. Why do you come on Honda-Tech asking us before taking care of it like a real person? **** like this is starting to **** me off.

Loki12

my ole man had 1 of those on his VW GTI when he bought it...its a kill switch from the dealership..u miss a payment they have a remote that kills the car..and if u try and take it off..somethin really bad will happen..so if i were u 1..i'd take it back to the dea;ership and have them remove it or 2 tuck it unde the dash and 4get about it or 3..leave it and deal w/ it u dont know..maybe it'll save ur car 1 night when a slim jim decides to poke in 4 a look

TallAssFilipino

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CRX Junkie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my ole man had 1 of those on his VW GTI when he bought it...its a kill switch from the dealership..u miss a payment they have a remote that kills the car..and if u try and take it off..somethin really bad will happen..so if i were u 1..i'd take it back to the dea;ership and have them remove it or 2 tuck it unde the dash and 4get about it or 3..leave it and deal w/ it u dont know..maybe it'll save ur car 1 night when a slim jim decides to poke in 4 a look</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't think it could be a kill-switch. That could be hazardous. What if the driver was driving through a busy intersection and the car suddenly dies?

Trace the wire. That's the best way of finding out for yourself what it's for. Most likely it may lead to some aftermarket alarm system. If you don't intend to use it for anything, turn it into a VTEC light.

JDM-EJ1

Werid, never seen anything like that. But with 5 wires connected to it, it has to do something..

green-

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Archidictus &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Why don't you call the dealership and demand an explanation? Jesus Christ: they sold you the car, if they don't know, have them professionally uninstall it at their expense. Why do you come on Honda-Tech asking us before taking care of it like a real person? **** like this is starting to **** me off.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Chill the **** out. I already talked to the dealer, they didnt know what it was. I never asked them to uninstall it because it was doing no harm to me. Why even post in here? You contributed nothing. To answer your question, I tried to find out what it was "like a real person." I came up with nothing, so I thought I could get opinions on what it might be on honda-tech. That's what this forum is for, isn't it?

Back on topic
I was playing around with the button tonight and it turns out it is a car alarm. It somehow activated itself. I turned my car off to see if it would restart and what do ya know...the alarm turns on. Eventually found the siren and took the ground off it. I started trying to trace the wires and found the brain for the thing. Whoever had this car before me hid that SOB pretty damn good. Pulled the fuse on it and it fixed my problems (siren blaring, annoying light). So I guess i'll take this to audio/security and see if they know what kind of alarm and what not it is.

EGCivicCoupe

My guess is that it was wired to something and it has been uninstalled, either before you bought it or from the dealer. They probably left it there so that a customer woulnd't see a huge hole in the panel.

CrashAndBurn

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by green00EX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Back on topic
I was playing around with the button tonight and it turns out it is a car alarm. It somehow activated itself. I turned my car off to see if it would restart and what do ya know...the alarm turns on. Eventually found the siren and took the ground off it. I started trying to trace the wires and found the brain for the thing. Whoever had this car before me hid that SOB pretty damn good. Pulled the fuse on it and it fixed my problems (siren blaring, annoying light). So I guess i'll take this to audio/security and see if they know what kind of alarm and what not it is.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

The alarm is probably on valet mode. The mode turns the alarm off but also any other relays that are hook up to it run. Such as key less entry or remote trunk release. Often when this mode is in place the light is solid instead of blinking to let you know that it is in the valet mode.

nocturnaldragon

I know you said it was for the alarm already but it looks like a pico? fog light switch, i just installed a set for someone and the switch looked just like that.

KayOs

valet switch ??

SIcivicHATCH

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by KayOs &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">valet switch ??</TD></TR></TABLE>

tells your aalrm not to siren if it is activated it is dumb IMO

JamesV

well first before you people start saying its a dealership thing..
ask this question:
Are doing a payment thing with your dealership or what?
if you are doing a payment monthly based plan or whatever they call it then its a kill switch that everyones saying. if not then bleh ask away