I just got a brand new Compustar P2WSSR model installed on my 98 civic ex. For some reason, it seems like the "6000 feet range" isn't working like it's supposed to. I understand that the 6000 feet range isn't going to be reached due to signal interferences, but my friend has a Clifford 50.5x 1 mile range on his civic hatchback and his alarm worked while mine didn't when we were at the same distance away from our cars. The alarm also doesn't work (has no signal) when I'm in my house half a block away from where I'm parked. I researched the Compustar alarm and was told that this alarm was supposed to be better than DEI alarms, which is why I bought it. I also got this alarm installed at an authorized Compustar dealer. Does anyone have any idea on what the problem might be? Thanks


Modified by froogle29 at 12:29 AM 10/3/2007

 

Bad grounds will cause a poor range condition... Crawl up under your dash and tell us where they grounded the unit...

 

I have no idea how to check where they grounded it, but I'm assuming its a black wire. The signal receiver is coming out from the top (driver side) of the windshield so I'm assuming they grounded it through the top. Would it be reasonable if they charged me to tell them to reground it? Also, where should I tell them to reground the wire to?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by froogle29 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have no idea how to check where they grounded it, but I'm assuming its a black wire. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Crawl up under the dash and trace the ground wire from the brain to its ground point...

And the antenna wire has nothing to do with the alarm's ground...

The ground wire should not be attached to metal inside the dash. It's an easy spot, but a secondary ground which is unacceptable. It needs to be grounded to a paint-free spot on the car's body. Most of the time, people use the kick panel...

 

If you got it and had it installed at an authorized Compustar dealer, it should be under lifetime warranty, both the unit and the install, if it's not working 1/2 a block away there is a problem, it may be install related or equipment related, I would take it back to them and have them fix it.

Anytime I have done "side by side" range tests with Compustar and DEI, [or any 2way alarm, remote start or alarm/remote start combo unit] the Compustar has outperformed the others by at least a city block, the DEIs have always been close but never the same or had more distance. 94

 

Thanks, I'll check the ground wire when I am free. I didn't mention clearly before, but by not working, I mean the alarm has no reception and displays SYNC every 20 secs or so and receives nothing when I'm half a block away. So I'm usually standing right next to my car waiting for the SYNC to connect. There would also be times where my alarm works a block away, but that's the furthest I've seen it work so far.

The shop should be liable to fix everything for free under lifetime warranty right? Or do I have to pay a deductible of some sort?

 

It should be covered under warranty, there should be no charge. 94