# Alarm sounds unless car is locked... can i disable it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** tl, acura, alarm\ **Created:** [August 17, 2009, 2:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/alarm-sounds-unless-car-is-locked-can-i-disable-it/35164 "2009-08-17T14:06:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![danny10024](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@danny10024](https://community.cartalk.com/u/danny10024)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 2:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/alarm-sounds-unless-car-is-locked-can-i-disable-it/35164/1 "2009-08-17T14:06:26Z")
My '97 Acura 3.2TL starts sounding the alarm if i leave it unlocked. I have taken it to the dealership and they tell me since so many things are connected; horn, door locks, etc. they are not quite sure how to tackle the problem and it may require many hours of service to figure out! Is there a way to just disable the alarm? I thank you, my neighbors thank you, my garage attendants thank you… ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/alarm-sounds-unless-car-is-locked-can-i-disable-it/35164/2 "2009-08-17T14:57:57Z")
Is the alarm sounding the vehicle horn on a add on siren? easier to disable the add on. When the Dealer related the “many hours” bad news did you react with a 'OK just disable it then" response? were you told “impossible”? ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/alarm-sounds-unless-car-is-locked-can-i-disable-it/35164/3 "2009-08-17T15:50:07Z")
The diagnostic section of the shop manual runs many, many pages when you start getting into the security system. That’s why it takes so much time. Each component must be tested, in the proper order, to figure out what’s working and what is not. What happens if you lock the car? ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/alarm-sounds-unless-car-is-locked-can-i-disable-it/35164/4 "2009-08-17T15:52:17Z")
Is this a factory installed alarm or an aftermarket alarm? Have you sought help from other repair facilities? Just because the dealership can’t help you doesn’t mean you can’t find competent help elsewhere. I am also curious to know why you would want to leave it unlocked. Does this happen when you are unloading groceries? ---
**Author:** ![danny10024](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@danny10024](https://community.cartalk.com/u/danny10024)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/alarm-sounds-unless-car-is-locked-can-i-disable-it/35164/5 "2009-08-17T20:30:50Z")
this is a factory installed alarm, not a third party siren. and yes, they told me it was basically impossible to disable. ---
**Author:** ![danny10024](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@danny10024](https://community.cartalk.com/u/danny10024)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/alarm-sounds-unless-car-is-locked-can-i-disable-it/35164/6 "2009-08-17T20:35:57Z")
if i lock the car, the car is fine. if i do not lock the car and i walk away…the car waits a few minutes and then starts the alarm. i have to turn on the car to shut it off. i know i can live with this… but do i have to? if i disable the horn, will the battery still be used in some way if the alarm is “silently” activated? if not, can i disable the horn and just re-attach a third party horn to the wheel? thanks. ---
**Author:** ![danny10024](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@danny10024](https://community.cartalk.com/u/danny10024)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/alarm-sounds-unless-car-is-locked-can-i-disable-it/35164/7 "2009-08-17T20:40:41Z")
yes this is a factory installed alarm. even alarm techs that install third party alarms have told me they don’t want to mess with this. and yes, there are moments when one is unloading or loading, or stopped for a moment, and the knowledge that at any moment the alarm is going to give everyone around the car a jolt of noise gives me anxiety that makes me crazy. am wondering if the horn were to be disabled, and the alarm tries to go off, is the battery being drained? if not, then i suppose i could just have a horn installed. what do you think? thanks. ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/alarm-sounds-unless-car-is-locked-can-i-disable-it/35164/8 "2009-08-17T21:29:23Z")
I must defer to the experts,they have no reason to lie to you.