My car is in “Panic Mode” (i.e. alarm is turned on). The Key fob recently made a pit stop in the laundry machine and has stopped working. So… key opens door, but alarm goes off, and car won’t start.
Dealer threatens $200-$1000 in repairs after I get it towed there. Any other hints on what I can do with my very clean fob. I tried replacing the battery already.
I thought the key would also disable the alarm… have you tried it on the other door lock? (if it has one)
Also, have you tried disconnecting the battery for a while?
Put you key in the driver’s door lock and turn it to “lock” the doors, then unlock them. That should shut off the alarm. If it doesn’t you can try a locksmith, or a car audio shop that installs aftermarket alarms. Otherwise you are stuck with the dealer.
You can buy new key fobs on ebay. Most come with programming instructions so you can set them up yourself. Not sure if Saab is one of the models that needs a dealer to program a new key fob. Volvo’s usually require a dealer or locksmith to do the programming.
Have you actually taken the time to consult your Owner’s Manual on this topic?
I ask this question because many security systems have an override procedure that can be used, such as “turn the ignition key from off to on 12 times in 30 seconds in order to turn the system off”. Your system just might have a procedure like this.