Hey folks,

I did the $25 mod to the alarm (from DIY section) and it works great. I mounted the sensor near the air duct intake as described in the article.
Tapping on the headlights sets the alarm off. Banging on the window sets it off. You'd probably have to hit it with a crowbar in the rear to set it off. But that's ok.

Anyway, now here's the "issue": when I click the "lock" button to try to find my car in a parking lot - the vibration from that beep sets the alarm off (since it's armed)! Not exactly what I had in mind. It does help me find my car, though its embarrassing to have the darn thing going off, scaring the crap outta everybody nearby.

Sometimes, I'll push the lock a second time to make sure I didn't forget. Well, if I've waited more than 30 secs, then that will set the alarm off also. Aargh!

I don't want to reduce sensitivity any or headlamp thieves and window breaks won't be detected. I can't think of a good solution for this... any ideas?

 

that's odd since there's a bit of a delay when you press the armed button for the alarm to truly be armed. it's never happened with me yet. the only issue is that the alarm will go off every so often after i've parked the car if there's ANY movement under the hood. and, as the car is cooling down when parked, there are inevitably some movements. so, i just lowered the sensitivity a bit and it's been great since.

 

get a glass sensor for <$20 and parallel it with the shock sensor so that if either shock or glass sensor goes off the alarm (not knowing the difference) is triggered. I got my glass sensor from www.autotoys.com and it was like $15-20 and works GREAT! To test it, get a glass bottle (or the like) and break it inside like an open cardboard box until you get the sensitivity how you want it. I highly recommend one.

 

That's what I thought, but if you try to arm it a 2nd time, then it doesn't go through the same 30 sec cycle to arm again (apparently). It sets that sucker right off unless I turn the sensitivity down.

 

if you don't want to turn it down, then you could try to mount it more securely or try mounting it in a different spot.

 

If your main concern is the headlights then I would mount a pair of the shock sensors on them. Ive done dozens of Maximas like this with no issues.

Otherwise like posted above I would move the sensor to a different location. Im not a fan of glass sensors as theres to many false alarms with them. I deter most of my customers from using them. Although if you do, tapping the window with a key or similiar metal object would be prefered rather than breaking a bottle in a box.

 

Thanks fellas - I've turned down the sensitivity a bit - the headlights are still very sensitive to tapping but knocking on the door windows and windshield no longer sets it off. Not certain if breaking it would (I think it would). So I'm not certain I'm happy with it. I might move the sensor back to a more "rear" position to both get it away from the horns up front and also get more sensitivity for the windows.

Funny thing is that if you mount it to solid metal - it becomes less sensitive. If you mount it to something flexible, like plastic (wire loom, hose, ducting), it becomes more sensitive.

 

Yeah, that's why you get a lot of false alarms. The key tapping on a window get the sensitivity adjusted way to high (unless your wailing with that key lol). Anyways though, I've never had a false trigger with my glass sensor yet, except one time when the car beside me had the backwindshild shattered out. (so I guess not really a false alarm, just not my window). At any rate, the best way to adjust sensitivity is just playing around with it until you get what you want.