MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGF Technical - Alarm

My alarm went off at 2.30am on saturday morning and the only way I could stop it was to leave the car unlocked - not ideal. This has happened before and for no apparent reason. I recently had the car in for a service (MG dealership) and asked them to disconnect the alarm, as I am up in London during the week and leave my car in Lymington, so obviously worry in case it goes off when I am not there and disturbs the neighbours, but the garage said you could not disconnect them ?

Sarah

If you just disconnect the horns nobody will be any the wiser! I don't recall ever having a need for mine, save for the MOT, and they sound pretty feeble anyway.
Charles

Lots of reasons for alarm to go off:

The two easy ones are:

Alarm uses a deprecated frequency range used by the emergency services and microwave ovens. An activated mobile can also set off the alarm and someone once reported a doorbell doing it as well. The only real cure for these is to park the car somewhere else.

The wiring loom going to the bootlid can break inside the outer cover resulting in random shorting/open circuit wires. Repairing this is covered in the archive.

Chris
Chris

<If you just disconnect the horns nobody will be any the wiser! I don't recall ever having a need for mine, save for the MOT, and they sound pretty feeble anyway. >

Don't know which car you have but the original MGF twin horns will wake the dead!
Ted Newman

Ted is right, they make a lot of noise.
I had a problem with my car alarm and it was cauaes by taxi radios setting it off.


Tony
Tony Harrison

Must learn to spell!
Tony Harrison

Ted is right, they make a lot of noise.
I had a problem with my car alarm and it was caused by taxi radios setting it off.


Tony
Tony Harrison

MPi Jan '96 twin horns, and even though I could probably adjust them back to obnoxious output, I will not - for the greater common good!
My point remains that until the problem is sorted; by knocking off the horns which is very easy and reversible, you have both peace of mind and neighbourhood!
C.R.B. Simeon

Thanks all - yes, the noise is horrendous. I will try and find a garage who will disconnect the horns. I don't think my new neighbours would ever speak to me again if it went off in the middle of the night when I'm up in London - or on holiday for that matter!
p.s. small world Tony - I come from Wallasey.
Sarah

Thanks all - called the AA - they will come and disconnect the horns when I get back down on Friday.
Sarah

Sarah

Sarah

They are just a spade connection - quick pull and they are disconnected! To locate :- lift bonnet and at the rear offside of the bay (just in front of driver) you will see the horn (2 horns on original cars) and one connector, just pull it off and leave by the side of horns (for reconnection when going for MOT) and that is that.
Ted Newman

Great Ted, thanks - didn't realise it would be that easy!
Sarah

Sarah - do remember that this is also the legal audible warning device as required by law - unlike some cars where the alarm has its own horn/siren the MG utilises the cars normal horn.
Ted Newman

I had a problem with my alarm occasionally going off in the middle of the night - Turned out to be the neighbours cat walking across the roof as setting off the volumetric sensor. This is the sensor that detects air movement in the car (e.g. when the glass is broken during a forced entry).

If this is the cause of your 'false alarms' you can disable to sensor by locking the car with the key, rather than using the blipper. The alarm still arms and protects the car from the doors/boots being opened but the volumetric sensor is not activated. You can still use the blipper to unlock.

If it's faulty wiring in the boot/bonnet area then this method won't help... but it might be worth a try before you disconnect the horn(s).
Mark Clayton

try changing the fuse - worked for me
CW Faux

This thread was discussed between 02/06/2008 and 09/06/2008

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGF Technical BBS now