Problem with alarm (long)

[gozer]

I've searched the board and still havent found the answer I need.

Background:
I have a 2001 GTS with about 4000mi on it. Im the original owner and got the car in May 2001. I drive it almost everyday.

Here is the problem:
About a week ago I set the alarm at work, several hours later I tried to disarm the alarm and nothing happened. I kept pushing the unlock button but no luck. So I unlocked the hatch, popped the door and resent the alarm from the glove box. Car started and ran fine. When I got home I tried to set the alarm with no luck. I got my other key (and remote) and was able to set and disarm the alarm normally. I assumed the battery in the first remote was bad.

Well today, I had exactly the same problem with the second remote. I got the car home and tried both remotes and neither work.

I decided to try resyncing the remote by holding down both buttons for 10 seconds, the horn beeped once and the remote worked again. Did the same procedure with the second remote, now both work.

Can someone tell me what is going on? How could the remotes lose sync? Could it be due to a bad/failing (car) battery? Remember the car is only 4 months old and I drive it 4 to 5 times a week. I've never had a problem starting the car.

Any help would be appreciated.

Ken

 

[Ron]

<FONT face="Comic Sans MS">In my experience, the problem is the remote batteries, not the alarm system.

The remote buttons are easily depressed while in a pcoket and if they are depressed more than 255 times away from the car, (not likely, but possible) they'll loose sync.

More likely, the are depressed as you sit down and the battery becomes too weak to disable the alarm.

Most likely, the battery is not making good contact within the remote. Next time it happens, open the remote and spin that battery around a bit in the housing. Re-close and try. 90% chance it'll work.

Be happy you have the keyed alarm reset switch. 1996 & 1997 GTS's don't....</FONT f>