So Strange...

[Policy Limits]

Five weeks in & no issues...and then....about 8pm last nite the horn started to sound for five to ten seconds continuously. I hit unlock on the fob and rearmed her. About 6am this morning almost ten hours exactly it happened again. This time I double clicked the fob so as to unlock both doors and then rearmed her. Looking forward to 4pm to see if it stopped. Seems to be on some weird cycle. The only thing I did differently was I didn't arm the car on Saturday nite for one nite. Really strange and annoying. Only 325 miles and I don't mess with the electronics in the car.
Owners manual was no help.

Any ideas?

 

[SlateEd]

I know you have a different kind of hood, but check any latch or lock on the hood... Gen3 /4 have a touchy sensor that can set off the alarm if the hood isn't adjusted right. Beyond that IDK...

 

[ViperSmith]

Hibernate mode?

 

[01sapphirebob]

I know you have a different kind of hood, but check any latch or lock on the hood... Gen3 /4 have a touchy sensor that can set off the alarm if the hood isn't adjusted right. Beyond that IDK...

This was gonna be my suggestion.

 

[Policy Limits]

Will check the hood later today. What does the alarm sound like? Is it a loud single continuous sound of the horn? If not maybe it has to do with the horn and nothing to do with the alarm?

Is it best just to keep the car unarmed in the garage? I drive it every Saturday and Sunday but never on week days. Or do you weekend drivers keep the car armed in the garage when not in use?

 

[ViperSmith]

Lock the car and pop the hood, thats the alarm sound.

 

[Policy Limits]

Huh. Should I just keep the alarm off? With the Lambo the accepted practice was to keep the vehicle armed while stored in the garage because the car shut itself down more and there was less battery strain; I did this for nearly 4 years on the bull without a tender & no issues.

Is the snake the same or is it better to keep the alarm off in the garage or is it immaterial?

 

[ViperSmith]

I always lock mine (more of a habit than anything), but I drive it more than you do so storage is a different answer.

I was saying, to hear the sound (so you can tell if it is the alarm) - lock the car and pop the hood, the alarm will sound.

 

[Nine Ball]

I only arm my alarm outside of the house. Weird stuff going on with yours.

 

[Chelseasnake]

when the cats away, the mice will play.

 

[ViperSmith]

Perhaps I am missing something, is there more to arm than just locking the doors?

 

[Policy Limits]

I'm just going to keep the alarm off as an experiment & see if this horn sound will disappear as quick as it came.

 

[ACRucrazy]

unplug the hood switch and see if the problem goes away

 

[Policy Limits]

I'm told that there was no garage music at 4pm lol

So maybe double clicking the fob and rearming worked. I'd be interested to check the battery juice though in case she sang overnight and I didn't hear it, though I doubt it.

Anyone know how to pull up battery life on the dash? Just curious

 

[ViperSmith]

How do you arm the alarm?

 

[Policy Limits]

I double clicked the fob so as to unlock both doors and then hit the lock/alarm button. worked all day but then I had to get in there to install my new custom floor mats that arrived tonite and I tried the same technique and it came back again. sigh. so right now I have her unarmed and so far so good. don't really need the alarm on in the garage anyway...

 

[Newport Viper]

. don't really need the alarm on in the garage anyway...

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads...st-night!-lt-lt?highlight=viper+stolen+garage

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads...ARIO-LAST-NIGHT?highlight=viper+stolen+garage

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads...bit-of-advice..?highlight=viper+stolen+garage

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads...-into-my-garage?highlight=viper+stolen+garage

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/638159-stolen-viper-ft-myers?highlight=viper+stolen+garage

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/620562-My-Viper-was-STOLEN.?highlight=viper+stolen+garage

Enough said????????

 

[Policy Limits]

ha. i'm in a decent neighborhood, have house alarm that bugs the garage and security cameras sworm the joint with night vision; if the dogs don't get 'em I'm a decent shot. Trust me, I'm not thrilled that I cant arm a car I just dropped over 130k on, but I'm not listening to a sounding horn in the middle of the night, or at any other time for that matter.

 

[Policy Limits]

unplug the hood switch and see if the problem goes away

Where is this located?

 

[SADVIPER]

The early bugs are showing.. This and the popping passenger door.. Hope it gets fixed

 

[Policy Limits]

It's the risk u take when u order a first production year car; some guys just need to have the newest hottest thing & go for it.

Had a good night's sleep, seems to have disappeared. Maybe an insect set off the sensor under the hood, who knows.

 

[ViperSmith]

Maybe your kids are misbehaving

 

[ViperGal]

Let me guess ... you washed/had your car washed the day before?

Am i right?

 

[Policy Limits]

nope haven't washed her yet.....

 

[Policy Limits]

I don't believe its a defective alarm...I believe its a defective horn. Last nite I was driving in 3td gear doing about 45mph and the thing starts blarring continuously and stopped after about 20 seconds.....how embarrassing! A few miles down the road way it dawned on me how I've actually never tried the horn as I've had no reason to do so. So I press the horn in....and....wait for it.....nothing. I wait a few seconds try it again and it works only it got stuck on for about the same amount of time. I researched the issue on line and with other dodge products it appears its a lousy 30 dollar spring part that causes this headache(literally). Not sure about viper but my web search said with other dodges the steering wheel needs to be disassembled, air bags bypassed and the clock spring replaced. It happens so infrequently that I'm hesitatnt to bring her in...esp after reading some dealership experienced with problems on here. It can go over a week without sounding...but will sound when armed or unarmed, running or shut off when it does decide to do so.

One concern I have is what if it gets stuck on and doesn't turn off by itself after some seconds and sounds indefinitely...is there a fuse I can disconnect if this occurs? I realize this would be covered under warranty but I'm petrified to bring it to a dodge dealer esp after what I've heard and read...and seen.

Get your insect spray ready V owners...we got some bugs....ugh.

 

[Laundryboy]

It sounds just like the problem I had with my 2010. They called it a defective air bag module but all it was was the horn pad that is located inside the air bag assembly. It looks like about a ten dollar part but it's not available separately from the whole air bag assembly. The horn would sound by itself sometimes, and wouldn't work at other times. In my case I diagnosed the problem, the dealer agreed, they ordered the part, I installed it and gave them the original for the warranty claim. I've never had a problem with it since.

 

[Policy Limits]

Appreciate the post. I know I don't have the patience or ability to repair it myself though.

Are there any dealers in New England that have lots of experience in servicing Vipers?

 

[Voice of Reason]

I'd get it replaced under warranty out of fear it's going to get stuck on sometime and not turn off.

Which reminds me of the time back in high school when the shop class would do free labor oil changes on our classmates cars. The guys decided to play a trick on one of the popular girls and wired the horn to come on when the brake lights came on. She drove around for a full day like that, had no idea what was going on. lol

 

[3whitevipers]

My 2010 horn doesn't work at all--going to the dealer for that as well as for a non-working power passenger mirror--900 miles on her--let you know what the dealer does or does not do. This little test will determine if I spend the 130K for the Gen5. Will not buy a Gen5 if I can't get good service here in Sarasota on the Gen4--Dave

 

[Policy Limits]

u drove your car 300 miles per year?? I thought I was bad! but I put 350 miles in 1.5 months!

the truth is u feel strange taking a $130k plus supercar to a "dodge dealer" for service; would feel differently if it were marc from woodhouse but i'm 1400 miles each way from them and they are in the minority in having vast Viper experience.

Again, if anyone can recommend a competent authorized dealer in southern new England, i'd be most appreciative.