Car Alarms: 1999 Subaru Forester, alarmtek, dash area


Question
It seems as if the factory alarm is engaged and the starter won't turn over. This vehicle was bought used so I don't have a remote. I've checked the manual and it looks like I need to engage the emergency override button, but there is not one located below the console plug. It looks like there is a spot for one, but it was removed or just isn't present. Any ideas?

Answer
Ok, try this.
Put the key in the ignition, and turn forward
all the way just before cranking. Then within
5 seconds, locate, press and hold in the
valet/overide button, found under the
dash area, (push button, spring loaded)
until the installed LED (the blinking light)
in your dash area goes on solid,
and the siren chirps once.

(Your valet switch might be the toggle
(on/off) type. in this case, key on,
flip switch in opposite direction,
then turn the key off.)

This should reset the alarm, and reset
the grounded relay on the starter wire,
allowing you to start the engine.

At this point, the only thing working would
be the keyless entry from the alarm,
if it came equipped that way.

Just Repeat these steps to place it
back to usable armed mode.
You may get 2 chirps, confirming it,
and the lights may flash twice as well.

That should do it.
If you want to remove it at this point,
take it to your neighborhood installer
for this, or buy the wiring chart
(Go to: www.vehiclewires.com)
for the vehicle, and reverse engineer it wire
by wire, until safely removed.

Let me know what happens.

Robert Martin/CEO-ALARMTEK