QuestionOk I'll try to be as detailed as possible about this. I have a 1997 Nissan Maxima which I received a couple of years ago. The car has always had this problem where the battery would die after a couple of days of not being driven (I have to jump it with a battery pack every so often to get it to turn on.) The other day I was having trouble with my Sunroof after hitting a particularly nasty pothole. I checked all of the fuses near the steering column for the first time (Car newbie) and made sure they weren't loose. I finally got the sunroof working (hit the switch in frustration and it worked, go figure.)
Anyway my mother took the car out the next day and left the headlights on by accident and the battery drains again. This time when we tried jumping it, the car alarm that I had no idea my car even had, goes nuts and will not shut off. My battery is dead again and the minute the minute i connect my jumper cables to the car the alarm goes off again.
I've tried pulling out the anti-theft fuse under the hood and the A/T control fuse near the steering column, both to no avail. The alarm will off now at the slightest cause of motion, be it the doors, hood, or trunk opening and closing, or the car moving slightly. I've only tried putting the car in reverse and having it move a foot, the alarm will continue to sound.
Turning the key in the trunk doesn't work. I have a keyless entry but it's third party and that will not disable it either. I'm not worried about anyone stealing my car at all, so I'd really like to know how to disable it once and for all as I think that's also what may be causing my battery to drain. Any help with this would be completely appreciated. I'm also a car newbie so if you could direct me to where I would find whatever needs adjusting I'd appreciate that too. Thanks for reading!
AnswerReplace the fuses that you removed, and take a look under the driver's side dash of the vehicle. Since you mention an aftermarket controller I would suspect you will find an alarm under there. Here is a generic how to on alarm removal:
Typically an alarm system would be installed on the driver's side interior of the vehicle. This system would have been tapped into the ignition switch wiring running down from the key. If you remove the dash panel(s) under the steering column you should be able to locate where the harness was added that goes to the alarm. Disconnect each wire that was tapped in and insulate the factory wiring. You will also see that at least one of the wires was cut, this is the vehicle starter wire that runs from the key to the starter. This wire needs to be restored, I always recommend soldering all connections but crimp connectors should also work. Make sure that you remove all connections to the alarm and that any wires that may be exposed are insulated and mounted in a way that they will not interfere with any moving parts and do not run the risk of shorting out. Remember to take your time and follow each connection running from the brain of the system, leaving one wire connected that you are unsure of the function could cause problems in the future so be sure to remove every wire.
