QuestionQUESTION: Would an after market alarm affect my trunk and fuel release buttons in my car in anyway? I checked my fuses and relays and they work both the fuel and trunk release buttons are postioned next to each other on the side of the door. The trunk release button on my keys doesnt work either! Could it be possible that their is a malfunction in the alarm? I have a 2001 oldsmobile aurora equipped with an aftermarket viper remote start alarm. This just recently happend to me and I'm thinking about taking it to where i got my alarm installed but i want to be sure. Any feedback would be great! thanks
ANSWER: Hello,
First, you did not state if this problem developed after the alarm was installed. Is this just something that just started for no reason? Is there more than one fuse box? Most Cadillacs have 2 fuse boxes. I am not familiar with your specific Sevelle, but the Deville has one under the dash and one in the trunk. Check your owner's manual.
The problem with door mounted switches is that they have a tendency of getting wet either during a rain storm with the window not up all the way or the door being opened momentairily during rain. I have seen bad switches due to corrosion.
Now, the alarm would be tied into the trunk release in order for you to open with the transmitter. In this case a bad door switch should not affect it.
With the key in the on position, pushing the fuel tank release door, you should hear a relay click. Both these switches may be on the same circuit.
One very common problem I would run across with GMs and I am not saying this is the problem, but I have done these repairs for years, there is a boot that goes between the door and the pillar at the hinge. It was common to see these wires break after time causing you not to get power to and from switches. Infact, because everything, the windows, locks, mirrors and in your case trunk release and fuel door wires ran through the driver's door.
The alarm store may find a problem in the relay for the alarm for trunk pop, however that will not affect your door switch.
You stated you checked the relays and I am assuming you just checked to see if they were installed. Did you actually check the relay function? Did you try swapping them around? Did you check the circuit breakers?
I would do this by removing a known working 30 amp circuit breaker like that for the windows and swap it with the cb for the trunk etc.
My Allante convertible trunk pull down would not work. I checked everything and found all the circuit breakers in place. I checked the grounds. I checked everything obvious and I even had the electrical manual. Drove me nuts! I pulled out the circuit breaker from the auxillary power which I knew worked. I placed it into the socket for the top pull down. Guess what? I had a bad circuit breaker.
As I stated, I do not know when this problem of yours occurred. The fuel door would have nothing to do with the alarm install with the caveat that it is not on the same circut as the trunk release.
Did you try using the factory remote transmitter to see if the trunk would open?
Can you give me more detail?
Rob
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I have had the alarm for about 3 weeks now! The reason that i think it could have been the alarm is because the trunk doesn't open even when i press the trunk release on the transmitter. Also i am aware that the trunk realse and fuel door release are not on the same relay. The problem just occured out of no where! It was fine yesterday and today it didnt work. It also didn't get wet because it didn't rain although i did wash my car but everything still worked properly after that. I dont know much about cars but my father does and he swapped the circuits and relays and used that one device where u connect a cable to ground and see if the device lights up and he says everything was as it was suppsoed to be he even check to see if there was power going to the switches on the door with that device and it was working. I have 2 fuse boxes 1 under the back seat and 1 under the hood of my car i looked in the owners manual and the 2 particular relays are in the fuse box under the back seat i couldnt find anything else that was related to the trunk and fuel door release. You mentioned circuit breakers the in the onwers manual i was only able to spot 2 circuit breakers one is for power seats and the other is for power windows. I was reading a car forum that a guy had a problem with his runk release button due to an alarm so i was curious. I havent tried using the factory remote trasnmitter yet but i will try that out. thanks
AnswerHello Pete,
Thank you for your follow up. It appears that you and your dad did due exhaustive testing. This is a good thing because some on this forum don't check anything and expect the specific answer to their question without details.
I have never seen the fuel release door tied into an after market alarm. It can be done, but I have never seen it.
You state the alarm was put in three weeks ago, which does put credence in your question about the alarm.
Some will get upset with my comment here, but all I do is speak the truth on my extensive experience in seeing some real questionable alarm installs and with that I leave anything open to consideration.
There are some very good installers, but there are also a lot of hacks in the industry.
Now that we have established the installation is relatively new, to judge just how good the system is installed that may relate to something wired in wrong, I will give you other things to consider as well.
Many of these systems come with a valet (alarm shut off) switch. If it is easily accessed under the dash and not hidden or concealed, your installation of the alarm is now in question. Many installers have no clue as to how these vehicles are stolen. This means they don't think like a thief. They litterally slap everything together. The alarm is only as good as the install.
I made this statement to a questioner. He went back to the installer complaining and the installer went into a big deal of how it didn't matter where the valet switch was installed because the thief would need a key to rotate the lock. What an idiotic answer!. Vehicles are commonly stolen without keys and the ignition lock is just removed in seconds.
It is very easy to obtain the correct key cut code through the dealer and a good locksmith can cut a key by code just by looking at the key or a photo of the key.
According to my information, you have the GM VATS so-called anti-theft system which has a resistor in the key blade. Since the vehicle has remote start, the VATS is bypassed and offers you ne protection other than that on the viper alarm.
Commonly, if you pull down the lower piece of the dash (hush panel) under the steering column, Couple of screws, (but can be ripped down) the alarm module with it's fuses are easily seen with a wiring disaster. If the module is not well concealled and attached in a way it can't be easily disconnected,the alarm fuse can be easily removed, etc., this install is no good either.
I am not stating your install is no good, but I am giving you indicators to look out for and such installation could coincide with your trunk and fuel door complaints.
If this is what you are seeing, yes, I would be thinking like you where your fuel door problem and trunk problem are related to the install.
Were you given proper instructions on how to use the remote transmitter when you purchased the alarm? The transmitter has different channels. One on each different combination of button presses. Let's say you have four buttons. Maybe holding 3 & 4 down open the trunk. 1 & 2 may open the fuel door if they wired it in.
The part that is confusing here is that if it were a alarm problem, the factory switches should still operate.
Alarms are commonly blamed on any type of problem in the vehicle however, after telling me the details, it is very possible that they either screwed something up in the wiring or something is not right with the alarm.
I would definately take the car to the alarm store and at least check it out. If that doesn't work, try going to your local library or going on ebay in order to get an electrical service manual for the vehicle. There are diagnostic flow charts in the service manual, but You thinking sure seems to be valid.
Worst case scenario would be, to open the trunk with a key. Inside the trunk, you should find an emergency cable release for the fuel filler door, just so you can put gas in the car to get you to the alarm store.
Please follow up and let me know what happens.
Good Luck!
Rob
