Car Alarms: 2002 Dodge 1500 Ram Van Factory Alarm, dodge ram van, valet mode

Question
QUESTION: My factory installed Dodge RAM Van alarm no longer arms or disarms. The red LED light always remains steady on when ignition turned off. Remote can still lock and unlock doors. (Problem started after a heavy rain.) Does light being steady on indicate one of the sensor wires not detected?  Where is alarm module located? Thanks.

ANSWER: It's likely to be an after market system
ss factory systems don't have a valet mode.

To try to disarm it,
look under the dash area for a button or,
a toggle switch. When you locate it, turn on the
ignition key, press and hold in the button (little
spring loaded micro button, red or black possibly)
until the alarm chirps 1 time. This should over ride
the system, and only the keyless entry part,
if installed, would still be operating.
The LED (light emiting diode) light in the dash
should also go on solid.=VALET/OVERIDE

This stops the alarm except for the keyless
entry if installed. Once in Valet mode,
it will allow the car to start and operate
like there was no alarm at all.

The next step is to remove the alarm.
This might require a local technician to
identify it, and affect neccesary service for you.

That should solve the troubles.

Let me know what you discover.

ALARMTEK
CARALARMMAN.COM

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks, but could not find valet switch. I assumed a factory alarm because keyless remote FOB is labeled DaimlerChrysler P/N 56045191 AD.
However even though the Dodge owners manual refers to indicator "SECURITY" displayed on dashboard, no such indicator exits, only a red LED placed near windshield, so I think you are correct that it is an aftermarket system stuck in valet mode. Do some aftermarket alarms still uses the original factory keyless remotes? Thanks.

Answer
Hmmm, if it was factory, the best thing is to
go direct to the service tech at Dodge for
clarity as it's under warranty and they should
know better then I as to what the expectations are.

There can always be an add on to the exsisting
system of course, so hard to tell without
examining it first hand, but if it's me,
I would have Dodge do the once over to
discount it as the culprit.

RM