I have an older Jeep Cherokee with an alarm system. I must use the remote to unlock the door. If I try to use my key, it unlocks it, but the alarm trips. The car will start for a second, and automatically shut off.I have gotten my remote wet and it doesn‘t work until it dries out. Recently, my water bottle that came in contact with my keys got it wet and I was stranded until my husband could come with the other remote.Is there anything else I can do to be able to use my key in that situation, short of disconnecting the alarm? It seems silly that I can‘t use the key. What if the battery in the remote goes dead? I usually have my two kids with me, and this makes me nervous this will happen again.Should I just disconnect the alarm?Does anyone else have this problem?
Most car alarms I've seen are two types. One has a keypad where you have 30 seconds after entering the vehicle to enter the proper code. The other is the one you're describing, where you must use the remote from outside the car to avoid the alarm going off. In your case, you have a few options. 1) This may seem strange, but it works. If your problem is that the remote gets wet, put it in a Ziploc bag. This should protect it from shorting out the circuit inside with water, and you don't need to worry. 2) On the off chance that the battery in the remote runs out, you will have to use your key. The alarm will go off. It's OK. You can explain the situation to someone if they ask. What you need to check for is the valet switch. Check your manual for this, but I assume you know where it is and this is what you're referring to when you say disconnect the alarm. It's often in the glove box or near your knee under the steering wheel (off to the side on the wall near the stereo maybe?) Usually, you can put your key in the ignition, switch it to on (don't start the car, it's the setting right before start), then flip the valet switch. Your alarm will stop and you can then start and drive the car. If you want to set the alarm again, just flip the valet switch once more before turning the car off. Note that you can use this method anytime (or if using a Ziploc bag turns you off and the remote gets wet), just that the alarm going off all the time might get annoying. 3) You of course can disconnect the alarm, but you know that and that defeats the purpose of having one anyway.
This is just a design oversight. bad design. The alarm should have been designed so that it knows that you opened the doors with a key or your remote. Apparently when you use your keys the alarm system is unaware that you opened the doors. possibly the alarm system was added and not integrated properly. You should be able to get this wired so that when you open your doors the alarm system gets the message. I would find someone that is really savvy with eletronics to look at doing that for you. You have the name and model of the alarm system start by finding the maker on line and downloading the manual. Maybe a built in flaw though. my 2004 Inegra RSX has an alarm system. When I lock the doors with the remote is come on. when I unlock the doors with the key or the remote it turns off. If I unlock the doors to the car and then don't get in it but open a door and then shut it. after a time the alarm turns back on and then when I walk up to the car and open it the alarm goes off. Makes no sense. I guess it isn't easy to design in all possiblities but for you to be stranded. that is a problem.
