4 beeps after starting engine?

Hi Richard
I can confirm that the replacement alarm siren unit fixed my car - No more beeps when first starting and no random alarm activation.
I see that VagCom are now listing the siren unit and modified mounting bracket - the bracket only being required if you have an older model car. Sorry I don't know when they changed the design

Cheers Spike
 
Thanks for the info Spike. Mine's a 2001 A2 so it's probably the earlier design.

I found the "A2 Alarm Siren" on the vagparts website. Do you know if it needs any programming with vag-com or do I just plug it in and it will work?

Richard
 
Hi Richard
Mine is also a 2001 model - so you will need the bracket and a larger nut. Sorry I meant VagParts and not VagCom in my previous mail. The new siren wont need any programming though it's worth clearing the stored fault codes if you have access to vagcom.
I think I mentioned this in a previous mail but unless you have the factory boot mounted CD changer, the drivers side boot side panel will need to come off for access to the alarm. We have a CD changer fitting guide on the forum and this explains how to remove this trim - see link
http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3270

Don't forget that members get extra discount from VagParts if they have our £5 window sticker and discount card pack. Note the card needs to be registered with vagparts befor any parts are ordered to qualify.

Cheers Spike
 
Hi Spike, my car is giving me the 4 beeps from the back now! Have you tried to take apart the old siren unit and see what battery it uses and if it is replacable at all? That might save me £70 for a new siren! Also, will the car run without the siren? thinking if I attempt to take it apart to replace the battery and failed to resamble it....
 
Unfortunately, the alarm box is a sealed unit (and I do mean sealed - I have taken one apart and it took me an hour with a soldering iron, melting through the plastic casing!!!).

Once inside, there is no user-replaceable battery anyway - it is a specialist unit that I haven't even seen in the RS catalogue (and they stock most things).

Cheers,

Mike
 
Hi Humps
I tried to open up the alarm module but found the same as Mike. Normally 'sealed' units are fairly easy to break into but this was like Fort Knox - no clips, no weak glue line, nothing - almost like it was moulded in one piece.
I'm not sure about running the car without the alarm unit. It may be possible but don't forget your insurance is probably based on the car having a fully working CAT 1 alarm unit so its not worth the risk.

Cheers Spike
 
There are 2 types available, both priced at £81.71 from a dealer.

Interestingly, the part numbers are 8L ones - that is old style A3. You may be able to source one cheaper from a breakers.

Cheers,

Mike
 
Skipton01 said:
There are 2 types available, both priced at £81.71 from a dealer.

Interestingly, the part numbers are 8L ones - that is old style A3. You may be able to source one cheaper from a breakers.

Cheers,

Mike
Click to expand...

Thanks Mike and Spike. Good point, will see what a breaker has in stock ;-)
 
it really is impossible to get to!

My siren stopped beeping for a few months so I didn't try replacing it. But yesterday night, the car's alarm went off randomly, for many times until I had to get some sleep (yes, I now live in a very quiet area and I could actually hear the siren!); I had to leave the car unlocked overnight...

So I tried to get the little unit out and get a replacement from the dealer, but there was the tricky part! How on earth do you remove it without removing most of the rear trim panels? I managed to take a pict and located to possible places. May be skipton or spike can point me to the right place.

SNV30929.JPG


I'm thinking if I could undo the nut at 'B' but I just couldn't get the smallest spanner i have to lock on the nut! How about 'A'? will I be able to remove the siren with the bracket all together?
 
Unscrew 'A' and the entire bracket and alarm will come out as one.

If you can get your hand in to take this photo, then the chances are that you can get the nut undone and remove the unit through the hatch to access the lights. Otherwise, you'll have to fold back the right-hand side boot liner as you said before, which involves removing the plastic panel at the rear of the boot (3 x T25 screws) and then the T25 behind the roller cover.

Cheers,

Mike
 
Hi Humps
You'r lucky that your car has the boot mounted CD changer as the side trim panel has the larger removable inspection panel for access to the rear lights. Without this you have no chance of getting to the alarm siren without taking out the whole side panel.
As Skipton indicated, unscrew bolt A and the alarm / bracket assy can be removed. There is a lot of foam padding in the way which makes spanner access to the bolt difficult. I dropped this bolt and had one hell of a job recovering it - so for the next attempt I looped some thin string round the bolt before putting it back then pulled the string free after the first few threads were engaged.
As your car is a 2001 model (same as mine) I'm fairly sure you will need the new bracket and mounting nut to go with the new shape alarm siren (VagParts list these extra bits on their web site) Don't rely on the dealer knowing anything about these extra bits.
Best of luck with the installation


Cheers Spike
 
thanks guys, I give it a shot once I have the parts ordered. Spike, your tip on screwing back on the nut is ace! I must remember that.

BTW, the volume of the siren is actually not that bad after I have tested the siren itself with the foam and rear lights cluster removed. In case anyone is concerned about the volume, your cheapest mod is to take it out of the foam covered hole. It should be at least acceptable!
 
Just an update to the continuing saga of this alarm business. I'm too lazy to order the alarm (yet) so I decided to unplug the siren. I thought the alarm triggered randomly will go away - for now.

However, I noticed it was still triggered (lights flashing) randomly. It got so bad one night that it went off a few minutes after each time I deactivated the alarm and re-armed the car. So I thought this is must be something other than the siren unit. Eventually I switched off interior motion sensor and re-armed the car. As if magic, it stopped going off!

I have repeated this for the past week or so everytime I spotted my car's alarm went off and it fixes it. So I'll have a dig at ElsaWin tonight to see which sensor I need to order :-(

So what I learnt from this? Get a VAG-COM to check the fault code
 
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humps said:
Just an update to the continuing saga of this alarm business. I'm too lazy to order the alarm (yet) so I decided to unplug the siren. I thought the alarm triggered randomly will go away - for now.

However, I noticed it was still triggered (lights flashing) randomly. It got so bad one night that it went off a few minutes after each time I deactivated the alarm and re-armed the car. So I thought this is must be something other than the siren unit. Eventually I switched off interior motion sensor and re-armed the car. As if magic, it stopped going off!

I have repeated this for the past week or so everytime I spotted my car's alarm went off and it fixes it. So I'll have a dig at ElsaWin tonight to see which sensor I need to order :-(

So what I learnt from this? Get a VAG-COM to check the fault code
Click to expand...
Hi Humps,

I'm new to this forum but I found it because my A2 has started the '4 beeps on engine start' problem. I haven't experienced the alarm going off but having scanned through all the posts to this thread I guess it's something I should expect. I'm not really mechanically minded and my husband is even worse, so, firstly I guess I need to go to an Audi approved garage to get the computer analysed for a fault code - would that be correct? Secondly, did the replacement of the interior motion sensor resolve the problem for you?

Any advice on a suggested course of action would be gratefully received.

Thanks

Minimorgie
 
Hi minimorgie,

I've been lazy and busy and have not yet tried to resolve the problem. However, my car has NOT beeped for a while, even before I pulled the siren unit out. It makes me wonder if the 4 beep is actually a signal for fault detected on ANY alarm triggers/sensors. However I have repeatedly seen my alarm going off randomly and every time I switch off the motion sensor, it stays quiet.

So my advice is to get a computer diagnostics at the dealer or any VW garage. If you're not comfortable with what the garage tells you to fix, you can always come back here with your fault codes and diagnostics output and I'm sure we can give you some suggestions.
 
Hi

With the slightly colder weather I'm now starting to get the 4 beep Alarm issue with my A2 so I've just ordered a replacement.

I had a look at the inspection hole in my standard 1.4 petrol and there seems to be no way of getting to the siren due to some other mechanical stuff( some sort of leaver and bar) in there. Taking the bulb assembly gives a little more space but you still can't see to get at the nut or repalce the nut if I did get it off. Does anyone know if it would be possible to get better access through the hole for the light lense ?

sw
 
This past week I have been getting the 4 beeps just after start up and only on the first start up of the day.

Would changing the alarm module solve this or is there something else I should change first?
 
Lee, let me fill you in on my story. I should probably update this thread as well!

I have not had the 4 beeps or an unexpected alarm going off for a long time and I have NOT changed the siren unit! Couple of things I since I last posted.

1. The 4 beeps hadn't come back since alarm started to go off randomly.

2. VAG-COM checked and my alarm was all triggered by glass breakage sensor. I took out the 3 top pieces of rear tail gate trim and couldn't find it nor any dodgy wiring. Basically did nothing...

3. Separately, my main battery was dying and I replaced it in December. Since then, no more 4 beeps at start of car and no random alarm triggered.

I cannot explain why the 4 beeps had not come back. I cannot relate that to main battery replacement either. I can however relate alarm going off because of dodgy car battery. For a no cost diagnostic, may be you can grab a voltmeter and check your car's main battery voltage when engine is off. I think halford offers a free check if you ask them, say you sometimes cannot start the car ;-) Then take it from there.
 
4 beeps means that the battery for the alarm system is dead and needs to be replaced or so im told. All I need to do is now find it. Any Ideas?
 
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my 2002 tdi/se has just started with the BEEPS. parked in the garage, first pull on the starter -- BEEP, BEEP,BEEP,BEEP......Alarm seems ok ...no false activations....my wife says it has been happening for a few weeks.

charge up car battery - (only used for short journies ) ??

replace module ??

leave it and live with it??:confused:
 
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