Got a car alarm

yr one

Hi all,

New here so I don't know if this is in the correct section.

Just wondering if anyone has some advice, I recently had a clifford car alarm fitted, the proximity sensors are driving my neighbours insane as it goes off at the slightest

so I had a look around in the car and found a box with a dial on it, thing is the box says viper, I've no idea what it's for.

I paid nearly €450 for this alarm and I also never received a receipt or any packaging or documents

When I was collecting the car I was told all is in order and this is it on, this is it off and that's it pretty much. I seen the box off the alarm that was to be installed in my car and though it would have been left in the boot. I know I was stupid not to check or ask for it.

I had it installed by what was supposed to be a reputable business, but seeing that it doesn't even say what I paid for on the box I'm to say the least a tad angry.

Does anyone know how firstly to turn the bloody thing off, other than unlocking the car and secondly, is there any circumstances that you would fit viper parts to a car when it was clearly supposed to be clifford?

colm_mcm

What does the key fob look like?

djimi

Turn the prox sensors down, not off. They serve a useful purpose and are only annoying if they are turned up too high (mine used to wreck my head as it would go off for anything within 50 feet of the car!).

Contact the guy who fitted the alarm and they should be able to adjust it for you easily.

Dord

Viper and Clifford brands are owned by the same company.

http://www.directed.com

bmstuff

I would go back to that shop if I were you and make your point.

djimi

Dord wrote: »

Viper and Clifford brands are owned by the same company.

http://www.directed.com

I wouldnt expect to see a Clifford branded as a Viper though; they are seperate systems. Viper are decent alarms but if the OP has been sold a Clifford and charged accordingly then they need to confirm what they have.

The keyfob would be the most obvious giveaway as to the brand.

yr one

colm_mcm wrote: »

What does the key fob look like?

I didn't get a key fob because it works off my original car keys

yr one

djimi wrote: »

Turn the prox sensors down, not off. They serve a useful purpose and are only annoying if they are turned up too high (mine used to wreck my head as it would go off for anything within 50 feet of the car!).

Contact the guy who fitted the alarm and they should be able to adjust it for you easily.

I already had it over with them as I park the car in town and it's non stop when people are walking past it
I'm going back over to him ASAP though cause it's getting really annoying

djimi

yr one wrote: »

I didn't get a key fob because it works off my original car keys

Yeah that doesnt sound like a Clifford...

Where abouts are you? MDS in Ballyfermot in Dublin would be one of the main Clifford agents in Ireland; if you are in the area or fancy taking a trip Id say give Brendan a shout and maybe see if he will give you a second opinion as to what has been installed.

yr one

djimi wrote: »

I wouldnt expect to see a Clifford branded as a Viper though; they are seperate systems. Viper are decent alarms but if the OP has been sold a Clifford and charged accordingly then they need to confirm what they have.

The keyfob would be the most obvious giveaway as to the brand.

Again I never got a key fob as it works off my original car keys, I did get a little sticky thing for in the window that says clifford, I payed 50euro extra for that though, otherwise the only thing I could see until today was a little red button that lights up, I never thought that it would be the wrong alarm installed, I specifically said clifford. Even asking about installing the remote start too, but I was told it doesn't work on my car, I've a 2010 scirocco

Dord

djimi wrote: »

Yeah that doesnt sound like a Clifford...

Where abouts are you? MDS in Ballyfermot in Dublin would be one of the main Clifford agents in Ireland; if you are in the area or fancy taking a trip Id say give Brendan a shout and maybe see if he will give you a second opinion as to what has been installed.

+1 to MDS. They're sound lads there.

Definitely go back to the place where you got it though.

yr one

djimi wrote: »

Yeah that doesnt sound like a Clifford...

Where abouts are you? MDS in Ballyfermot in Dublin would be one of the main Clifford agents in Ireland; if you are in the area or fancy taking a trip Id say give Brendan a shout and maybe see if he will give you a second opinion as to what has been installed.

The box on the inside specifically says viper, it's got one large wiring loom, then a little one beside it, then on the smaller edge of the box it's got 3 wiring looms, the middle one is blue.

That means double Dutch to me, but maybe one of yourselves may know it.

The only part that has clifford is the little sticker thing on the screen that i payed an extra 50euro for. The only other part of the alarm visible is the little red button

colm_mcm

Both Clifford alarms I've had had a blue LED.

I really hope they didn't charge you €50 for a sticker.

djimi

Inside where? Inside the cockpit or under the bonnet?

You really need to get this checked out by a third party. The flashing light for Cliffords is blue, not red...

djimi

colm_mcm wrote: »

Both Clifford alarms I've had had a blue LED.

I really hope they didn't charge you €50 for a sticker.

Im really hoping that its this and not just a normal sticker...

http://caralarms.ie/clifford-window-flasher.php

yr one

colm_mcm wrote: »

Both Clifford alarms I've had had a blue LED.

I really hope they didn't charge you €50 for a sticker.

It's a flashy blue sticker that says protected by clifford... So yep pretty much..

I had a google before I posted about the red light and all the clifford ones seem to have little blue dots that say clifford above or below them.

This is literally a little red dot about the size of a cent, that presses in an flashes..

yr one

djimi wrote: »

Im really hoping that its this and not just a normal sticker...

Yes that is it!!

yr one

djimi wrote: »

Inside where? Inside the cockpit or under the bonnet?

You really need to get this checked out by a third party. The flashing light for Cliffords is blue, not red...

Do you mean the red light? It's inside the cockpit on the drivers side..

So I look like a right tool to possible car thiefs with a wannabe clifford... Brilliant!

djimi

yr one wrote: »

Do you mean the red light? It's inside the cockpit on the drivers side..

So I look like a right tool to possible car thiefs with a wannabe clifford... Brilliant!

No the box that says Viper; where is it?

noelf

yr one wrote: »

Do you mean the red light? It's inside the cockpit on the drivers side..

So I look like a right tool to possible car thiefs with a wannabe clifford... Brilliant!

Are you going to name and shame the cowboys who installed this ?

yr one

so I had a look on the page and the alarm I thought that was being installed was the clifford arrow 5.1 (I think, there's that many of them I could be wrong)

It was supposed to have the remote start, shock sensors and proximity sensors but I was told that the remote start isn't compatible with my car.. Still paid the 450 though.. Slowly getting more and more irritated too

yr one

djimi wrote: »

No the box that says Viper; where is it?

Oh sorry, it was in behind the little pocket where I keep my change, petty much at the steering wheel on the right inside the dash.. My brother found it earlier cause the neighbours were complaining of the noise waking up the babies so we tried to find the main box to try turn it down

yr one

noelf wrote: »

Are you going to name and shame the cowboys who installed this ?

Are you aloud to post stuff like that on here?? I don't fully know the rules?

djimi

yr one wrote: »

Are you aloud to post stuff like that on here?? I don't fully know the rules?

No you're not.

yr one

djimi wrote: »

No you're not.

That's fine

yr one

So it's not stopped and as it's 10pm all the kiddos are in bed, we've resorted to almost demolition..

Pretty much took out the fuse that was stuck in the bundle of cables beside the viper box.. Then popped it back in it Killed everything alarm wise.. Except now it looks like the alarms disabled on the stupid sticker.. So we pulled it out as much as possible and snipped the wires.. No more 50euro sticker.. Locked the car and it works on the original alarm fine. Not a beep out of it when I press the lock/unlock buttons.. But the little red thing still flashes!?

I've given up on this, my patience is gone to nil, I've mailed the people in question, seeing that I don't think I will get a reply I will drop over and have it removed, possible will sell it online.

The store where it was purchased is highly recommended and funny enough I know some of them through a friend, I won't be naming names. But I'm seriously let down

djimi

If pulling the fuse killed the alarm why did you start snipping wires?

Also the fact that you were able to kill the alarm by pulling a fuse from inside the car shows that it wasnt exactly installed very securely...

yr one

djimi wrote: »

If pulling the fuse killed the alarm why did you start snipping wires?

Also the fact that you were able to kill the alarm by pulling a fuse from inside the car shows that it wasnt exactly installed very securely...

Should it be harder than taking out the fuse? It wasn't located in the fuse box, it was stupidly taped into a bundle of cables mashed in beside the viper box..

Because the clifford sticky thing is sitting in the window screaming: I'm not working!
Plus I'm fed up with it.. It's going back to the installer, may even have it removed and bring my business elsewhere for a proper alarm install

yr one

I've actually one other thing to ask about the alarm, the cables and wires all go back to the drivers side dash, they are quite close to the steering wheel, and my brothers just highlighted the fact that the steering had started to hum since I had the alarm fitted.. Could that be the alarm rubbing or cables tangling causing the hum? I had a mechanic look at it and he said all was well..

djimi

yr one wrote: »

Should it be harder than taking out the fuse? It wasn't located in the fuse box, it was stupidly taped into a bundle of cables mashed in beside the viper box..

Because the clifford sticky thing is sitting in the window screaming: I'm not working!
Plus I'm fed up with it.. It's going back to the installer, may even have it removed and bring my business elsewhere for a proper alarm install

Of course it should be harder than that; if you could disable the alarm by pulling a fuse then anyone trying to take the car could easily do the same. Those sort of things are supposed to be hidden well away within the bodywork of the car, making it very different to locate them. By design it is supposed to be very difficult to disable an alarm, especially a Clifford (if indeed this is what you have installed).

yr one

djimi wrote: »

Of course it should be harder than that; if you could disable the alarm by pulling a fuse then anyone trying to take the car could easily do the same. Those sort of things are supposed to be hidden well away within the bodywork of the car, making it very different to locate them. By design it is supposed to be very difficult to disable an alarm, especially a Clifford (if indeed this is what you have installed).

I'm 100% sure this isn't a clifford, I know nothing about car alarms other, sound systems id know a little, otherwise I leave it to professionals but It literally took me 2-3 mins of looking around to find the main box... Its actually right where thiefs would break the dash to access the wiring loom and ignition...