avoided a possible disaster

[workingonit]

Last night, about 10, there were so many fireworks around and overhead, that when some drunk knocked over a power pole a block over from my house, it sounded like a plane crash. I literally fell out of my roll-about office chair, then looked out of office/dayroom window to see that my X5 had all the interior/exterior lights on and flashing. So I grabbed my main key fob off the charger on my desk, and reset the alarm(?) (which I presumed the massive noise and concussions nearby had triggered).

The power went off when the drunk took out the power, and stayed off for 4+ hours, while I tried to manage my nervous dogs & house cats while the barrage was still occurring. The wife was out for New Year's ewith her old girlfriends from school, so I had my hand's full, and never went out to check the X5 and/or reset my outside car chargers (four) when the power resumed.

I meant to go out early this am, but slept 'til 11, then had a phone conversation with AT&T wireless support for 2.5 hours, followed by searching the internet for phone alternatives (paying too much for just 2 lines). Then, I finally went outside to check the X5 and car chargers.

Boy was I surprised to find all the X5 windows down, and the clown nose still calmly flashing. I presume I either triggered my spare fob in my pocket when I fell from the chair, or the noise and concussion from the fireworks and car crash nearby had somehow triggered the alarm and windows down response. My alarm system has never been consistent, ever since I got the truck.

The miracle was that it didn't rain last night or this morning, nor did any of the 17 feral cats on our property ever get into the X5, and mess it up. I left one window down one afternoon 20 years ago, and a neighbor's cat sprayed the inside of my S-10. It took me a year to completely eliminate the odor. I got lucky this time.

[wpoll]

Holding down the unlock button will roll all the windows down... I'm guessing you did this while trying to shut off the alarm.

Yeah, lucky!!

[workingonit]

Originally Posted by wpoll

Holding down the unlock button will roll all the windows down... I'm guessing you did this while trying to shut off the alarm.

Yeah, lucky!!

Nope, the alarm, lights, and opened (unkown to me at the time) windows mustve happened when my chair rolled out from under me. They had already been triggered before I grabbed my main key off of its' charger to reset the system.

I duplicated the errant operation by holding the lock button for twice the time I'd normally press it, just for confirmation.

Originally Posted by X5chemist

Yup, happened to me a few times. Once, when there was light rain. A few times the trunk lid opened up. Now, I keep my keys out of my pocket. I use a D ring so I don't accidently open the lid, roll down the windows/open the pano roof, or set off the alarm.

After I confirmed that the fob in my pocket set off the alarm, lights, and window operation (and may have opened the sunroof if I hadn't already disabled it), I put my pocket keys into a hardshell optics case,
it's practically crush-proof, at least on my belt

which I normally use for camping, to wear safely on my belt, not in my pocket. I carry the spare X5 fob with me all the time (in case the main fob fails...it has a shaky wire re-soldering job done inside it), as well as the keys to house, garage, sheds, gates, etc., because I'm always in/out/about the house daily. And I keep a substantial amount of my tools in the X5's trunk, so I'm always in there for most projects.

I should've expected a problem carrying a different remote fob in my pocket, since I'd already experienced unplanned door openings on my HHR Panel (formerly my daily commuter).
the rear side doors will pop-open automatically, when buttons are pressed
I had inadvertently opened the rear side doors twice:

• 1) once at work, as reported to me by a co-worker as "opened" in the underground parking garage, and
• 2) a second time, in my driveway, where both doors were slightly opened and a little rain got in (with no ill effects).

That's when I stopped carrying the fob in my pocket, snd started hanging it from my belt (where it got repeatedly cruched/damaged by forgetting about it while working under cars...I've replaced the plastic case three times, over 13 years).

[wpoll]

Originally Posted by workingonit

Nope, the alarm, lights, and opened (unkown to me at the time) windows mustve happened when my chair rolled out from under me. They had already been triggered before I grabbed my main key off of its' charger to reset the system.

I duplicated the errant operation by holding the lock button for twice the time I'd normally press it, just for confirmation.

Pretty sure you cannot set of the alarm with the fob... but maybe in your car, something is different.

And the alarm going off should NOT cause the windows to roll down - that would be prett pointless!

Can you explain how you "duplicated the errant operation"?

[X5chemist]

Yup, happened to me a few times. Once, when there was light rain. A few times the trunk lid opened up. Now, I keep my keys out of my pocket. I use a D ring so I don't accidently open the lid, roll down the windows/open the pano roof, or set off the alarm.

[StephenVA]

+1

[workingonit]

I may have been mistaken about the alarm being triggered, as there were so many fireworks overhead that it was almost as bright as if flares were used. And the noise might've made me think the alarm was sounding. You'd had to have been there to believe how bad it was.

Worst example I've experienced of the "spoiled rich" (long story about this) setting off fireworks from their expansive/expensive new properties, directly over the poorer older semi-rural neighborhood to their east (my street). Gets worse every year. And then there is the illegal contingent on the other side...it was like being in a war zone, but I digress.

I did duplicate the "opened windows and interior lights on" effect by putting the key fob into the same pocket and pressing that leg/pocket against the armrest support of the chair, as it must've happened when I slipped out of it . At 100 feet away, I couldn't tell if the lights were on, but the windows were down.

When the fireworks/car crash/power off event simultaneously occurred, and I flipped out of my rolling chair, I saw the X5 interior lit up and immediately grabbed my fob from the desk and hit the lock button, purely though reflex. I may have pushed it twice, and rolled the windows down at that point, but in the moment, I'm positive that the interior lights were on (and possibly the flashing exterior lights and/or horn, but I was momentarily stunned, so it's not clear in my mind...napping at my computer at the time).

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