Alarm System going off randomly

[CG-ITS]

Hey guys (and gals),

Since this is my first post on this site, Hi y'all, I'm Chris from a small town in Western Germany (close to Bonn) driving an 06 BMW X5 (E53) with the 3.0L Diesel Engine and AC-Schnitzer mod.
This is me and her in Hartlepool, UK 2 weeks ago:



4-Picture Gallery on MobileMe:
MobileMe Gallery



So, I have come here to this great forum I have been reading for a while looking for help...
Lately, my Alarm has been going off randomly and I have no idea why.
The Battery is brand new and I use a Ctek XS7000 charger to maintain its charge when the car sits for longer periods (like 5 days). Funny enough, the alarm has never gone off at home (neither while connected to the charger nor while not) but goes off while I'm at work a lot.
And I never see anything out the ordinary when I go to look (small company, fenced in with 8 foot fence). Yesterday I was standing right next to the car (maybe like 6 feet) when the alarm went off. There was nothing touching or moving the car at all.
The only thing I noticed was the 'comfort indicator panel' (for my battery charger) blinking red (indicating low battery charge).

Have you had similar problems or have any ideas for me where I could start to look?
I have the following interface cable:
Ediabas/INPA OBD2 interface - ADS/OBD Ediabas/Inpa Interface für alle Versionen - do-it-auto
(Sorry, I think its in German, but it's ADS and OBD-II Compatible) and I have the right software for it too, just am not very used to it yet...
Is there a way (maybe using INPA) to read WHY the alarm went off?


Best wishes,
Chris

[nra0707]

Even though you have replaced the battery, I suspect that some electronic component in the X5 is draining it. If your X5 doesn't go into sleep mode, it means something is drawing a current higher than the allowable limit.

[recklessspyder]

You might have a bad sensor under the hood. Cheap and easy fix. There are a few postings on this and maybe even the part number is listed.

[K.I.M.POSSIBLE]

Originally Posted by CG-ITS

Hey guys (and gals),

Since this is my first post on this site, Hi y'all, I'm Chris from a small town in Western Germany (close to Bonn) driving an 06 BMW X5 (E53) with the 3.0L Diesel Engine and AC-Schnitzer mod.
This is me and her in Hartlepool, UK 2 weeks ago:



4-Picture Gallery on MobileMe:
MobileMe Gallery



So, I have come here to this great forum I have been reading for a while looking for help...
Lately, my Alarm has been going off randomly and I have no idea why.
The Battery is brand new and I use a Ctek XS7000 charger to maintain its charge when the car sits for longer periods (like 5 days). Funny enough, the alarm has never gone off at home (neither while connected to the charger nor while not) but goes off while I'm at work a lot.
And I never see anything out the ordinary when I go to look (small company, fenced in with 8 foot fence). Yesterday I was standing right next to the car (maybe like 6 feet) when the alarm went off. There was nothing touching or moving the car at all.
The only thing I noticed was the 'comfort indicator panel' (for my battery charger) blinking red (indicating low battery charge).

Have you had similar problems or have any ideas for me where I could start to look?
I have the following interface cable:
Ediabas/INPA OBD2 interface - ADS/OBD Ediabas/Inpa Interface für alle Versionen - do-it-auto
(Sorry, I think its in German, but it's ADS and OBD-II Compatible) and I have the right software for it too, just am not very used to it yet...
Is there a way (maybe using INPA) to read WHY the alarm went off?


Best wishes,
Chris

Hey Chris, Nice car. I don;t know where Bonn is but I've visited a lot of places in western Germany recently, Hof, regensburg, Schweinfurt, etc.. is Bonn near any of those places?

Anyway about your problem. I am 99% positive the hood switch is the culprit. This is very common with these cars. I had the same problem. I just used some paper wrapped into a small square and taped on the hood where it comes in contact with the switch and problem solved. Or you could just spring for a new switch and have to do the same thing to it in a few years...

[rooroo]

I agree with the above members who think the problem is the hood switch/sensor.
My car alarm kept going off randomly for no apparent reason, drove my neighbor nuts!
Look under the hood on passenger side close to the hood hinge, you will see a wire with a small black plastic connector with a pin that gets pushed down when the hood is lowered. That sensor tends to be problematic... As far as I know you have four options: 1- replace that sensor 2-disconnect the sensor by pulling the plastic connectors apart. 3- tape the pin down so that the car thinks that the hood is closed at all times. 4- glue a piece of rubber (or something) under the car hood where it meets the pin that gets pushed down, the idea is to push the pin down further so that there is no chance that the pin will get mistaken as being up by the alarm system.

option 2 and 3 will essentially disable the hood sensor, option 4 may take some trial and error for a good fit.

Before you decide, try option 3 for a few days, and if the random alarms stop you know you've found where the problem is!

Hope this helps you,

Rui

[nigeyboy]

replaced my hood switch - anoying fault that was driving me mad fixed in 2 mins (inc opening hood) & for £ 10 !

[mrbmwx5]

I've unplug the connector from that switch... No more anoying fault = $0.00 free fixed.

[CG-ITS]

hey guys,

thanks for all the replies. I went ahead and unplugged the hood-switch and guess what, the alarm has been quiet since.

So I pulled it out today to get the part number and will replace it soon.
But since there's already a little dent in the hood where the pin contacts the hood I will also go ahead an glue something on there I think.
I remember doing the same thing on my old E38 a couple of years ago...

Special thanks to rooroo because I had a little trouble finding it at first.

@ K.I.M.POSSIBLE: Schweinfurt would be closest I think, it's a little south-east of Bonn, by car about 4 hours (2 in a BMW... on a good day... lol), so not far by US standards but (almost) halfway across the country by german standards...

Thanks guys. Great forum you have here.

Best wishes.
Chris

[apetrov1x5]

anyone has the part number for that switch?

I am trying to find it on ebay maybe?..

[CG-ITS]

Here's the number I just pulled off of mine (late 06 model):

8352229