Yesterday the car alarm started going off with it just sitting in the driveway. No doors ajar, etc. I locked it and moments later went off again. So obviously either the latch mechanisms randomly decided to die, or the hood sensor just decided to fault out. Is the only way to test the five door latches by going through and replacing them with known good ones? Sounds like a pain and figured there's a better way.

 

I had the sound sensor go bad on me and would trip the alarm about every 15 minutes. I unplugged the thing and that shut it up.

 

oh didn’t even think about that. That honestly might make more sense. Where is it?

 

It's on the headliner in the rear if your truck is so equipped. My truck had it, but my wife's truck does not. Looks like this:

 

Ah OK I've seen that in junkyard discos but I don't have that on ours.

 

Follow up - the 8yo Optima battery was so much on its last leg that it wouldn't even take a charge on the trickle charger anymore. Replaced battery, all is well.

 

This is not directed at you or anyone else, but at everyone else...

This is another perfect example of why when you are having problems with ANYTHING connected to the electrical system, the FIRST thing you do is ensure that your battery/charging system/power connections is in good shape.

Glad you figured it out.

 

I'll add to this though - I *did* fully charge the battery the day before this happened, so was confident it was ruled out. Just didn't realize that was the last time it was willing to let itself be charged haha.

 

Again, not picking at you, I just want to get good info to others; really happy you solved your deal:

A trickle charger is not a charger. Full stop! Brando, if that is what you used (and I'm only mentioning that because you did), then you probably didn't fully charge the battery. You need a real charger, AND if the battery is bad, that won't matter anyway. A full charge on a dead battery is still a dead battery.

 

Bad choice of words on my part, it's not a trickle charger but can be used in that way.