Car alarms are considered the first stage of car security. Usually, all cars come equipped with an alarm, so it can be worrisome when our car’s alarm doesn’t sound.
Unfortunately, there are several reasons why your car alarm may not go off, but if you’d like to identify them, keep reading to see what I discovered!
Why Didn’t My Car Alarm Go Off?
Typically, you have to open a car door to set off the alarm. Windows are not connected to the car, so they usually don’t sound the alarm (unless you have special sensors). If your car is opened and the alarm still didn’t go off, then there is likely an underlying issue.
Anything ranging from old sensors to a dead battery can prevent the alarm from going off. Therefore, to learn the potential causes, keep reading for useful facts and recommendations!
1. The Thief Worked Around the Alarm
There are several ways that a thief can get around an alarm. For instance, many alarms are hooked up to the battery. So, a thief can simply unhook the battery, break-in, and then hook the battery back in to avoid setting off the alarm or alerting the owner.
Some thieves can also hack more advanced systems. If you have a key fob, a thief may be able to hack the signal and unlock the car after you walk away. Of course, the alarm won’t know that it’s a thief opening the car and not you, which is why it wouldn’t sound.
Of course, there are other traditional methods for avoiding an alarm as well. For instance, a thief may be able to open the door with a screwdriver, and if this is done correctly, the car alarm will not sound.
2. It Doesn’t Include Certain Sensors
A car’s alarm will only go off if it’s connected to sensors. However, different systems utilize different sensors. Most security systems have sensors on the door. Therefore, if they are forced open, the door alarm will sound.
However, beyond this, it’s hard to determine what a specific sensor will have unless you specifically look in your car’s manual.
For instance, some cars include sensors that detect the sound of glass breaking. Therefore, these sensors can detect when windows break and will set off the alarm. Most cars do not have this capability, however.
3. The Battery Wasn’t Working
Most car alarms use the power from the battery, so if the battery isn’t working for one reason or another, then the car alarm won’t work either.
However, some vehicles have backup batteries, though these usually don’t last very long, so they may run down if the car battery stays dead for a long time.
4. Wiring Problems
If the car alarm cannot communicate with the sensors, then it may not go off at all (or it may continuously go off). This depends on the exact problem with the signal and how the alarm is set up.
A mechanic is often needed to fix these wiring problems, and sometimes new parts may be needed.
5. Defective Key Fob
Sometimes, if a key fob is broken, then the car alarm will not go off. The key fob might continuously talk to the car, which may make it think that the thief is you. Any time a key fob sends an improper sensor, then it can cause malfunctions in the alarm.
However, this problem usually makes the car alarm go off randomly, rather than stop going off at all. With that said, it’s still possible.
6. Broken Sensors
If a sensor breaks, it may not pick up anything when your car is broken into. Therefore, the alarm may not go off like it’s supposed to.
Just like everything, the sensors will grow old over time. Therefore, you may want to test them regularly to ensure that they’re still working. If there’s a problem, they may need to be replaced by a mechanic to restore the system.
7. Rusted or Corroded Battery Terminals
Because your car alarm draws energy from the battery, you’ll need to regularly ensure that it can receive this power. If the terminals are corroded, rusted, or otherwise unusable, then the alarm and sensors may not get any power, which will prevent them from going off to begin with.
You should keep the terminals clean and change them as necessary (you may need a mechanic to help in this matter).
On top of the normal causes of rusting, improper power dissipation and charging can also cause rust.
8. There Isn’t an Alarm Installed
Because alarms are so common, everyone usually assumes that their car has an alarm. However, very few people actually check to see what their car’s security system looks like. In some cases, your car may not actually have an alarm.
At the same time, some used cars may no longer have working alarms, or the previous owner may have changed the security system. Some owners turn off their alarms permanently, usually because there was an underlying problem causing it to go off all the time.
Therefore, if your car alarm doesn’t seem to be going off, then it may be because there isn’t an alarm, to begin with.
To know more about car alarms, you can also see our posts about what triggers a car alarm, what is a passive car alarm, and how much is a car alarm.
Conclusion
There are several reasons why a car alarm may not work properly. If anything is wrong with the car’s security system, then the car alarm may not go off when it needs to.
Therefore, you should regularly service your car as necessary to ensure that it keeps working. Problems with other parts of your car can also cause issues with the alarm. For instance, if the battery is dead, the car alarm may not have enough power to go off.