Car Won't Start, Possibly Alarm Module

[livelyjay]

I'm putting back together an MSP. It had a dead battery for a very long time and when it was delivered, it didn't start. Used a jump box, locked it, unlocked it, and it started up and I backed it into my garage. I started it up one other time with a jump box. Attempted to start it a third time and got nothing. Here are the symptoms:

Hook up the negative terminal
1) No interior lights, exterior lights, car won't fire the starter motor
2) Car won't lock with the key fob, it will only unlock
3) If I hit the panic button, it locks
4) Then if I hit the lock button, the alarm goes off
5) Unlock, interior lights work, exterior lights work, car won't fire starter motor
6) The alarm light on the gauge cluster is dim and flickering most of the time (I can't remember specifically the scenarios where it's dim/flickers, blinking normally, and off).

So, is the alarm module fried?

 

[livelyjay]

Update on status, it's not 100% the alarm module. Something else is amiss.

Swapped the alarm module with the one from my other MSP and the same behaviors. Got a better idea on what the problems are, but no idea on the solution.

1) Connect battery terminal, dash light is on and bright.
2) Hit the panic button, car locks, dash light is on and blinking slowly.
3) Hit unlock button, car unlocks, parking lights on and stay on until I disconnect battery, dash light is very dim and flickering, I can start the car.
4) Hit lock button, it acts like the panic button and the alarm goes off

 

[hornsfan10609]

Is it possible the circuit board inside the key fob is installed backwards? When you think you are hitting lock you are actually hitting the panic button and vice versa?

 

[livelyjay]

Not possible. Even if that was true, the car would still behave normally with flipped buttons. This car worked fine when it arrived on the truck. Something happened with low voltage/dead battery and it screwed something up.

 

[thecrash91]

it really sounds like the buttons are installed backwards guy, in order to properly shut off the alarm you have to lock and unlock multiple times, and if youre really hitting panic instead of lock that may be your issue. your symptoms point toward the alarm not being disarmed fully. it does that when you reconnect the battery, it makes the alarm module freak the **** out. a battery dying would cause absolutely zero harm to anything electrical, the only thing that would cause damage would be a voltage spike, not drop.

 

[livelyjay]

The buttons are not installed backwards. The keyfob was working just fine when the car arrived at my house a month ago. I didn't crack open the fob at all. Plus, wouldn't things work fine if I just used panic to lock then unlock and drive away? But then why would the dash lights and parking lights stay on?

Could the keyless entry module be screwed up? Could this be a fuse problem? I checked the engine compartment fuses and they all look fine. Engine bay relay problem? Could the fob programming get messed up so the lock/panic buttons flip? I would point to another problem other than the alarm module because the behavior was exactly the same with the known good module.

 

[thecrash91]

do you have a second remote? if not theyre really easy to find online, they were used very widely amongst mazdas and easy to program

 

[livelyjay]

My friend hasn't sent me the second one yet. I have two for my MSP though. I saw the reprogram instructions on this forum, but the flow chart looked a little confusing.

Yesterday I messed around with the car again. If I reconnect the battery with the car unlocked I can get into the car and start it. The dash light is very dim, but it's not blinking and the immobilizer isn't on. I might just drive it to the dealership and have them check it out, or I might take it to a shop and have them strip out the alarm and put in a proper one.

 

[hornsfan10609]

programming the remote is extremely simple. All doors closed, put key in ignition and turn from OFF to START quickly 3 times then back to OFF, then open and close the driver door 3 times, if all locks unlock and lock you are in programming mode, hit lock on each keyfob until the locks respond. Car may not go into programming mode if the alarm is acting up.