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        General >> Problems >> Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
        
(Message started by: RON on Apr 4^th, 2005, 10:55pm)

Title: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by RON on Apr 4^th, 2005, 10:55pm

Hi ya all,
I have a really puzzling question, just recently when myself or my wife have locked the car with the remote fob, the indicators have flashed, first time my wife said it happened, i didn't believe her (opps) but it's happened to me a couple of times now, and again tonight when the wife locked it up again, is it designed to do this, or is this a fault? I know with a lot of cars nowadays, the lights do flash when you lock/unlock the vehicle. Any ideas. Cheers Ron

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by dart on Apr 4^th, 2005, 11:16pm

Hello Ron.
If you put the key in the drivers door and turn it anti clock-wise then fully clock-wise you'll here a buzz click! and the indicators will flash letting you know the car is alarmed(and I don't mean you've crept up on it and shouted BOOO! ;D)The same thing should happen when you use the remote fob thingy,buzz click,and flashes.Bare in mind your lucky the remote even works at all!(I'll buy it off you, 4 quid ;D ;D)

dart

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by dart on Apr 4^th, 2005, 11:25pm

Farther to that Ron
Have you had your scorps long?
Becuase it is an intermitent animal!what works one day does'nt automatically mean it will do the same again the next!Not trying to scare you,it's one of the things about the scorps you'll come to love ;D it's a car with charactor!!a rearity,a real gem ;)
dart

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by Paul_Boulden on Apr 5^th, 2005, 12:21am

I believe the indicator flash is to tell you the alarm is armed, on my 96, 2.9 12v, the indicators flash if you lock with the key firstly turning to the unlock position. It also happens using the remote if you press the lock button twice.
I have never had this happen intermittently, if you press the lock button twice, the indicators flash every time.
HTH

Paul Boulden

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by nic on Apr 5^th, 2005, 1:02am

Not every one flashes mind, my 96 didnt, and i knoe of alother 95, 96 &97 and theres dont flash

have a look on the main site

http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/topfaq.htm

HTH

Nic

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by Simmo on Apr 5^th, 2005, 9:48am

As has been said if you use the key in the correct way the lights will flash to indicate that the alarm is set. If you press the remote twice you will hear the locks work and then a further sound as it sets the alarm. At this point the lights will flash. Presumably if they flash then the system is fitted to your vehicle it is just a question of operating either the key or remote as has been suggested.HTH. Simmo

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by Chad66 on Apr 5^th, 2005, 10:13am

Just when you thought you knew all the quirks of the Scorpio!!!

I was under the impression that the flashing indicators on alarm set was one of these 'mods' available to fit DIY.

My 96 12v has never flashed....and I never thought anyone elses did unless they'd 'modded'.....AAARRRGGGHH

Life must be so boring with 'normal' cars! ;D

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by Tobbe on Apr 5^th, 2005, 10:29am

My former 2.0i 16 estate 1995 flashed once when locked with the remote and then flashed twice when engaging the lockup funktion.

The cosworth 1995 I have now only flashes twice when lockup is engaged and no flashing at all on locking.

//Tobbe

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by RON on Apr 5^th, 2005, 10:04pm

::)Just like to thank Dart,Paul_Boulden,Nic,Simmon,Chadd66 and Tobbe for all your help and advice on the FLASHING LIGHTS SYNDROME, well i'll just like to say it works,Thanks to you lot. Cheers,From Ron ::)

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by dart on Apr 5^th, 2005, 11:54pm

Don't think you get out of it that easy Ron!
We love Scorps!next question,keep them comin! ;D ;D

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by blondy on Apr 6^th, 2005, 12:00am

mine have never flashed but thats the least of my worries :'(

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by dart on Apr 6^th, 2005, 12:10am

OH and by the way! the use of the alarm,flashing or not,introduces the ford double lock!the idea being that once inside the car,the hoodlem shuts the door and locks him/herself in with no escape,you then phone the bobby's and their bang to rights!This system however has it's pitfalls,being trapped inside the car, they kick seven bell's out of your cars interior! and of cause get a severly slapped wrist for doing so.You see the damage and mutter "Ho my god" and then pay to have your pride and joy put right! nice one ford ;D ;D

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by shaunskiman on Apr 6^th, 2005, 7:35am

Blondy,
I agree with you IT IS THE LEAST OF THE TROUBLES []WITH A SCORPIO ??? :o :-[ :-X
My 95 16v never flashed
my 96 24v has'nt flashed
but i,am saying nothing about the driver :-X :-X

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by gaz01gaz on Apr 6^th, 2005, 7:46am

now isn't it strange ??? my 2.0 1994 did flash...my 97 24v certainly did flash....but my 96 24v does not flash...typical scorpio uncostistency i think,but thats what we all love isn't it ???(must just be me) :P...gaz

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by nitram on Apr 6^th, 2005, 10:56am

on 04/06/05 at 00:10:25, dart wrote:

the idea being that once inside the car,the hoodlem shuts the door and locks him/herself in with no escape

I think the idea is more that even if they smash the window and reach inside, they still won't be able to open the door.

BTW, my '96 (Manufactured in '95) flashes when I turn the key both ways, or on the second press of the lock button to indicate the double lock.

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by Dave on Apr 6^th, 2005, 12:01pm

Just to add. My '96 24v doesn't flash ever. I just look at the PATS led to see what's happening.
With key:
Lock, unlock, lock (within 3 secs) to activate double locking.

With fob:
Lock twice to activate double locking.

Double locking activated when PATS led lights for 3 seconds. Or is it 5?

Anyway. Bizzare!

D

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by Dave on Jul 28^th, 2005, 6:11pm

Right. Hopefully this, if we believe it, will englighten us all!
Car: 30th December 1996 Ultima. Indicators never flashed with lock/unlock.

I called Ford. They say it's a fault and it'll need diagnosing by plugging it in to FDS etc. £65+vat. Ok. I agreed to it. But then I called a different Ford garage and the man there didn't seem familiar with the Scorpio, or with the nature of car locks at all. Instead he gave me a technical support line for Ford, a premium rate line, costing £1.00 per minute. (09065533447) Luckily I was at work.

I called. An english man answered quickly. I said '97 Scorpio won't flash, he said this:
In 1997 legislation in Switzerland was such that cars were not allowed to flash their indicators because of Air Bases. Ford made this standard programming throughout Europe that year.

Make of that what you will. At least it's an answer.

I ended up taking it to Atlantic Ford, Wilmslow. I agreed to pay the £65+ vat.

A few hours later they called me and told me a fault code has been generated by their computer showing the bonnet switch to be defective. I'd need to leave the car overnight whilst they order a bonnet switch and fit it tomorrow morning, and, this, apparently would almost definately make the indicators work. It'd all cost £132. My other option was to sod it and take the car back, but i'd still have to pay the £65. I agreed to leave it with them.

Then on the walk home from work (walking...eek) I realised no..no no no no no. I went to Ford and asked to have a look at my car. Brother joined me at this point. I paid the £65 and we tested the bonnet switch in the car park... worked perfectly, spot on.

We went back inside to get answers! I asked to speak to the man who was dealing with my car earlier.. a different man came out and we asked him what had happened, how an error code can surface even though the switch seems to function. He said "errr" and to let him take the car and have another look.

Ten minutes later he'd brought the car around to the front window and he'd got the indicators flashing. He said it's a 'GB' setting with the fob on the onboard computer. I think he said mine was in GB default as standard, he's just toggled it so it's in a different setting, possibly Euro. He'd also 'cleared the fault code' (bonnet switch).

How much Ford were fabricating and how much was actually true I don't know. The Air base thing sounds a bit far-fetched but possible. I'm still pretty annoyed that they were going to have me pay £132 and wait overnight to replace a functioning switch, and after all that the indicators would not have flashed.

Also the invoice says "Carry out FDS diagnosis for alarm fault"..... there was never anything wrong with the alarm. I just wanted the indicators to flash, and I left a note on the passenger seat telling them roughly how to do it.

We now reckon that they may left the bonnet open whilst FDS-ing it and that's what triggered the code... plonkerish but possible.

So. Mystery solved, slightly?

In summary: If you want flashing indicators and they've never flashed, get them to change the fob setting on the computer. If they flash sporadically then it could be an alarm fault, as, I expect they suspected.

Dave

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by scorpio_man on Jul 28^th, 2005, 7:02pm

hi dave

yes, what ford said about changing the setting is correct. it was/is on the main site.

sorry, i never saw this post.

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by solarpanel on Jul 29^th, 2005, 8:19pm

my cossie flash when locked by fob or key but.....the alarm will sometimes go off in 3/4 mins then sometimes it will go 3/4 days and not go off argggggg,plus i live in a quiet resi area and the neigbours are getting a bit p**sed off

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by Snoopy on Jul 29^th, 2005, 8:26pm

If the alarms goes off intermitently then look to the bonnet switch.... It is the main cause of faults, unless you have ultra sonic sensors on the pillars then little spiders or creepy crawlies can cause the same...

if you want to silence the alarm then the horn for it is behind the battery

Title: Re: Flashing lights (or not flashing lights)
Post by solarpanel on Jul 29^th, 2005, 9:50pm

thank snoopy,you must love these cars to have so much know how ive got two local breakers with cars so will be visiting them the weekend,more money.....ho hum i dont think ive got the sensors