I just bought my first firebird. I think I kinda got screwed. Anyways the car has some kind of alarm on it, that doesn't allow the car to start. The car will start by remove the battery positive and reinstalling it with the key in the on position. The car starts. But the key wont start the car without that alarm. Any ideas? I cant find much online.

Any help would be great.

 

Your title says weird GM alarm, did you find something installed in it? GM did/does have GM Accessory alarms, but even if this is what you found, whatever you found is malfunctioning. Strictly from a safety standpoint nothing should crank the engine when the battery is connected. Now there were also aftermarket Starter Interrupt devices that were popular back then also. Have you tried the various starter interrupt tricks, like holding the high beam/flash-to-pass on, or applying the brake, or using the left or right turn signal, or turning on the parklamps while cranking???

 

The guy just told me on the phone that the car has an aftermarket alarm installed at the dealer. I havent tried any of those methods. Ill check using them soon.

The alarm system has a siren under the hood that goes off. The siren has a GM sticker. There is also a toggle switch under the steering wheel. I have never worked or had a GM car.

 

I assume he didn't give you any remote with the alarm? If not, you should find the alarm module (sometimes part of the siren, sometimes another box hidden in the car somewhere). Problem you'll likely have is finding whatever relay they installed that is keeping your starter from engaging. Best of luck in finding it, they can be hidden pretty good sometimes. I had an old Cadillac come into the shop years ago that they hid the alarm module under the carpet, under the seat. When I finally found that thing (wasted days and days of time working on that one) I threw it across the shop and busted it into pieces. Aftermarket alarms can be a real waste of time when they start going bad. Hope you find it quickly.

 

I did get a remote from him but it needs batteries.

I just opened her up, it is a Code Alarm. I will go get a battery soon.

 

I'm also currently dealing with a car that has aftermarket security and won't start, won't even have contact, might be something completely different but could also be the alarm.. but you're saying that if I attach the battery when the key is already a quarter turned the alarm might deactivate? Also, I'm not measuring any voltage anywhere else one the dashboard so it might be something completely different, just want to make sure it's not the alarm.

 

I have a code alarm it looks like. But yes for mine if I leave the key on and remove and reattch the battery it comes right on. Its ghetto. Im trying to figure out how to disarm the alarm or disable it. I read that you can connect two wires together and the car will start normally.

The FCC id on my remote is CNA 756CA-UTX

I believe the remote is busted. Any ideas on how to disable the code alarm.

 

What a mess, there is 2 alarm boxes under the dash. One is a goodwinch(code alarm) the other has no identify markings.

I opened up the remote, it looks like over the years all of the resistors caroded. There is 3 relays. Going back outside to figure out which one is the starter relay. If anyone has any suggestions, that would be helpful.

Also no start interrupt tricks worked. Thanks anyways everyone.

Update: When I bypass the relay the car begins to start even if the key isnt in the ignition. So I suppose I will have to figure out how to wire a switch in to start the car, but then my car would be easily stolen. Anyone know how to fully remove this nightmare of an alarm?

 

It's always a pain because you don't know what the relays did, how, or why they were installed. Best guess is either IGN1, IGN0, Crank relays or a ton of other possibilities (IGN, Crank, Door locks, Pwr Windows,etc.), but you'll just have to trace the wiring back to where it goes into the car's original harness, take it out and splice the original wiring back together.

 

I had an aftermarket alarm in my car til I replaced it with a gm body control module and updated the wiring ---- HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. If you can't start the car, it very well could be a starter interrupter. What year/model is your car, (1988+/ Base/Trans AM/GTA)??, it could be VATS. And if you got an alarm with the car, I would dig into it and familiarize yourself with it, (how its wired). It may give you problems down the road. Goodwrench did key-less entry modules, not sure about the years, but this did not include starter interrupters to my knowledge. And I sympathize with the wiring mess, I had my own. 5 months later, better than stock and clean as a whistle. Plus I am quite familiar with the wiring on my car specifically now.