Hello, I've got a 2005 Chevy Cobalt and I'm wondering how I can disable the anti-theft alarm that activates whenever a key is used to open the car door or trunk. My key fob hardly works and I'd like to be able to use my key to open my own car without attracting the attention of everybody around. Is there a way to set the alarm to a sane mode?

 

They have removed the wiring to disarm the alarm by the use of the key due to people popping the locks and disabling the alarm.

The only way to disarm the alarm is to either use your key fob, or turn the key in the ignition

 

Yeah, can't have vehicle owners disabling their own alarms. This turns up two questions, then...
1) What will I do once the fob's died and I'm trying to start my car in one of those instances where the key will not start the car because the alarm won't stop? It's done that before and the only way to disable the alarm was through the remote. The key would NOT start it or disable the alarm.

2) What is the meaning, in the little computer dashboard display, of the Security setting options? I think it offers normal and RKE. What exactly are the effects of these settings; would that help me out at all?

 

If the alarm does not turn off when you trun the key on, you have an issue with either your key, or the ignition switch\theft deterent module


As stated in your owners manul regarding the security setting option:

One way to lock the vehicle and not arm the alarm is to manually push down on the locks. Don't use the remote, or the lock switches inside the vehicle

 

Hello,
My girlfriend had the same issue as you are describing. The first time it happened both key fobs' failed and she was tired of the alarm going off so she took the car to our local chevy dealer (extended GM warranty) and they replace the alarm and gave her 2 new key fobs'. After about 6 months they started to fail again so on a hunch I took the fobs' apart and in both fobs' the contacts that had hold the battery in place had come apart. I soldered both fobs' solder points and I only needed a tiny bit of solder to reattach the points and to provide a little extra strength. I was looking for an explanation to the "key fob low batt" warning today and came across a site that explained exactly what I went through and also across this page. Here is the link, hope this helps your problem-

http://www.rfcafe.com/references/ele...b-teardown.htm

-Scott

 

Solution.... Before turning the engine off and exiting the vehicle, 1.) open the driver door 2.) reach over and press the door lock button on the passenger side door (on the door handle, not the push/pull near window). 3.) Turn off engine and close door, do not press driver side auto lock button).. Alarm will not sound when you use the key to manually enter either side door, or trunk. 5 years late

 

All you do is refrain from using your power locks. Instead push the locks down and up manually. I just bought my 05 cobalt L.S. and didnt even realize it had an alarm because the previous owners claimed it didnt. They put 120,000 miles on this car and they somehow never once used the power locks to lock it? Whatever. So I accidentally discovered this when I noticed that the alarm would only go off if I had used the power locks to lock it. Since I live alone and am primarily the only one in and out of my car, I also programmed the locking mechanism to only automatically unlock my drivers side door when I shut the car off and pulled the key out of the switch. That way I wasn't reaching over the seats to manually lock all the doors everytime I parked the car. Unlock the 2 front doors or trunk with your key without the alarm going off. If you park the car in a bad neighborhood and find you want to engage the alarm, hit the power locks before you exit. You will still have to start the car the next day to kill the alarm but at least now you have the option to control your own alarm.

 

Dang, thanks for the late reply, as my remote is once again failing. How do you do this auto-lock programming? It is pretty annoying to have to re-lock the rear seats constantly when nobody uses them.

 

Bumping


Edit, I found the answer.

With the key on, engine off press both the i and reset buttons and in the info display box you should see something pop up, it should be oil life reset. Press the i key until you get to the setting you want to change, from there press reset and it will take you through choices for that particular setting.