97 TC alarm goes off about 5 min after set

[cocotel]

Hello,
I am new here and did look through the seven pages of posts before starting this thread, if I missed the answer I am sorry and would be thankful for any help...any at all. The problem started after replacing the plenum door actuator (I had to remove the dash board). I know what your thinking but I have rebuilt and or replaced 7 engine/transmissions and everything in between. I have the ford service manuals for all four cars and all the code readers. Enough about me back to the issue, this did not start for a few days after the dash removal, I set the alarm and about five minutes sometimes an hour or two later the alarm goes off. Any advice/comments (other than the dash removal part sounds scary).

[Towncar]

Originally Posted by cocotel

...I set the alarm and about five minutes sometimes an hour or two later the alarm goes off. ...

The most obvious causes would be the ajar pins/switches. All but the hood switch are built onto the latch mechanisms for 1997.

Try the disconnecting easiest ones first, the hood and trunk. Hopefully it's not one of the doors, their more difficult to get at.

Also, you might find something useful in this thread.

[cocotel]

Thanks for the tips, I will try those TODAY! Maybe it will work and I will not be the most popular guy in the nieghborhood anymore! Also FYI I found that if you use the lock button inside or manually lock the doors you and your nieghbors can sleep through the night.

[ltdltc]

The door sensors on 1995-1997s are a pain in the ass. I've had 2 that refused to register the door as being "closed". Always nice to be driving at night and all of a sudden your interior lights come on and a beeping tone that says your door isn't closed.

My solution was simple. Unlike the previous generations (1994-) the door jamb switches are located in the door themselves right at the latch mechanism. I decided that no one really uses the rear doors on the car so I cut both of them. Problem solved, yeah the lights don't come on when you open them but its not a big deal.

I used an entire can of silicone lubricant on those latches and it didn't do a damn thing. I think that they went bad because of lack of use. I'd reccomend opening and closing all of the (especially the rears) doors at least once a month.

I bought my 1995 in 2003 and it only had 33k and I think that was part of the problem. My alarm would also go off because of it sometimes.....