I've had my 2010 MCS for about a month now. I have noticed that my alarm will go off randomly without any reason unless I deactivate the motion/tilt sensor when locking the car twice in succession. Has anyone else experienced this?

I first noticed this when it started to snow outside. I didn't know if the motion sensor was detecting the snow fall outside or what? It appears the motion sensor is overly sensitive and it is really annoying.

Any thoughts?

 

i haven't had any falses that i know of. not even sure if it really works. love the flashing hearbeat though.

 

Yes - I've had the same problem. Had my Clubman S for little over a year and it probabaly has happened 20 + times. Normally happens when it's colder outside (but has happened in the summer) and after I commute to work and it cools down for about 20 minutes. Not sure what's really doing it, didn't really know there was a way to disarm it as you suggest. I asked the dealer, got the normal answer in that they counldn't reporduce it and not sure what it was. Anyway, it continues to happen and the dealer suggested that if owners complain enough Mini might put out a service bullitan in a year or so.

They were a big help.

I thought maybe it had to do with the cold morning, vibrations of truck on near by roadways or something.

Love to hear more who have had this experience.

 

Yes, if you hit the lock button on the remote twice in a row, it will disable the motion/tilt sensor and you will see the red LED on top of the speedo flash quickly twice in a row indicating the sensors have been deactivated.


I'm still keeping an eye on mine. Without fail, mine always goes off when I lock it if I don't deactivate the senors.

 

I'd get it fixed. $500 for an alarm that you have to disable part of its functionality of to keep from waking the neighbors? Not acceptable.

 

Hell, they haven't yet found a way to install an alarm in a '10 that wasn't ordered with it from the factory..

 

I recall reading someplace that they are no longer prewired from the factory (damn bean counters saving pennies again). If that's the case, I can imagine that dealer-installing the thing could be a mongolian clusterpharkle.

 

I have not noticed the heartbeat or lights on the column lighting up after we exit hte car. Is it possible that our 2010 JCW did not have an alarm from the factory?

I breifly read about it in the owner's manual..but I have yet to see it light up.

I feel like a fool or not knowing this feature of my wife's newest toy...but If I can't ask the question here; where can I...lol

 

If you didn't order it, or you don't see it on the window sticker, you haven't got it...

 

My alarm started acting up over the past couple of weeks (Wk 40 '10 MCS). At first I wrote it off as being when heavier vehicles rumble past as our street is a pretty narrow one-way. But there have been times when nothing goes by. I've always done the double-lock to turn off the tilt when I'm in garages, but I really would prefer the motion sensor (albeit at a lesser sensitivity) be active as I live in DC.

I've been pretty lucky so far as I normally find a spot right outside of my apartment and we are on the 1st floor, so I have gotten accustomed to sleeping with my keys on my nightstand so I can reset it from my bed. I'd love to learn whether there bringing it in to have it looked at would be even worth it. Let me know what you all learn...!

 

$500 for THAT??!! What if the next time it goes off it's because some miscreant has broken in and is attempting to boost your iPod (or other unseen loot that may or may not be there)?

Sure glad I didn't get ripped off by ordering this "alarm". Way too many people experiencing problems with this thing.. you guys need to get your dealer to fix it or get Miniusa to refund your $500. Outrageous, don't stand for it.

 

Had similar problem, but only the lights of the alarm would randomly activate (no horn). Drove me nuts to see the lights flashing coming out to the parking lot thinking the alarm went off. Took it in and they found a fault in the "brains" of the electrical system. They replaced and not a problem since.

 

After activating my alarm, the LED on the tach glows from side to side (like knight rider) but after ~15 minutes or so it changes and blinks every 2 seconds

 

there are sensors in the boot and bonnet. iirc, when i took her in for a one year oil change, i mentioned it and from what the SA said, they adjusted the rubber bumpers so that they wouldn't shift when large vehicles pass by. I haven't had too many random alarms since. push down on the bonnet and see if it moves excessively, if it does, turn the two rubber bumpers up one or two notches.

 

Thanks, I'll give this the college try...

 

my factory installed alarm was going off randomly too. I always keep the fob in my front pocket; thought it was activated by pressure but when pressed on purpose alarm wouldn't stop. I replaced battery in fob & so far, so good. A huge embarassment to drive it with alarm going off through campus. Turned a few heads but no help was offered-probably thought I jacked it

 

mine only goes off when parked, not driving so you might have a bigger issue. Also, it happens more so on colder mornings so now it's close to summer it rarely happens...

But I was amused by an BMW X3 whose alarm kept going off in a parking lot near a store I was at, and wondered if it was the exact same system.

 

I agree, it's on my list of things they can't fix every time I'm in there, along with the Automatic Wipers that work, then don't work - whole other story.

 

Most options are not worth what you pay for it - caught up in the custom vehicle thing and not pricetags. So, buyers beware since once the warranty is over it's all yours. Document your problems everytime you go in so they address them in the future if gets worse (out of warranty).

Also - if your state has a lemon law - be aware of the guidelines and use it if necessary - I'm not saying Mini's are lemons but if you let them know you are going to contact the state all of a sudden you get the call from Mini USA directly - I'm just saying use what you got if all else fails

 

I have a '09 Mini Cooper and it just started having the alarm going off randomly in the last 2 weeks. Yesterday I was in the house no one was near the car and the alarm went off and before I could get to it to turn the alarm off it shut off on its own. It is driving me crazy. Now once again I have to drive 80 plus miles to have mini tell me they can't figure it out. I have owned this car from the start and baby it and I just keep having problems with it.

 

Umm I was told by a MINI tech that I trust there is a way to instal one aftermarket but it requires an extra wiring harness and they have to basically pull the ENTIRE dash and steering column to get to all the places they need to run wires etc... He said they estimate 10 hours of labor in their instructions and that realistically it will take closer to 30..... So best case for a non factory install on a non prewired 2010(some were still rrewired) is about 500$ in cost of parts plus another 10-30 hours in labor charges(so about $1500 - $3500). He was actually kinda pissed they did it that way since there is no easy way to install an alarm now and they really did not save much in the long run. The other side of the coin though is less than 1/2 of 1% actually ordered the alarm anyway.

So technically its not that there is no way to do a non factory install on a 2010 its just that its so damn expensive no one would bother doing that.

 

1. On mine, a 2010 MCC S w/ factory alarm, it is clearly isolated to one KEY. If that key gets near the car (like 30 ft. or less) it is prone to set it off. I have tested by keeping that key either away or in proximity to car relative to the other key, and have thus found it is definitely related to only one of the two keys on mine. My next step is to try replacing key fob batteries.

2. There is a service bulletin saying they can turn down sensitivity on the car sensors. It's in the sticky w/ the service bulletins here on NAM. That's my next step, since last time at the dealer it went off almost by looking at the car w/ fob in hand; they thought they had it taken care of during key reprogramming, but...not...

 

I had that with my 08-changed the batteries in each key fob & problem
Was gone

 

I isolated mine going off randomly when a loud car or motorcycle goes by my car. I work next to a Harley dealer and always double lock my car now (to deactivate the tilt/motion sensors) so the alarm doesn't go off. For whatever reason, the noise (vibrations) from the bikes causes one or the other sensor to trigger. No big deal since I know what is causing it now.

 

Our 08 MCS alarm would go off at the slightest vibration. I would start my other car in the garage & it would set the MCS off. A Helicopter would fly over head & the alarm would go off. It drove us NUTS! We went to the dealer 3x on this, & all they kept saying was that vibrations can not set the alarm off. Last time it was there, they started up a MCS 4 spot away while we were talking outside, & our alarm went off!!

Now that they believed me there was a issue, they tracked it all down to a loose interior sensor bracket. The bracket would vibrate, & set off the alarm. After torquing the bracket, it has been trouble free since!!!!!