Sounds like your alarm system is not working. Try locking the car with the drivers window open and then unlock the car with the inside button. If the alarm does not go off, then that will answer your question.

 

Ive been told by my local Volvo guy (not a dealer BTW) that at least on my car (04 S60 R) that the siren for the alarm is mounted in such a way that condensation will eventually pool IN the siren and ruin it. Someplace buried in the passenger side fender well. Anyhow, its a bit of a process to get to. That being said mine hasn't worked since i bought the car (with 60k). Any the indicator was intermittent at first and now constant (but always goes away after 5 seconds or so). Come to find out, I was suppose to hear a chirping sound when locking or unlocking the doors (similar to my GF Lexus i guess?). Well Ive never heard it, nor did the guy who owned it before me.

So, unless someone hits me in the right front, and their insurance pays for repairs - my alarm siren wont work (AFAIK the horn still blasts if the alarm is triggered).

Unless you do it yourself - id bet your looking at 400 - 600 to have it done. Not worth it IMO - my mechanic agreed.

 

First the bad news. Yes, the alarm module can fail due to corrosion. The position (as you indicated) is not the most desired as it can get pretty damp in there. Repair can be costly too, a module usually runs around $180 + labor cost to replace.

Unfortunately, Volvo electricals are all interdependent - meaning a failed alarm may also cause the sunroof to malfunction (most of the time).

Now the good news! There is a DIY homebrewed fix for the problem. Good Luck and Stay Safe!

http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=17479

BTW, you should hear no "chirp" when locking or unlocking the vehicle.

 

Hi - thanks for the info. I have the same issues on my 2001 S60.
If I just pull the alarm module out and not replace it, will the car continue to at least function?

(My sunroof has quit, just as in other posts here. But thats not a huge deal to me at the moment.)

Thanks,
CW

 

I would think removing the alarm module, will throw a constant malfunction lamp. Right now, as is, you should only receive the warning on start-up. After reading the message, the "exclamation/warning" lamp on the dash should turn off (at least that's what happened to my S80). Without it, I think it would "nag" you constantly. Good Luck!

 

I am having the same issue. Over the weekend the "Alarm system service required" came on. My sunroof is working and everything appears to be running normal, but when I tried to trigger the alarm nothing happened.
In the other forums, some people have resolved this with a new car battery. I'm driving on my Original 04', could I get lucky enough that's all it is? (cross fingers)

 

I have a 2005 s60r that got the problem after the battery died due to the radio being left on. Sine the problem clearly was related to the battery going dead and not corrosion, does anyone have an idea how to reset it? I swear the moonroof was working when I first started getting the Alarm Serivice Requred error after the battery died, but now the moonroof is not working either.

Appreciate any ideas.

 

The siren under the r/f fender has a backup battery inside so when an alledged thief cuts the wires, the siren goes off. Kind of smart, however when the backup battery is flat/dead, it will draw on the vehicles battery to keep it charged. This causes many problems, such as 1- loss of intialization( the sunroof doesn't work). 2- Vehicle battery is flat due to exterior lights flashing. 3- The alram siren sounds on it's own. 4-"Alarm System Service Required" message in the DIM. 5- Multiple DTC's in the vehicle control modules.

The Fix= Replace the siren.

 

FYI there is a software download the will "remove" the siren by no longer thinking that an alarm is installed in the car. My parents went that route instead of replacing stuff...pretty cheap way if you are not set on having an alarm. Imobilizer still functions however with the coded keys.

 

Does anybody know if there some kind of identifier for this software download? When I asked my local Volvo dealer about it, they weren't aware of anything like that. Would be helpful if I could point them to something specific.

In my case, have a 2005 V70 with the siren battery issue.

Thanks!

 

S60 alarm keeps going off

Hello guys, I'm at a loss as to what to do. My car already goes of every night when no one touches it or go close to it. I've gone though the manual to deactivate it but seems after a while, it comes back on. I've had to pull the battery to save me embarrassments and let my neighbours sleep. Any ideas anyone on how to sort this issue out?

 

Year? miles? How old is your auto battery? Any alerts?

 

I just bought an '01 s60 with 122K miles. My sunroof doesn't work and it's leaking to the floor boards. The drains are probably plugged. The alarm system service light is on. If I replace the module or "repair" the battery as I saw in a YouTube video, will I be able to get into my car without the alarm going off? I only have a key and no clicker.

 

This is another reason I find owning a Volvo frustrating. They always seem to have one or another issue with something in their electrical systems. They never seem to get it quiet right! With escalating cost to purchase, smaller engines, and the ever nagging issues, I believe this will be my last Volvo. Also VW and Toyota have vehicles that get 50+ MPG - why not Volvo?

 

I looked into this for a vR I was considering. Hope it helps those in this thread. Rewarding vehicle ownership sometimes comes with some effort. All marques have quirks. Volvo is no different.

 

That is a good link ZZZZZZ. Go through the wheel well and drill out the siren unit lock. Get a siren unit from the junkyard. If you don't do it soon, the panel will be toast due to leaking battery fluid. Not a hard job really. I may do this for a family member's car soon.

 

Another, since everything doesn't work. Could my car battery been drained because siren alarm no longer worked? Also how to get towed without ruining transmission. Car in "PARK" in driveway. I have 2006 Volvo 2.5T. Suppose to be rear wheel drive. Since nothing working, how do I get it into Neutral so as to move it and not wreck transmission?