My new to me 1998 F150XLT has a strange problem. The alarm seems to go off whenever it feels like it. Sitting in front of the house (3 times), on the ferry boat with me in the cab with the key in the ignition (once), at the store (once) and once at my nieces house. This all in the last 2 weeks. Shuts right off when you hit the reset button, well except on the boat, the remote would not work at all (no door locks, nothing), but then the guy next to me had the same issue with his remote for his Honda. Had to used the key in the door to shut it down. I suspect that was an radio interference issue with the ferry's diesel/electric drive system as soon as I got off the boat he remote worked again. Is there a sensitivity adjustment on it or what. The 1995 Exploder sits right next to the F150 at the house and it never does this.

 

Nobody ever have an issue with the alarm system?

 

i have never had a problem with my F150, but i did have an issue with my Cadillac STS before...i traced it down to my money clip being magnetic and me throwing my keys directly on top of the magnetic part. the remote would then set my alarm off prematurely and i would have to disconnect the battery for roughly 20 to 30 minutes to reset the entire system from it going off randomly. im not saying this is your issue, but it may be possible

 

Money is clip non-magnetic, lucky bullet is non magnetic, none of the keys are magnetized, so that's not it.

 

just a shoot in the dark...

 

I appreciate the response. So far no one else seems to have had issues with theirs.

 

Maybe a door jamb switch. Fords had problems with them. My daughter had a windstar that would set the alarm off & sometimes the interior lights wouldn't go out. Sprayed the crap outta the D/J switches & it went away.

 

Except the lights and door ajar system work flawlessly. I will however check it out.

 

Do you have a Military Base near you that flies aircraft in and out ? My old Garage opener had to be reprogramed once a month, if I left my Aerostar outside the alarm would go off, even if it wasn't set. I loose communication with my wireless weather station, which POs me as a reset looses all the history. I was at the mall one day and everyone with a GM vechicle was stranded for a little over half an hour. Try unplugging your underhood light, to see if the problem goes away. When my truck was new it would blink on and off, was fixed under warranty. Check to see if the fuse was installed at your brake resevoir. It was part of a recall, for the cruise control, catching fire.

 

No military within 50 miles and no flight paths anywhere near here. I will try the hood light. Yes, the cruise control recall was done.

 

Next time it goes off put the key in the door and unlock the door.

I know, crazy as it sounds, it should work.

My truck did the same thing. Used the key in the door trick and it worked like a charm.

Hope this helps.

Jerem

 

Woke up at 0250 from a Harrier jump jet hovering overhead. Don't know what's going on, also half the county fire department is down the street on a call, via a neighbor.

 

The door lock thing works fine and is one of the ways listed in the owners manual to shut the alarm off. When the alarm went off on the ferry and the remote was inoperative, that was the only way to shut if off, other than disconnect the battery of course.

 

Home alone, in bed and the damn alarm goes off at 1:30AM. Truck has been parked for 5 hours. The best part is it shut off by itself before I found my keys. Now that's just weird.

 

Cleaned the door switches and it still does it for the next several days. Now it has stopped doing it. Not once in the last 5 days. Too weird for words. Maybe the truck is haunted (even thought to only PO is alive and well). If so I can live with a ghost/spirit. Hell, I live with a real live witch and have for 30+ years. That is witch as in Wicca.