Illuminated Entry timeout?

December 01, 2007, 12:34:11 PM

Does anyone have numbers and info on how the illuminated entry works? After never thinking of it in the past, it always seemed like I had to wait 10 seconds or so when leaving the car before setting my alarm. For the second time in the years I've had my alarm, last weekend when visiting a relative my alarm went off in the middle of the night and my 2-way showing that the door was open - of course it wasn't. The next day I tested a theory and it sends the door trigger to the alarm when the handle is lifted and the inside illuminates. Obviously someone was seeing if the car was locked.

The thing is, when I get out of the car and close the door, I never touch the door handle and it isn't loose, nor does it illuminate the interior without pulling up on the handle quite a bit. I haven't watched it in the past but this last week has been fine. Normally I always had to wait around 10 seconds before setting the alarm, otherwise it'd say the door was open. I've been watching the lights inside the car since to try to see when it happens but I can't duplicate the problem.

My question is, does the interior/locks illuminate ONLY if the outside handle is touched or is it just me getting out of the car too quickly sometimes when pulling the inside handle?

Lastly, did I wire up the door triggers improperly or is the trigger I'm wired into the only one that'll work for doors? Either way, I don't mind the alarm scaring off idiots in the middle of the night - I've never seen anyone around my car by the time I got out there but I never have that problem in my own neighborhood, only the relative's, nor do I get false alarms (it never goes off actually unless I do something stupid myself like unlock the door with key and open the door or give a firm pound into the a-pillars) EVER. I think I could turn the shock sensitivity back up actually, but got tired of it going off whenever a VERY loud truck (shook entire building) would drive into the company lot on a daily basis - 20-30 feet away form the car.

Illuminated Entry timeout?

Reply #1 – December 01, 2007, 03:06:40 PM

If you have illuminated entry (ie the little light up surrounds around the door lock) then the interior lights should come on when you lift the door handles and stay on for ~30 seconds. That's what both my 88 and 95 T-birds do.

Illuminated Entry timeout?

Reply #2 – December 01, 2007, 03:48:31 PM

Don't know why I was drawing a blank on its name - changed thread to reflect "Illuminated Entry".

Still doesn't explain why sometimes I have to wait after closing the car door before I can arm the alarm. I still need more time to verify that when it doesn't allow it, the lights are still on inside.

Illuminated Entry timeout?

Reply #3 – December 02, 2007, 12:47:43 PM

Do you have Keyless entry?

It has been a while since I last drove my 88.. But I seem to recall if you got out of the car without locking the doors the light would stay on, but if you locked the doors from the inside the light would go off as soon as you shut the door.

If you have keyless you can press the 7/8 9/0 keys to lock the doors and the lights go out.