Sic'Em

Car alarm installation woes. Bit of an explanation/story... if you care to read as it's a rather long.



OK, Here goes...

I own a 2001 ?Bug Eye? WRX, and after some research into alarm systems with multi-point immobilisation and turbo timer I decided to go with the Mongoose M80G.

My vehicle did not have any brant alarm installed. (I stripped the interior to remove the remaining/left over wiring from whatever was in there before), nor could I find an immobiliser under the dash.

I proceeded to source a Mongoose M80G, which I ended up purchasing from Carbon Car Systems in NSW. I had already sourced a local SA company to do the full installation of this alarm system for $150.00 AUD (after many discussions on it was indeed a FULL install for that price).

I left my vehicle with the company to do the full installation of the alarm system into my vehicle. I was told it would take all afternoon as I dropped my vehicle off at about midday. I got a call at 4pm stating that the car wouldn't be ready, so I opted to leave it there overnight for them to continue on it the next day. I then collected the vehicle the following day at 5:00pm (it was wet, rainy, horrible), I didn't check the alarm system while I was there, nor was I shown how it operated, etc. I was told that the installation was all completed, I paid the money and left.

Two days later once I had time to test the alarm system via the check list in the user operations manual (check all alarm triggers, make sure immobiliser works, etc), I noticed that the bonnet was sitting about 1cm above the guard. Bonnet pin trigger was stopping it from sitting correctly/flush. Checked the alarm system, and the only trigger points to work were the drivers door and ignition, no other zones triggered the alarm system, I tested the alarm system three separate times to make sure.

After discussion with the installer, I returned the vehicle for the alarm system to be corrected. At the time I was present the bonnet pin was corrected, it was working and the bonnet was sitting correctly again (flush with guards), we discussed the remaining issues and since he explained that the boot trigger did not get wired at all (full installation? eh), whilst he ran the alarm trigger wire for the boot, I explained that he may as well run another wire at the same time for the remote button boot release so that in the future I could place a solenoid there and finish the boot release myself, it was agreed upon and stated that ?it won't cost much extra as it's just some wiring, a relay, and maybe some labour?. I agreed that I would pay for the extra that I had asked for. We scheduled another time to get the remaining issues corrected and the extra boot release trigger done and I left.

I then left the vehicle with the installer for another day for the remaining issues to be corrected and the extra boot release wiring done. Later that day I received a phone call stating that it's all fixed and that I owe him $155.00 AUD for the work done today.... what the, that's what the full installation cost me to begin with!!!

I went to collect the vehicle and explained that I'm happy to pay for the extra cost that was for the wiring and relay for the future boot release, but I should not have to pay for work done to correct the parts that were missed/not installed initially. After some explaining on my part, he agreed to remove the cost of the doors that did not trigger the alarm, and I still owed him $130.00 AUD.

C'mon... I explained that he agreed to a full installation of the alarm system into my vehicle for $150.00 AUD which meant exactly that... FULL (all standard settings on the alarm system), which included bonnet trigger, all 4 door triggers, boot trigger, shock sensor, glass break sensor, central locking integration, triple point immobilisation and turbo timer connection.

So the only part I should be paying for now is the extra wiring/relay/labour for the future boot release (he had to run the boot alarm trigger in the exact same place anyway, so run 2 wires instead of just 1... makes sense to me). I was then told it was still $130.00 AUD that I owed him. At this point I was beyond pissed off, as I was only expecting to pay around $50.00 AUD for it. We had more discussion and I explained myself over and over again until I had enough and offered him $80.00 AUD for the extra work carried out. He refused that offer and stuck to his $130.00 AUD. After more discussion I then made a final offer of $100.00 AUD just so I could get my vehicle and leave. My offer was denied, then five minutes later he accepted it. I explained that I was not happy about this situation, then left.

The following day I went to test the alarm system via the check list in the user operations manual again, everything seemed to be working and correctly zoned (1 flash for bonnet, 2 for boot, 3 for doors, etc) so finally I was rather pleased that it was installed correctly and everything was working.

Since I was told that the turbo timer was wired up but he was unable to program it due to legalities, I had to do that part myself. I got the manual out, programmed the turbo timer to on, set the turbo timer to 2 minutes and then proceeded to test it.... didn't work.

I re-programmed the turbo timer to make sure it was on and functioning properly. Started engine, ran it, turned ignition off.... engine turned off. L.E.D. Light on the dash was off totally, waited for 2 minutes, it then began to flash in quick succession (30 second countdown until immobilisation) then immobiliser armed, lights flashed and alarm chirped. So the alarm side of things was working as intended, I tried this a couple of times and came to the conclusion that the ignition has been wired incorrectly for the turbo timer.

I contacted the company that did the installation yet again and explained what is not working. I was told that he double and triple checked his wiring, so it can't be that, it must be a faulty module (faulty alarm system), so I explained that I will contact Carbon Car Systems from where I purchased the alarm system from and explain it all to them.

I contacted Carbon Car Systems and spoke to Colin regarding my issue, what I had done in programming the turbo timer to on and how the alarm system went through the correct motions of the turbo timer functionality. I then spoke to one of their technicians, Dave, about the situation and was told that my alarm system has been wired incorrectly and it would not be a faulty module (as it is a rare occurrence). Dave also offered to help my installer if he needed guidance. I thanked him for his input and help.

Again I spoke to my installer and explained what Carbon Car Systems explained to myself and for him to contact Carbon Car Systems directly (which he did). After that my installer then explained to me that it has not been installed correctly and will need the vehicle back again for it to be corrected... for the fourth time. I booked the vehicle in to get the remaining issues corrected.

In the mean time I spoke to consumer affairs about this matter and received some great input regarding my whole experience and ongoing issues. I was advised to try and get back two thirds of the entire installation cost and go elsewhere to complete the installation of my alarm system into my vehicle ?as he seems very incompetent?.

Upon arriving back with my vehicle to get the remaining issue sorted, I was very anxious, as yet again I expected to be charged for this 'fix', and to be honest, didn't really want him touching my vehicle again. I said up front ?this isn't costing me anything is it?? to which I got ?no, it's under warranty?... *phew*. He proceeded to work on my alarm system, pulled the driver side under dash off, to reveal a mess of wires...*sigh*. The alarm module was just shoved in there, nothing mounted, everything just hanging, wires all over the place patched into each other.

He checked his work, and saw that it was indeed wired incorrectly, so he proceeded to correct it (with my help). I programmed the turbo-timer to on, and for 1 minute run-time. Motor started, ignition off and engine off at the same time. I realised that we had the drivers door open (I did research on the alarm system previously), so pressed the door trigger in, started the motor, ignition off and the motor still ran, let go of the door trigger and all was good again. He proceeded to wire it up correctly, put the alarm module back together, then electrical tape wrap the ?mess? of wires up and shove it back under the dash. *SMH*

After all that, the turbo-timer issue was corrected, while I was there I got him to fix the mounting of the alarm siren, as he mounted it on top of wires (pinched them in the process) which did not allow the bonnet trigger to function. After he corrected it 3 times, due to him re-pinching the wires again, 3rd time lucky right? It was fixed. eh.

I left the premises and I hope I never need to go back there again. I'm still yet to take the dash apart and fix the wiring mess myself (I've done auto-electrical work in the past but never messed with ECU's), I also have insurance for peace of mind should anything under the dash happen to smoulder/ignite/combust/burn and cause damage to my vehicle (worst case scenario).

Over the last 15 years, I have never ever encountered this type of practice from vehicle service companies, yet I encounter it twice in the last 6 months from two separate companies. Rather frustrating and mentally draining.

I just wanted what I paid for, a full installation of my vehicle alarm system, and for it to be 100% working.



Has anyone else ever had issues like this situation? Thoughts/Insight/Comments?