1997 BMW 318i alarm won't activate

Go to the cobra site, trouble shooting. Never have put an alarm in. But have tore out hundreds of them. Anytime I get a No start or problems like yours. I look under the dash for after market alarms and remote starts. I would tell you up front, That system has to go. 99.5% of the time, when I take them out and fix the wiring. The cars starts and has no problems. The best alarm systems last 5 to 7 years. Cheap ones, your lucky to get a year out of them. Like I said, when I see them, they have to go before I do anything else.

if door is not locked when u reach in wont activate alarm --try lock dr and use key in lock and open dr alarm should activate in a few seconds and will shut off when key put in ignition or key fob shut off -if it does not set it off --check ur settings thru ur dash information if setting is as you want than may have to have system reflashed at dealer

Possibly bad key fob. The unlock button could be worn out

use ur key to open the driver side of the door while door is open,,,it should shut off

Where ever they mounted it, hard to say. Get under the dash on the drivers side and look for black box that looks out of place.

The 'Keyless Entry & Burglar Alarm System" is activated. You must 'Disarm' the system using the Keyless Entry Remove (Key Fob) to "Reset" the system. The reason the engine won't start is due to the burglar alarm - it has a "Starter Kill" circuit which is activated when the alarm is activated. The alarm must be DEactivated to DEactivate the 'Starter Kill' circuit.
Another way to start the engine is to get in the car, put the key in the ignition and turn it to 'ON" and wait 3 to 5 minutes until the emergency flashers stop/turn off. Afterward, you should be able to start the engine. NOTE: This does NOT reset the burglar alarm. It will go off again when you enter the vehicle without using the remote/key fob.

If the passkey is messed up, there will be a light on the dash that says security, or have a picture of a car with a lock thru it. If there is no light when the key is turned forward, then its NOT a passkey problem.

With alarm activated your ignition is disabled.Find the combination to disable it.With GM's you hold opposing buttons on the fob till it beeps twice. The dealer should help for no charge.

try locking and unlocking the car with the key 3 times slowly ,other than that i have no idea ?? another trick is to disconnect battery and join the cables together for a few minutes to discharge any capacitors that may be holding a charge in the computer..Only other thing i can think of is the main dealers who have the right connectors and software to re set it all .sorry i havent been of any help

I press the remote control middle (BMW) botton, one time to set up the alarm, when I release the alarm, I press the one above the
BMW botton one time, this botton control driver side door too, if I want to open other three doors, I have to repress the same botton one more time.

Hope this can help .