Is normal alarm dwell time like 0 seconds... on 84-89's ??

Jtt84911 · Jtt84911's Garage

Hi Folks...

Never asked nor read any PP posts/comments about the factory alarm going off milliseconds after the driver's door starts to open... but on my car it appears there's no possible way of getting the alarm key into the alarm key slot and turning it to deactivate the alarm......before the alarm horn howls!!

Been through the same ritual many time over past 15 years.... unlock driver's door (84 Targa) get alarm key ready... pull door open and while heading towards th key slot alarm's already blaring.....can NEVER get key in to slot and turn it before the alarm (horn) blaring away !!

Would think our friends in Germany would've given us 3-4 seconds to get the damn key into the slot...before the racket. I refuse to open the door in a parking lot (when alarmed) if there's anybody with 40-50 feet of me because they usually look rattled or P-O'd when it goes it goes off. One time in a public parking garage (2x louder) I missed a guy getting out of his car a few feet away ... and when it went off... poor guy lurched back about 5 feet!!

IS THIS NORMAL ON EVERYBODY ELSE'S 84-89's with factory alarm option??
From what I see..... there's no adjustments anywhere to delay this from occurring?

Thanks-JT

Mike80911 · Mike80911's Garage

I usually just open the door enough to get the key in the switch and the alarm does not go off. If I open it any further than it will beep like an angry cabbie.

Jtt84911 · Jtt84911's Garage

Hi Mike-

Thanks for reply.So you're saying if the door releases 2" or so from from the latch (ie. enough room to get key into on/off switch) it should not trigger alarm. Will have to try that.

I'm not sure what actually activates alarm on doors.....thought it might be the small switch th at turns on the interior light when the doors are open.

As I said in the orig post...wasn't sure if the alarm system was originally designed to have a few seconds delay - to get the key into switch before going off....and since you're the only reply so far.....still not sure on that???

JT