Alarm question when camping

[andyinluton]

But at least now I know an easy way to steal a £70000 vehicle.

Even at knife point from camping set up to drive away is going to take you a while, you've got to rotate the seats, wake up the Mrs, persuade her to get out of bed, try & get the roof down, roll in the awning. Its not going to be a 5 minute job!

 

[bob_summers]

Not sure I’d bother locking on a campsite, but an overnight wild camp or aire I probably would. Can imagine some scrotes walking round trying door handles not realising there’s someone asleep inside

 

[marchugo]

On one of our first camping days with the Cali T5, we had a walk. Coming back to the van, a crowd of camping guests was gathered around the bus. Permanently the alarm went off. Inside the Cali flew a fly that activated the interior alarm.

Since then we allways push the two alarm buttons on the B pillar, to disactivate the interior alarm system.

We've asked our dealer to lower the sensitivity of the movement sensors too.

Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

 

[Qnapper]

If we are on a campsite (not very often) we would still put the alarm on at night, whilst "wild parking" (anywhere really) it's on as with blinds closed any little "scroat bag" will try it on...............
Why pay for an alarm and not use it?

 

[Ch1pbutty]

If we are on a campsite (not very often) we would still put the alarm on at night, whilst "wild parking" (anywhere really) it's on as with blinds closed any little "scroat bag" will try it on...............
Why pay for an alarm and not use it?

A false alarm during the night on a campsite might wake up fellow campers.

 

[Qnapper]

A false alarm during the night on a campsite might wake up fellow campers.

Agreed, but then again, what if?
In 12 years of owning a motorhome and 1 year now a camper van, I have not had a false alarm to date, but heard others and the odd one apologized the next morning as 4/5 of us came out to have a look. Not a problem.

 

[bob_summers]

to be fair, on most sites the biggest night time annoyance is the constant flashing of indicators as people lock and unlock cars (we usually sleep in a light coloured tent and the whole thing lights up!) - and people slamming doors. It's 1am... just close it gently!

 

[GrannyJen]

I have my interior movement alarm turned off permanently, and when sleeping in the van always use the locking switch on the drivers door panel.

I have only ever had one "incident" on a campsite, one of a group of drunk Brits on a Belgian campsite who wanted to get "friendly". Otherwise no problems and often I forget to even lock up. Wild camping, place is locked up, drivers seat facing forwards, only interior blinds used, phone and attack alarm to hand!!

 

[WelshGas]

It all depends where you park up for the night. Aires, wild camping in suburbia or lay-byes, lock, campsite or real wild camping rarely push the button.

 

[ejmoore]

Probably just my assumption but I would rather find out now rather than waking up the whole campsite with my vehicle alarm in the middle of the night when I pop to the toilet!

Get a porta-potti so you don't have to go out in the night.
We have been leaving the van on campsites with the roof up for ten years & the alarm has never gone off. We seldom lock the van at night on a campsite, only if parked up somewhere more urban, eg in a port carpark. Locking the van when you pop to the loo block on a campsite in the night seems overkill.

 

[andrew bazeley]

Just use the locking button on the driver’s door - that way the alarm won’t be triggered by interior movement. Just remember to unlock using the driver’s door button before you leave the vehicle or you risk the doors automatically locking while you’re outside with the key inside.


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Quite right, nickb77! I had many an occasion when I got up for a pee in the middle of the night. The auto-lock came on, and the alarm soon went off, waking up the whole campsite! You have to learn the hard way!

 

[Ding56]

Good information nice clear and concise

 

[vananarama]

I’ve often locked and left my T6 Cali Ocean without any problems with the alarm going off. I didn’t realise the alarm would go off so easily with the roof up. Is this a real issue or just an assumption? I’m not convinced such a stupid alarm system would be fitted. There must be other internal alarm sensors - it won’t just rely on a pressure change as a gust of wind hitting a vent could have a similar effect.

I've done the same without issue. At least, no one on the campsites has come back to mention the alarm's been going off whilst we were out for the day. That said, there is a sensor off switch on the side panel next to the driver's door which I sometimes remember to employ. I assumed this might be for the alarm sensor. The manual would confirm this, but it's an effort to reach for the glove box, innit.

 

[vananarama]

I have my interior movement alarm turned off permanently, and when sleeping in the van always use the locking switch on the drivers door panel.

I have only ever had one "incident" on a campsite, one of a group of drunk Brits on a Belgian campsite who wanted to get "friendly". Otherwise no problems and often I forget to even lock up. Wild camping, place is locked up, drivers seat facing forwards, only interior blinds used, phone and attack alarm to hand!!

Wild camping sounds so relaxing! (Not that I wouldn't be the same.)

 

[GrannyJen]

Wild camping sounds so relaxing! (Not that I wouldn't be the same.)

Don't do a lot now but I've woken up in some magical places. Most times felt very safe but sometimes not so, one particular Britstop near Holmes chapel and I found myself on my own in an "exposed to the road" car park with some very loud traffic roaring past driven by equally loud drivers on a tear-up.

 

[seasiders1]

For only the second time since we bought our T5 Cali in 2009 we came home from a walk to be told that our alarm had gone off. The first time it was quite windy so suspect this may be the issue. Today we were assured by our kind neighbours that no one was near the van, but that the wind had picked up while we were out. We will bring the roof down next time we’re out for a long time and hope this stops it….most campsites now take your mobile phone number…
We always lock ourselves in at night, using the driver’s door switch.. for our own peace of mind.

 

[Steve1]

For only the second time since we bought our T5 Cali in 2009 we came home from a walk to be told that our alarm had gone off. The first time it was quite windy so suspect this may be the issue. Today we were assured by our kind neighbours that no one was near the van, but that the wind had picked up while we were out. We will bring the roof down next time we’re out for a long time and hope this stops it….most campsites now take your mobile phone number…
We always lock ourselves in at night, using the driver’s door switch.. for our own peace of mind.

Ours is a 2014 bit might be the same, if you press the lock button on the fob again soon after it's locked, the lock button pops back up a tiny bit. Once that is done it has disabled the deadlocks (which is an in wanted side effect) but also disables the interior alarm sensors, but not the door ones. You can test this by trying it with the fob while sitting in the van. About 2 mins after locking wave your arms to see if it goes off. Unlock to stop ot. Try the same with the double press thing and wave your arms again after 2 mins to see if it turned it off.

 

[seasiders1]

Ours is a 2014 bit might be the same, if you press the lock button on the fob again soon after it's locked, the lock button pops back up a tiny bit. Once that is done it has disabled the deadlocks (which is an in wanted side effect) but also disables the interior alarm sensors, but not the door ones. You can test this by trying it with the fob while sitting in the van. About 2 mins after locking wave your arms to see if it goes off. Unlock to stop ot. Try the same with the double press thing and wave your arms again after 2 mins to see if it turned it off.

Thanks Steve much appreciated, I’ll give it a try.

 

[seasiders1]

That’s weird, when I first posted I had a Swedish flag, now it’s USA flag. I am mixed origin, but neither of these and I can’t change it. Admins help please.

 

[WelshGas]

That’s weird, when I first posted I had a Swedish flag, now it’s USA flag. I am mixed origin, but neither of these and I can’t change it. Admins help please.

It's automatic dependant on your IP address. So your Broadband supplier is responsible.
I'm in France at the moment.

 

[vmaxkiddy]

That’s weird, when I first posted I had a Swedish flag, now it’s USA flag. I am mixed origin, but neither of these and I can’t change it. Admins help please.

Happens if you use a VPN