Disabling the alarm on the Cali for ferry crossing

[RockinNRollin]

So a double lock with the key didn’t work. Alarm was still going off when I got to my van. Urgh.

 

[dspuk]

Ok - So went and had a look. It's actually quite simple but also a little confusing. There are two ways to disable the interior monitoring.

The first is we have set the interior monitoring on the favourites on home. With it ENABLED the image has an orange light on it. Deactivated, no light. The confusing bit. So just press that before you leave the vehicle so the light is off and the interior monitoring will be disabled when you lock the van.

The other is to root into the menus.

Vehicle/Settings/Opening and Closing - the option is at the bottom - Interior Monitoring. Untick it to switch it off.

 

[Annsinlangdale]

Hi everyone
Fairly new to the forum and Cali ownership. Proud owner of 2012 T5
Just back from France. Brittany Ferries ask drivers to disable their car /van alarm for the crossing. Needless to say I didn't know how to do this but tried (incorrectly) by manually locking the T5.
Incorrectly,... because we were able to see it flashing away along with other VW T5 /Transporters on the stern of the ferry where it had been parked once we had sailed.

Any advice /thoughts on how to do this....

I Googled the same issue. It’s different for T5 T6 T6.1 so confusing. On the T5 I think you press a button in the door area. Other end of the scale the T6.1 it’s a double click on the central locking key. Google has some good stuff on it. I think there is a YouTube Video if you select Video.

 

[dspuk]

I Googled the same issue. It’s different for T5 T6 T6.1 so confusing. On the T5 I think you press a button in the door area. Other end of the scale the T6.1 it’s a double click on the central locking key. Google has some good stuff on it. I think there is a YouTube Video if you select Video.

Unfortunately double clicking the central locking key does not disable the interior alarm. Just the safe lock system. You need to disable on a 6.1 as per my post above.

 

[RockinNRollin]

How do we disable the anti tow then? That seems to be our problem on the ferry crossing - I had a message from WeConnect saying my van was “on the move” or something then when I went down to it at the port the alarm was going off. I will try the interior sensor menu option next time but I am sceptical……

 

[Hawthorn37]

How do we disable the anti tow then? That seems to be our problem on the ferry crossing - I had a message from WeConnect saying my van was “on the move” or something then when I went down to it at the port the alarm was going off. I will try the interior sensor menu option next time but I am sceptical……

That’s interesting, I’d thought that the owners manual for the 6.1 was clear, and hopefully accurate. Clearly didn’t work for you. Did you happen to notice, once you’d done the double lock with the key, did the red led on the drivers door stop flashing?

Unfortunately, although we’re going to France soon, we’re not taking the van this time, so we won’t have the opportunity to test it for real.

 

[RockinNRollin]

That’s interesting, I’d thought that the owners manual for the 6.1 was clear, and hopefully accurate. Clearly didn’t work for you. Did you happen to notice, once you’d done the double lock with the key, did the red led on the drivers door stop flashing?

Unfortunately, although we’re going to France soon, we’re not taking the van this time, so we won’t have the opportunity to test it for real.

No I didn’t but thinking about it the ferry was on still start and very smooth - the van rocks more in the wind! The WeConnect suggests it was that the vehicle was moving - maybe GPS activated?

 

[Viktorgeorge]

Have I understood correctly that on a MY2023 T6.1 (at least, because other California vary) the alarm when set normally with one press on fob activates both 'anti-tow' and 'internal monitoring' triggers; that two presses on the fob de-activates the 'internal monitoring' trigger but apparently may not deactivate the 'anti-tow' trigger (which can be a problem on ferries on rough seas)?

Furthermore using the key in the passenger door replicates the above with either one or two (quick) lock turns respectively: i.e. the 'anti-tow' trigger remains active in both conditions.

I note that post #127 above shows how via the dashboard screen to deactivate the 'internal monitoring' but not the 'anti-tow'.

So in conclusion there is no definitive way to deactivate 'anti-tow' on stormy ferry crossings on a MY2023, and the owners manual is unclear, or did I miss something?

 

[nigpdreadingfc]

Have I understood correctly that on a MY2023 T6.1 (at least, because other California vary) the alarm when set normally with one press on fob activates both 'anti-tow' and 'internal monitoring' triggers; that two presses on the fob de-activates the 'internal monitoring' trigger but apparently may not deactivate the 'anti-tow' trigger (which can be a problem on ferries on rough seas)?

Furthermore using the key in the passenger door replicates the above with either one or two (quick) lock turns respectively: i.e. the 'anti-tow' trigger remains active in both conditions.

I note that post #127 above shows how via the dashboard screen to deactivate the 'internal monitoring' but not the 'anti-tow'.

So in conclusion there is no definitive way to deactivate 'anti-tow' on stormy ferry crossings on a MY2023, and the owners manual is unclear, or did I miss something?

That's about where I am with understanding all this

 

[Hawthorn37]

Have I understood correctly that on a MY2023 T6.1 (at least, because other California vary) the alarm when set normally with one press on fob activates both 'anti-tow' and 'internal monitoring' triggers; that two presses on the fob de-activates the 'internal monitoring' trigger but apparently may not deactivate the 'anti-tow' trigger (which can be a problem on ferries on rough seas)?

Furthermore using the key in the passenger door replicates the above with either one or two (quick) lock turns respectively: i.e. the 'anti-tow' trigger remains active in both conditions.

I note that post #127 above shows how via the dashboard screen to deactivate the 'internal monitoring' but not the 'anti-tow'.

So in conclusion there is no definitive way to deactivate 'anti-tow' on stormy ferry crossings on a MY2023, and the owners manual is unclear, or did I miss something?

Take a look at your Owners Manual, page 68 on the MY22 manual.

 

[Viktorgeorge]

Take a look at your Owners Manual, page 68 on the MY22 manual.

View attachment 114230

Thanks @Hawthorn37. I have read that section, several times. I thought I had followed it, last November on the Santander Ferry, where the two levels have a hydraulic ramp which is raised - and my Ocean happened to be on the ramp. I double pressed the fob and was walking away as the ramp went up and my alarm went off. I had to deactivate by opening the doors and re locking with two presses. I may have got the procedure wrong, I think the door red flashing light was cancelled, but the vehicle was only two weeks old plus it is always a bit stressed when embarking. But then I have read other posts here which seem to suggest that two fob clicks does not actually stop the tilt or ‘anti tow’ alarm, despite what the manual says (We Connect messages on stormy sea crossings). Also, it is a little unclear whether two key lock turns are any different (noted from the manual that they do leave the doors deadlocked).

It does seem as if over time these different locking procedures have altered on the California, and it is possible that the manual has not caught up.

 

[dspuk]

How do we disable the anti tow then? That seems to be our problem on the ferry crossing - I had a message from WeConnect saying my van was “on the move” or something then when I went down to it at the port the alarm was going off. I will try the interior sensor menu option next time but I am sceptical……

I think it said it was “on the move” because the Ferry was moving, triggering the GPS when the alarm went off. Ours did the same on the Orkney Ferry. Nothing to do with Anti-Tow as far as I know. If you follow the instructions I put above you should be ok.

Edit - Just checked the manual. If you disable the interior monitoring using the settings menu as described above it also disables anti-tow.

 

[dspuk]

Take a look at your Owners Manual, page 68 on the MY22 manual.

View attachment 114230

One wonders if the actual deactivation via a double click relies on a very specific timing of those clicks. One second too fast or too slow then it does not work. For what can be set as a simple button on the home screen I'd say just using that is a good failsafe way.

 

[andyinluton]

As part 135 above :

The manual states "The anti theft alarm is active if the van was locked with the button on the key" no mention of the number of presses of the button on that line.

Also states " The anti theft alarm is deactivated if the vehicle is locked with the key in the drivers door"

Ignore everything re safe lock etc & to me thats pretty clear - if you want to deactivate the anti theft alarm use the key in the door.

 

[Nick from Bath]

Ignore everything re safe lock etc & to me thats pretty clear - if you want to deactivate the anti theft alarm use the key in the door.

That didn’t work for us on our last ferry crossing despite the manual reading like it should do. Double click of the fob worked on the way out, and in much rougher sea state (F9) so maybe different things work for different van builds.

 

[andyinluton]

Where does the

That’s interesting, I’d thought that the owners manual for the 6.1 was clear, and hopefully accurate. Clearly didn’t work for you. Did you happen to notice, once you’d done the double lock with the key, did the red led on the drivers door stop flashing?

Why is anyone double locking with the key? I can't see any mention in the T6.1 MY2023 manual about anything other than a single turn of the key.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Where does the

Why is anyone double locking with the key? I can't see any mention in the T6.1 MY2023 manual about anything other than a single turn of the key.

Yeah you’re right - I was reading something that wasn’t there Single lock should be it.

 

[RockinNRollin]

Right so I think I’ve cracked it (MY23). Might be overkill but it works; deactivate interior monitoring on the menu, then lock the vehicle with the key in the passenger door (I do two turns but that might be superfluous). 3 ferry crossings so far with that combination and not a peep!

 

[Viktorgeorge]

Right so I think I’ve cracked it (MY23). Might be overkill but it works; deactivate interior monitoring on the menu, then lock the vehicle with the key in the passenger door (I do two turns but that might be superfluous). 3 ferry crossings so far with that combination and not a peep!

Re-reading the June 2022 ‘transporter’ manual for my MY23 Ocean again just now, under the three sections covering alarm, safelock and infotainment menu it could be that the above is the optimum solution, thanks @RockinNRollin.

Perhaps obvious, but for the avoidance of doubt, the menu deactivation only last for one next locking. So if you go back in to the vehicle; or perhaps unlock and relock for some reason (intentional or otherwise) it look as if you need to start again.

 

[andyinluton]

Perhaps obvious, but for the avoidance of doubt, the menu deactivation only last for one next locking. So if you go back in to the vehicle; or perhaps unlock and relock for some reason (intentional or otherwise) it look as if you need to start again.

Thats why I was wondering about people turning the key twice, does that count as locking it a second time when the manual says the deactivation only lasts for one locking.

 

[RockinNRollin]

Thats why I was wondering about people turning the key twice, does that count as locking it a second time when the manual says the deactivation only lasts for one locking.

Not in my case. I’m treating it as the same as a double button press. My procedure just worked for a 2 hour ferry where other vehicles were going beserk so I’m happy.

 

[DavidofHook]

For what it is worth we have been taking our 2012 T5 to France every year except Covid lockdowns, say 9 years and on the ferry just one plink on the fob and the alarm never sounds (as far as I’m aware!). At night I press the lock on the sliding door and we have never had the alarm go off. And, being of a certain age I use the loo during the night too. ( Apologies if offensive to anyone, if so please abstain from reading but it is relevant)

 

[Viktorgeorge]

For what it is worth we have been taking our 2012 T5 to France every year except Covid lockdowns, say 9 years and on the ferry just one plink on the fob and the alarm never sounds (as far as I’m aware!). At night I press the lock on the sliding door and we have never had the alarm go off. And, being of a certain age I use the loo during the night too. ( Apologies if offensive to anyone, if so please abstain from reading but it is relevant)

From all I have read, whilst the California’s appearance has not changed much, the electrics have - in particular T6 to T6.1.