Printer Friendly Forum Posts - clifford rsx3.3 engine on false alarms

I just got a Clifford Matrix RSX 3.3 installed to replace my really old AvantGuard in my 2001 GMC Yukon. It has a very nice 2-way remote. But my first impression is not so good because a little while after I start the car using the remote, the alarm sounds just from the shaking of the engine! Even though I had the installer set the shock sensor to one of the least-sensitive settings. My old AvantGuard didn't have this problem because it would disable the alarm when the remote start was active. I can't believe that the Matrix 3.3, which is supposed to be a high-end product, didn't account for this common scenario. Am I supposed to disable the shock sensor entirely? Are the designers assuming that all cars idle smoothly like a Lexus with a 4 cylinder engine?

I'l just make one comment here about the actual units, the Clifford product up to and including G4 was designed and manufactured in the USA, I have G4 product in my car for a very good reason. Older AGs spoke to the (Intellistart IV) starter unit through a data link and internally accomodated this problem via their software. Admittedly some of this (Wizard) software was badly glitched but it was possible to work around it. Current software is based on Viper i.e. DEI rather than Clifford and has different ways of doing things. You actually have 2 possible answers to your problem, 1) You should? not familiar with this range- be able to programme out shock etc. sensors during r/s. 2) Use the blue/white which goes to ground during r/s cycle to 85 on a relay, 12v+ to 86, sensor ground via 30 and 87a.

The Clifford RSX 3.3 or 3.3x responder will automatically disable the shock sensor when remote started. There's no programming feature to turn on the shock sensor or disable the shock sensor manually. You can however, disable the shock sensor when you arm the alarm, but you don't have to with the remote start.

When the 'alarm' goes off, is it the alarm siren sounding or the car's horn honking?

If the alarm siren is sounding when you remote start, then you have a bad unit, or the instant trigger (blue wire, harness H1, pin 7) is connected to something it's not supposed to be. The shock sensor for the Clifford RSX3.3 is onboard so you can't wire around it.

If the car's horn is sounding, then the factory alarm is being triggered during remote start. The factory disarm output must be connected to the vehicle. Light GREEN/ black H2 harness pin 1, to light green wire in Purple plug of BCM pin 6.

When the alarm goes off it is the RSX 3.3 alarm. I played back the long term event history and the last three events show zone 3 (door trigger), zone 3 (door trigger), and zone 2 (shock sensor). The last three times that the alarm sounded was when I used the remote start (twice), and then when my wife started her GTO in the morning the engine vibrations set off the shock sensor (even though installer said he put it on the least sensitive setting). So if the long term event history is correct, it seems like there is something hooked up wrong with the door trigger and, even if that were correct, the built in shock sensor is too touchy. I also have the optional interior motion radar sensor but I don't see any zone number for that in the history table in the manual. Maybe the motion sensor was triggered during remote start but it just doesn't show up in the event history? I am starting to miss my ancient AvantGuard a little.

The motion sensor will show up in the event history but you'll need to know which trigger it is installed on. However, if the shock sensor is setting the alarm off, then it is without a doubt defective.

You can adjust the sensitivity of the shock sensor using your remote. I love these units because when you get into the shock sensor setting, the remote shows you how sensitive the shock sensor is, by the lights on the remote.

I discovered it's mostly the 508d proximity sensor causing the false alarms, both during engine start and when it's parked in a quiet area. It triggers Zone 3 which corresponds to the door trigger. Why did the installer hook it up to the door trigger, isn't this supposed to be hooked up to the extra sensor trigger instead? When I test it by moving my hand through an open window, I don't get any warning tone first, the alarm just sounds completely. Is that because it's connected to the wrong trigger?

The sensitivity is set wrong. The 508d is very difficult to set the sensitivity and have it work reliably. When it's set correctly, it works awesome, but when it's set wrong it causes nothing but headaches. If it's set to the door trigger then you will not get the warn away. The 508d has to be installed like a dual-stage shock sensor. If it's connected in parrallel of the shock sensor, which it should, then it will disarm during remote start and give you both zones. However, on the 3.3 the shock sensor is built in, so it has to be connected to the mux sensor port on the 3.3 brain. If done so, then it will be disabled during remote start and will give you both zones, and your falsing problem goes away.

Megaman, does the expression "you took the words out of my head" mean anything? But for the times difference I would have used virtually the same words!

lol. I do have deja vu' a lot so maybe I'm clairvoyant?

...or I could be from the department of homeland security and watching your every move. Btw, good morning, your toast popped....

Thanks Megaman! Now it all makes sense, that's why the outer zone triggers the alarm when the engine is running.

Before this I had the Clifford AvantGuard with the DSP based dual zone radar proximity sensor and it worked so nicely, I had zero false alarms. I am wondering about the capabilities of the 508D vs. the Clifford digital dual zone proximity sensor. Does the "real" Clifford sensor filter out false motion better because it is DSP based?

Also wondering about the Matrix 3.3 shock sensor. Right now I have it completely disabled, because when it was set to level 2 my wife's car made the alarm sound just because she was starting her engine in the morning. The zone histroy showed this was because of the shock sensor. I never had good results with shock sensors in the past, this one included. So I just disable them and use radar only.

Shock Sensor sensitivity on this unit is affected by the mounting location. Try having your installer move the unit to a different mounting location.

I am also puzzled by something else, in the installer guide there is a setting for SmartStart temperatures, and this feature is mentioned on some website product descriptions for the Matrix 3.3, but there is no mention of this feature in the manual. Is this...

1. A setting [for future models] that is not used for anything?
2. A misprint in the manual, accidentally left out instructions how to use it?

The auto-temp reporting feature sounds interesting. I wonder if that would wear out the transmitter battery really fast though.

The smartstart temp setting is only accessible through the Bitwriter. You can select the temperatures, both high and low, at which the remote start will automatically kick in. It will also give you the low voltage setting at which the RS will engage. So you have the high temp setting to cool your car down, the low temp setting to warm it up and the low voltage setting to keep your battery charged.

The auto-temp reporting only sends the temperature when requested by the remote. It won't continually send the cabin temperature.

The sensitivity of your unit sounds like they have the brain hard-mounted which makes it too sensitive. It should be mounted like the external shock sensors of old, which is ziptied to a harness.