This FAQ was generously created by Ywan Mason (saabmaster@aol.com)
Here's a complete list of the different alarms used on 9000s. They run from oldest to newest. The newest I have documented is 94s. I have ordered the Alarm Supplement for 95->, but am told by my supplying dealer that it is on National Backorder. When I receive it, I will post anything new or different. I have not run into any differences yet though. Those cars should be still covered under warranty though.
Early 9000s with SaabGuard Alarm
Some 9000s came with, or had added, the same SaabGuard Alarm that the 900 used. If yours is still working(will miracles never cease?), there are adjustments for it. If you remove the rubber plug from the ecu, you can access 6 microswitches and a potentiometer.
Switch 1 On No siren chirp to indicate arm or end of cycle.
Off* Siren chirps at beginnning and end of alarm cycle
Switch 2 On 20 sec entry time to enter and turn key on to deactivate alarm
Off* 10 sec entry time
Switch 3 On Low motion detector sensitivity
Off* Higher sensitivity
Potentiometer tunes sensitivity, clockwise makes it more sensitive,
counter clockwise, less. It only has a 270 degree turn and will easily break.
Switch 4 On When tripped, alarm sounds for 1 min and stops, automatically
rearming if disturbance is gone. If still present, alarm will sound until
turned off with key.
Off* Same as above but alarm sounds for 3 minutes before resetting
Switch 5 On After last door shut and interior light goes off, a 40 sec entry
time is allowed before alarm will arm. If switch 1 is off, alarm will chirp
once to signal start of this cycle.
Off* 10 sec entry time same as above except for that and also will
chirp once when door is opened after alarm has been set off while owner was
away.
Switch 6 On Zero entry time to deactivate. Only recommended
for high crime area and recommended for optional remotes
Off* Switch 2 will control entry delay.
* denotes factory settings
The first alarm dedicated to the 9000 wasn't very adjustable and you probably had trouble with it and had the update done to it. If not, here's how to reconnect it after battery or fuse 22 (early 89s) or fuse 19 (others) puts it in transport mode. You don't want to leave it in transport as it is easy to enter diagnostic mode from there and when in diagnostic mode, the starter disable function will be triggered and the car won't start. If the LED flashes once every 4 secs, all the time, the car is in transport mode. To get to transport mode either disconnect the battery or pull fuse 22 (or fuse 19). To reconnect the alarm with motion detector on, close everything and turn the key in the driver's door three times in 2 seconds to unlock. The LED should go out. Open the driver's door and close it, lock the door. After the interior light goes out, the alarm should arm in about 10 secs. The LED will flash once per sec.
You can disable the motion detector as follows:
Open the driver's window. Go to transport mode. Turn key to unlock twice in 2 secs. The siren should beep. The LED should flash once every 2 secs. Within 10 secs of the siren beep, open the hood. The LED should go back to one flash every 4 secs(transport). Turn driver's lock three times to unlock within 2 secs. Open and close the driver's door and then lock. The alarm's motion detector will be deactivated until the battery or fuse 19/22 is pulled again. Other functions are the same.
To adjust the sensitivity,
Open front windows, close all doors, trunk and hood. Go to transport mode. Turn drivers door key to unlock twice quickly. Siren should chirp and LED will flash once every 2 secs. After 10 secs, LED will flash twice per second. To decrease the sensitivity, turn the key in the driver's door to lock, hold for two secs and release. This decreases the sensitivity one step (Alarm reverts to 3 steps above most sensitive when fuse or battery is pulled. There are 240 steps to the least sensitive setting). Repeat the adjustment (turn to lock, hold, release), until you can pull the driver's mirror to a position just before it locks and letting it snap back in place without triggering the alarm. If the alarm sounds when you snap the mirror, it will quickly stop and you can continue to adjust it by turning the key to lock until it doesn't sound with the snap. It usually takes 30-50 steps to get the mirror test to work. When you get it like you want it, turn the key to unlock twice quickly to set the adjustment in memory. LED should again flash once every 4 secs (transport). Turn key to unlock 3 times in 2 secs. LED should stop flashing. Open door, close door and lock. Alarm should arm with your programmed setting. It will have to be reset anytime battery power is lost to alarm. To make alarm more sensitive, follow same instructions, only turning and holding the key for 2 secs to unlock.
Close everything up, go to transport mode as before by pulling and reinstalling either fuse 22 or 19 (whichever makes LED flash once every 4 secs) Turn key in driver's door to unlock and hold for 10 secs until siren chirps and lights flash. Release the key. LED will flash once per second for 10 secs and then flash twice per second. The rest of the adjustment procedure is the same as above except for the amount each step moves the sensitivity. Check with mirror snap after every 10 steps until it doesn't set off alarm. This ECU reverts to a setting of 12 units below most sensitive when the battery power to it is lost and the alarm rearmed. Saab recommended setting it to 20 units, but I find using the mirror snap works best and it usually sets at about 22-30 units on this ECU.
This ECU will remember your programming when the battery is disconnected via a EEPROM. It is also more difficult to get into transport mode (not likely to inadvertantly get into transport, accidentally, anyway)
TRANSPORT (SERVICE) MODE (To get back to regular mode no matter what mode you get into, just turn the key to unlock 3 times within 2 secs)
Open the trunk or the hood. Open any door except the driver's door. Turn key in driver's door to unlock and hold for 10 secs. Release key and wait 5 secs. LED should flash once. Turn key to unlock twice in 5 secs. LED should flash once every 4 secs (After 5 minutes it goes out). Shut everything up.
TEMPORARY DISCONNECTION OF MOTION DECTECTOR (Such as when using a ferry, etc)
After getting to transport mode, and with all doors, hood, trunk closed, lock driver's door and hold key to lock until siren chirps. Motion detector is now turned off, but remaining functions are active and alarm is armed. When driver's door is again unlocked and locked, motion detector will again be connected in what ever setting you programmed it.
PERMANENT DISCONNECTION OF MOTION DETECTOR
Go to transport mode with everything closed except the driver's window (so you can reach in and open the hood later). Turn key and hold to unlock until siren chirps and turn signals light for 1 sec. LED will flash once every 2 secs. Open the hood. Motion detector is turned off and LED flashes once every 4 secs. Turning key to unlock three times will allow other alarm functions to work. Now every time the driver's door is locked, the siren will chirp to remind you the motion detector is turned off. It will not reactivate when cycling the key. To reactivate the motion detector, reenter transport mode, shut all doors, hood, trunk, and turn key to unlock three times in 2 secs. I am not sure if you will need to reset sensitivity if you do this. It is possible, just check with a mirror snap. I've never played with this feature except to disarm a couple, neither of which ever returned to have it turned back on..
ADJUSTMENT OF SENSITIVITY
Go into transport mode. Close all doors, hood and trunk. Turn driver's door lock to unlock and hold until siren blares and lights flash. LED should flash once every 2 secs. Wait 10 secs later and the LED will flash twice per sec. To decrease sensitivity, turn the key in driver's door to lock and release. Wait 2 secs. This moves the setting one step. You can go 13 steps from the default setting and then the siren will chirp, telling you you are at the limit. To increase sensitivity, follow same procedure except turn to unlock instead of lock. When you get the sensitivity so that the mirror snap doesn't set off the alarm, turn the key to unlock twice within 2 secs. The LED should flash once every 4 secs. Then turn key to unlock three times within 2 secs. Open door and close, then lock door. Alarm should arm with your programmed sensitivity and will hold it even if the battery is disconnected. NOTE: Turning the key to unlock three times in 2 secs when not exiting transport mode will set the sensitivity back to the default setting. like disconnecting the battery on older cars. Just do the three times thing to exit transport. After you are out of transport, doing it will wipe out your programming.
Hope this gives you some peace at night(Reading it all probably got you a good start toward a nap! ;-p )
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