DIY: E60 Shock Sensor retrofit to stock alarm
01-30-2011, 04:36 PM
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My Ride: 2007 530xi: Sport, NAV, PDC, HUD, Cold Wthr, CA, Logic 7, HD Radio, SAT, Custom NCS coded options 2008 535xi: Sport, Night Vision, NAV, PDC, HUD, Cold Wthr, CA, Logic 7, SAT, Custom NCS coded options, Rear Seat Heat Retrofit, Passport 9500ci
Model Year: 2008
Engine: N54
The DEI 504D Double Guard Stinger Shock Sensor can be added to the stock BMW alarm for about $10
The stock alarm only alerts to an external problem if the tilt sensor is activated as if someone is jacking up the car. If someone were to hit your car while parked, the alarm would not trigger.
The DEI shock sensor adds an adjustable sensitivity sensor that will trigger the alarm when the car receives a "thump". It connects with just three wires: +Pos - Neg and the trigger.
There are 4 wires. The blue and green are the triggers and provides a "warn" trigger (light thump) and an "alarm" trigger (heavier thump).
The stock alram does not support a "warn" trigger so we will tie the blue and green together.
I installed the sensor along with the stock motion sensor in the headliner. Remove the trim panel that looks like a "vent" - that is the motion sensor. Just pull down an edge and work it loose.
This shows the cable after I disconnected the panel
The wire diagram. We will use 1, 8, and 7
You need to tap into the power, ground and the blue trigger wire. The alarm is triggered when pin 7 is grounded - which is what the shock sensor provides. The blue wire goes to ground when a shock is detected.
I chose to scrape away the insulation and solder in the leads.
Completed sensor lead attached
I applied doublestick tape and attached the sensor to the roof panel. Hopefully this tape holds when it gets good and hot this summer. Place the sensor so that you can get to the adjustment screw.
Alarm Demo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyWTmm75rD0
Negative side effects to work out:
- If I lock the doors with the FOB when a door is still open - like with a passenger, the sensor activates the alarm when the door is closed.
- If the car is locked and alarm set, I can open the trunk. When I slam the truck closed, the sensor will activate the alarm.
So the stock alarm is smart enough to handle these situations but the alarm is active enough to allow this grounding trigger from the sensor to still activate the alarm. I will adjust my behavior to work around the limitation while I think on what to do about it.
EDIT:
** My first idea to check out: Pin 5 is supposed to be the lead that runs the LED on the mirror. I will check to see what voltage is on that pin before and after the alarm is set. It may turn out that the LED lead has power only after all the doors are closed and the alrm is active.
The stock alarm only alerts to an external problem if the tilt sensor is activated as if someone is jacking up the car. If someone were to hit your car while parked, the alarm would not trigger.
The DEI shock sensor adds an adjustable sensitivity sensor that will trigger the alarm when the car receives a "thump". It connects with just three wires: +Pos - Neg and the trigger.
There are 4 wires. The blue and green are the triggers and provides a "warn" trigger (light thump) and an "alarm" trigger (heavier thump).
The stock alram does not support a "warn" trigger so we will tie the blue and green together.
I installed the sensor along with the stock motion sensor in the headliner. Remove the trim panel that looks like a "vent" - that is the motion sensor. Just pull down an edge and work it loose.
This shows the cable after I disconnected the panel
The wire diagram. We will use 1, 8, and 7
You need to tap into the power, ground and the blue trigger wire. The alarm is triggered when pin 7 is grounded - which is what the shock sensor provides. The blue wire goes to ground when a shock is detected.
I chose to scrape away the insulation and solder in the leads.
Completed sensor lead attached
I applied doublestick tape and attached the sensor to the roof panel. Hopefully this tape holds when it gets good and hot this summer. Place the sensor so that you can get to the adjustment screw.
Alarm Demo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyWTmm75rD0
Negative side effects to work out:
- If I lock the doors with the FOB when a door is still open - like with a passenger, the sensor activates the alarm when the door is closed.
- If the car is locked and alarm set, I can open the trunk. When I slam the truck closed, the sensor will activate the alarm.
So the stock alarm is smart enough to handle these situations but the alarm is active enough to allow this grounding trigger from the sensor to still activate the alarm. I will adjust my behavior to work around the limitation while I think on what to do about it.
EDIT:
** My first idea to check out: Pin 5 is supposed to be the lead that runs the LED on the mirror. I will check to see what voltage is on that pin before and after the alarm is set. It may turn out that the LED lead has power only after all the doors are closed and the alrm is active.
01-31-2011, 12:35 AM
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My Ride: BMW 545iA Black Sapphire
Model Year: 2005
Engine: 545i
Excellent ! 
Some comments:
Some comments:
- indeed too bad our cars don't support the "warn" option
- I wouldn't set it to too sensitive - I've seen car alarms go off in parking garages just from the sound/shock wave of doors closing from nearby cars.
- The LED on mirror idea might work - doesn't it have power to provide warning signals? eg. fast blink if you lock and a door is still open...
01-31-2011, 04:04 AM
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My Ride: 2007 530xi: Sport, NAV, PDC, HUD, Cold Wthr, CA, Logic 7, HD Radio, SAT, Custom NCS coded options 2008 535xi: Sport, Night Vision, NAV, PDC, HUD, Cold Wthr, CA, Logic 7, SAT, Custom NCS coded options, Rear Seat Heat Retrofit, Passport 9500ci
Model Year: 2008
Engine: N54
Excellent !
Some comments:
Some comments:
- indeed too bad our cars don't support the "warn" option
- I wouldn't set it to too sensitive - I've seen car alarms go off in parking garages just from the sound/shock wave of doors closing from nearby cars.
- The LED on mirror idea might work - doesn't it have power to provide warning signals? eg. fast blink if you lock and a door is still open...
Good tip on the sensitivity. I have never lived with one of these on a car so getting it adjusted will be interesting. I also wonder about heavy rain on the roof.
01-31-2011, 05:15 AM
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Good add-on; might be perfect to alert to door dingers. Wonder if it'd be mod-able to trigger a camera ! Do you know if the wiring is the same for Comfort Access?
I've found this and others with 504D Viper Name brand by going thru MrRebates [link in my signature].
I've found this and others with 504D Viper Name brand by going thru MrRebates [link in my signature].
01-31-2011, 06:05 AM
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My Ride: 2007 530xi: Sport, NAV, PDC, HUD, Cold Wthr, CA, Logic 7, HD Radio, SAT, Custom NCS coded options 2008 535xi: Sport, Night Vision, NAV, PDC, HUD, Cold Wthr, CA, Logic 7, SAT, Custom NCS coded options, Rear Seat Heat Retrofit, Passport 9500ci
Model Year: 2008
Engine: N54
02-02-2011, 11:55 AM
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My Ride: 2007 530xi: Sport, NAV, PDC, HUD, Cold Wthr, CA, Logic 7, HD Radio, SAT, Custom NCS coded options 2008 535xi: Sport, Night Vision, NAV, PDC, HUD, Cold Wthr, CA, Logic 7, SAT, Custom NCS coded options, Rear Seat Heat Retrofit, Passport 9500ci
Model Year: 2008
Engine: N54
I checked out line 5 which is supposed to be for the LED lamp on the mirror. I didn't get a voltage off of it while the LED blinked. My guess is it does not power the LED directly but more likely sends a data signal to the mirror electronics and it determines the flash rate.
02-02-2011, 02:32 PM
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Thanks NoQuarter. Glad to see you tried it after I suggested the idea a few weeks ago I will do this in the spring. What car is honking in the video is it the E60 or another car??
02-02-2011, 02:49 PM
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My Ride: 2007 530xi: Sport, NAV, PDC, HUD, Cold Wthr, CA, Logic 7, HD Radio, SAT, Custom NCS coded options 2008 535xi: Sport, Night Vision, NAV, PDC, HUD, Cold Wthr, CA, Logic 7, SAT, Custom NCS coded options, Rear Seat Heat Retrofit, Passport 9500ci
Model Year: 2008
Engine: N54
That horn is the stock alarm - it surprised me too. If you set off the alarm from the motion sensor you don't get the horn but with shock sensor the horn went off as well. I'm thinking that if the hood or trunk lid were forced open to set off the alarm the horn would sound also.
02-02-2011, 07:16 PM
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My Ride: '04 530i 6MT
'04 Audi S4 6MT
By tying the blue and green wires together, you are effectively using only the warning portion of the shock sensor. There's really no need to tie them together, you could just use the wire that supports the first or second stage shock level then cut the other wire.
Another thing to try would be to mount the sensor to a wiring harness rather than the roof sheet metal. The shock sensors are quite sensitive, they can detect vibration quite easily. The wiring harnesses in the roof will more than likely run through other portions of the car besides the roof. This will allow the sensor to detect vibration easier from other portions of the car.
Another thing to try would be to mount the sensor to a wiring harness rather than the roof sheet metal. The shock sensors are quite sensitive, they can detect vibration quite easily. The wiring harnesses in the roof will more than likely run through other portions of the car besides the roof. This will allow the sensor to detect vibration easier from other portions of the car.