How to unlock the buttons on the Starline alarm key fob

Deactivating the Starline A91 alarm using the Valet button

When installing a security system, make sure you know where the Valet service key is installed. If you did not have the opportunity to obtain this information, then you should find it, because with the Valet button you can reset the Starline alarm. It is located in the following places:

center console, under the decorative plastic near the steering column;
the button can be located under the glove box or in the compartment;
near the ashtray: inside or under it;
sometimes the Valet reset button may be located inside the small pockets;
near the central tunnel, between the seats;
next to the fuse box;
in close proximity to the pedal assembly;
on the door cards.

What is the key lock for?

Well, now you know how to unlock the Starline A93 key fob. Let's find out in what cases this feature can be useful.

Have you ever encountered an unpleasant situation when, due to careless carrying of the remote control, unnecessary functions were activated, the car was disarmed, or, worst of all, the settings of the device were lost?

The developers solved this issue by introducing the ability to block keys from accidental pressing. The option can be compared to the screen lock mode on a smartphone. It protects the device from unauthorized operation for periods when it is not needed.

You can lock the Starline a93 as quickly as you can remove it, but more on that below.

Let's summarize what has been said. Why is the “unlock or lock key fob” function used on Starline a93?

To avoid accidental button presses, for example, when the key fob is in a trouser pocket or in a purse;
To prevent activation of unnecessary signaling programs;
So that, on occasion, you can give the remote control to a child and not worry that it will “break his neck”;
To further secure your car if an attacker steals your remote control. While he searches on the Internet for how to unlock the Starline a 93 key fob, you have the opportunity to prevent theft.

Disarm the Starline A2, A3, A4, A8, A9 alarm system

The system shutdown algorithm for these models is simple. The alarm instruction includes four steps.

The key must be used to open the car door. The alarm will sound.
Insert the key into the ignition and turn it on.
We get to the Valet alarm button. Press it three times for 20 seconds. This is true for Starline A1, A2 or A4 systems. To turn off the A8 or A9, press the Valet key four times.
The vehicle will sound an alert and the alarm will turn off. After this, the alarm will be turned off, you can start the engine with the key or reconfigure the system. If you fail to press the Valet button within the 20-second timer, you will no longer be able to turn off the alarm.

Broken wire problem

In the transition between the body and the door, in the place where the rubber corrugation is located, the wire responsible for opening and closing the door may be broken. In the open state, due to the bending of the wiring, the contact can function normally, and when closed, the wire opens. You can check this problem as follows:

Leave the door open and latch it by inserting a screwdriver or any other rod into the lock latch at the end. The effect should be the same as when closing the door on a bracket mounted on the rack.
Press the limit switch in the door opening so that the electronic systems recognize the closing.
Security the car. All locks must be locked, and the alarm system will notify you of this with a single sound signal.
Press the key fob to open/disarm.

If the opening has taken place, then you need to pull the handle on the door to open the latch and slam it, repeating the whole process again. If the locks do not open after this, then the problem lies in the breakdown of the wire responsible for unlocking.

Disconnecting the Starline A6 alarm system

This model is different from the rest of the series. The Starline A6 or A61 car alarm is turned off immediately only after entering a personal code. If the owner does not know it, then it will not be possible to disarm the car. Initially, the secret alarm combination is 11, but it can be changed. It is the owner's responsibility to know the correct number.

We open the door with the key (the alarm works) and activate the ignition.
Press the Valet button the number of times that corresponds to the first digit of the secret code.
Turn off the ignition and turn it on again.
Press the Valet alarm key the number of times corresponding to the second digit of the secret code.
Turn off the ignition. The hazard lights and siren should stop working. Now the lock is removed and you can start the engine with the key.

Unlocking Starline alarms of other models is also carried out by entering a secret code. The owner must know the combination of numbers.

Disarm without Starline A91 key fob

If you decide to buy an alarm system of this family, then its emergency shutdown occurs in a different way.

Open the car door with the key.
Before turning off the Starline A91 alarm, you should look at the turns. If they blink four times, this means that the car has entered security mode without a key fob.
Turn on the ignition and press the Valet button three times within 20 seconds.
Turn off the ignition. As confirmation, the siren will sound twice, indicating that it is completely disabled.

This method is relevant for systems model A91 or A94.

Why do they turn it off?

The vast majority of car alarms have similar options that allow you to turn them off without a key fob.
When the alarms are turned off, the “Valet” button is activated. In StarLine, as in other security products, the algorithm of sequential steps is similar. But some StarLine samples have their own peculiarities. In general terms, it is recommended to disable StarLine in this order:

The driver gets into the car;
The car starts and turns off after a few seconds, usually 5 seconds;
In a place familiar to the driver, look for the designated button to deactivate StarLine, press it at intervals of up to 10 s;
In StarLine car alarms, a sound is emitted several times (as specified in the instructions), confirming the response;
The fact that you managed to turn off the car alarm will be that the LED stops burning and the dimensions blink several times.

In alarms, the key is used to arm, disarming only in rare moments. These include: breakage of the key fob; repair work at a service station.

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How to unlock the engine under the alarm?

If you need to travel with a non-working system, you can physically turn it off. It is enough to find a special central unit, located under the front panel of most cars. The fuse box is installed here, as well as the CAN bus harness.

The alarm diagram contains a description of the terminals that are responsible for connecting the Starline system, as well as contacts for the blocking relay. The last three should be connected to each other. Even if you were unable to disable the system using the Valet button, you can go to the service center.

Emergency disarming of the security mode without a key fob

One of the main methods is applicable here - emergency or coded disarming. But you must know the location of the Valet key in any case; without this, using emergency mode is unacceptable. And you won’t be able to just walk up to the car, even if it’s a modern Starline A93 model.

The location of this Valet element is described in the instructions, or information can be obtained from the technicians who installed the system. In most cases, a place is chosen under the front instrument panels, or close to the safety block. The search may be based on the location selected for the LED indicator.

Ways to reset (zero) the Starline alarm

Sometimes, in order to connect additional devices or carry out other procedures, a factory reset is required. It works like this.

Turn on the ignition. Then press the Valet service button 10 times.
Turn off the ignition. 10 signals will sound indicating that the car has entered the factory reset mode.
Press the Valet key again and listen to another siren signal.
Press button 1 on the key fob, going to the factory settings. A short sound will confirm the success of the procedure.
Turn on the ignition to confirm the command. The side lights flash five times (see video).

Why doesn't the alarm go off?

However, sometimes it happens that Starline presents problems when emergency disarming is required. The procedure for disabling the alarm may be required in a number of cases.

Failure of the control panel. If this problem occurs, you should check the key fob battery or car battery. The remote control itself will indicate that the battery has a low capacity - a low battery icon will appear, and it will play a melody. There may be other reasons - the key fob may break due to moisture or burnout of the tracks along with the microcircuits. You will have to open the car without the key fob, and take the device itself to a service center for repair or replacement.
Damage to the control unit. The system receives a signal from the key fob buttons, but the unit itself refuses to operate and execute commands. The driver can press the corresponding button - the protection mode is removed and then reinstalled. If the system malfunctions, you should start the car manually.
Antenna malfunction. There may be a mechanical failure of the receiving module, as a result of which it does not receive or process input commands. A failed antenna must be repaired or replaced.
Spontaneous operation. A car alarm can go off for no apparent reason: turn on the siren, turn on the optics, block the engine, lock the doors. Then the owner's remote control will receive messages about a hacking attempt. If there are no prerequisites for this, then there is probably a short circuit in the circuit itself.

What to do if Starline does not open or close doors using the key fob

Faced with a situation where the control panel is unable to open or close the vehicle doors, despite the fact that the key fob display displays various error codes or incomprehensible messages, the first thing the car owner should pay attention to is the correct installation and configuration of the anti-theft system. First check all electrical circuits and reset all settings to factory settings.

If even after these steps it was not possible to correct the situation, then you should refer to the instructions and study the various options for breakdowns.

Automatic door lock control

Automatic control of door locks allows alarm systems, for example, Starline B9, after the necessary settings, to unlock and lock them after pressing the pedal or waiting for a certain time. If it does not work, despite all the settings being correct, and the doors stop closing, then most likely the problem lies in the limit switches or the fact that the electric drive is connected to the lamp. The first is evidenced by the situation when the system beeps when trying to close the doors.

In the case of Starline B9, the problem may lie in the fact that a drive model other than Sl 2 2 X is installed. In this case, a complete replacement of the wire with the correct modification is required.

StarLine alarm with auto start does not lock or open doors

Many models of alarms from Starline can boast of having automatic engine start. This applies to such popular complexes as A93, E93, A9, A94, B94 and A91. In the case of such systems, problems with closing doors may have a specific origin. The main breakdowns that a car owner has to deal with:

poor connection of the central ignition lock;
Closing the seat belt plug on the driver's side.

The second type of problem is easy to identify, because it simulates an opening and the key fob shows the door open, although the car is closed. The breakdown is corrected by repairing the chains responsible for the belt.

If the door does not close when the engine is running, then the problem is most likely in the end contacts. This is indicated by a beeping sound and intermittent lighting of the diodes. As a result of this breakdown, the engine stalls without starting. You can get them to work by replacing them with new ones. They also check if there are any problems with the firmware.

The door open button does not work

Sticking of the door opening and locking button, especially in the Starline A39 and A6 anti-theft systems, most often occurs due to problems with the central ignition lock. In such cases, car owners usually have to deal with oxidation of the wires leading to the central signaling unit or their breakage. The only way to fix the situation is to install a new wire.

The button often does not work after replacing batteries. In this case, you just need reprogramming. For this:

turn off the ignition if it is working;
find and press the Jack key seven times;
turn the ignition back on;
wait for seven beeps;
press the second and third buttons on the remote control at the same time, to which it responds with a beeping sound;
turn on the ignition again.

After this, the door opening function is programmed in accordance with the table in the user manual.

The Starline alarm does not close the doors using the key fob, but it works when opening them

Owners of cars equipped with the Starline A61 security model are sometimes faced with a situation where the system refuses to close the door with the key fob, but opens it. Typically, a similar situation occurs after a mechanical impact on the door, for example, a blow. In this regard, damage to the connection circuits occurs, due to which communication with the limit switches begins to work incorrectly. The only way to repair is to replace damaged wires.

The alarm is blocking the engine: how to remove the blocking

Engine start blocking is a function that is on the list of available options in almost any anti-theft system. In this case, the system contains an immobilizer that identifies the owner by a special tag and allows the engine to start. Conventional car alarms that have a similar function in their arsenal can also block the engine from starting.

According to experts who work with automotive electrical equipment, more than half of all cases of unexpected engine failures to start are directly related to car alarm malfunctions. Note that the complexity of implementing locks in this case is noticeably simpler compared to complex anti-theft solutions. This significantly increases the chances of removing the engine start lock yourself in the event of a breakdown or malfunction. Next, we will look at what the driver should do if the alarm blocks the engine from starting.

Engine blocking with car alarm

If there are installed anti-theft systems, electrical equipment is responsible for blocking the engine start. Immobilizers or car alarms may be faulty and cause constant or occasional failures during operation.

It should be added that the severity of the problem will depend not on the specific model or brand of car, but on the complexity of the installed anti-theft security system.

Accidental activation of the engine lock function

First of all, carefully study the displayed icons on the alarm key fob. A common cause of blocking is accidental activation of additional functions. It is also necessary to monitor the readings of the LED indicator light (if equipped) in the vehicle interior, which serves as a light indicator of the alarm status. Flashing LED lamps in most cases indicate that the anti-theft function of the immobilizer is activated in the menu.

If, after turning the key in the lock and turning on the ignition, the warning lamp blinks frequently (for example, the StarLine car alarm) before starting the engine, and a pictogram with the inscription “immo” is displayed on the key fob itself:

One way to solve the problem is to remove the key from the lock, after which you just need to press the button to open the central door lock on the key fob.
You can also get out of the car, set the alarm to security mode, then disarm it and then start the engine.

In other words, you need to make sure that the alarm operates in the normal mode that is familiar to the owner. Up to 30% of cases of engine start blocking by alarms occur due to accidental changes in program settings. The driver’s task is to disable all unnecessary functions in the settings.

Incorrect installation of the system

When installing an alarm system, problems with errors may arise as a result of violations of installation rules. Many specialized centers install the system in a matter of hours, limiting themselves to disassembling the dashboard, one of the thresholds and the glove compartment.

After installation, it is discovered that a web of wires has formed under the steering wheel. Wound with regular electrical tape. The main symptoms of improper installation are:

Interference during arming.
The presence of an inscription about blocking on the key fob when asking about the status. It should disappear immediately after arming the car, simultaneously with turning off the engine.

Interference at the frequency of the key fob, as a result of improper installation, prevents the door from opening, so you need to press the Valet button, open the car and turn off the system manually.

In this case, it is necessary to check the installation route of the communication module cable. It may not be laid separately, as required by the installation technique, but rather wrapped in a tangle of other alarm wires. A complete disassembly of the dashboard and review of the installation of the entire system will help to detect other problems.

Disabling locks using the service button in the cabin

If there are no signs of unintentional activation of engine start interlocks, you can try to unlock the engine using the service mode. This mode is called Valet and is used to transfer the system to service mode. To activate, you need to insert the key into the ignition, turn on the ignition and then turn it off.

After this, you need to hold the service mode activation button for about 10-20 seconds. The result will be a notification using a special short signal, after which the signal lamp (indicator light, LED) will be constantly on. This method means disabling all security functions, which may also mean removing the engine locks. We add that after fixing the problem, it is necessary to activate the security functions of the alarm again.

Independent troubleshooting of alarm systems

It is often possible to fix the malfunction and remove the engine lock yourself if you can detect blown fuses. This problem often leads to malfunctions of the alarm system. The fuses must be checked; if a problematic element is detected, the blown fuse must be replaced with a known good one.
Malfunctions in the operation of the alarm can also be associated with insufficient battery charge or loose terminals on the battery contacts. In this case, the battery is still able to sluggishly crank the starter, but the engine blocking may already work and further prevent the engine from starting.

Another step is to check the limit switches (limit switches), which are located under the hood and trunk lid. Moisture ingress or oxidation of the limit switch often causes an incorrect signal to the alarm control unit, which leads to engine blocking. Please note that unprofessional installation of alarms and limit switches, as well as improper engine washing can lead to malfunctions of electrical equipment.

Tips and tricks

If attempts to remove engine locks and start the engine are unsuccessful, then there is a high probability of a serious malfunction or failure of individual alarm elements. The result is random activation of engine locks, which cannot be disabled using standard methods. The faulty car must be taken to a service station, as removing the lock will require professional intervention.

The specified delivery can be carried out by tow truck. Another affordable way is to call an auto electrician who works on-site. Note that the final costs of paying for the service of on-site engine unlocking, disabling the car alarm, emergency opening of locks, etc. often turn out to be less than delivering the car to a service center by tow truck and paying for repairs at a technical center.

What to do if Starline A91 autostart does not work

Sometimes it happens that the autorun function does not work. For example, the starter turns the engine, but it does not start. In this case, it is necessary to check the presence of gasoline in the tank, as well as the charge of the battery. In the first case, everything is clear - you need to add gasoline. Secondly, charge the battery.

It is also possible that the engine does not start when cold and even has difficulty starting with the key. In this case, you can set settings that will increase the starter operating time. You can also reduce the interval between startup attempts.

In this case, the key fob displays information and immediately writes an error. To reset the protocol, you need to start the engine again with the key and tighten the handbrake. Then remove the key from the ignition, open the driver's door and activate the alarm again. Usually the car is armed again and the OS7 error simply disappears. However, this is not always the case. If this does not happen, then you need to contact the service center.

The same procedure is required in case of a short circuit or software failure. A hint of such a reason will be the incorrect behavior of the car and the incorrect performance of certain functions. Specialists from a specialized service center can fix the problem and do everything as professionally as possible.