Alarm randomly went off

[chuck27p]

I'm at work and hear a car alarm for 10 minutes and finally go outside to see that it's my lightning. It's parked and it doesn't appear anyone has been near it, which I confirmed with building staff. I couldn't get the alarm to turn off with the key, I had to get in the truck and start it for it to stop. This is the first time I've experienced this and wondering if it's a random issue I should ignore or a larger problem I need to look into. Has anyone else experienced this?

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[B177y]

What year is your Lightning (might want to add that to your profile) and what is the state of health of your 12 volt battery?

 

[GarageMahal]

Possible rodent damage? This was the first symptom I had followed by several others but fortunately it was drivable. Dealer found the damage fairly quickly but took several days to get the replacement parts installed.

 

[chuck27p]

I have a 2023, I added to profile. Battery seems ok to me, I just tested. No rodent damage.

 

[B177y]

With a 2023, if it is still the original battery, that would be where I would focus. Even though it seems to be testing okay, 3 years seems to be the breaking point for our batteries. Weak 12 volt batteries tend to cause all sorts of weird random issues.

It may just be a one-off problem, maybe you sat on the alarm button or it just hit something perfectly and set It off? I have had that happen to me before, and I thought the same thing as you, "Why doesn't that person shut their alarm off?"

 

[B177y]

The more I think about it, I am leaning towards your 12-volt battery. You say you had to turn the truck on to stop the alarm. This makes me believe that once you turned the truck on, it activated the DC to DC converter which provided enough current to clear whatever error the low battery was causing.

Does your tester provide a load test on your 12 volt battery?

 

[chuck27p]

I have been wondering if I should proactively replace the 12v battery actually. I am occasionally getting the screen waking up with a progress bar when I get in the truck sometimes (says something like "sleeping to preserve battery [progress bar]" which I haven't seen before. Just started about 2 months ago and it's every so often, not every time. And now this. Maybe I should just replace the battery. I know someone on this forum outlined how to do it and what to buy. I'll look it up thanks.

 

[chuck27p]

The more I think about it, I am leaning towards your 12-volt battery. You say you had to turn the truck on to stop the alarm. This makes me believe that once you turned the truck on, it activated the DC to DC converter which provided enough current to clear whatever error the low battery was causing.

Does your tester provide a load test on your 12 volt battery?

Not sure, I can check later. But yeah, I'm thinking it's the battery too.

 

[RocketGhost]

Insects can set off the interior motion sensor, although most 23s had the sensor deleted.

 

[Pacific.NW]

I have been wondering if I should proactively replace the 12v battery actually. I am occasionally getting the screen waking up with a progress bar when I get in the truck sometimes (says something like "sleeping to preserve battery [progress bar]" which I haven't seen before. Just started about 2 months ago and it's every so often, not every time. And now this. Maybe I should just replace the battery. I know someone on this forum outlined how to do it and what to buy. I'll look it up thanks.

Mine does the same thing… (message), and also had the random alarm once in the middle of the night. You’d think with all the technology these trucks are packing it could just tell us what the problem was, or if it’s time to replace the battery.

 

[chuck27p]

Mine does the same thing… (message), and also had the random alarm once in the middle of the night. You’d think with all the technology these trucks are packing it could just tell us what the problem was, or if it’s time to replace the battery.

Did you end up replacing the battery proactively or have you left it alone? That's what I'm trying to decide. Is it worth the $ and hassle of changing the battery when it could be fine for x number of years (I don't like to replace things until they are toast) or do I just do it now.

 

[Pacific.NW]

Did you end up replacing the battery proactively or have you left it alone? That's what I'm trying to decide. Is it worth the $ and hassle of changing the battery when it could be fine for x number of years (I don't like to replace things until they are toast) or do I just do it now.

I haven’t done anything yet, but will get the battery tested on my next visit to the dealership, and replace the 12V if necessary.

 

[chl]

Assuming it's your battery...

If it's not too late for your battery, you could keep it on a maintainer when parked (overnight) to top it off. 86% is not a great place for an AGM lead-acid battery to sit for extended periods of time because then the sulfates could/will harden and become permanent on the plates.

The Lightning BMS does 2 bad things for AGM battery longevity:
1) lets it sit below 100% for too long resulting in sulfate coating the plates permanently; and
2) uses too high a charging current which can cause heat stress, venting and loss of electrolyte.

Both of those things will gradually damage the battery.

Sometimes the sulfate can be forced off with a "repair mode" with the battery out of the vehicle, but results vary.

So like others have said, get a new battery and keep it on a maintainer to "top it off" (to 100% with a slow low current charge) whenever it is not being used.

Lead-acid batteries prefer to be at 100% for longevity.

 

[chuck27p]

Assuming it's your battery...

If it's not too late for your battery, you could keep it on a maintainer when parked (overnight) to top it off. 86% is not a great place for an AGM lead-acid battery to sit for extended periods of time because then the sulfates could/will harden and become permanent on the plates.

The Lightning BMS does 2 bad things for AGM battery longevity:
1) lets it sit below 100% for too long resulting in sulfate coating the plates permanently; and
2) uses too high a charging current which can cause heat stress, venting and loss of electrolyte.

Both of those things will gradually damage the battery.

Sometimes the sulfate can be forced off with a "repair mode" with the battery out of the vehicle, but results vary.

So like others have said, get a new battery and keep it on a maintainer to "top it off" (to 100% with a slow low current charge) whenever it is not being used.

Lead-acid batteries prefer to be at 100% for longevity.

You’re talking about a trickle charger every night? I’m probably too lazy to do that haha.

 

[RLXXI]

I have a 2023, I added to profile. Battery seems ok to me, I just tested. No rodent damage.

Do not trust that battery tester. You need one that applies a load to it. That one does not.

This is what I've been using over 40 years professionally and at home https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AMBOI0?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

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