This strange aftermarket arrangement
 

The previous owner of the car thought it needed more headlights and mounted a set of Hellas in front. I had them removed by a shop, but they didn't want to remove the entire setup, just the lamps and the lead cables.

This is waht I know:

* There's an extra relay inside the engine room
* There's a switch mounted on the left underside of the steering wheel, northeast of the "WINTER/NORMAL" switch for the wipers. It's always illuminated.
* In one position, pushing the left stalk would light the Hellas and probably the long lights
* In the other position, the long lights would go on by default and you turned them off by pushing the stalk (opposite of the usual). The Hellas would not light.

The shop didn't touch this arrangement.

After they removed the Hellas, I activate the long lights by pushing the stalk (as normal).

Does anyone have a theory of what was done?

There is also an aftermarket alarm in the car by the local manufacturer, DEFA. They're impossible to come into contact with and shops don't want to talk about the arrangement. The alarm is connected to the starter somehow. The car will not start unless the alarm is disabled. If I don't start the car within 30 seconds of disabling, it can't be started unless I "disable" the alarm again.

Again, any idea?

Re: This strange aftermarket arrangement
 

Hello Jetboy

Without tracking your wiring it would be unwise to state for certain what may be the case with your circuitry.

Based on your description though what I would suspect is the following:

1) The extra relay in the engine bay is to draw power directly from the battery to the Hellas without taking the current for these light through the OEM switch on your steering column. [The additional amps would damage the standard switch]

The power line for your main beam [you call them long lights] triggers the relay and the relay then sends power to the Hellas direct from the battery when it is triggered by your main beams coming on.

2) I suspect the extra switch on your steering column interrupts the live wire going to the extra relay. When that switch is off the Hellas won't light up.

When that switch is on, the Hellas would have come on in conjunction with your main beam.

Regards your aftermarket alarm what is happening is you have an automatic alarm arming circuit. This is normal, I have the same on the Forester. When you turn off the ignition after a set time [30 seconds you say] the alarm/immobiliser will arm and the car can't be started.

This is an anti theft feature. It can be irritating I know, but for safety you should leave it in place.

Joe

Re: This strange aftermarket arrangement
 

Thanks, Joe. The only funny thing with the Hella setup was how the high beams ("long" here) were turned OFF by pushing the stalk when the Hellas were disabled by the switch. It's a bit odd and makes me a little suspicious concerning removal of the kit.

As for the alarm, the question was more in the direction of "are all aftermarket alarms basically installed the same way and how?" :) The automatic arming can be disabled once I establish the model of the alarm and have it reset so I can provide a new PIN.

Thanks!

Re: This strange aftermarket arrangement
 

Hi Jetboy

Yes, I found that more than a bit odd. I'm assuming with your Hellas no longer in use your lights stalk has reverted to normal, normal being that you push the stalk away from you to activate high beams?

Anyway it should be OK and safe now that the lights are not in use. It may have been caused by how the Hellas switch is wired into your lights stalk at the column. You possibly had an earth picking up a live where it should not. Or something like that.

And yes, I agree that's what you need to reset the alarm. Aftermarket alarms are broadly similar in the way they are set up. However to keep thieves guessing they are usually wired in with black wires only and into multiple circuits so that the wiring pattern is not obvious or easy for thieves to get around.

So for that reason they will each have their own idiosyncrasies and unique patterns. In theory you would not expect them to be very similar or identical. Thieves would very quickly learn how to get past them and steal your car.

Joe

Re: This strange aftermarket arrangement
 

With the switch in position A, it always worked like that (push stalk, high beam and Hellas activated). Wiith the switch in position B, the high beam came on but the Hellas not, immediately. Pushing the stalk away from me resulted in turning OFF the high beam (and still no Hellas). I just want this crap removed, Hellas and gran turismo don't match :) Fine, the lights themselves are off, I still want an alien electric feature out of the car :)

I'll google the install procedure for those Hellas and do everything in reverse.

Re: This strange aftermarket arrangement
 

I'm wondering what the installed Hellas looked like, did you take a picture before you removed them?