I went forward with my E90 alarm install, and took some pics along the way. I would say that it is an easy install, as long as you have some mechanical confidence and experience. The "hardest" part is removing the left rear wheel to install the siren. Since our cars do not come with a...

So what's the scoop on the alarm mostly working after an install?

It sounds like it works right off the bat with the exception of the confirmation beep for lock/unlock. Clown nose, motion sensor, etc seem to be working for a good deal of people right after the install without any dealer activation, right?

I'm installing my alarm tomorrow and crossing my fingers that I won't have to pay the dealer for any sort of activation. I'm totally fine without a beep confirmation and would turn that off anyhow...

It mostly works.
In my case, after DIY install, I did not have:
- audible beep for lock/unlock
- panic button did not work
- hood sensor did not work

That's cool - I have never used the panic feature in any alarm ever (at least not on purpose then I'm mad as hell when it won't shut off) so that's a bonus for me that it doesn't work.

Didn't want the audible confirmation - so, cool there...

Hood switch - hmmm...would be nice to have that working I suppose though it's not the most important thing.

Thanks for the reply!

commmon, its just $48 to get it all working. I dont see the logic in not completing the install. sucks we have to pay for the software update...but to eac their own!

It's not $48 for us in Seattle... Either way, I found someone to do it for $105.

Oh and, you don't need everything installed to have the red light blink. We were missing the siren at one point and the red light still blinked when locked.

Dealer here quoted me $150.00....

If it was $50 like you said, you bet! But it's not that way everywhere...in fact, the other dealer said they wouldn't even do it since they didn't install the alarm.

All installed - piece of cake on my 335i! Gotta say, the siren is pretty damn shrill in a closed garage. heh

Everything worked like expected - no panic button, arm/disarm notification or hood switch trigger but doors opening and motion sensor worked - clown nose blinks. I'm good for now unless the dealer decides to change their quote for activation.

Also of note - like described above, I tested the alarm after installing the motion sensor in the overhead lamp compartment - no siren or hood switch. The clown nose worked straight away.

Someone needs to figure out a little resistor end-cap for that harness in the overhead lamp compartment and sell them for a few bucks for folks who just want the clown nose to blink - could be much easier than the Radio Shack PCB mod (as long as someone was able to figure it out of course).

my dealer was told by bmw to charge for half an hour of labor, so thats why it came to $48. Plus my dealer isnt really one known to offer "deals" so if mine can do it...surely others can...

but i agree, $100+? heck no

Any update from your dealer? Mine is telling me that it is still not available for my '06 325xit due to defective software. They are supposedly working on it...

Hi,

Did you get the alarm software installed at a local BMW Dealer? If so, did they charge you 1/2 hour or more?

Thanks in advance,
Steven

P.S. I just purchased a 07 BMW 335i from Paul Millers in Wayne. I love it!

My dealer installed the software as a comp no charge. It took about 20 mins.

Thanks for sharing this info.... Arm / Disarm notification is annoying anyways.... Alarm simply disarms itself when you unlock the doors and arms once you lock them right.... ? I can live without getting it programmed for sure.....

In Seattle we get ripped off for trying to do get stuff like this programmed

In Houston, Advantage BMW Midtown offered me $57 for activation.
But I got for $45 at College Station (Garlyn Shelton BMW) with Progman Update due to Bluetooth problem.

Has anyone had a problem with NOTHING working after the DIY install? My clown nose doesn't blink, nada. I'm wondering if I did something wrong, but it's so freaking simple, I can't fathom what it could have been.

The walk through on the alarm install was amazing. Thanks!

Notes:

Installed mine per the walk through, (including cutting a piece of wood to fit inside the jack hole) and everything worked as advertised (including the motion sensor, and the siren).
Prior to the install, my dealer quoted me $550 + tax for the alarm & install.
I bought mine on eBay for $169 shipped. (factory sealed box too)
My dealer quoted me $109 for the software update, but I'm going to haggle pretty hard when I go in on Monday.

I think I'm having some trouble with my blue-tooth anyway.

Well I bought the alarm off eBay after reading this post but something is seriously wrong. I have an e92 328i and after taking the dome light off I see no place to fit the ultrasonic sensor. The bottom of the dome light is just a flat piece of plastic covering up everything inside. Also there is no extra wire laying around to plug into the module once I would have put it in. What is going on here? Do they not pre-wire the cars here in Canada? I'm really confused. Anybody??????

there is no wire in there, its a plug.

post a picture of your dome module.

Plug, wire, same thing. You get what I mean. Is there not a wire going into that plug? Anyways I don't have a picture. It's basically all black on the inside with 3 white circular plastic knobs. On the outside there is no vent for the sensor either.

Nevermind. Through all this I seemed to have missed one very important word. "rear" light. I was trying to install it in the front light compartment. I'll be ok.

oem alarm installed, clown nose blinks red.. but i can't get the alarm to go off. Tried opening door with key (not fob) after locking, sticking hand in window (left open). Nothing!

I can live without the audio beep confirmation and was going to try to avoid getting ripped off by dealer on software update.

You have to arm the alarm (lock car) and wait 2 mins before you try to stick your arm in the car to set the alarm off. I guess the internal sensor has to fully reconize the interior parameters of the vehicle. After you get the alarm programmed it works better and can be set-off with the hood sensor.

Also if you notice when you arm the car the clown nose blinks red fast and then goes to a slow blink. The instructions state that this means somthing is wrong with the alarm (or not programmed).

Good info dudes! That's pretty cool if I can install the alarm and have most of the features working out of the box. I'd rather not pay the dealer $160 and hassle with taking it in if I can get the most neccessary features just by installing it.