When it comes to fitting an alarm you need to ensure it’s done correctly in order to get the full potential out of it. The process of fitting an alarm can depend on the alarm itself, that’s why we will identify the key points in case yours differs slightly. If you stick to this article you will be able to fit any alarm but you may have to exclude some sections.

When dealing with anything related to the battery you are always advised to disconnect it. In this case disconnect the negative (-) lead and move it well away from the battery. You will have to reset your stereo settings but its better then having sparks everywhere and your alarm going off in your ear!

Once the battery is disconnected you need to mount the alarm/siren somewhere in the engine bay, try various places before you make any holes to ensure it’s in the best place for your car. Avoid any places which are easily accessed from underneath the car and you are advised not to place anywhere which requires frequent top ups of fluids as this could damage the alarm if spilt.

Once you have found the perfect spot take the alarm from the bracket and mark the holes for drilling. You have to be sure that the alarm will fit once inside the bracket before moving on to the next stage.

You may have to remove some parts to be able to get the drill in the right position in order to make the holes. If this is the case be sure to check what you’re taking out and make sure it’s safe to do so and that you put it back exactly how it was.

Once you have enough space insert the drill and make the first hole for the bracket. After you have one hole in place it’s easier to loosely fit the bracket to ensure that the next hole will be in the right position.

With both holes successfully drilled you are ready to secure the bracket in place. Tighten both screws to ensure that the alarm won’t fall off at any point after you have fitted it.

Once the bracket is in place you can then insert the alarm/siren itself and tighten the bolts that hold it in place. Don’t fully tighten the screws just yet or you may have trouble connecting the wires and adjusting the shock sensor later on.

When you have the alarm/siren in place you are ready to sort the wiring out, this task can be quite challenging and you may be required to remove parts in order to get a clearer view. The first thing that should come out is the battery itself.

Disconnect the positive (+) lead and unclip the clamping bolt in order to remove the battery itself. Make sure you handle with care and not to drop it on anything in the engine bay as they weight a fair amount.

In most cars, just removing the battery won’t be enough and you may have to remove the battery tray. To do this simply remove the four bolts holding it in and it should slip out and give you a lot more access to the bulk head.

You have to be careful at this point as you don’t want to put holes in anything you shouldn’t. Choose a place in the bulk head where another wire is going in and cut away the foam with a sharp knife.

The next step is locating the bulk head from inside the car, remove any necessary parts to gain access to it and make a small incision in the rubber. You then have to feed the wire through to the inside of the car.

It will make your life easier if you tape the wires together to avoid any stray wires wondering off, make your way to the fuse box by using cable ties or drilling holes, ensure that the wiring doesn’t go near the pedals.

Once you have made it over to the fuse box its ready to start wiring it up. The lives and earths can be sourced from the fuse box which is fairly easy to do. If you are unsure how to do this refer to a Haynes manual or seek professional advice.

By using a 12V circuit tester you can locate the wires needed. You will have to reconnect the battery to ensure your targeting the right wires, your aim is to find a decent switched live which can be done by connecting the tester to a live wire and the croc clip to an earth and turning the ignition off and on. Repeat this method to find an earth wire.

It’s probably easier to wire your alarm to the interior lighting circuit. On some cars this can be found by the push switches on the door pillars. Simply remove the screw and pull the wiring out to get access to it.

Once you have access to the live and earth of the door switch you need to be able to identify them both. Use your tester to check which is which and refer to your alarm instructions as it will state which wire you are after.

To ensure that your indicators flash on arming and disarming your alarm you need to wire it into the indicator circuit at some point. The best place to get access to this is at the indicator stalk. You will have to remove the steering column shroud by removing the necessary screws.

Turn the wheel to reveal 2 more screws which will need to be removed in order to fully remove the shroud.

With a little bit of force you will then be able to pull the shroud out and over the ignition switch giving you access to the indicator stalk.

The indicator stalk is often held in place by two clips, simply undo these and the stalk will drop down giving you access to the wiring.

You then have to use your circuit tester to find the live wire when the indicators are activated. Be sure to find both left and right live wires, on most cars the left live wire is black/white and the right is black/green. Be sure to be 100% before you start wiring into them.

There are many ways in which you can tap into this source, the best will be by soldering the alarm wire onto the existing circuit. This means that it will never come loose and you wont have to bother cutting the circuit up. Strip a part of the insulation off of the wire and twist the alarm wire around it.

Be careful when soldering that you don’t burn yourself or damage any other part of the car. Once you are happy that the wire won’t come loose then you ready for the next step.

Once you have joined the alarm wires into the circuit you need to insulate them to prevent fire, faults or any other problems. Simply take some electrical tape and wrap it around it several times to ensure safety.

Most alarms in today’s world will have an LED to show the status of the alarm, this will act as a deterrent to the thieves. If they see a car with an alarm and one without – which are they going to go for? There are many places where you can mount the LED but make sure it’s in a visible place.

Assemble the LED into the holder before you fit it into the hole you drilled in the previous stage.

Fit the LED into the hole, you may need to cut the wire to make it easier for yourself and then lengthen the wiring after you have it in place depending how far away your LED is.

In order to get the full potential out of your alarm you need to install a pin switch onto your bonnet to avoid anyone being able to get inside you bonnet and disarm your alarm before they break in. Make sure it’s in such a place so that it will protect the battery.

Make sure that your mount is built out of a strong durable material that won’t be bent when the bonnet is shut. The best one to use is strong metal, cut it to size using the appropriate tools.

You might not be keen on drilling holes into the wing of your car but trust me, it is definitely worth it in this case. It won’t be visible unless you’re looking under the bonnet and once you have a screw in the hole you won’t even be able to tell. Drill a hole into the flange of the wing and through your mount.

Secure the mount in place by using two bolts and make sure that it doesn’t move about when pressure is applied.

Drill a hole in the end of the metal for the pin switch to go in, once you have, fit the pin switch securely into it.

You need to then drill another hole for the switch mounting screw which you need to fix to the mount as well.

Once you have everything in place you just need to wire it up and make sure it works as intended. Make sure you set your switch to be triggered if the bonnet catch is tampered with.

Connect the wires to the alarm/siren you installed at the very beginning of this guide and program your remotes so you can arm and disarm your alarm. Then the testing stage is needed, test out your alarms functions in turn to make sure you have done everything correct.

If you’re alarm has an anti shock function then make sure you don’t set the sensitivity too high, you have to think about where you live and park on a daily basis. Will it be triggered too easily by people playing in the street or the neighbour’s cat?

Once you are happy with everything you can go around the wires applying tape and cable ties to make it look a lot neater and more presentable. After that you are finished, just make sure you remember to set it from now on!