CAR JUNKIES TO ME!! (please)

[AnqeiicDemise]

I have a problem. Its not that big of a problem as I've dealt with it for a year now but since I'm going on a really big trip in a few hours, I would LOVE to have a working car alarm.

The quick, nitty gritty background.

Last spring, sometime, I had a huge problem with my battery being drained and the dealership/mechanics over all trying to gip me because I'm a sweet little lady that is just too ignorant to know a damn thing. I kept telling these people all I needed was a NEW battery because the car had not been in use for a year and I had failed to remove the cables from the battery. I knew I had a problem with voltage since the ONLY time I had problems starting the car was when, lo and behold, it was cold.

But they called me crazy and kept telling me they had to diagnose the car for faulty wiring, etc, etc.. it would cost an arm and a leg, I said no. Screw you. I am not doing it. Just give me my new battery, install it and call it a day.

The dealership refused and so did a few other shops. At this point I was too frustrated to go to another shop and find someone with patience to just humor me and test the freakin' battery.

Then one day, as I pulled into a gas station, turned off the car, set the alarm (on habit) and went off to pay, all hell broke loose. You see, my battery decided that the blinking of the alarm light was too much and ran out of juice to disengage the alarm.

So I was stuck, for about fifteen minutes, at a gas station with an alarm that would just NOT shut up and with no ability to move my vehicle, period. Eventually the battery started to fizzle, the horns sounded like they were on pot and the lights started losing vibrancy.

As I sat and cried because I was so frustrated, a gentleman that worked as an alarm installer told me that I should have my battery replaced and he could stop the alarm from going crazy as to not kill my battery altogether and stranding me for good. So I managed to unlock the door and the poor guy spent another five minutes with his head under the horn, pulling random fuses until he got the alarm to STOP. This instantly unlocked my vehicle and I could now steer it. YAY!

He even gave me a jump so I had enough power to go home that day. Though he did tell me I should install the fuse back in ASAP. I asked him where he got it from, he said 'the fuse box and you'll see the empty spot to put it back in again.'

I tried doing that two days later but I had a severe case of Le Stupid as I couldn't figure out how to pull the fuse panel lid for about.. oh.. a year and a half.


So NOW I have easy access to my fuse box. I have my fuse box diagram in tow. I have my fuse. I have a flashlight. I get ready to roll because, THIS SHOULD BE EASY, no?

...

WRONG.

My diagram doesn't have the alarm fuse pictured, and the 'empty spots' that are available are too small for the fuse this lovely guy pulled out of my car. And I know its the same fuse because I've had it stored in my jewelery box for so long.

Finding the stupid thing shouldn't be this difficult but it is! I've turned myself into a pretzel and hurt my back trying to find the stupid spot and I can't do it. I've tried searching online but I'm only getting wiring schematics and the same damned diagram I have... or even tutorials on how to do different fuse instantiations and bypasses but NOTHING I need.

Do any of you know where to put the stupid thing in or how I could get the information? I just don't want to deal with another asshole mechanic when I call the dealership and ask 'where's the fuse location for the alarm as I need to replace it.'

((Edited to add: this was a factory alarm installation on a 2006 Scion xb.. the toaster.))

[Aethian]

Do you have a place called AutoZone near you? I find them to be pretty good in being sympathetic when you know you eed a new battery. They also helped me when my radio blew a fuse and when it got taken out the empty spots left didn't look like the fuse that had blown.

[AnqeiicDemise]

Do you have a place called AutoZone near you? I find them to be pretty good in being sympathetic when you know you eed a new battery. They also helped me when my radio blew a fuse and when it got taken out the empty spots left didn't look like the fuse that had blown.

Yes, I do and it was Autozone of ALL places that listened to me and was kind enough to go ahead and do the simple battery check I was asking. *they* were the ones who told me "wow, I'm surprised you can even turn on this thing at all, this is so dead. Here, see this? This is pretty close to DEAD. You can't even do a full recharge." I bought the new battery right then and there. He couldn't help be with the installation, but a really nice security guy at my old building helped.

My problem is just getting the damned fuse put back in. I'll see if I can talk to someone at A.Z. on Monday. I think they're closed today. I knew I should've asked the Midas guy but I totally forgot.

[TheSHAD0W]

The fuse for the alarm is most likely not in the fuse box, but is in an inline fuse holder on a wire that runs directly from the battery. Looks something like the ones on this page: http://www.safco1.com/connectors.asp

Go look at the positive battery terminal, the one with the red wires going to it. There should be one or more heavy wires coming off of it and probably one or more small wires as well. Trace down the small wires and look for fuse holders on them. If you find one, pop the top off and see if it's missing the fuse.

Warning: The alarm will probably go off the instant you put the fuse in, and it'll be pretty loud with the hood open; make sure you have the pendant ready to disarm it.

[AnqeiicDemise]

The fuse for the alarm is most likely not in the fuse box, but is in an inline fuse holder on a wire that runs directly from the battery. Looks something like the ones on this page: http://www.safco1.com/connectors.asp

Go look at the positive battery terminal, the one with the red wires going to it. There should be one or more heavy wires coming off of it and probably one or more small wires as well. Trace down the small wires and look for fuse holders on them. If you find one, pop the top off and see if it's missing the fuse.

Warning: The alarm will probably go off the instant you put the fuse in, and it'll be pretty loud with the hood open; make sure you have the pendant ready to disarm it.

Oh wow, I actually did see a couple like these but I didn't know what they were. Thanks, I'll go have a look and see what I can find. ^.^