98 Jeep Grand Cherokee

I purchased the vehicle a few years ago and everything has been fine
until now. The battery recently went dead and upon replacing it an
antitheft system is being activated. I'm not sure if it factory
installed or aftermarket as I didnt recieve anything but the key with
it. It has a red LED on top of the dash that has always been blinking
but now the horn blows and the directionals and headlights flash. When
I try to start it it starts up then immediatly dies out, and the
blinking and horn continue.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

 

Hi...

Only a little bit of help; not a mechanic, but I have a chrysler with
the alarm system.

The flashing led on your dash indicates that the alarm is armed; your
goal is to get it to stop flashing and you should be OK. Why it let you
drive the car before the battery change is a mystery, but...

Anyway, press the unlock button on the fob, the doors should unlock and
the light stop flashing. If it doesn't, then just for the heck of it,
press the lock button to see if the fob (and battery) are OK If they
are, then the lock button should chirp the horn and change the tempo
of the flashing led.

Keep in mind that the range of the fob is quite limited, stand close
enough to the car.

If pressing unlock did nothing, then try unlocking both of the keyed
doors with the key. Hopefully one of them will make the led go out
and let you drive it.

Take care.

Ken

 

Sorry I wasn't clear but I don't have a FOB, just the key. The LED has
been blinking since I got the vehicle.

 

Sounds like the factory system. Use the key to unlock any of the doors
to disarm the system. If unlocking the driver's door doesn't work,
that disarm switch may have failed. Try the passenger door or liftgate
locks.