How sensitive are those interior alarm sensors?

[SunnySunshine]

This might be a bit of a funny story. For some reason our Ford had it's alarm randomly going off 2 nights in a row. My father was cursing at the quality of American made cars (FYI this vehicle of ours have been approved for lemon buyback for a different reason, just not surrendered yet). I went to go check on the vehicle after the alarm went off again last night. After a few minutes, found this huge moth near the sunglasses/glasses holder near the mirror, where the interior sensors are (I think). Shooed it off, and so far the alarm didn't go off again last night. I'm going to assume that moth has been in there for 2 days because my father accidentally left the tailgate open overnight 2-3 days ago.

Edit: My mom and I had a good laugh, but my father didn't find it amusing.

 

[rhamnik]

Had the same thing happen last August (moth)! 2023 Timberline.

 

[BSarchet]

100% an insect in the cab can set it off. I wish it has a sensitivity feature and not just on / off option.

 

[hustlebird]

Had this exact same scenario happen last weekend - a big moth flying around inside. Ran outside half a dozen times at 1am before I thought to actually check INSIDE the car lol.

 

[ROBERT BONNER]

At our bird hunting camp last fall we had a fly hatch. Not a disaster movie kind of hatch, just enough that when you parked the vehicles and unloaded gear and dogs, a house fly or two would end up trapped in the trucks. We had my Expedition, 2 F150's and a Super Duty all ringing alarms for the first day from the house flies trapped right at dusk. We had to turn off the interior sensors. For the first few times, it had us scratching our heads.

 

[Mr Big]

Using Forscan, you can adjust the interior motion sensor sensitivity, at least I can do it for my 2019 Ex.

 

[Zelf24]

Just adding my ten cents here as well: yes, flying bugs will set it off. I once got an "intrusion" alert from my Ford app on my phone and busted out of the house ready to take on criminal elements, just to eventually find that the truck and its doors were still locked and fully secure. Once I opened up the cab I saw the bug flying around in the glow of the dome lights. It's a good thing and a bad thing that the interior motion sensors are just so sensitive...

 

[WickedCool]

I've been through most of the menus on my 2021 Expedition... I don't remember seeing an interior alarm on/off. My kids (12 & 14) like to sit in the car and read/play video games in the car while I run into Home Depot or the grocery store or something and they set the alarm off constantly. Can anyone tell me where that option is?

 

[Mr Big]

I've been through most of the menus on my 2021 Expedition... I don't remember seeing an interior alarm on/off. My kids (12 & 14) like to sit in the car and read/play video games in the car while I run into Home Depot or the grocery store or something and they set the alarm off constantly. Can anyone tell me where that option is?

It's there. I just read the part in the manual. You have an option of All or Perimeter:
Using the System
You can select two levels of alarm security.
You can change the level of security when the ignition is switched off through the information display with the two options below:
Perimeter Only (If Equipped)
Perimeter only monitors the following:
• Doors.
• Hood.
• Liftgate.
All Sensors (If Equipped)
All sensors monitors the following:
• Doors.
• Hood.
• Liftgate.
• Movement inside your vehicle.
• Change in vehicle inclination, for
example, unwanted towing.

 

[5280tunage]

It's there. I just read the part in the manual. You have an option of All or Perimeter:
Using the System
You can select two levels of alarm security.
You can change the level of security when the ignition is switched off through the information display with the two options below:
Perimeter Only (If Equipped)
Perimeter only monitors the following:
• Doors.
• Hood.
• Liftgate.
All Sensors (If Equipped)
All sensors monitors the following:
• Doors.
• Hood.
• Liftgate.
• Movement inside your vehicle.
• Change in vehicle inclination, for
example, unwanted towing.

All sensors also includes impact sensor if you've added it. that one has a manual sensitivity adjustment on it.

 

[wakeboarder]

Thankfully, the alarm will also go off it you leave the sunroof open and it starts to rain.

 

[SunnySunshine]

Just adding my ten cents here as well: yes, flying bugs will set it off. I once got an "intrusion" alert from my Ford app on my phone and busted out of the house ready to take on criminal elements, just to eventually find that the truck and its doors were still locked and fully secure. Once I opened up the cab I saw the bug flying around in the glow of the dome lights. It's a good thing and a bad thing that the interior motion sensors are just so sensitive...

My father nearly went out packing heat, but my mom decided to check our security cameras first. We didn't see anyone so we went out with a flashlight instead.

 

[5280tunage]

My father nearly went out packing heat, but my mom decided to check our security cameras first. We didn't see anyone so we went out with a flashlight instead.

Sounds like you just need a flashlight on the heating instrument.

 

[zeecarr]

I sure wish you could just set the interior sensors to off and have them stay off permanently. I always forget and my dog sets off the alarm when I am in the store... Alarms in general are useless except to go off when you don't want them to and make a ton of noise.

 

[SunnySunshine]

I sure wish you could just set the interior sensors to off and have them stay off permanently. I always forget and my dog sets off the alarm when I am in the store... Alarms in general are useless except to go off when you don't want them to and make a ton of noise.

At least on our Expedition, there is an option in the menus to set it to the perimeter only for the sensors, so the interior ones are disabled.

 

[Mr Big]

At least on our Expedition, there is an option in the menus to set it to the perimeter only for the sensors, so the interior ones are disabled.

Mine has that choice as well. I thought all GEN 4 Expeditions had that choice.

 

[5280tunage]

Maybe that was another covid option delete, lol

 

[zeecarr]

Mine has that choice as well. I thought all GEN 4 Expeditions had that choice.

Yeah it is there but it reset after the next time I started the car.