The little red light

My assumption would be that it is an anti theft mechanism. Blinking lights scare thieves.

Take it for what it's worth though, since I have never seen this blinking light.

Peter Hatch

 

If the light is on when driving that means the battery that is in the alarm needs to be replaced. This backup battery powers the alarm if the main battery is disconnected. The trouble with this thing is you need to replace the whole control unit. I think the cost for the part is a few hundred. Just had it done on my car during the major service.

 

Bart -

My thought: check to see if your alarm siren is functioning.........if not, dead alarm battery.

Tritone

(you're very quick Don.......)

 

Had the same problem , had it fixed yesterday while I waited took about 45 mins if that . It was the siren unit that needed replacing as stated by others .

 

If this is the same problem as the 355 alarm batteries then it can be fixed without replace the entire siren unit and just replace the battery inside. Do some searchs for this and you will find the procedure. A tip to the hat to Fchats own Battery Man Bruce for coming up with the replacement batteries

 

Ricambi has the alarm for about $250. The replacement process is a very easy do it yourself project. My alarm now works fine and the light doesn't stay on.

 

My 550 has done this since it was new. It is the alarm battery and at the time, they wanted 500 bucks to replace the entire Security system. (all built into the siren if I remember correctly). What I have found however, is that keeping my battery tender on the car actually charges the battery in the alarm system (or pehaps keeps the float voltage of the main battery high enough that it keeps the alarm battery from keeping the security light on while the car is running). You might try this to avoid the cost of replaceing the security unit.

I can't halep but think that you can take it apart and replace the battery though, but the dealer would not do it.

 

I have this same problem... do a search on alarm red light and you can find info on replacing just the battery... appears to be a wee bit of a hack job to me though.

Also as a piggyback on this topic, I hear that I should have 2 black key fobs and one red one... only have 1 black (seems to be a common problem).

The way i'm understanding it is that the PIN is unique to a set of remotes, and the computer can be programed to work with any set of remotes if one has the PIN? (no doubt only by a dealer at exceptional cost..).

 

I had the same problem and have just just had the alarm siren replaced, and the red light goes off when running now.

Regarding the key fobs, you should have 1 red and 2 black. The red one is the master, and you cannot recode a new black one without the red one. I had the problem with a previous 355 and according to the dealer the only solution was a new ECU at great cost which gives you a new red and 2 new blacks. I think it cost around £750, but that was 5 years ago (and it was a main dealer !), as I was the second owner, the dealer had to register me as the owner with Ferrari in Italy, before they would despatch the part.

 

Thanks,
There's about 20 different answers here on the key issue. We are the 2nd owner of the car (with a middle man, but never registered). I have all the contact info for the original owner, so maybe he will still have the other keys.
If not it looks like we will have to go to a dealer to figure out what they suggest.