Typically, when I return home after driving my 97 850, I leave the doors unlocked. Before I go to bed, I run out to my garage and set the security alarm system.

This afternoon, I decided to do some work on the car. I placed the key in the driver's side door and turned to the left once to unlock driver's side door and then again (a second time) to
unlock the remaining passenger's doors. I didn't open the door. I just moved on and started working on the car.

Roughly 3 minutes later, I hear all four doors lock and see the parking lights flash -- Freaked out -- I jumped almost a mile in the air.

Bottom line, I set the security alarm system. Later, I decide to unlock the doors, but don't open them. Then 3-4 minutes later, the security alarm system automatically re-arms itself. Is this normal?

 

What year is it?

They starting doing that to help protect cars from being stolen

If you open the door and then close it then it will not arm itself.

 

that's an interesting little tid bit of knowledge there tech. My mom's 98 V70XC does that every now and then. We always figured there was a quirk in the electrical system.

 

That is a pretty cool thing to help protect the car.

 

Well for what Volvo is getting for their new cars I should hope they protect themselves.

I myself would like a turret.

 

It is a 1997.

I removed the Door Lock switch earlier in the week. I hadn't got around to replacing the tiny light bulbs in the switches along the left side of the dash. The Door Lock Switch was lying in the ash tray at the time.

I freaked out because I thought that I might have shorted out something in the security system while I was removing the Door Switch earlier in the week. Perhaps, I touched my flat-bladed screwdriver against something I shouldn't have while depressing the metal tabs along the sides of the switch.

Anyway, if this is normal for a 1997 850, then everything is fine.

 

yes its normal for car to do that, if you just unlock it and then not do anything.
like tech said if you open and then close it shouldnt do that. its just a safety feature.