The Cobra 5365 is a wireless battery back-up siren from Vodafone Automotive. I first tested one back in January 2012 before Vodafone Automotive acquired Cobra and rebranded.
10 years after the rebrand, I’m still in the habit of calling the alarms Cobra. I think it’s partly out of nostalgia, but also because I keep getting remined when I see the words “Cobra Automotive Technologies” clearly embossed in to the plastic case of the siren.
The siren comes as standard on the AK4615, AK4627 and the AK4698. It is also an option for the new 48XX series of alarms.
Wireless Siren
If I’m being pedantic then I’d say that technically it is not wireless as there are 4 wires coming out of the siren plug. However it communicates with the alarm ECU without any direct wires.
This makes installation much easier on some vehicles where running cables into the cabin can be tricky and time consuming.
The siren still needs power and ground from the car battery, and has a bonnet input wire for vehicles which do not have a factory bonnet switch. The 4th wire is the aerial.
One way communication only
The siren receives an RF commends from the alarm ECU but can not not communicate back to it like the 5375 hard wired data siren.
The alarm will tell the siren when to arm, disarm, and trigger. The only real draw back with this system being one way communication is that the siren has no way to let the alarm know if it has been disconnected, or detected a trigger via its bonnet switch input.
Whilst the siren will still sound if it loses power, it can not tell the main alarm trigger the hazard lights, or honk the horn, or store an activation report.
It’s rather loud
The 5365 Siren is >116 dB @ 1m
The video below shows it in action:
The 5365 siren is has an ingress protection rating of IPX5. Which basically means it is not designed to be submerged in water, but can handle water being spayed on it from all directions
