Problem with ticking noise and flashing lights

[Jezlyn]

Sorry if this has been answered before, but I tried searching and didn't find anything relevant.

Recently my 2001 Solara has been making this fast ticking/clicking noise that lasts for 2 or 3 minutes after I start the car. The annoying ticking is accompanied by my lights (not sure if it's all of them or just the fog lights and corner taillights or what) flashing at the same time. The interior gauge lights and climate control lights flash also. The only way I can make it not noticeable on the outside is to turn on my headlights.

It's very annoying to start up my car and have this noise for 3 or so minutes; not to mention the fact that not knowing why this is happening worries me. I got this car used from Carmax and didn't have this problem until the battery was disconnected (my bf was trying to diagnose an engine problem which turned out to be a faulty ignition coil) and reconnected.

At first we thought it had to do with the keyless entry system "reconditioning" itself to the keys after having lost battery power, and it did go away for a while, but now it's happening again.

If anybody has any suggestions, or can point me to the proper threads, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

[indiglosolara]

Sorry if this has been answered before, but I tried searching and didn't find anything relevant.

Recently my 2001 Solara has been making this fast ticking/clicking noise that lasts for 2 or 3 minutes after I start the car. The annoying ticking is accompanied by my lights (not sure if it's all of them or just the fog lights and corner taillights or what) flashing at the same time. The interior gauge lights and climate control lights flash also. The only way I can make it not noticeable on the outside is to turn on my headlights.

It's very annoying to start up my car and have this noise for 3 or so minutes; not to mention the fact that not knowing why this is happening worries me. I got this car used from Carmax and didn't have this problem until the battery was disconnected (my bf was trying to diagnose an engine problem which turned out to be a faulty ignition coil) and reconnected.

At first we thought it had to do with the keyless entry system "reconditioning" itself to the keys after having lost battery power, and it did go away for a while, but now it's happening again.

If anybody has any suggestions, or can point me to the proper threads, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

its seems from that your car my have a aftermarket alarm that is turn on silent mode.. when ever my alarm goes off and its in silent mode the parking lights and interior panel lights will flash... for about 2 mins or so.. then automatically turn off. i would check to see if you car has a aftermarket alarm..

if you car does have a aftermarket alarm see if you can get a remote for it from a local alarm shop.. they can find a way to reprogram the alarm.
there are some alarm experts on here.. so they mite wanna jump in on this also.

it triggered your alarm when you disconnected the batt cuz the alarm reset it self when power is reapplied...

[Jezlyn]

I will check that out. My bf saw some "mysterious" black box under the dash that isn't marked, and he thinks it might be some weird 3rd party alarm system that's "piggybacking" the factory keyless entry system.

If it is a matter of a silent alarm system getting tripped, do you know if there's some general way to disarm it so I don't have to drive around listening to it for 2 to 3 minutes? I don't have any other remotes other than the original factory remote, so I'd guess that won't help.

Thanks for the hint. I just want to get the dang thing fixed!

[Jezlyn]

if you car does have a aftermarket alarm see if you can get a remote for it from a local alarm shop.. they can find a way to reprogram the alarm.

Whoops, didn't see this part of your message. Yeah, if I can find out more about the alarm system, I might try to get a remote for it. Otherwise, I'd probably just remove it altogether; we'll see.

Thanks again for the input!

[indiglosolara]

if you car does have a aftermarket alarm see if you can get a remote for it from a local alarm shop.. they can find a way to reprogram the alarm.

Whoops, didn't see this part of your message. Yeah, if I can find out more about the alarm system, I might try to get a remote for it. Otherwise, I'd probably just remove it altogether; we'll see.

Thanks again for the input!

No problem.... and did you say a black box under the dash.. that is one big hint of a aftermarket alarm...

hope everything works out..

[L8Apex]

Hi-

I'm Jezlyn's bf, trying to diagnose this problem. I'll add the following:

The behavior does indeed appear like that of a silent alarm triggered by starting the car, as iazuncupidi stated. (Thanks!)

I'm convinced that I'm dealing with an aftermarket alarm. I'm trying to figure out how to either reprogram or remove this thing.

This "black box" looks exactly like an alarm brain, but I can't see any identifying labels/markings on it. I need to pull it out of the car for a better look.

The installation looks professional. The box is plugged into a harness, with 2 connectors, and the harness is tied into the car's electronics very neatly. All wires are wrapped and routed into factory wiring looms, so it's impossible to trace the wires to their points of origin/installation. This means I can't tell exactly which of the car's functions the alarm ties into.

I'm worried about a possible ignition/starter kill feature, which would prevent the car from running if I yank the alarm completely (without restoring all wiring back to normal.)

Since it looks like a nightmare to cleanly uninstall this thing, I'm more inclined to either re-program it or turn off all of it's functionality. But I don't know the procedure, and can't look it up since I can't identify the alarm (yet).

So I'm wondering if anyone knows a generic approach to either reprogramming it or removing it.

Oh yeah: There's a set of dip-switches on the side. I assume these would configure the alarm's features. Maybe these switches could disable it entirely?

[HKSV6SLE]

hmmm i think most alarms have a swtich somewhere in the car that will let you disarm it without the alarm ( in case you lose the alarm). i have a switch hidden in my car that if i push it a few times the car will disarm the entire system. The last thing you want is to trigger the alarm disconnect the battery and realizes there's a backup somewhere hidden...

[L8Apex]

I considered the posibility of a "valet" switch. I didn't see one, but I'll take another look tonight.

I'm beginning to doubt that there's a starter-kill feature, because the car starts/runs while the alarm is triggered. So I might try removing the whole module.

I can't tell if the keyless entry is currently being controlled by the Toyota factory system or this aftermarket thing. I think it's the Toyota keyless system because it behaves exactly like the Toyota system on my MR2. The strange thing: The car came with 2 remotes: one Toyota, and one aftermarket. Both of them work. So either someone programmed Toyota's keyless to work with the aftermarket remote, or they got a Toyota remote to work with an aftermarket alarm. Which is more likely?

Also, the relay that is clicking and blinking the lights is a separate relay from the factory blinker. (Different sound and timing from the turn-signal/hazard relay click.) I think I can locate this relay and pull it, which would stop the clicking/blinking.

[indiglosolara]

even if you have a aftermarket alarm installed both toyotas and your aftermarket will work. only thing is that if you use the toyota remote is will not disarm the aftermarket alarm. which it is not causing it to go off. Try to use the aftermarket remote you got and see if it solves anything..

[Mole]

my alarm ticks and buzzes a little bit when the alarm is activated in serveral modes.

just find the power lead wire, disconnect, not yank it out, and see what happens when you start the car.

[kubi]

To put my alarm into valet mode you turn the key from off to accessory and back 5 times within 10 seconds. Don't know if any other alarms use that technique, though.

[MGLax13]

Mine is something like that, I have to:

Off>Acc>On>Acc>On>Off

Alot of alarms have that.

[Guest]

Thanks to everyone for your help! After reading the comments here, it became obvious that the aftermarket alarm was still activated while we were using the Toyota keyless system to lock/unlock the car. For now, I've "disarmed" the aftermarket alarm by unlocking from the aftermarket remote, and the car operates as normal from the Toyota remote.

I'll try to remove the aftermarket system entirely once I know more about it. I looked up the FCC ID found on the remote transmitter, and it belongs to Karnig Devices Inc, which appears to be an alarm manufacturing/installing business located somewhere in New York.

At least the immediate problem is solved. Thanks!

[HKSV6SLE]

good to hear...yea both my after market and the facotry one both work, but i don't use the factory one anymore, though i have two blinking LED's in my car...hahah