Desperately need help with aftermarket alarm

[David]

Okay, here's the full story, please bear with me... I bought a 99 Solara a few months ago and everything has been great so far. The dealer I bought it from only gave me one key with the car, and that was it--no owner's manual, paperwork, or anything--just the one key. Right off the bat I noticed a small LED light mounted to where it is just barely sticking out from the bottom of the dash on the left side, so I figured that it must have an alarm of some sort, and I was planning on looking into it to see if I actually had an alarm that I could make use of. So today I was installing some new xenon lights and thought it would be easier to get to the driver's side bulb if I pulled the battery. I put the new bulb in and reconnect the battery and all hell breaks loose--the horn blowing, lights flashing, the whole works. So I kind of laugh thinking "cool... I do have an alarm." However, the laughter soon stopped when I got into the car to try and figure out how to turn the thing off. I push in the clutch, turn the key, nothing. Evidently disconnecting the battery reset the alarm, which in turn disabled the ignition. So now I have no clue what I'm going to do, I assume that I need some type of remote transmitter to hit a button and the thing will let me drive again. I don't want to cut the wires that lead to the light because, frankly, I don't think that it would help at all. There is a local automotive electronics shop that specializes in all that stuff, should I just have it towed? I was just hoping that you guys could throw out some suggestions. I've been looking around on this forum for a while and am really impressed at how helpful you all are to each other. So if you have any clues, please respond, I don't know what I'll do without a car for a while. One more thing, there was a small button on the back of the LCD that I hoped would have something to do with controlling the thing but I didn't have any luck fooling around with it... just thought that might be a useful lead. Thanks a lot guys, and I hope i made sense out of all of that - David

[99solarai4]

Some alarms reset by locking and unlocking the door with the key. Worth a shot anyway.

[krook]

Some alarms reset by locking and unlocking the door with the key. Worth a shot anyway.

unfortunately, not with aftermarket alarms. with stock alarms straight from the dealer, yes, that's possible.

david:

what do you mean when you say, "a button on the back of the LCD"? (just to let you know, Liquid Crystal Display, is something that displays digits)in any case, you will use this button in conjuction with your ignition to override your alarm system. it's called your override/valet button. (clever, yah?) try turning your ignition to the ACC position and push the button once. it may work, but most likely, sorry to say WILL NOT.

sounds like you may have a DEI alarm where the installer put the alarm in your car in a way that prevents the starter wire from starting....even if you disconnect power from the alarm itself. translation? you have a fail safe starter kill option on that alarm. don't cut any wires; 9 times out of 10, i'd say the power is tapped on the INSIDE of the vehicle, just behind the knee panel.

try using the override button first. if it doesn't work, PM me and i can walk you through on how to get your car started again. you'll have to remove the knee panel and the metal plate behind it to get to the connections, but if done right, you can fix it yourself in 10 minutes. . .max.

[David]

It's just a small red light. Anyway, I did try to hold in the button while turning the key (along with many other combinations) and I didn't have any luck with it.

[DavPak]

question: did you buy this car from a dealer as a Toyota Certified Pre-Owned?
if so, the dealer is supposed to remove any aftermarket equipment in the car, which would include a non-toyota alarm. if this is the case (and if you want it removed), tell them what happened and that they need to remove it. they should also pay for the car to as well (if necessary).
of course this is if you want it removed, if you'd like to try and make it work for you, then just leave well enough alone!

[Luc]

If it were a factory alarm, then there would be a factory looking LED either on the speedometer, or through a rectangular security panel. If it is just a circular LED sticking out of a panel/dash area, then it's an aftermarket. Most likely, the alarm is wired in normally closed position, so you can actually disconnect the harnesses to the brain and the car should start. However, you won't have the alarm function anymore. If it were wired as normally open, then it just won't work either way, unless you disarm the alarm. Try and find the alarm and see who makes it.

[Yanks0114]

It actually sounds like the RS3200 alarm. Put the key in and unlock it to disable the alarm. The starter kill has kicked in because you screwed with the voltage. The valet switch won't work because you need to hit unlock on your alarm first. Best bet, try and use the key to disable it, if not contact the dealer you got it from.

Davpak, Cant you guys program the alarm fobs just based on the VIN number, or is that only for keys

[pro956]

i think u should put the key in the ignition and turn your steering wheel (and your key) to the right or something like that

can't really remmember

[Gunman]

toyota alarms are controlled by the door locks, put your key in the door and unlock, and that disarms it. SCARY HUH?

[DavPak]

Davpak, Cant you guys program the alarm fobs just based on the VIN number, or is that only for keys

nope, i wish. the only thing we can do with a VIN is cut a key. in order to program a remote or a transponder key, we need to have the car.

[c2g]

Your best bet if its aftermarket is too get under the dash and find the brain first and find out what kind it is

[David]

Well, I finally got it working. BTW, it is definitely an aftermarket alarm. After trying everything I could think of and all of the suggestions I got, I decided to try to mess with the little button on the back of the light again. I fooled around with it for about an hour and it finally started. A combination of holding the button while connecting and disconnecting the battery did the trick. I'm scared that it's not going to work the next time I need it to though. I really appreciate all the responses, you guys are great. Sorry it took so long to get a response back from me, I had graduation this weekend and I've been really busy. I'm going to try to get a transmitter so I can actually use the alarm, but I guess I need to figure out what kind of alarm I have first. But anyways, thanks again guys. David

[krook]

good to hear it all worked out, david. congratulations! ...on both uh, events.