QuestionQUESTION: Three questions about my factory installed Toyota alarm system.
1. I've read your previous responses about "valet" mode with interest. Can't say I've ever seen the mysterious button under the dash but I'll certainly have a look for it. First question is: What is the correct way for dealing with a dead battery using this alarm. Last time I had this issue the car wouldn't start and while I was puzzling what to do the alarm self-armed and went off. No matter what I did the alarm kept going. In the end I disconnected the dead battery and it stopped after 30 minutes of annoying the neighbors. Is the "correct" way of doing it to put it into valet mode and then disconnect the battery? Will it return when the new battery is fitted in valet mode? (I bought this car recently which is why I haven't found out since '97!).
2. Valet mode itself - I hate the damn alarm as nobody pays any attention to it anyway. If I left it in valet mode permanently would this also disable the immobolizer (which I consider the only useful part of the alarm apart from the flashing LED). Also the always on LED - does that remain on even when the key is removed and the car is locked (advert for criminals?).
3. Assuming valet mode is not suitable as a way of not using the stupid alarm - how can I alter it's self-arming feature? I've read this is optional - but I've rung every garage within a 50 mile radius and nobody has a clue as to how to change it from self arming to not self arming. I gather there may be a dip switch somewhere but nobody knows where or which switch it is. The reason I want to disable this is I stop at a petrol station with my partner - fill up with petrol and go to pay... the alarm self-arms and when my partner moves goes off. Stupid! I can stop it doing this by leaving the key in the ignition but that may mean a psycho gets in the car and drives off with my partner. I could leave a door open - but similar concerns and also a smash and grab opportunity? Alternatively what I do do is leave the fob with my partner but that just means she has to keep turning the alarm off every thirty seconds which is annoying.
Thanks for any help you can offer in advance - local garages have not been helpful with this (even the Toyota ones!).
ANSWER: Ok, terminology glitch here.
FACTORY/OEM alarm = Part of the original schematics
and plans from the manufacturer.
(horn honk, head lights flash, Starter may crank and
die, no spark)
DEALER INSTALLED alarm = Just that. Once the vehicle
is brought to a dealer, the dealer sub contracts the after market
security out.
(horn might honk, siren and parking lights flash, starter kill relya,
no start, no crank, just dead.)
AFTER MARKET alarm: Same as #2 but Customer IS AWARE that
the system was put in at the dealership, but may not
be informed of the brand name, or even what it's
total capabilities are.
(siren & parking lights flash, starter kill)
Which one applies to yours?
RM/ALARMTEK
CARALARMMAN.COM
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: None of those is quite the way mine works. But I have a better solution - I have the instruction manual (which is also unhelpful with these issues). The alarm is a Toyota TVSS IIIB.
It has a siren (doesn't use the horn). It doesn't flash any of the lights either - at least not that I've noticed though it does turn the internal lights on when disarmed by the fob.
AnswerRight,
Ok, try this.
Put the key in the ignition, and turn forward
all the way just before cranking. Then within
5 seconds, press and hold in the valet/overide
button, found under the dash area, usually to the left
of the leg, drilled into a plactic panel,
until the installed LED (the blinking light)
in your dash area goes off, and the siren chirps twice.
(Your valet switch might be the toggle (on/off) type.
in this case, key on, flip switch in oposite direction,
key off.)
This should reset the alarm.
Just Repeat these steps to place it
back to valet mode.
That should do it.
Good hunting.
ALARMTEK
