Car Alarms: Anti-Theft Alarm, dash area, button spring


Question
I have a 2000 Camry, which I purchased used.  I recently had to have some repair work done...water pump broke, timing belt broke.  They have repaired this.  I never knew I had an alarm system, car didn't come with any kind of remote.  Now when the mechanics start my car the alarm goes off, they cannot figure out how to disable it.  I don't have a manual, they called dealership and they would not release the info.  They have been working on this for 2 days!!! Can you help?  I want the alarm disabled since I have not remote for it.

Answer
The alarm seems to be doing it's job.
At least we know it's installed correctly
which is actually a good thing here.

Ok, try this.
Put the key in the ignition, and turn forward
all the way just before cranking. Then within
5 seconds, locate, press and hold in the
valet/overide button, found under the
dash area, (push button, spring loaded)
until the installed LED (the blinking light)
in your dash area goes on solid,
and the siren chirps once.

(Your valet switch might be the toggle
(on/off) type. in this case, key on,
flip switch in opposite direction,
then turn the key off.)

This should reset the alarm, and reset
the grounded relay on the starter wire,
allowing you to start the engine.

At this point, the only thing working would
be the keyless entry from the alarm,
if it came equipped that way.

Just Repeat these steps to place it
back to usable armed mode.
You may get 2 chirps, confirming it,
and the lights may flash twice as well.

That should do it.
If you want to remove it at this point,
take it to your neighborhood installer
for this, or buy the wiring chart
(Go to: www.vehiclewires.com)
for the vehicle, and reverse engineer it wire
by wire, until safely removed.

If it does not work out this way,
you will have to replace the system
with one you know how to operate
and what to expect. Don't want to
get stuck in another bad situation.

Let me know what happens.