Car alarms

[AlexM]

I'm thinking of getting a car alarm for my '06 ascent hatch. While I realise the chance of the car being stolen is low, I'd like to discourage any theives as much as possible. Having stuff stolen sucks, and living in the Adelaide CBD it's happened to me before.

In any case, I'm currently looking at the dynamco (cyclops) P785. The main advantage for this is it comes with a transponder override, which should greatly reduce the number of times I accidentally set off the alarm. This is not an upgrade, it's an additional alarm that will be integrated into the central locking (don't need factory remotes).

I was wondering what alarms people have installed and if they've been upgrades or new alarms and if anyone has had any problems one way or another.

[lucida]

Hi AlexM,

I suggest searching for "Alarm" before posting as this topic has been covered numerous times. I did a quickie and found these in amongst other related topics:

http://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/inde...p;hl=car+alarms

http://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/inde...mp;hl=car+alarm

http://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/inde...mp;hl=car+alarm

http://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/inde...mp;hl=car+alarm

You'll find that most people do not want to disclose the type of alarm system they have as you might as well hand over the keys to your car ;)

[AlexM]

Sorry about that, I did a quick scan of the first few pages, and thought I'd run a search, but I obviously didn't. Gah, not sure what went wrong. In any case, I'll be more careful next time.

After doing some *actual* research this time, I think this thread is pretty much the info I wanted: http://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/inde...showtopic=10238

Edited August 27, 2007 by AlexM

[Alphabeta777]

We got our Corolla through SMB Fleet Management, with an aftermarket alarm installed.

There are a number of 'problems' though. (problems as in not failure of the system but things that could've been designed to avoid such things happening)

- When you don't unlock the doors and use a key to unlock the boot, the alarm sounds

- When you unlock the doors sit inside the car and then use the side door switch to lock the doors, the alarm arms, which would then would turn on if the car was started

- When you unlock the doors, and then open the boot, after 30 seconds the automatic door-lock function will lock the doors (the feature that prevents you from accidentally unlocking doors) and the alarm would give annoying beeps to show that something is not yet shut.

[CHA54]

We got our Corolla through SMB Fleet Management, with an aftermarket alarm installed.

There are a number of 'problems' though. (problems as in not failure of the system but things that could've been designed to avoid such things happening)

- When you don't unlock the doors and use a key to unlock the boot, the alarm sounds

- When you unlock the doors sit inside the car and then use the side door switch to lock the doors, the alarm arms, which would then would turn on if the car was started

- When you unlock the doors, and then open the boot, after 30 seconds the automatic door-lock function will lock the doors (the feature that prevents you from accidentally unlocking doors) and the alarm would give annoying beeps to show that something is not yet shut.

Sounds like your alarm was wired incorrectly.

[Rolla Boy]

Using the key to open the boot without pressing the remote will set the alarm off... Thats normal...

Sitting inside the car and locking the doors shouldn't set off the alarm... Speak to the fitter of the alarm system and see if they can remove that function...

Unlocking the car then opening the boot should not make the alarm beep... Should only register that the car has been opened... Sounds like the boot switch could be faulty or something wasn't wired up correctly...

Hope that helps...

It's best to take the car back to the person/company that fitted the alarm and get them to work out everything for you...

[Alphabeta777]

Using the key to open the boot without pressing the remote will set the alarm off... Thats normal...

Sitting inside the car and locking the doors shouldn't set off the alarm... Speak to the fitter of the alarm system and see if they can remove that function...

Unlocking the car then opening the boot should not make the alarm beep... Should only register that the car has been opened... Sounds like the boot switch could be faulty or something wasn't wired up correctly...

Hope that helps...

It's best to take the car back to the person/company that fitted the alarm and get them to work out everything for you...

No the alarm doesn't beep just because the boot is open. It only starts beeping as a warning once 30 seconds has elapsed, and the doors have auto-locked again (if you didn't open a door). You know that auto-lock function cars have, that you have to open a door within 30 seconds of unlocking them with the remote or they'll lock again. Well if we unlock the car, then open the boot without first opening a door, then after 30 seconds the beeping starts.

It doesn't happen if we unlock the car, open and close a door, and then open the boot.

No sitting inside the car and locking the doors doesn't set of the alarm, it arms it. As in the alarm light is activated. This is for both sitting inside the car and locking using the transmitter on the key and using the central locking control on the driver's window ledge area.

When the car has started, the central locking control works as it normally does i.e. locks or unlocks all doors, without anything to do with arming the alarm.

[AlexM]

No the alarm doesn't beep just because the boot is open. It only starts beeping as a warning once 30 seconds has elapsed, and the doors have auto-locked again (if you didn't open a door). You know that auto-lock function cars have, that you have to open a door within 30 seconds of unlocking them with the remote or they'll lock again. Well if we unlock the car, then open the boot without first opening a door, then after 30 seconds the beeping starts.

It doesn't happen if we unlock the car, open and close a door, and then open the boot.

No sitting inside the car and locking the doors doesn't set of the alarm, it arms it. As in the alarm light is activated. This is for both sitting inside the car and locking using the transmitter on the key and using the central locking control on the driver's window ledge area.

When the car has started, the central locking control works as it normally does i.e. locks or unlocks all doors, without anything to do with arming the alarm.

Sounds like a feature of the alarm (from what I've read about alarms so far). All of those things you describe seem reasonable, if not entirely what you want. I believe, depending on alarm, that you can have some of them reprogrammed so they shouldn't be a problem. Check it out with the guys that installed your alarm.

[CHA54]

for a start your door trigger is wired incorrectly. It should be wired to the circuit that goes to ground when any of the doors or the hatch are opened. Sounds like they've just used the door only trigger. Also sounds like they've wired up the door lock trigger incorrectly.

[AlexM]

I understand that people might not want to give away details about their alarms, but can anyone see a reason why an additional alarm system (as opposed to an upgrade) would be a bad idea?

[dts]

I understand that people might not want to give away details about their alarms, but can anyone see a reason why an additional alarm system (as opposed to an upgrade) would be a bad idea?

Hi Alex.. Having purchased a Sportivo earlier this year I went through the "choosing the right alarm thing" also and got limited info form the forum . I also live in Adelaide and would be happy to give you some direction on local installers etc... I have a remote start and love it! Just PM me your number and I'd be happy to help.