08 tacoma remote start, random musings

I just did one of these today, and since it's the first r/s I've done in a while I took some photos and decided to post them. As you can see in the following photo the driver's kick/fusebox area is a good place to find many wires, as well as to mount the control module. The fusebox assembly removes with (3) 10mm hex nuts/bolts. I mounted the remote start/keyless control module (in this case an Audiovox PRO9276, which is on the large side) to the wiring harnesses behind the fusebox and to the left of the parking brake pedal assembly. In the kick panel harnesses are the wires for lock(violet), unlock(GREEN/ black), (+) parking lights (green), and brake(blue). There is also a nice factory ground bolt in the kick which can be used, and the tach can be found at the OBD-II connector in this area. The next photo shows the hood release from the inside - obviously that's not a factory carriage bolt holding it in place! The release lever snaps in to the main underdash panel, and it's really easy to break the locking tab if you try to slide it out. I've had this problem on other Toyotas as well. Best solution is to leave it alone and just pull the cable out of it. Most every other wire for alarm/RS seems to be accessible in that same area, making this a fairly easy vehicle to do. My one quibble is with the immobilizer setup. I used an XK05 with PKT2 firmware, which I have some gripes about. First is the fact of having to run wires to the ECM which is on the other side of the vehicle and not as easy to connect to. Also, the supplied wiring harness from the XK05 isn't long enough to reach the ECM and the remote start, regardless of where you place the control module. It's annoying to have to extend 4 wires every time I do a Toyota, which I'll bring up to my rep from Trilogix in a day or two. I wish they'd make a longer harness or a bypass that could be installed entirely on the driver's side. Further annoying on this vehicle was the fact that my XK05 was defective and I didn't have a spare - this I could chalk up to misfortune and the fact that I don't keep enough inventory for a situation like that. I'll post again when I get that rectified.C Renner's Auto Electronix

My service is cheap, quick, and good - pick any two

We used the Fortin module that connects at the immobilizer wires at the steering wheel. I see that the model that you have uses the old style park brake on the floor ? I have a 2005 that uses the pull handle type to the right of the steering wheel ( like the older 4Runners from the late 80's).It's weird to see that on a Toyota truck.Jeff

Velocity Custom Home Theater

Mobile Audio/Video Specialist

Morden, Manitoba CANADA

Chris, I like the writeup and the pic, very nice. I install a lot of the PRO9276A too. What do you think of the new remotes? I like them, but my co-workers and many customers think they're too big. I'm with Jeff on the data immobilizer bypass. I've seen the instructions for the XK05, as well as watched co-workers suffer through installing them, although I was lucky enough to avoid it myself. Then, after looking through the instructions for the Fortin KEY-OVERRIDE-SL2 we already had on the shelf for the pushbutton-start Toyotas, I realized it would do regular Toyotas as well. Just two data connections at the steering column, and keysense. The keysense wire is not only for programming, but the module also makes a keysense output to disarm the factory alarm. The XK05 might have been good for an emergency when it was the only thing on the market, but the competition seems to have figured out better ways. Also, I haven't yet had the chance to use an ADS (idatalink) product on a regular Toyota yet, but their products don't make you run wires under the hood either. I'm not sure if the product is out yet, but Audiovox will stop selling their rebadged Trilogix modules, and instead have rebadged ADS modules, with the D2D cable. The D2D setup with Audiovox product and Trilogix only worked correctly about half the time........but the ADS guys know their stuff, and promise it'll work right this time, so it might be worth checking out the Audiovox Flashlogic pieces when they come out.

Chris, i do a lot of the 9276A's also. I'm not fond of the new remotes just because of the size. They certainly could have made them smaller. You gotta love the second starter wire built right in the unit tho. Puzzling, the 9276 and 9776 have it yet the 9801 doesn't give the option to program from 3rd ignition to 2nd starter. Doesn't make sense...Mike M2

Tech Manager

CS Dealer Services

OK...I guess I'll have to wait till tomorrow to call Trilogix. Happy Victoria Day Jeff, Tedmond, and others! The Audiovox pieces actually aren't my idea - I do installs for another shop and the owner likes them. I guess they've grown on me somewhat. I really didn't notice while I was installing, but I guess the remote is on the big side. I used to really hate programming them because the manuals are so vague about how to get into programming mode. Chris L., do you have that RF programmer that it mentions? The 5th relay with the open contacts is fantastic - especially how it's programmable for 2nd start. A clarification on the XK05 - it doesn't connect to underhood wires, but data IMI/IMO at the ECM, which is behind the glovebox on every Toyota I've ever seen. It's not difficult at all to get the wires routed, and the glovebox comes out without any tools. But...it gets annoying when you know that a.)every other firmware on the XK05 connects at the driver's side b.)other mfrs. bypasses for the same car connect there and c.)the stupid harness supplied with the XK05 is 2 feet shorter than it needs to be for you to connect to the ECM and the remote starter's wires without lengthening at least 3 wires. C Renner's Auto Electronix

My service is cheap, quick, and good - pick any two

The iDatalink modules are the same as the Fortin modules where all connections are done at the ignition barrel. Just off topic a bit.... the new Compustar CM5000 CPU's have a programmable option for the RS232 port that allows for the choice between Idatalink or Fortin modules while using the D2D. Just another thing that makes using Compustar easier when interfacing with the vehicle and the remote starter. Jeff

Velocity Custom Home Theater

Mobile Audio/Video Specialist

Morden, Manitoba CANADA

I did an 08....the ebrake was a push on/off foot unit.

the 755t2 is an outstanding unit, i love it so far its been very reliable, i live up in fairbanks alaska and they can survive the cold no problem. i did astro's for acouple years but then started doing DEI units for the past year and i love them to death. but i am pretty sure astro made the 755t2 first. but who knows dei owns astro now anyways."so should that little computer under the dash smell burnt? I DIDN"T DO IT!"