alarm removal failed grandly.

Ok, first, I just found this site, very happy to be a new member, I usually have a good grip on all the electrical stuff in my vehicles, but now I think I really messed up... I just bought a used Toyota 4Runner, 1991 V6 auto 4X4, and it has an Avital alarm in it, model 2100. The previous owner and the one before that didn't have the remote, and didn't bother with it. But as I was working around the truck fixing it up, I unplugged the battery to change the connectors and the main ground. When I hooked the cables back to the posts the alarm went, of course. So I panicked and since I didn't have a computer handy to go online and research the proper dismantlement of said apparatus, I disconnected all the wires at the module, and reconnected them because it was doing nothing (the car), and fiddle around too much and now... there's no power at all, the battery registers +/- 12 volts, no lights, radio or buzzer. Reconnected everything as it was, checked all the fuses, changed the "head" relay (sup. no starter relay on those), even tried to spliced the two starter interrupt wires together, to absolutely no avail. Still no lights, radio, etc... I see it's factory installed, after some googling now that I am home, I thought it was a very good job! I'm pretty shure I messed up something vulgar, but I am ready to pay the consequence, even if it's pounding buckets horizontally... I will bring my laptop tomorrow, so I will be able to go online, hopefully somebody would have been able to guide me through. Thank you, Merry Holidays, Happy 2012! Jef

Back to basics. Check ALL the car fuses, under hood and inside, check 12v+ at ignition etc. etc.

I agree with Howie. You've probably figured out by now that the car's starter wire was cut in half by the alarm installer, and then routed through the alarm brain or an external starter kill relay. If you had messed up something there, the car would fail to crank, but you would still be able to operate the heater, wipers, and other accessories. The fact that you say you have nothing working at all indicates that something more is wrong. I would start your troubleshooting as follows: 1. Take down driver's dash. Hopefully you have a multimeter or at least a test light. You can buy a cheap meter for under $10 at Wal Mart. 2. Go to www.readyremote.com or www.bulldogsecurity.com and look up the wiring colors at your ignition switch. Look up the wire colors for constant, ignition(s), accessory, and starter. 3. Test for constant power going to the ignition switch. I'll bet it's dead. Probably got shorted to something and the fuse blew. 4. If you have the car's owner's manual, look up which fuses supply power to the ignition switch, and check them and replace as necessary. Better yet, just test every fuse in the entire car, inside and out, like Howie said. 5. Hopefully you can just put back together the two halves of the cut starter wire, replace some bad fuses, and the car should start. 6. Once you get it to start, don't just slap it back together and start driving around. Revisit EVERY place where you cut the alarm out of the car, and make sure the car's factory wire is taped up very well. Surely, the reason the fuse blew is that a wire in the car wasn't insulated, and shorted to ground. 7. I'll save the crimp-versus-solder debate for another day, but be aware that you must do your very best work in reconnecting the starter wire that was cut. If that connection should fail, the car will be stranded again.

Chris, I kept it simple but my thought was your no. 3 reply. I believe that there are also a couple of fusible links at the battery. Also and I know this is probably anal of me but make sure the battery terminals and ALL the grounding bolts, engine bay and kick wells are clean (not too corroded) and tight. Two stories that might be relevant. 1) Some years ago I was called out to a C class Mercedes that was dead, they were blaming the (Clifford) alarm but I noticed there were no lights or dome lights. I said "bet this was a rear end smack". "Yes how did you know?". Went straight to the battery ground in the rear, wire brushed off the over spray, scraped it down to the bare metal and replaced the grounding M8 bolt. Voila! 2)This week I get called out to a Voyager about 4 years old, 2.8 diesel, they are convinced it's an immobiliser fault, metered the battery 12.2volts, hmm I thought went to start and it dropped to 6V+ on attempted crank. Naturally as soon as I replaced the OEM Mopar battery (380CCFA??) with a replacement (600CCA) everything was OK. What I'm trying to tell our poster is to do that test as well. A non-load test doesn't mean a thing.

The reason we say test ALL the fuses is because some vehicles have linked circuits a fuse seemingly controlling something different might be the one you're after. UK Ford Fiestas from 97 on had a fuse in the fuse box marked engine control. Failure kills the starter, fuel and engine management ALL of which had their own fuses. IS Lexus, did a remote start, came back with no dome lights. Scratching my head because the dome fuse is fine, checked both kick panel fuse boxes, on right hand drives most of the fuses are constant, not there so I went to the left hand side, mostly ignition thinking it can't be there but guess what and for a circuit I'd never even heard of before.

Amazing how fast you guys responded. Thank you for all your inputs, but like I said in my original post, I did check all the fuses in and out, even checked the relays, yes I have a multimeter and know how to use it. I agree that a non-load test of the battery doesn't mean anything, but I tried anyways. Like I said I didn't have access to Internet yesterday, will bring my laptop today and remove the dash cover and do that, check the ign. for constant, and the starter as well, and so on till Christmas comes and goes... Again, thank you so much, will post updates or more questions if need be. Merry Xmas, Jef.

How did you check the fuses? Did you use the meter or just go visually? The best way to check fuses is to connect the meter to each contact on the head of the fuse while it is connected and check for voltage with the ignition on. Any fuse that does not show 12v on either side (ie window fuses, etc) check them by setting the DMM on resistance and checking continuity. Visually checking fuses can come back to bite you in the arse as some fuses can still be blown yet appear to be good. Also make sure to test all the wires at the ignition. I highly doubt you did so much damage that isn't just a fuse or something minor. It normally takes quite a bit to cause that much damage...Kenny

Owner / Technician

KKD Garage LLC

Albany, NY 12205

X 2 with offroadz, don't rely on a visual check, use the continuity buzzer on your meter, just remove one at a time and test. I still think it's battery to ignition, either a fuse or a fusible link.

Found out the problem, it was the fuse link at the very beginning, the one that goes to the fuse box, duh. Didn't realize it was a fuse link. Now it starts only when I jump it. Some flicker and the radio goes out and comes back, but I drove back to my place (+/- 40 kms) without a hitch. It has to do with the auto-lock, I cut the ground thinking it had to do with the alarm. Easy fix. I'm a little bugged about the starting problem, probably is just the loop that connect to the post on the battery (too big?). Because I checked the alternator by pulling the - while running, and when I first attempted to jump it I clamped the post, not the screws where that loop is, but could be defective as well, picked up today, along with a fuse box for some extra relays and fuse links, the square ones, and it's Christmas Eve and everything was closed, so it's used. Had to drive 4 hrs round-trip, but also picked up a power steering pump, a front bumper, a roof rack and a pair of decent tires on rims for 125$. And I made a very good connection, the guy had like 6 Runners V6 in his yard. Anyways, I think I got a hold of it now, unless one of you has something to suggest, I guess I was just freaked out because I never had to pull an alarm from a car before, and for some reason I thought I fried everything in there, from the battery to the starter to the ign. switch to the window actuators!!! Even thought I fried my brand new stereo... Holy... Could have been plugged in to the brain, could have been a lot worse. I knew I should have brought my laptop. Thank you very much, all you people were right on track, I will keep coming to this site, haven of knowledge, my lighter in my car doesn't work, what do I do???? He he he... Jef

See if you've got power and ground going to the lighter which on Japanese vehicles is probably on the ACC circuit. Either the holder is corroded or the element has long ago had it. Nice to know I was spot on with my 5000 mile away diagnostics, the fusible link.