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.

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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.

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Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA

I think it's just the current bodystyle Tacoma that has the e-brake setup like that...'05 when they redesigned it. I had a buddy who owned one of the previous gen. and it still had the handle that you pulled out of the dash.

I'm tempted to start buying the Fortin or iDatalink pieces for Toyota...though maybe I'll find out something when I talk to Wayne from Trilogix tomorrow (like they're offering a longer harness or firmware that allows connection at the steering wheel receiver). 

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C Renner's Auto Electronix
My service is cheap, quick, and good - pick any two

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...

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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.



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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.

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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.

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i now use the 755T2 from DEI almost exclusively for Toyotas (it also does Fords and Mazdas)... 4 wires right at the ign switch and presto... i think it might be an astro piece they re-badged, but it's slick as hell....

I looked at the install guide for the PKT2 and said "Forget that"

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Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer

Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979

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.

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"so should that little computer under the dash smell burnt? I DIDN"T DO IT!"

That would be stellar if the wires could be accessed at the cluster - I'll have to try that on the next Toyota I do. Any of you guys who have access to Mitchell/ALLDATA able to offer an explanation of which modules the IMI/IMO wires typically go to?


Also, I meant to put this in my original post - the constant feeds to the ign. switch are WHITE/ blue and WHITE/ red, fused at 50A and 30A respectively. The WHITE/ red powers up the WHITE/ green Acc. and GREEN/ black Starter 2...the WHITE/ blue powers the rest.

Additionally - I disassembled the PRO9276 and found that the RED / white 12V input powers the start and ign2, the red 12v input powers acc and ign1.

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C Renner's Auto Electronix
My service is cheap, quick, and good - pick any two

Ok guys. I new here to the forum. I've been in the 12 volt industry off and on for 16 years. I used to do it pro back in the mid 90's but i'm off on todays new stuff. Anyway, My friend and former boss who is the man for remote starts and myself just put on a Clifford 55.x thing alarm and remote start on my brand new toyato tacoma and it was running late so we still have some odd and ends to do. Everything works fine. Alarm is great and the remote start works good too!!! The problem for now is the truck has self canceling head lights on it so that when you leave the lights turned on and then you cut the truck off as soon as you open the door the headlights will cut off. the problem is when we crank it with the remote start the headlights cut on and the then if we use the remote start to cut it off then the headlights stays on waiting for someone to open the door. you can disarm the alam open the door and the lights will go off. So for now i just have to remember to cut the headlights off and on.....no big deal but its easier just to leave them on. Any suggestions. Thanks Jon

The lights shut off automatically with ignition off and (I believe it has to be the driver's) door open. Simple enough solution - connect the factory rearm (-) wire from the Clifford to the driver's door trigger wire at the back of the fusebox. Since the ignition's off at that point, the lights will go out.

The only problem there is that you have an alarm/RS combo, and the alarm looks for a door trigger at all times when it's armed. The factory rearm wire sends out a (-) pulse whenever the Clifford is armed via remote, and whenever the remote start shuts down. This is a problem whenever you shut the remote start off while the system is armed, because the alarm sees an open door trigger and will start going off at that point.

The solution to that will depend on where you've connected your door trigger input.

1. If you've used the individual door wires, you'll need to put a diode inline on the driver's door wire going to the fusebox. The striped(cathode) side of the diode must face away from the fusebox; the door input to the alarm must be connected on the striped side, and the factory rearm must be connected on the other side.

2. If you've connected the door trigger to the ajar indicator wire, I would suggest using a relay to interrupt it (the door trigger) at the time that the rearm (-) pulse is sent. Wire the relay as follows:
85 factory rearm output
86 12V constant
87a, 30 each goes to one side of the door trigger wire after you cut it.
Since the factory rearm wire is also going to the driver's door switched wire, you'll need to place a diode inline on it, with the striped side facing away from the door switched wire(otherwise the driver's door won't set off the alarm ever).

This is a bit complicated, but your buddy should know how to do it. If you want a diagram, PM me and specify where you've hooked the door trigger up to.

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C Renner's Auto Electronix
My service is cheap, quick, and good - pick any two

ok. Your right bout we just hooked into the door ajar wire. the relay and the rearm along with the diode on the ajar pick up makes sense. We knew that we would figure something out when we had more time but i didnt know if any company made something that would fix this or if just using a relay would be easier. Thanks I'll pass the word to him and I'll keep checking back here for some more info. Seems like some great knowledge here. Thanks again, Jon

I'm pretty sure you have to send the rearm to the driver's door switch and not the door ajar indicator in order to shut the headlights off.

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C Renner's Auto Electronix
My service is cheap, quick, and good - pick any two

The IMO/IMI wires go from the ECM to the immobilizer control module.  On most models I've found, it's buried somewhere completely inaccessable.  So it's usually easier to grab them at the ECM. (Except on the Corolla, where it is right behind the cluster.)

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the part came out once
therefore it must go back in
where is that hammer

Ok. sry for all my questions but my installer went to the beach for the weekend and i have a few more questions but i cant ask till Wend. On the clifford remote start for a 08 from the question above. With the lights on and the normal truck running under its own power when i turn off the truck and open the door then the headlights turn off auto which is correct. However when i arm or disarm the alarm i dont get any flashing park lights. Kinda like opening the door takes the whole light circuit out of the equation. So i gotta figure a way round that. also have the check engine light coming on. it says something like it cant tell what gear the trucks in. Havent used remote start all weekend and get no light. but for 2 days before my friend left i got it twice. both times had to clear it out with his controller and it was the same code both times. Any help? Thanks Jon

For the flashing lights issue...that will happen if you used the (-) parking light wire. The truck ignores that and the headlight wire from the switch if it was left on. Use the (+) wire which actually activates the bulbs and you'll be allright there.

For the check engine...make sure that you have 2 ignition and 2 starter wires connected correctly, and that they are powering up as they should(I mean that you don't have the ignition powering as an accessory especially).

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C Renner's Auto Electronix
My service is cheap, quick, and good - pick any two

chriswallace187 wrote:

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For the flashing lights issue...that will happen if you used the (-) parking light wire. The truck ignores that and the headlight wire from the switch if it was left on. Use the (+) wire which actually activates the bulbs and you'll be allright there.

For the check engine...make sure that you have 2 ignition and 2 starter wires connected correctly, and that they are powering up as they should(I mean that you don't have the ignition powering as an accessory especially).

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Can you make a quick diagram or explain how to do this. I can figure this one out. I have an 08 and Have a viper 5701. it has a Flex relay ( pink/ black stripe ) what do I use that for? any info would be great. Thanks in advance

craniumvibratio, can you be more specific in regards to what's confusing you?

The flex relay's operation should be described in the section of your 5701's install manual about the heavy-gauge wire connections, and also in the section about programmable options.

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C Renner's Auto Electronix
My service is cheap, quick, and good - pick any two