2007 camry le, alarm

Hello all!

I just bought myself a 2007 Camry LE but did not get the factory alarm (for $500). They disabled the feature which seemed to be just a little electronic module they took out under the steering wheel. It looked easy enough to purchase one of those module somewhere (if available) and reactivate it yourself.

Does anyone know about this module? Where can I find that module and some instructions with it to re-activate the alarm myself? Thanks!!!!

They actually let you watch this procedure of simply removing this little box? I can't for a minute, believe it's that easy? Do you still have keyless entry?

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There is a dealer-installed (not factory-installed) alarm that's available, but it has many various harnesses and plugs that need to be routed all over the place.

It's possible that they pre-installed that type of alarm before you bought the car, and then just decided to pop out the brain and leave all the wiring in place......but that's doubtful.

More likely, it would be some kind of aftermarket thing they install on all the cars on the lot.

Do you have any pictures of the area where they unplugged it?

What, exactly, did they tell you that this "alarm" would do? Was it a true alarm that would blow the horn if someone broke in, or just a device to prevent the car from being started?

As far as I've seen in the 2006 Toyota Service manual (which i was reading extensively lately -- on the 2006 Camry) there is no module under the steering wheel or directly under the steering column that has anything to do with alarm/security.  The transponder unit is the tumbler to the right of the ignition barrel, the BECU is behind the in-dash fuse box, ...

check it out yourself, can't imagine the '07 is that much different:

https://www.camrymanuals.com/manuals/07/Theft_Deterrent.pdf

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The search function is your friend.

I betcha he's talking about one of those cheezy starter kills that have the circuitboard card that you pop in under the dash. Dealers around here set up a program to have one installed in every car on the lot. If you don't buy it they leave it in the car and stick a bypass card in the slot. That shows you how cheap they are! You can actually make the car start if the card is out just by sliding a paper clip across the contacts while you turn the key.....

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Mike M2
Tech Manager
CS Dealer Services

I checked at the car window sticker description for options and so on but the security system was not listed there. However, there's a small sticker that states that there's a pre-installed anti-theft security system that will be removed prior to delivery or can be purchased for additional $$. And it goes on to say,the security system is installed to deter theft while it's at dealership.

So you may be right, it's probably an after-market anti theft security system that the dealership installed. They didn't tell me much about the alarm since I refused to buy it. So I don't know what it does.

I do have the keyless entry incorporated in the key and it works fine. The guy unscrewed a small module and unplugged some wires. Under the steering column, I can see there's female wire connector which seemed to be where that module was connected and a couple of screws where that module was attached.

Now, I guess i have to figure out what type of alarm and buy that module.... thanks for the info/manual...

Mike M2.. i think you are right.. one of those kind..That sucks.. and they want this for $500??

johnbahia,

Yes, what you had is pretty much what I thought. (I do installs for car dealerships all day.)

The dealer you went to, they pre-load all the cars on the lot with an inexpensive starter kill, put the sticker on the window, and hope that enough people will buy it to make it worth their trouble.

In my area, the dealers in general do very, very little pre-loading. They often swap cars from one dealer to another, and pre-loaded accessories would create a problem.

Anyway, whatever you had was nothing special. It was most likely one of two different things:

--A "mystery switch." That is, the car won't start until you turn on a certain secret accessory in the car, such as a turn signal or the defroster.

--A key-type kill switch as Mike M2 describes. The car won't start unless you insert a special small object into a little slot mounted under the dash. The small object might be shaped like a card, or look like a Mobil SpeedPass, or something similar to that.

In any case, your car already has a good anti-theft system, the immobilizer chip built into the key. Any thief skilled enough to get around the Toyota anti-theft, will not be deterred by a simple kill switch.

However, the kill switch could be used to prevent your kids from joyriding the car, if you're out of town and they find the key.

If you want something to deter people from stealing contents from the car, you could add a true alarm system for not much money.

There are alarms that are activated automatically every time you lock the doors with the factory remote. They'll sound a siren or blow the horn if someone breaks the door open. You can get a shock sensor that will trigger the alarm if the car is banged into. Most of them have a starter kill feature as well.

For an alarm like that, installed, you might pay $200-250, at maximum. For maybe $350-450, you could get alarm AND remote start. That's a much better deal than the $500 the dealer wanted for almost nothing.

P.S. What does your screen name mean? Are you by chance from Bahia?

hey Chris.. great info there!! I'm gonna do more research and look for a good alarm package as you mentioned... i'd prefer to look for one that can be activated with the factory remote so i won't need to hand an extra remote to the key..

thanks for the help!!!

you got it.. salvador, bahia!

john,

Voce e Baino, eh? Sou Americano, mas aprendendo Portugues muito rapito tambem. Meus amigos aqui em Boston me da muita ajuda. Vou tomar minha feiria no Brasil logo.

Anyway, about your car....yes, you're definitely best off with one that'll activate off the factory remote.

If you're looking around, two popular examples are the Audiovox Pursuit PRO-9232A, or the DEI AutoMate AM1. There are many other brands available too. However, a good installer who warranties his work is more important than the brand.

You'll find that retail stores like Circuit City/Best Buy simply don't have systems to work off the factory remote. If you can find a local shop that does a lot of work for car dealerships, they will know just what you want.

The shops that do dealer installs, well, they're capable of doing efficent, reliable work.....but if you're expecting them to spend extra time, and bury/hide all the components, as a opposed to just a basic install, be sure to discuss that with them first.

Also, do you have any intentions of getting remote start as well? It's important to know that the factory Toyota remote does NOT work with the engine running.

If you put the alarm on the factory remote, and then remote start the car, you would have to open the door manually with the key........if that's something you cannot live with, you might need to get an alarm/starter combo with its own remotes, and stop using the factory remote, unfortunately.

A great feature of installing a keyless upgrade like the PRO9232A or AM1 in a Toyota is the key in the drivers door will also arm and disarm the alarm. Toyotas send a pulse to the lock relays whenever you turn the key in the drivers door, thus letting the aftermarket alarm see a pulse to arm or disarm. My dealers love this feature because you can enter the car even if you loose a remote(or just don't wish to use it).....

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Mike M2
Tech Manager
CS Dealer Services