Keyless Entry: Options?

[HumanJHawkins]

Hi,

I've just bought a 2002 Sienna XLE and it is fantastic. But the Keyless Entry "unlock" button only unlocks the driver's door. So, to open the left or right doors, I have to unlock the driver's door, open it and press the unlock everything button on the arm-rest, then I can press the keyless entry button to open the passenger sliding door, etc. (At that point I might as well use the button on the dash, making 2 of the buttons on my keyless remote kind of useless.)

This can't be by design can it? Is there a way to program that so "unlock" just unlocks all of the doors?

Also, I'm told that on modern competitor's minivans, you press lock once to lock the car, and once more to arm the alarm. And, that a blinking alarm light indicates that the alarm is not yet set. In any event, I have never found a way to get the alarm light to do anything except blink when the car is locked. Is that indicating that it is active, or that there is a problem?

Thanks much for any advice.
Jeff Hawkins

[tennsienna]

Hi Jeff,

I don't know if you have resolved the issue with your door and alarm system or not, and since no one has responded to your questions, I'll take a stab at answering them.

I have a 1999 Sienna. For the wireless remote control system for this model year, you press the ”UNLOCK” button once to unlock the driver’s door. Then, by pressing the "UNLOCK" button a second time within 3 seconds of the first press, you can unlock all the doors. When testing a remote it is best to stand about 3 feet from the driver's door handle with the remote aimed at the center console inside the Sienna.

Sometimes a weak battery in the remote is the cause of unexplainable or intermittent failures of the door lock system, so make sure yours is good. The nominal voltage of the CR2032 battery is 3V. If yours has a voltage below 2V then you should definitely replace it.

If your remote battery voltage is good and the double press of the UNLOCK button does not unlock all the doors, then the next step might be to perform the self diagnostic mode for the wireless remote control system. This would require a lengthy post to describe (and it might not even be applicable to a 2002 Sienna), so I would like for you to first make sure that you have checked out the double press and the battery.

Now, about your alarm system (and maybe I should have asked this earlier): Do you have a copy of the owner's manual for your Sienna? If not, you need to get one - either by ordering one from TMC or by downloading it from the TMC website - and you need to read it from cover to cover. The alarm is discussed in Part 1 in the section titled THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM. From your description it seems that your alarm is indeed being activated. Here's a simple way to test it. 1. Roll down the driver's side window. 2. Turn the ignition key to the ”LOCK” position and remove it. 3. Get out of the minivan, then lock all of the doors with the remote. 4. Wait 30 seconds. The alarm indicator light should be flashing. 5. Reach through the open window and open the driver's side door with the inside handle. 6. If the alarm was set, you will soon know it.

Bart

[HumanJHawkins]

Thanks much. That solved my problem. I had pushed the lock twice a few times, but must have either pushed too quickly (which appears to not work) or too slowly. Pushing twice with about a half-second between does unlock everything.

I believe the alarm is getting set properly just by me locking the car. Many thanks for the good advice.