Toyota Security System Issue

One of my close friends purchased an 01 Camry XLE from a private party and
is generally very pleased with the car; however, he's had it about ten days
and the Toyota alarm (horn and lights) has unilaterally (that is, in
daylight, without any provocation [large trucks, car thieves, etc]gone off
twice and my friend, fortunately, was there to stop it with his key remote.
He's concerned that the alarm will again go off for no cause while he is at
work and distance from the car, out of hearing of the alarm.

1. Is this a common flaw in the Toyota security system?

2. I've heard that the alarm will eventually stop in 15 minutes or so. It
tthat correct?

"Jim Mohundro" <39steps@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Uq9ke.1473$oT1.86@newsread1.news.pas.earthlin k.net...
> One of my close friends purchased an 01 Camry XLE from a private party and
> is generally very pleased with the car; however, he's had it about ten
> days and the Toyota alarm (horn and lights) has unilaterally (that is, in
> daylight, without any provocation [large trucks, car thieves, etc]gone off
> twice and my friend, fortunately, was there to stop it with his key
> remote. He's concerned that the alarm will again go off for no cause while
> he is at work and distance from the car, out of hearing of the alarm.
>
> 1. Is this a common flaw in the Toyota security system?

No.
>
> 2. I've heard that the alarm will eventually stop in 15 minutes or so.
> It tthat correct?
More like 3 minutes.
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

"Ray O" <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOT.com> wrote in message
news:352d$42914e26$180fead6$3789@msgid.meganewsser vers.com...
>
> "Jim Mohundro" <39steps@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:Uq9ke.1473$oT1.86@newsread1.news.pas.earthlin k.net...
> > One of my close friends purchased an 01 Camry XLE from a private party
and
> > is generally very pleased with the car; however, he's had it about ten
> > days and the Toyota alarm (horn and lights) has unilaterally (that is,
in
> > daylight, without any provocation [large trucks, car thieves, etc]gone
off
> > twice and my friend, fortunately, was there to stop it with his key
> > remote. He's concerned that the alarm will again go off for no cause
while
> > he is at work and distance from the car, out of hearing of the alarm.
> >
> > 1. Is this a common flaw in the Toyota security system?
>
> No.
> >
> > 2. I've heard that the alarm will eventually stop in 15 minutes or so.
> > It tthat correct?
> More like 3 minutes.
> --
> Ray O
> correct the return address punctuation to reply
>


The "panic" button may be getting pushed in his pocket. This has happened
to me before when a key in my pocket hits the "panic" button. The alarm in
my '03 Corolla turns off after 1 minute.

Here's an up date to my original post:

We appreciate the suggestion about the key/panic button possibility and are
mildly encouraged that the horn/alarm won't go on forever, but my friend
really doesn't want to enrage the neighbors.

The Lexus dealer that sold the Camry claimed that no alarm incidents were
witnessed durijng the week they had the car between trade-in and its sale,
but suggested that spurious radio transmissions from a fire station within
1/3 to 1/2 mile from the car's driveway could set off the alarm.

The independent Japanese-repair place (which did the independent
pre-inspection) suggested that the owner go to the nearest reputable Toyota
dealer's service department to have the alarm system checked out. Toyota
said the car would have to be kept on their premises until the event again
occurred so they could troubleshoot the problem at the time of occurence.
That could go on indefinitely and sort of ruiles that out as a solution.

Any other suggestions?
"Jim Mohundro" <39steps@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Uq9ke.1473$oT1.86@newsread1.news.pas.earthlin k.net...
> One of my close friends purchased an 01 Camry XLE from a private party and
> is generally very pleased with the car; however, he's had it about ten
> days and the Toyota alarm (horn and lights) has unilaterally (that is, in
> daylight, without any provocation [large trucks, car thieves, etc]gone off
> twice and my friend, fortunately, was there to stop it with his key
> remote. He's concerned that the alarm will again go off for no cause while
> he is at work and distance from the car, out of hearing of the alarm.
>
> 1. Is this a common flaw in the Toyota security system?
>
> 2. I've heard that the alarm will eventually stop in 15 minutes or so.
> It tthat correct?
>

On Wed, 25 May 2005 03:18:18 GMT, "Jim Mohundro"
<39steps@earthlink.net> wrote:

>Here's an up date to my original post:
>
>We appreciate the suggestion about the key/panic button possibility and are
>mildly encouraged that the horn/alarm won't go on forever, but my friend
>really doesn't want to enrage the neighbors.
>
>The Lexus dealer that sold the Camry claimed that no alarm incidents were
>witnessed durijng the week they had the car between trade-in and its sale,
>but suggested that spurious radio transmissions from a fire station within
>1/3 to 1/2 mile from the car's driveway could set off the alarm.
>
>The independent Japanese-repair place (which did the independent
>pre-inspection) suggested that the owner go to the nearest reputable Toyota
>dealer's service department to have the alarm system checked out. Toyota
>said the car would have to be kept on their premises until the event again
>occurred so they could troubleshoot the problem at the time of occurence.
>That could go on indefinitely and sort of ruiles that out as a solution.
>
>Any other suggestions?

Any really good alarm system has diagnostics built in - On the one I
installed, if it had been tripped and then reset (or was still going
off) the status light in the cabin would blink a code for the zone (or
zones) tripped.

(Codes off the top of my head, because I don't feel like finding the
instruction book) One blink would be the dome light circuit, two
blinks the glass break sensor, three blinks the current sensing, four
blinks the vibration switch, five blinks an aux input like the hood
pin switch...

That info gives you a place to start looking. Bet it's something
stupid like a door switch adjusted a bit too sensitive, and a passing
truck sucks the door open a few millimeters...

--<< Bruce >>--

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
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