Alarm Woes

[tea-not-coffee]

Hello All,

I have a 97 Rav4 GX Auto which is causing me major grief with its alarm after years of being the perfect motor.

Now, ostensibly, it is my wife's car but I love it and this problem is leading to demands from the missus to get rid of it - :(

Ok, here goes - the car is fitted with a factory (dealer) fitted TVSS alarm that is operated by a two-button (+ 1 led) remote that also operates the central locking. Now, on two separate occassions recently my wife has parked up but immediately on removing the key from the ignition the alarm has gone off with her still in the car. Pressing either of the buttons on the alarm does not shut it up and the only way to stop it is to put the key back in the ignition - weird eh? This means that my wife has to leave the car unlocked with the key in the ignition in order to get out without a racket. Now it seems that after a certain period (could be minutes or hours - i dont know) you can return to the car and remove the key without it tripping the alarm and lock it and leave it without issue. I have been using it and I can get round it by just using the key to lock and unlock the car although it seems that the alarm will arm itself on occassion - particularly if I take more than a few seconds to manually lock the car after closing the door - hmm. Anyone got any ideas about what's going on here?

Just one other thing that might be relevant - the vertical (drivers) side portion of the windscreen seal failed recently and the rubber just popped out. I had this resealed by a windscreen repair company but the problem has happenend both before and after this.

I guess I can live without the alarm altogether but I dont know how you disable it.

Cheers

tnc

[dave.m]

Hi mate and welcome to TOC. Have you tried using the search function here to search for alarm issues ?

I'm sure there have been some threads recently with 4.1 alarm issues.

Good luck.

[tea-not-coffee]

Hi mate and welcome to TOC. Have you tried using the search function here to search for alarm issues ?

I'm sure there have been some threads recently with 4.1 alarm issues.

Good luck.

Hello,

Yes, I have had a good search around and there is a lot of good stuff about the rav alarms but nothing describing the kind of problem I am having (and I dont mean an unhappy missus...). I even have the TVSS manual that came with the car but it doesnt give any info on how to disable or adjust it. As one of the other forum members mentions, there is some sort of circular dial under the passenger dash but I cant see what it does.

Cheers

tnc

[bothwell_buyer]

Hi mate and welcome to TOC. Have you tried using the search function here to search for alarm issues ?

I'm sure there have been some threads recently with 4.1 alarm issues.

Good luck.

Hello,

Yes, I have had a good search around and there is a lot of good stuff about the rav alarms but nothing describing the kind of problem I am having (and I dont mean an unhappy missus...). I even have the TVSS manual that came with the car but it doesnt give any info on how to disable or adjust it. As one of the other forum members mentions, there is some sort of circular dial under the passenger dash but I cant see what it does.

Cheers

tnc

My '94 RAV (1st one) had a TTDS 5000 (according to manual) fitted. A garage lost the remaining remote fob which actuated the alarm, and they ripped out the ecu and cut the wiring related to the alarm. The central locking works with the key though. I've had to add in my own immobiliser.

The 2nd RAV I have is in the garage now getting the engine switched - it has a problem with the alarm setting itself automatically within seconds - not enough time to get in and start the car!! bY THE SOUND OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ITS A SIMILAR PROBLEM.

tHIS 2ND CAR IS IN tHE gARAGE AS i SAID, AND THEY TOLD ME ITS NEEDING ADJUSTED BY SLIDING SOME SMALL DIP SWITCHES ON THE CONTROL UNIT UNDER THE DASH.

(blkg caps button! Must get larger keyboard!!)

I'd try either an auto electrician or a Jap car specialist if you can't track down the answer here.

A recent post (last week?) suggested cleaning the door switches to sort a fault.

Other than that, I'm not sure....the RAVs after 1994 seem to have a different system.

[tea-not-coffee]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I just had the problem happen again to me today.

This time it was a little different. I parked up, locked up with the fob and the alarm was armed without interior protection. Approx. 10 minutes later the alarm went off so I returned to the car and again pressing either button on the keyfob wouldnt shut it up. I had to get in the car and turn on the ignition for it to stop - as soon as I removed the key for the ignition it started again. So, I sat there and thought about it for a bit ( a minute or two) and then tried removing the key again - surprise, it came out without the alarm going off. Just plain weird. Anyway, the car is now locked up just using the key and the alarm is off so the neighbours should be happy even if I am not.

I think that some switch or sensor must have worn or failed and is now tripping the system. I checked the door switches and they look good. I am not sure how these alarms are triggered - do they work off a current drop in various circuits in the car - e.g. interior light etc.?

I think this is going to be a job for a specialist but I will try a few simple things first (get a fresh Battery for the fob, check the fuses in the car etc).

Cheers

tnc

[tea-not-coffee]

Ok, I have been looking into all of the suggestions but the problem appears to be getting worse and not better. I ended up ringing up my nearest dealer and the best their service guy could come up with was to cut the wires to the alarm unit under the bonnet - hmmm. Anyway, I had a look at the alarm unit at the rear of the engine bay and decided to simply unplug it from the wiring harness and take it out of the car. Everything still seems to work after this - even the central locking. I presume that the part I have removed is just the siren? Anyway, you decide - hopefully there is a pic of it below :

After removing this part I noticed that embossed on the back of it are the words 'on' and 'off' with slanted lines beneath them - perhaps you can see it in the pic below :

Could this be the holy grail - a means of turning the damn thing off properly? You would imagine that there would be a switch or dial between these to words but there appears to be nothing - just moulded plastic.

Any thoughts anyone?

Cheers

tnc

[Hoovie]

Could this be the holy grail - a means of turning the damn thing off properly? You would imagine that there would be a switch or dial between these to words but there appears to be nothing - just moulded plastic.

Any thoughts anyone?

Cheers

tnc

I understand what you mean, but I would have thought it you can stop an alarm buy reaching in and flicking a switch from off to on in a matter of seconds, the alarm is pretty pointless maybe there is a switch internally accessible within the moulding.

Sounds to me your best bet may be an aftermarket unit from a specialist shop and bin the toyota one totally

[anchorman]

Kingo says its a scorpion alarm made for TGB. I think the aftermarket ones had a key operated switch that TGB must have deleted from the spec.

[geomowat]

This means that my wife has to leave the car unlocked with the key in the ignition in order to get out without a racket.

We have been subject to an anti-crime campaign recently not to leave the keys in the ignition of parked cars, especially at the airport and ferry terminal when one goes away for a week or two!

Anyone got any ideas about what's going on here?

Because of local conditions, the Inverness dealer (but not those 'doon sooth') is happy to talk one through how to disable both the immobilizer and alarm. There is a lead that goes from the ignition switch that is piggy-backed on to the alarm/immobilizer that requires substituting — other can offer greater detail, but it can be done.

[killie]

Hi

Had a Similar problem the other Day

due to disconnecting the Battery. hope you get it sorted .

Would like to know how you get on if it's possible to be done as a DIY.

Would save me going to the Auto Electrician

Thanks

Ian.H

[hedleyf]

Hows your ignition switch? reason being I think the alarm is wired in to the [ key in key out ] signal,does your radio turn off when taking the key out? check what system you have,I have the wiring for the scorpion 918 system,depending on who fitted it the ecu could be any where but its worth a check behind the glove box rermove it and see if you can see the ecu,normally held in place by cable ties,check to see the label and alarm type,if its a 918 I can talk you through disarming it.

Hi

Had a Similar problem the other Day

due to disconnecting the Battery. hope you get it sorted .

Would like to know how you get on if it's possible to be done as a DIY.

Would save me going to the Auto Electrician

Thanks

Ian.H

[killie]

Thanks for the Info

have the Box downstairs the AA guy who came out removed it from

behind the Glovebox so that i could start the Car with a Wire from the Ignition switch on to the Battery Terminal

will go and have a look at what Number/Model it has

Thanks

Ian.H

[killie]

Have the Box in my hand it says:

918 T

Toyota P.N. 00270-01041

MPT 1340

W.T. LICENCE EXEMPT

Manufactured Mar 1995

Regards

Ian.H

[bothwell_buyer]

Have the Box in my hand it says:

918 T

Toyota P.N. 00270-01041

MPT 1340

W.T. LICENCE EXEMPT

Manufactured Mar 1995

Regards

Ian.H

Magic - I'll be round the night fur a few wee bits for ma motor...Drumchapels no that big!!

[killie]

Hope your wearing (Body Armour)

see you in the Butty :P

[hedleyf]

Has the AA man sorted it or do you still need to undo the system?

Have the Box in my hand it says:

918 T

Toyota P.N. 00270-01041

MPT 1340

W.T. LICENCE EXEMPT

Manufactured Mar 1995

Regards

Ian.H

[killie]

Still need to remove the Alarm wiring have it booked in on Tuesday

Regards

Ian.H

[hedleyf]

Hi ,

Just a guide they should not be charging you more than a hour to a hour and a half,good luck.

Still need to remove the Alarm wiring have it booked in on Tuesday

Regards

Ian.H

[killie]

On holiday at the moment

So had a friend take the Car in to the Electrician

waiting to hear if it's Fixed and how much it cost.

Will post an update

Regards

Ian.H

[Fallen4Rav4]

Could this be the holy grail - a means of turning the damn thing off properly? You would imagine that there would be a switch or dial between these to words but there appears to be nothing - just moulded plastic.

Any thoughts anyone?

Cheers

tnc

I understand what you mean, but I would have thought it you can stop an alarm buy reaching in and flicking a switch from off to on in a matter of seconds, the alarm is pretty pointless maybe there is a switch internally accessible within the moulding.

Sounds to me your best bet may be an aftermarket unit from a specialist shop and bin the toyota one totally

Did you have any probs after removing it??

[shutty]

TVSS where known for getting damp and wet inside the siren, They were modifed and sealed together better during the Happy Returns Carina recalls. Problem was more so on Carins as they were fitted under the headlamp, behind bumper.

Also check main Battery for holding charge

The remotes can go out of sync and not work, they can be reprogrammed as follows;

Remove screw and take apart

With Battery removed from the side with buttons on, Press the button one after the other 10 times as fast as you can

Rebuild fob

Stand at drivers window pointing at car and hold the arm button upto 10 secs and the car will lock