Aftermarket Alarm Problems

So I bought my 2015 Taco in May of last year, and the previous owner had installed an aftermarket alarm/remote start system. However, a few months ago, the alarm started going off randomly, giving me the opportunity to have lots of fun conversations with my neighbors who had been woken up at night. I have hated this alarm since the day after I got my truck, when I went tubing with my friends and accidentally got my key fob wet, and the alarm wouldn't shut off for the 2 hour drive home.

I had identified a problem where the plunger that senses if the hood is closed for the remote start had been bent and appeared to be sensing that the hood is open. I decided to tape it down so that it would think that the hood is closed. This worked for a few weeks.

Recently, the whole alarm system stopped working. It no longer unlocked the truck and the remote start didn't work. I now use the Toyota key fob and alarm to lock/unlock my truck.

I guess I am asking if there are going to be any long term repercussions of leaving the old alarm system installed? Like is it going to start an electrical fire or something? I don't particularly have the $500 that I was quoted to remove it, nor do I want to pay that money if I don't have to. I keep the fob for it in my center console, just in case it wakes up one day and wants to start working.

PS: It is a Clifford Alarm System

 

Hey Tim,
Any trouble from the police on your 2 hour drive home? Haha.
I would suggest disabling the system. I'm not familiar with Clifford alarms, but if it has a fuel or ignition cutoff (as most alarms do) it might start working again when you REALLY don't want it to. $500 seems steep for removal. Might want to shop around a bit. Keep in mind, it doesn't have to be a specific to alarms shop.
My 2 cents.

 

I’ve had Clifford alarms in a few vehicles.

Now the big issue is they got bought by dei, who then discontinued the brand, which really sucks. Getting a replacement remote might be difficult or impossible.

This part might mean it wasn’t installed correctly. If the siren is blowing, the ignition should have been cut off.

I had a boost controller that didn’t work anymore due to a faulty ground destroying it. I left it in, lazy. One day it completely shorted out and smoke poured out of it. Had to quickly pull over and yank the wires out.

Yet $500 to remove it is ridiculous, find someone else. Or you could try to do it yourself. I did it once, not too difficult. Just make sure you have butt connectors, an assortment of sizes, zip ties, a wire stripper, and a GOOD crimper. Also disconnect the battery, I popped a fuse doing it. I also had the benefit of having a friend to call.

 

It's not hard just tedious to remove an old alarm. The alarm box is usually located under the driver's side somewhere by the steering column above your left knee. You have to disconnect one wire at the time and reconnect any factory wires that was cut for the install.

 

Nah, but it did sound like an ambulance the whole way. A bunch of people kept pulling out of my way.

 

We'll see. My dad and I might do it, but my truck is in the shop rn. Some lady lost control and swerved in front of me on christmas eve.

 

I'd talk to the shop manager. See if he has a trusty electrical guy (good shops often do, as it part of their repair process many times) who could remove the unit for you at a modest cost.

 

99% of aftermarket alarms do not cut off fuel or ignition, they cut the start circuit.

DEI makes a far more reliable product than Clifford ever made.

Not liking any product because it got wet and stopped working is weird but whatever.

Like whatapunk wrote locating the aftermarket alarm shouldn't be that difficult. Removing the alarm should be pretty easy as the only part of the truck that could potentially not work after removing the alarm would be the starting system. The starting system will be the only system that is interrupted by the alarm and other than the alarms red power wire will be the only factory Toyota wires that are of large gauge (12 gauge) that the alarm is hooked up to. The starter interrupt most likely goes through an aftermarket relay so when you remove the alarm system just leave the relay wired in the truck or if you remove the relay reconnect the two 12 gauge wires back together and there won't be any issues. A few aftermarket alarms have the relay built into the inside of the alarms brain, but again the two wires will be the only two wires going to the alarms brain that are large gauge wires - just reconnect them.

 

I'll look into it. To clarify, I don't like the aftermarket alarm idea, not just because it got wet. I am completely fine with getting in and turning the key, I don't need remote start, even in the 110 degree weather here in AZ.

 

I have Clifford alarms in the taco and work truck. They're both setup for ignition kill. The scenario is, someone forces me out at gunpoint, I jump out, they jump in and drive away. A bit later, the alarm blows, if the code isn't entered the ignition shuts it off.

The problems I've had with them. Once it was doing something, I don't remember, but they replaced the brain no charge. Once the keypad died, had to get towed. Now I carry a spare. Other than those 2 issues, I haven't had problems after many years and 5 different vehicles.

Which dei product would you recommend? I'm pretty certain if I ever end up needing another brain, I'll need to switch to another product.