Mysterious Switch on Tacoma 2022

Need some help with an identifying a mysterious switch on the lower dash panel. Just noticed it with a bolt from the dash on the floor. Someone must have got inside my Tacoma.

 

Looks like part of an aftermarket alarm system, look around under there for any other "aftermarket" wiring.

 

Did you push the button? I wouldn't be able to stop myself.....wondering the whole time if someone set me up with a car bomb.

 

Did you finance it with a dealer who offered an extra alarm system to buy with it or did you get it used?

The previous owner or your dealer may have put in a cheap alarm system. Some sleazy dealers install those on all their vehicles for cheap and then have you pay extra to activate it. They are usually the same ones who put their business logo sticker on the back of your car.

Look behind it and trace where the wires go, they probably did some harness damage using cheap taps when they hooked it up.

That would really piss me off it it happened to my truck. I’d take out the whole thing including the alarm box back and then ask the dealer to repair the screw holes they put in my dash. Uh, no, I guess they would screw up that also. Maybe ask for a bed mat in exchange for your time and the damage they caused…

 

aftermarket for sure, some dealer are shit-heads.
I would figure out if it's an alarm or GPS. If it's a GPS, for proper disposal- carefully uninstall, wrap around a brick, and toss it through their showroom window.
Or go up there and tell them to uninstall.

 

Thanks, pretty sure they (dealer) installed it on the last free service. Bought the truck new and it definitely was not there before. Will be calling the dealer again. Same dealer left grease stains on my seat.

 

That's some booshit. I too, would think you would have noticed.

 

That's shady if they installed something without your permission.
Take it back and get them to return it to stock, not sure what your gona do about the holes they put in the panel though.

 

If I took my truck in for an oil change/free service and got it back with a hole drilled in the dash for a button like that, I'd lose my shit.

 

Does the dealer hold title? Is it a lease?

 

If they did that without my permission it's what the shop is going to do about the holes in my book

 

if the dealer has no right to track you and this is a tracking device, i'd see an attorney about a payday.

edit: let me save someone time. no, not this payday:

 

Is it a lease? That’s crazy the dealer just install that during an oil change. What did they say when you asked them about it?

 

https://5thgenrams.com/community/threads/what-is-this-tiny-button-by-the-hood-release-pics.27257/

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/f...c-box-under-dash-of-ford-ranger/186287/page1/

 

i've never heard of any dealer installing that as part of any service package. it's always been an upsell item on the original sales contract. while the same tech does the work, it's a very different department that handles the upselling.

now i know how it's a favorite tacomaworld past time to murder the entire bloodline of any dealer employee that may have blinked more than twice in any of our presence, but i really think it's just a case where you never cared enough to look until now.

 

These things pop up all the time here.

 

Usually from people who think leasing or having payments means they own their vehicle lol

 

That is very unusual. The Toyota dealer did that? That doesn't look like anything a dealer would do. You indicated you bought the truck new - so that certainly implies you are patronizing the dealership for oil changes.

Even though you used the word "bought", are you by chance on a loan or lease plan and that is some sort of GPS tracker they use in case you default on your payments? They tend to try to hide them a little better though. It is interesting that is basically in plain sight. And usually GPS tracking devices are hard-wired from a 12V source directly to the tracker without any kind of on-off switch (if that is even what that is). So I don't think that is a GPS tracker.

Or, in the fine print in your sales paperwork, did you perhaps unknowingly agree to share "data" with Toyota so they can improve future vehicle designs, marketing, send you maintenance reminders, etc? That could be some sort of device that is transmitting things like MPG, distance(s) driven per trip, speed information, and a host of other parameters for analysis. That would make some sense, but it still looks like amateur hour and they can probably ping your truck wirelessly through cell service providers.

In the meantime, if I were you, I would absolutely NOT hesitate one minute longer and unscrew that thing and trace out the wiring and remove every bit of it. Its only two screws and shouldn't be that difficult. That should give you an idea. Also, if that is wired to a 12V constant power source, whatever that is going to be creating a parasitic draw on your battery and could affect your battery life.

Be sure to post back what you find.

 

Yeah pretty sure it's a KARR security system or tracker from the dealership. Should be hidden and not screwed through the dash. dumb

 

If its not a lease and you own it, I would make them replace the dash area where its damaged (screwed through). That's some BS for sure.