Sweet. I'm glad I can use the stock trunk sensor. I do believe it works because the factory LED in the dash won't blink unless the trunk is latched (Also the curtisy light back there will automatically come on and off with the trunk if left on. pretty cool i thought.). As for adding a hood sensor that should be fine because I believe most alarms come with one. Are you sure it doesnt have one though? I've popped my hood and locked my car before and then come back in five mins to check my oil and as soon as it leaves the latch the thing goes off. Maybe there's on in the latch or someone added one? As for the brain, I have a few good ideas for that. Thanks guys. I'm assuming the factory alarm and starter kill will have to be disabled some how right?
MKiii aftermarket alarm questions
- Thread starter hey...it runs
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should be a green/black wire for disarm(from the brain), and depending how the supra arms it you may not need the arm wire, which is green/white(on the brain).
Yeah, if you have the factory security, you're well ahead of the game, since you'll have some of the pins already.
There is a trunk pin of sorts already, since there's a switch for the courtesy light, but if your hatch gets crowbarred up and it doesn't flip the catch, it won't go off. (Guess how I know.) A good glass break sensor is a good backup, since it WILL go off when the hatch twists enough to break the back glass. I haven't seen the theft deterrent system, since it wasn't available on Canadian spec cars, but I'd check how the sensor works, and that it's different from the courtesy light switch.
Certainly I'd arm/disarm the factory system. The alarm install in a Mk3 is actually pretty easy, along with all the goodies for keyless entry, even remote start. Most of what you need is available under the steering wheel.
Just make sure that you hide the power lines and fuses well. Best place to hide a tree is in a forest and all. Find and use similar split-loom and black vinyl tape like the factory uses for stock wiring, and run things along or in factory wiring harness looms. You can get good access to power underneath the under-hood fuse box, and run power into the cabin along the main chassis harness in the driver's side fender. If you have a starter, you can grab the tach signal at the diagnostic block and run it alongside there, too. (Or you can find it in the instrument panel wiring, too, but I'm also running a few more of the diagnostic block wires into the cabin for other things, so it was easier for me.)
For some advise: Don't set your shock sensor so that it goes off every time a cat jumps on the hood of your car. False alarms are BAD THINGS. After a few of them, not only will your neighbors stop looking when the alarm goes off, you will, too. An alarm that goes off every night is just an annoyance to your neighbors, and yourself. You should be seriously prepared to get out and investigate right away each and every single time your car alarm goes off, even if it's 3:30 AM. Or even if it's not, and you're ... busy. People take note when nobody comes looking when a car alarm goes off. Those who aren't involved get annoyed, and that's the best thing that can come of it.
I actually dislike shock sensors, since they're the #1 cause of false alarms, but I still want to know if my neighbor backed into my car trying to parallel park. Again. So mine is on, but it's set for something a bit less than what the bumpers can take without actual damage to the car.
I like glass break sensors. These are similar to knock sensors, in that it's basically a microphone listening for a specific frequency. Correctly set up, they won't give you a false alarm. (Though mine did one summer day when I had the windows down.)
There is a trunk pin of sorts already, since there's a switch for the courtesy light, but if your hatch gets crowbarred up and it doesn't flip the catch, it won't go off. (Guess how I know.) A good glass break sensor is a good backup, since it WILL go off when the hatch twists enough to break the back glass. I haven't seen the theft deterrent system, since it wasn't available on Canadian spec cars, but I'd check how the sensor works, and that it's different from the courtesy light switch.
Certainly I'd arm/disarm the factory system. The alarm install in a Mk3 is actually pretty easy, along with all the goodies for keyless entry, even remote start. Most of what you need is available under the steering wheel.
Just make sure that you hide the power lines and fuses well. Best place to hide a tree is in a forest and all. Find and use similar split-loom and black vinyl tape like the factory uses for stock wiring, and run things along or in factory wiring harness looms. You can get good access to power underneath the under-hood fuse box, and run power into the cabin along the main chassis harness in the driver's side fender. If you have a starter, you can grab the tach signal at the diagnostic block and run it alongside there, too. (Or you can find it in the instrument panel wiring, too, but I'm also running a few more of the diagnostic block wires into the cabin for other things, so it was easier for me.)
For some advise: Don't set your shock sensor so that it goes off every time a cat jumps on the hood of your car. False alarms are BAD THINGS. After a few of them, not only will your neighbors stop looking when the alarm goes off, you will, too. An alarm that goes off every night is just an annoyance to your neighbors, and yourself. You should be seriously prepared to get out and investigate right away each and every single time your car alarm goes off, even if it's 3:30 AM. Or even if it's not, and you're ... busy. People take note when nobody comes looking when a car alarm goes off. Those who aren't involved get annoyed, and that's the best thing that can come of it.
I actually dislike shock sensors, since they're the #1 cause of false alarms, but I still want to know if my neighbor backed into my car trying to parallel park. Again. So mine is on, but it's set for something a bit less than what the bumpers can take without actual damage to the car.
I like glass break sensors. These are similar to knock sensors, in that it's basically a microphone listening for a specific frequency. Correctly set up, they won't give you a false alarm. (Though mine did one summer day when I had the windows down.)
On the subject of sirens... I usually don't install them. If I do, I put them in the passenger cabin. Haven't seen anyone willing to work on the ignition while a siren is blasting inside the passenger cabin...
Instead, I use the pager remote, so I always know if the alarm has been triggered, but the guy breaking into my car has no idea I'm on the way.
Instead, I use the pager remote, so I always know if the alarm has been triggered, but the guy breaking into my car has no idea I'm on the way.
damn reading this is making me miss work! lol stuck here in afghan itching to get back to remote starters/alarms! now is busy season too! damn it! lol think ill be throwing a remote start/alarm combo into the FC before anything else 
I've done the "no siren" thing. I've also set up a supersonic screamer (The kind meant at low power to repel mice and the like) at much higher power inside the cabin. I put these on a 30 second delay, so that if I need to disarm the alarm with the key, I have time to do so first. These things will cause an instant headache, and in some cases disorientation and nausea. It's much easier to catch some guy who can't run without his head feeling like it wants to explode, or can't stand up straight.