Help! Alarm took over my truck! (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

MrMoMo

That's not rust, it's Canadian patina...
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Threads
172
Messages
2,456
Location
~Kingston, ON, pero soñando de Panamá
Ok, so I've had my '93 80 for a few weeks now. Done lots of little fixes to it, but didn't dig into anything electrical from what I can remember (other than removing wires not connected at either end).

Tonight I finished up, and was going to drive my 80 to work tomorrow, and hopefully pass my safety inspection on Friday morning....

While cleaning up, I closed the tailgate - which has been open for about a week while I used it as a parts shelf/tool bench. Somehow this triggered the power locks, and the lights flashed.

Then I opened the drivers door and an alarm chirped at me, and the lights flashed again. Put the key in the ignition, chirped again and lights flashed. There is a red LED on the dash that is blinking, that has not blinked before while I have had the truck. I turned the key to start the truck, and I get nothing. (Yes it's in park)

Now, I have driven this truck over 2000 miles (in 3 days) and it never did this. I contacted the P.O. and he said that he didn't even know it had an alarm in it. I have no key fobs for an alarm. The ignition is locked out.

I can see where the siren is under the hood, but I have no idea where any brain might be, nor do I know what would happen if I just un-plug a brain.... I really need to get this running tomorrow!!

Any ideas or bypasses would be appreciated!!
 
Ok, found the module, it's a viper something.... I can see a main harness plug that has 15-20 wires, and two smaller ones on the side - one with 4 wires and one with 2... I can't get at it enough to un-plug anything to try it.

Now the alarm goes off solid as soon as I connect the battery negative. Disconnected it to see if I could re-set it, but I guess that was a dumb idea.... I know alarms go off when you connect them!

Worst part is, I can't open my door all the way because the truck is parked in my hoist, and now I can't get it out of park even to roll it back so I can open the door all the way!!
 
As Cruise stated unplug the black box (mine is above the left kicker panel, left of steering column). It has one large white plug in it or you could disconnect the battery and flip the toggle switch to the front on the lower left kick panel (if yours has one). This puts it in Valet mode, then reconnect battery. The alarm is actually sounded through the horns, btw.


Update, sounds like your is different than mine.
 
Is there a tiny switch somewhere that you might have flipped accidentally? I won't tell you where to look, but mine had one. I never had a remote keyfob, but I pulled all that alarm stuff out while I was working on the engine, etc. I don't know if the switch was bypass, or valet mode, or what. I don't think my alarm was port installed Toyoter stuff though. Mine was not an RS-3000.
 
there may also be a kill switch somewhere in the ignition circuit - they were popular in Viper models of that vintage - we have one in the alarm system on our '93 80 :rolleyes:

Viper has downloadable manuals/instructions for their alarms (which include instructions on programming additional key fobs as a bonus ;)) on their website

these units were port or dealer installed (not an OEM option in '93), depending on where the truck came into the US

there is a re-set button hanging off of the main Viper box in the driver side kick panel that disables the alarm when you push it - would be easier to get to if it wasn't behind the driver side kick panel (you need to remove 2 bolts and several panel clips to get behind :bang:)
 
Last edited:
If you have a separate siren under the hood then the alarm is most likely after market. And since most aftermarket alarms are installed by people who are in a hurry I'd bet you'll see it under the drivers side of the dash.Look for a black plastic box about 4"x4"x1". If you find one unplug it. You may also need to track down the starter kill circuit. Look for 2 larger gauge wires interrupting a Black/White wire in your ignition harness. Reconnect the black/white and your good to go.

Good luck
 
I started this response thinking that it was a clifford/viper alarm

to disarm the alarm without a remote you find the valet switch it will be a small momentary button with a grey and black wire with a blue plug at the alarm box. hook up the battery (the alarm will be going off) turn key to "run" position press the button once. and the alarm should disarm, if the default settings were not changed. if it has the old style clifford valet switch with two buttons, I believe the sequence is the same except for one tap with the key on it will be star-blank-star after the key is in run. if you see the switch you will see what I mean.

standard style valet switch
item1212_1.jpg


clifford style:
p-17992.jpeg


hope that helps.
 
Thanks everyone, I'll dig into this tonight when I get home. I did a quick search for the valet switch but didn't come up with one...
 
Well folks, as quite often the case, I may have A) answered my problem in my first posting and B) proven myself an idiot again.

Went out in the shop for a quick check this morning before I headed off to work. Yes, the " wires not connected to anything at either end" have a few relays... and a little plug, which I assume plugs into the little plug that looks the same in the engine bay.

Hopefully I can just plug it in and go back to normal!
 
haha BTW the valet switch on mine is near the bottom of the dash near the center console, kinda hard to see from the seat.
 
Ok, so not proving myself to be an idiot... I re-attached the wire bundle and no dice.

Dug into the drivers side kick panel, wrangled the brain out and pulled all the harnesses out. Success! Found the valet switch as well.

Now that it runs again, I can see if I can find a remote for it!

Thanks for all the tips and assistance!
 
Glad it worked out for you. Sure would suck having the truck stuck in your lift spot ;)
 
Ok, so not proving myself to be an idiot... I re-attached the wire bundle and no dice.

Dug into the drivers side kick panel, wrangled the brain out and pulled all the harnesses out. Success! Found the valet switch as well.

Now that it runs again, I can see if I can find a remote for it!

Thanks for all the tips and assistance!

the Viper remotes are somewhat backwards compatible, but only somewhat - not all models listed on the interwebs as working actually do so - I had to send two back before I found the correct one

you need the Viper model number off your Viper box, and the FCC number
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom