Need Help Troubleshooting My Car.....

[Tryska]

Ok Y'all - i'm having a tough time figuring this issue out here's the lowdown:

99 Camry with After-market alarm
was in a collision with a tractor-trailer (car was parked - tractor trailer didn't have emergency brake on and rolled into it) and essentially the whole driver's side body was replaced.

Since then, when you hit the interior locks - the horn beeps, and ultimately more irritating - in the winter, when the engine's cold the alarm goes off.

The routine goes like this: when the car revs up to 2000rpm, the instrument lights go on. This triggers the alarm and the car keeps beeping until i restart a couple of times, and press the alarm button on off a few times.

Everything else that might be drawing power is turned off (defrost, automatic instrument lights, radio, heat, cellie charger).

i know troubleshooting electrical systems is a biatch - but do you think if i just get the alarm totally uninstalled it would be a good first step?

[Gyno Rhino]

Sell it and buy an awesome Geo Storm.

[galileo]

Time to take it back to the place that fixed it and bitch.

[galileo]

Pretend the guy's a conservative. That might help fuel your rage!

[TwiloMike]

Definitely take it back. If it went through insurance take it up with the company that the car wasn't fixed properly- insurance companies guarantee craftsmanship: if the alarm worked before the accident then it shouldn't matter that it's an after-market part.

Just my $.02

[Tryska]

Sell it and buy an awesome Geo Storm.

*lol* no more geo storms for me thanks.

[Tryska]

oh and too late to take it back y'all those repairs were done a year ago, the bodyshop is all the way across town, and i'm going to the toyota dealership tomorrow.

(and i really don't want to go the insurance route, as it was on the policy of my former employer, and i left that job as soon as i got my car back - no sense poking old wounds)

[TwiloMike]

oh and too late to take it back y'all those repairs were done a year ago, the bodyshop is all the way across town, and i'm going to the toyota dealership tomorrow.

(and i really don't want to go the insurance route, as it was on the policy of my former employer, and i left that job as soon as i got my car back - no sense poking old wounds)

I was under the impression that the craftsmanship is guaranteed for the life of the car... Poke the wound, girl!

[Tryska]

*lol* not when i'm headhunting former coworkers.

[TwiloMike]

*lol* not when i'm headhunting former coworkers.

Oy vey, girl, why couldn't you have done this half a year ago?

[Tryska]

*lol* the headhunting or the car? if the car - well it wasn't acting up half a year ago, cuz it was warm out.

[Hatred]

Toyota Camry? It JUST started doing this?
How recently.
If it JUST started like in the last day or two say goodbye to your alternator and hello to a new one.
When Alt's go dead in a toyota all your indicator lights go on.
It could be a momentray interruption or drop in power.
this would explain the alarm. It thinks the car is being shut off and the sudden drop could be arming it.
Other than that I doubt temperature has anything to do with it.

[Hatred]

..and getting the alarm installed would be a good first step.
Just unhook the main power source to see if this helps. That will at least isolate the problem or indicate that it's not the source.

[Tryska]

it's been going on since the weather got cold down here. i doubt it's the alternator, but it could be on a downward spiral who knows. But yeah - i'm thinking unhooking the alarm is my best option - if it's not that, then i'll go the electrical diagnostics route.

and yeah - no none of my indicator lights go on. - just the instrument panel lighting (the lcds for the clock, mileage, etc.)

[Hatred]

Never mind then. I took "instrument lights" as dummy lights.

[estropes]

You have a short somewhere, more than likely. Try to trace the wires and see if you can find any bare wires touching metal.

[TTT]

That'd be like finding a needle in a haystack

[BilltheButcher]

My bro is a Toyota mechanic. He said check the alarm sensors or connectors.
These could be loose or the contacts on the doors are shorting out. On the door frame there is a small switch with a rubber thing. This tells the onboard computer whether the door is closed or open. Especially if it was rebuilt it could be as simple as that, also depends on the type of alarm you have.

[Tryska]

Thanks Bill - interesting what you said about the door - especially with the interior lock problem.

in any case - i took it to the dealership friday, and had them totally disconnect the alarm - apparently the electrician guy found soem other stuff as well and fixed that. So far so good - I had no problems with it this morning. Hopefully it's sorted, which would be great because all it took was 85 bucks.

[intargc]

Sell it and buy an awesome Geo Storm.

That was my first car ever. Paid $3,500 for it back in '95! It was sweet! 1991 Aqua Blue Geo storm with those half-assed popup lights and a sweet squiggily graphic that was pink and white and blue down the side of it (which I took off quickly). 95 horse power 5 speed manual! I was pimpin'! My 2002 S2000 doesn't even compare.