Factory Alarm

[jgcable]

Can I put a factory alarm (or was one even offered) in my sons 1987 Supra or should I go aftermarket?
I don't believe the car had an alarm in it although there is a sensor on the dashboard on the passenger side near the front windshield that looks like some sort of alarm sensor. Also... was keyless entry offered in 1987?
I figure since I am tearing the entire dash out I might as well put an alarm in.

 

[suprahero]

This may help. It's a thread that I had saved about the stock alarm.
http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1515#post1515

 

[jetjock]

1) The factory theft deterrent system was standard in 1987. It should be in there. Gets a bad rap at times but fwiw the one in my car has worked flawlessly for nearly 22 years.

2) That sensor is not alarm related. Climate control stuff.

3) Keyless entry was not offered that year but one is easy enough to install.

 

[jgcable]

1) The factory theft deterrent system was standard in 1987. It should be in there. Gets a bad rap at times but fwiw the one in my car has worked flawlessly for nearly 22 years.

2) That sensor is not alarm related. Climate control stuff.

3) Keyless entry was not offered that year but one is easy enough to install.

How do I activate it?
I notice there are 2 switches in the door jams. One is a plunger type and that controls the inside dome lights. The other is a lever type switch that appears to be broken on the drivers side. It looks like there is supposed to be a plastic piece that sticks out and moves when the door hits it. That plastic piece is broken off. Is that part of the alarm?

 

[gelboy1015]

when you lock your doors with the key from the outside, it should set the alarm.

the plunger type switch detects whether or not the door is closed and the lever switch has something to do with tightening the seatbelt or something (i rmbr Poodles explained its purpose)

 

[jgcable]

when you lock your doors with the key from the outside, it should set the alarm.

the plunger type switch detects whether or not the door is closed and the lever switch has something to do with tightening the seatbelt or something (i rmbr Poodles explained its purpose)

How do I tell if its working? Is there a light or something? I have never heard the alarm go off.

 

[jetjock]

Sensing is done by unlocking, not door opening. In other words the triggers are in the solenoids. Sounds as if you're talking about the seat belt lever. Does the alarm indicator in the cluster do anything when you lock the doors?

 

[jgcable]

Sensing is down by unlocking, not door opening. In other words the triggers are in the solenoids. Sounds as if you're talking about the seat belt lever. Does the alarm indicator in the cluster do anything when you lock the doors?

no.

 

[jetjock]

Well then you'll just have to run it down:

http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Library/TEWD/MK3/manual.aspx?S=Main&P=122

And gelboy is correct in that additional door sensing is done by the courtesy switches. My bad. Should have looked first...

 

[jgcable]

Well then you'll just have to run it down:

http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Library/TEWD/MK3/manual.aspx?S=Main&P=122

And gelboy is correct in that additional door sensing is done by the courtesy switches. My bad. Should have looked first...

Is it fused?

 

[cjsupra90]

Yes, it is fused from the DOME fuse and the CIG fuse. Those two fuses supply power to many other things like power antena, AC clutch relay, all the interior lighting, radio, ect.. If all that stuff is working then no fuse is going to be blown..

Like JJ said earlier, the factory alarm has gotton a bad rap over the years and it is often removed or disabled... The Alarm module itself is attached right above the steering column. You could check to see if the previous owner might have already removed it. The other thing is (although highly unlikely) the security light in the dash might be bad.

 

[jetjock]

Does the pope live in a big house? Do bears shit in the woods? Click on the link...

edit: beaten by CJ...

 

[jgcable]

I'll check out the module tomorrow morning to see if its all wired up.
The only things that have never worked on this car is the alarm (I didn't even know it had one) and the clock.

 

[jgcable]

Does the pope live in a big house? Do bears shit in the woods? Click on the link...

Not Polar Bears.

 

[supraman7mgte]

juust curious if he's setting it correctly.
i've always set mine by pushing in the lock tab on the inside of the door while its open,then closing the door with the exterior handle pulled up.
the light should start blinking on the left of the dash in about what,20 - 30 sec?

 

[cjsupra90]

I'll check out the module tomorrow morning to see if its all wired up.
The only things that have never worked on this car is the alarm (I didn't even know it had one) and the clock.

Hmmm, no clock or alarm light. Could be a connection issue on the combination meter (dash cluster) and thats why the security light is not working....

You could always try triggering it by leaving the window down, closing and locking the door, then reach inside and unlock the door manually and open it and see if the alarm goes off.... Just make use to slide the flip lever with you finger to unlock it, not hit the electronic lock/unlock switch.. IIRC, this should not deactivate the alarm and when you open the door the alarm would start going off...

 

[cjsupra90]

juust curious if he's setting it correctly.
i've always set mine by pushing in the lock tab on the inside of the door while its open,then closing the door with the exterior handle pulled up.
the light should start blinking on the left of the dash in about what,20 - 30 sec?

You dont need to hold the handle.. AFAIK, as long as the module is no being supplied power via the CIG fuse and the door is locked and closed the alarm will arm if all is working properly. When I had my factory alarm still in the car. I never used the key or held the handle. I just opened the door, hit the lock button, got out and closed the door and the alarm would be activated.

 

[gelboy1015]

on some years, you have to hold the handle up as you close the door in order for the door to lock. If not, the lock pops back open. It's weird. My 88 N/A didn't have to do that, then I changed my doors with ones from an 86.5 and I had to hold the handle up to lock the doors. My 88 Turbo Targa has to have the handle held up as well, but the 88 Turbo H/T that I just sold didn't have to have the handle held. Weird..

 

[jetjock]

Chris: The electrics will work because there are trigger switches in the solenoids. The alarm will trigger off that alone. Shouldn't even have to open the door. Also, the handle has to be held on early cars but iirc there was a change made in later years where it didn't have to be done.

 

[cjsupra90]

Chris: The electrics will work because there are trigger switches in the solenoids. The alarm will trigger off that alone. Shouldn't even have to open the door. Also, the handle has to be held on early cars but iirc there was a change made in later years where it didn't have to be done.

Ah, didn't know that about early cars... Hmmm, I wonder why they changed that on later car cause I know my 90 isn't like that unless something is messed up in it...

I wonder if something was changed also with the triggering off the solenoids too or something was messed up on my car when the factory alarm was in it cause if I hit the power lock / unlock switch and opened the door, my alarm would not go off, but if I flipped the lever with my finger and opened the door, it would... It was my understanding that the switch in the solenoid was a arm / disarm switch just like the one in the key lock cylinder, not a trigger switch....