kc Posted July 22, 2021 Author Share Posted July 22, 2021 I don't want to speculate more until the dealer returns the car and reports what they found....... But to answer the questions no obvious leaks or condensation or any smells the dealer ASKED me to turn off the internal sensors as an experiment to find where the fault lay- I didn't know they could be turned off before I had the discussion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted July 22, 2021 Share Posted July 22, 2021 That shows that the dealer wants to sort this problem out, good customer service. Sometimes it's so so hard to find the problem when the car is behaving itself... Hope it goes well and the problem found. As a matter of interest, is there a "heat source" or i.r. sensor in the car rather than just ultrasonic "movement" sensors ? The setting sun can sometimes cause issues, untill the curtains were drawn that is, then the problem went away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted July 22, 2021 Share Posted July 22, 2021 14 minutes ago, Trevor said: I assume you told the dealer this? If so, I would expect them to change the sensors fairly promptly before spending a lot of time chasing hypothetical insects, condensation or other possible triggers. When the sensors were changed on my (and several other) S-Maxes, none of us had any further issues and I never heard an explanation for the failures. It’s possible that even Toyota occasionally has a component quality hiccup - hopefully so, as it would be a simple fix and might restore your confidence in the car. I think Toyota are more diligent at fixing common potential faults than most other car makers. I had more recalls from them for the 2 Toyotas that I had than probably the sum total from all other cars I've owned. The replaced part(s) were always done promptly with no hassle other than to take the car to the garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy48 Posted July 22, 2021 Share Posted July 22, 2021 On my OHs car a few years ago she had similar problems and took the car in several times. Eventually they found the problem, it was a small dolphin air freshener she had hanging from the mirror. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted July 22, 2021 Share Posted July 22, 2021 42 minutes ago, Andy48 said: ..... it was a small dolphin air freshener she had hanging from the mirror. Echo location clicks interfering with the alarm? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Acland Posted July 22, 2021 Share Posted July 22, 2021 The alarm on my old Mazda six would sometimes sound off when I was using my Futaba 2.4 transmitter in the workshop. This would only happen if the car was parked close to me. If I moved it away it wouldn't happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted July 23, 2021 Author Share Posted July 23, 2021 Well the Toyota dealer has just returned the car after having it for 3 days ( 2 nights) without the alarm going off. They report that the internal sensors were changed and then they kept it outside for the night without the alarm triggering. Now it's back in my driveway in the usual place. We will see what happens......... Again thanks for all your comments and advice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted July 24, 2021 Author Share Posted July 24, 2021 I said I would report back. Well guess what ..... it's just the same! The car was parked in the driveway by the dealers driver and left there. For 10 hours nothing happened, then at dusk the alarm went off at 9.45pm ( a rather dark evening actually ) just as before. When it gets dark the alarm goes off! The dealers car was left in the same place for the 2 evenings my car was absent and didnt have any alarm issues. Different model Toyota and newer though. This suggests to me that my own car is affected by some sort of interference but other cars are not. So nothing happens in daylight and nothing happened at the dealers premises, yet happens at home when it gets dark! Mysterious car electronic gremlins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Stephenson Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 KC have you tried leaving a outside light on to see if it's the time of day or the lack of illumination that enables the fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted July 24, 2021 Author Share Posted July 24, 2021 Andy, thats one thing I didn't try. But the alarm doesn't just go off when it becomes dark - one night it went off at 11pm, then again 11.40pm and again at 12.06am. I suppose it's safe to assume the car dealership was very well lit so they didn't keep it in the dark. It might pinpoint the problem but my point is that the car should not need a light left on to prevent problems! I want the offending part found & replaced to prevent future problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 Is it always parked pointing in the same direction ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted July 24, 2021 Author Share Posted July 24, 2021 Pat, Yes except once when tried other way round but it didn't make any difference - alarm still went off for no reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 KC, I admire your patience. And I admire your efforts to be a troubleshooter, unofficial, unpaid, for the small and humble Toyota Corporation. I would take the more direct and abrasive standpoint. Not my problem. If that is not immediately accepted, e mail address, managing director, please, and Toyota UK, complaints department, and where do you want court orders served. A defense that the alarm is related to its location, time of day, what mood it’s in, radio interference, ain’t going to get much love from a judge. If you think I am cynical, try a judge. The dealer professes to be able to understand their product, demonstration please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 I'm glad our Vauxhall Astra estate doesn't have an alarm to go wrong. Cars (and motor cycles) are just so complicated these days. There was a time when I never considered using a garage for repairs but now, it's even hard to find the engine when you open the bonnet ? We did 100k miles in our 1275cc Mk4 Austin Healey Sprite and I did just about everything myself. Though I admit a lot more needed to be done and it was inconvenient to have to open the bonnet to turn on the heater but simple worked for me. That was the last car I actually enjoyed owning and using. Geoff 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Berriman Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 Hi kc have you asked the garage if the inside sensors can be turned of when alarm is set My Peugeot has a switch so I can isolate sensors if I was to leave say a pet inside Just my query Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Keith Berriman said: Hi kc have you asked the garage if the inside sensors can be turned of when alarm is set My Peugeot has a switch so I can isolate sensors if I was to leave say a pet inside Just my query Keith, pushing a little, but KC has laid out a whole wodge of serious money to drive the experience as advertised by the Toyota marketing department. Deliver please, no threats from the council regarding noisy intrusions to neighbors. I assume that KC hasn’t got a resident mouse. But if so, up to the dealer to evidence a mouse. can’t resist, dead or alive. Sorry. Edited July 24, 2021 by Don Fry Hum our. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyB Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 (edited) After my own travails with a similar issue previously detailed in his thread I’d be tempted to ask that the alarm is fully disabled. After all, they are pretty much pointless in today’s day and age - most cars are nicked now using the keys (stolen from the house or direct off the owner), and who on earth would challenge anyone they see trying to nick someone else’s car? No thanks. The only other option I can see is trying to find if there is some offending RF triggering it, but that is going to take a lot of kit and careful research. Edited July 24, 2021 by MattyB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Stephenson Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 Any incoming RF is very unlikely to interfere with any communications but it could be getting into some other vulnerable part of the electronics in the security system which is supposed to have passed a CE test for radiated RF immunity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 Automatic garden water sprinkler system next door ? Cats jumping on the bonnet/ roof then scarred sxbitless by the alarm, or even doing it for fun ? Aluminium ised car cover to act as a Faraday cage to isolate car system ? And yes, a mouse in the car even, but they usually like wiring insulation and car goes " buzzerk".... Where there any i.r. sensors in/on the car ? You could try some PIR lights around the car as see if they go off... I would imagined the diagnostic would say which sensor set the alarm off ? Any foxes around where you live ? But then again you did suggest there was no problem before next door added the "electronics box" for the solar system... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Berriman Posted July 28, 2021 Share Posted July 28, 2021 Hello kc I trust as the thread as gone quiet has the alarm system gone quiet as well Fingers crossed for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted July 28, 2021 Author Share Posted July 28, 2021 Well in fact the problem seems not to have reoccurred. The alarm went off some 10 hours after the car was returned from the dealers on Friday then it hasn't happened since! At first I put this down to the very dull weather on Saturday, Sunday, Monday & Tuesday -very little temperature change daytime to night time or very little solar energy data to transmit or some other factor. Then I thought through what had happened - on Saturday afternoon I decided to see if the alarm was actually working and without unlocking the alarm via the key fob I used the key to undo the door handle. Sure enough the alarm triggered just as it should - I then turned the alarm off via the key fob whilst still sounding. Every other time that the alarm triggered it just stopped itself after 30 seconds or so ( insufficent time for me to reach the car ) So I wonder if this made the difference - turning the alarm off via key fob compared to letting it turn itself off after the 30 seconds? Could that reset everything just like anything computer related needs CTRL/ALT/DEL to get everything back in order? Was that what was needed all along - a genuine alarm and proper reset? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted July 28, 2021 Share Posted July 28, 2021 KC, you might be right. Still leaves you with a computer that froze, needs a reboot, and an assumption, it’s a one off. It’s a car, climb in, start, off you go. That is what a modern car does. No issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 On 24/07/2021 at 14:03, Andy Stephenson said: KC have you tried leaving a outside light on to see if it's the time of day or the lack of illumination that enables the fault. It might be scared of the dark ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted July 29, 2021 Author Share Posted July 29, 2021 At the moment the problem has gone away - but to go back to MattyB's point about disabling the alarm. Although disabling the alarm seems a practical and reasonable solution if the alarm gives trouble it is something which I would not do for two very good reasons. First is insurers alway ask if you car has been modified from standard and if one is honest and states the alarm has been disabled you can imagine the insurers would increase the premium! Second is if the car is ever stolen then insurers would find alarm disablement as a good reason for wheedling out of paying up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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