Security System Concerns

LeslieS · 03-03-2005, 08:43 AM

A local dealer told me he could sell me a Prius the end of March if I would take a package AM with the addition of an added security package. From reading posts, I see this system as a problem. I would be very unhappy taking the elevator down to the car park at 3:00am with that thing going off. Do loud noises really activate the microphone? can it be disabled?

bruceha_2000 · 03-03-2005, 09:30 AM

Loud noises?? Not one I've heard of.

However, if you lock the car (out of habit) with your 12 Y/O daughter and her friend in it while you go into the school to get your 10 Y/O and the friend decides to open the door to throw out a cracker that fell on the floor, the alarm will sound, the lights will flash and it will continue until you unlock the car. Not that this could EVER happen of course.

ops:

I imagine the alarm can be disabled, but if you are going to pay for it (how much??) and kill it, maybe it is better to wait or look elsewhere.

DanMan32 · 03-03-2005, 11:50 AM

Kyle knows how to activate the alarm system that supposedly is already in the car from the factory.
From what I have seen, all packages but base list the factory alarm, though it seems the ones that don't simply don't have them activated.

The glass breakage sensor is an dealer installable option.

Not sure how well the RS3200 really works with a Prius, and to me, seems redundant. From what I have been gathering, the RS3200 activates using the car's wireless remote, so if you are getting SKS, having to use the remote to deactivate the alarm defeats the purpose of having SKS.

kidtwist · 03-03-2005, 12:11 PM

Having had some bad experiences with alarm systems, I REALLY don't want one and I keep getting conflicting info about which Priuses have them.

I would much rather have a Lojack than an alarm. I would rather that nobody had alarms, especially a certain former neighbor. His car alarm went off early one morning in the garage, and my bedroom was directly over it. The alarm kept going for three hours. He couldn't hear it because the garage was too far away from him. I didn't know which neighbor's alarm it was so there wasn't much I could do. Eventually he turned it off. By then the whites of my eyes had turned salsa red. The next morning it happened again.

There's also the time the alarm went off in my truck. Problem was I hadn't turned it on. And the battery in my remote was dead and I couldn't turn it off. That's a much longer story so I'll stop there.

I really hate car alarms.

LeslieS · 03-03-2005, 01:20 PM

I'd really like to take this car and avoid the long waits I have been reading about. However I also hate alarm systems, mine or anyone elses. The car does have a glass breakage sensor. The dealer said the package was a factory install and can't removed and cost deducted. As much as I hate to wait, I would be far more insecure going down to the car park at odd hours of night. Street noise, lots of cars back firing, summer fireworks, are sounds I am concerned with. Yes they do use very large illegal fireworks in the city and the cops are useless about complaints.

bookrats · 03-03-2005, 01:38 PM

Only thing I'd add, Leslie: the waiting list for Prii is getting really short. In the Seattle area (where the Prius is very popular), I've got two friends who were shopping for other cars, and found Priuses available on the lot for MSRP. (And both bought them.)

You might check with other dealers in the area, and see what transpires. At the very least, it might make your current dealer look for other pricing options.

DanMan32 · 03-03-2005, 01:46 PM

First off, the GBS is an option, or at least it was, maybe they are including it now. Second, the dealer can adjust the sensitivity, and they can also turn it off with their scanner, as it has to be turned on when it is installed.

Tadashi · 03-03-2005, 07:09 PM

Well to set your mind at ease I live on a military post and had an F-16 fly over the area and it did a sonic boom thing that shook all the cars and windows. It set off a few alarms but not mine. I had a glass break sensor and the regular alarm. It must not be the right frequency. I have had the alarm go off when the dealer was showing me the features (purposely made it go off to ensure it was working).

KTPhil · 03-03-2005, 07:51 PM

"my bedroom was directly over it. The alarm kept going for three hours. He couldn't hear it because the garage was too far away from him"

That's about the time you use a brick to simulate his car having a "glass breakage sensor."

03-03-2005, 08:43 AM	#1
LeslieS Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: SW Michigan Posts: 7 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Security System Concerns A local dealer told me he could sell me a Prius the end of March if I would take a package AM with the addition of an added security package. From reading posts, I see this system as a problem. I would be very unhappy taking the elevator down to the car park at 3:00am with that thing going off. Do loud noises really activate the microphone? can it be disabled?

03-03-2005, 09:30 AM	#2
bruceha_2000 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: South Burlington, VT Posts: 2,207 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #8 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Loud noises?? Not one I've heard of. However, if you lock the car (out of habit) with your 12 Y/O daughter and her friend in it while you go into the school to get your 10 Y/O and the friend decides to open the door to throw out a cracker that fell on the floor, the alarm will sound, the lights will flash and it will continue until you unlock the car. Not that this could EVER happen of course. ops: I imagine the alarm can be disabled, but if you are going to pay for it (how much??) and kill it, maybe it is better to wait or look elsewhere. __________________ Bruce Mine: Driftwood '04 BC 24 Sept 2004 - added: mudflaps, door edge guards, side panel mouldings, Coastal Tech EV switch, Hakkapeliitta RSi tires, WeatherTech window deflectors. Last tank - 11 Nov '08: 551.6 miles - MFD MPG: 52.4 Actuals Lifetime: 78923.8 miles, 48.75 MPG. Wife's: Barcelona '06 #7 May 2006 - added: front mudflaps, Coastal Tech EV switch, Hakkapeliitta RSi tires. Last tank - 25 Aug '08: 360.5 miles - MFD MPG: 50.0 Actuals Lifetime: 25,896.4 miles, 45.78 MPG.

03-03-2005, 12:11 PM	#4
kidtwist Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 183 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Security System Concerns Having had some bad experiences with alarm systems, I REALLY don't want one and I keep getting conflicting info about which Priuses have them. I would much rather have a Lojack than an alarm. I would rather that nobody had alarms, especially a certain former neighbor. His car alarm went off early one morning in the garage, and my bedroom was directly over it. The alarm kept going for three hours. He couldn't hear it because the garage was too far away from him. I didn't know which neighbor's alarm it was so there wasn't much I could do. Eventually he turned it off. By then the whites of my eyes had turned salsa red. The next morning it happened again. There's also the time the alarm went off in my truck. Problem was I hadn't turned it on. And the battery in my remote was dead and I couldn't turn it off. That's a much longer story so I'll stop there. I really hate car alarms. __________________ Mark CPO (Certifiable Prius Owner) Best Tank - 52.8 mpg 1st Tank - 46.2 mpg 2nd Tank - 51.3 mpg

03-03-2005, 01:20 PM	#5
LeslieS Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: SW Michigan Posts: 7 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Security System Concerns I'd really like to take this car and avoid the long waits I have been reading about. However I also hate alarm systems, mine or anyone elses. The car does have a glass breakage sensor. The dealer said the package was a factory install and can't removed and cost deducted. As much as I hate to wait, I would be far more insecure going down to the car park at odd hours of night. Street noise, lots of cars back firing, summer fireworks, are sounds I am concerned with. Yes they do use very large illegal fireworks in the city and the cops are useless about complaints.

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03-03-2005, 11:50 AM	#3
DanMan32 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Tampa Bay, FL Posts: 3,775 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Kyle knows how to activate the alarm system that supposedly is already in the car from the factory. From what I have seen, all packages but base list the factory alarm, though it seems the ones that don't simply don't have them activated. The glass breakage sensor is an dealer installable option. Not sure how well the RS3200 really works with a Prius, and to me, seems redundant. From what I have been gathering, the RS3200 activates using the car's wireless remote, so if you are getting SKS, having to use the remote to deactivate the alarm defeats the purpose of having SKS.

03-03-2005, 01:38 PM	#6
bookrats Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,843 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Only thing I'd add, Leslie: the waiting list for Prii is getting really short. In the Seattle area (where the Prius is very popular), I've got two friends who were shopping for other cars, and found Priuses available on the lot for MSRP. (And both bought them.) You might check with other dealers in the area, and see what transpires. At the very least, it might make your current dealer look for other pricing options.

03-03-2005, 01:46 PM	#7
DanMan32 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Tampa Bay, FL Posts: 3,775 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	First off, the GBS is an option, or at least it was, maybe they are including it now. Second, the dealer can adjust the sensitivity, and they can also turn it off with their scanner, as it has to be turned on when it is installed.

03-03-2005, 07:09 PM	#8
Tadashi Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Fort Hood, TX Posts: 794 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Well to set your mind at ease I live on a military post and had an F-16 fly over the area and it did a sonic boom thing that shook all the cars and windows. It set off a few alarms but not mine. I had a glass break sensor and the regular alarm. It must not be the right frequency. I have had the alarm go off when the dealer was showing me the features (purposely made it go off to ensure it was working).

03-03-2005, 07:51 PM	#9
KTPhil Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,213 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	"my bedroom was directly over it. The alarm kept going for three hours. He couldn't hear it because the garage was too far away from him" That's about the time you use a brick to simulate his car having a "glass breakage sensor."