VIP RS3200 Plus Security System

The VIP system sets off your horn when the door is forcibly opened or the window is broken. It will not go off when your vehicle is shaken, Harley's go by, etc. All of the Prius come with engine immobilizer chips. You can find this chip in the majority of late model Toyota's and it makes the vehicle very difficult to "hotwire".
I'm adding it to my vehicle because I when I go surfing I must leave the remote in the car and take the laser cut key with me. If someone were to open my vehicle, it would set off the alarm and disable the starter.

 

Correct. Adding the vp3 gives an alarm/started disable function to your vehicle. Just know that if someone is messing with the vehicle, the alarm won't go off. The door needs to be either forcibly opened or glass smashed. Do it. : )

 

Somewhat tested the alarm. Locked the car with a window open and opened the door from the inside handle. The horn sounded and lights flashed but didn't try to hotwire it. Haven't tried the passive mode--almost afraid to.

 

That is the only reasonable way to demonstrate the alarm to people. In the instruction booklet it says to tap a key on the middle of the window to show how the glass breakage sensor works, but I've never done it.

I don't know anything about "hotwiring" a car, but would anyone know if a Prius have ever been stolen without the key present? I know you can steal anything if you load it on a truck, but any "hotwired" stolen Prius's you've ever heard of???

 

We had this discussion 2 or 3 years ago and I think the consensus was the only way a Prius would be stolen without the key was if someone winched it onto a flat bed truck and hauled it off. Then it would only be good for salvage because they most likely would never get it started.

 

Thanks Tumbleweed. I was told by multiple friends (fellow salesmen) that I didn't need the alarm because they just don't get stolen. But, since I have to leave the SK in the vehicle when I hit the water, I feel more comfortable installing the alarm.

 

I agree with your logic. I'm a hiker and I will feel better leaving the car if it has an alarm system. I ordered the VIP RS 3200 also.

I'm really more concerned with the stuff I might leave in the car than I am with the car getting stolen.

 

Well, you can flatbed a Prius, AND you could purchase the module and change it, then reprogram the main computer to recognize the new module, -THEN- you could drive your stolen Prius. But you'd need access to the parts and to the programmer. You can't "hotwire" a Prius. I'm sure there are lots of dealer employees who could be tempted. But for a Prius (a car worth $25,000 ish used) it wouldn't be worth it. Even the parts wouldn't be a big seller - yet. Now Lexus, Mercedes, and BMW, that's another matter.

An alarm won't protect the car contents from being stolen. They are so common, and go off so often nobody even looks anymore. How about storing stuff under the rear cargo box with the spare tire? Most thieves are too stupid/lazy to look there.

 

You may be correct, but if the car is right outside my motel room I could look out the window and watch the thieves running away with whatever they took.

 

I tried a key in the middle of the window, like the book said. Thankfully it didn't seem to do any damage. But it also did not set off the alarm or even the pre-alarm 'back off' beep. So I tried the butt end of a heavy fork (smooth) and tapped as hard as I dared. Nothing. I really felt like I would break the glass if I tapped any harder - I don't think I was being a wimp about it. I confirmed that the alarm works by using the window open technique, so the dealer really did install the alarm... or at least programmed the computer. But I'm starting to wonder if they actually installed the glass sensor. The little light where the glass break microphone is located also doesn't blink - it just goes out 30 seconds or so after arming. So is something wrong? Did my dealer fail to complete the installation? Rip me off somehow? They gave me an owner's manual to an RS3200 and put on the decal, so they must have had one. Any thoughts? Anyone actually make the glass break sensor trip? Thanks!

 

I put this system on my 2005 and the glass breakage sensor has to be adjusted for sensitivity. Sounds like the dealer didn't do that. Tapping on the glass hard would set mine off. Actually leaving my cell phone in the car would set it off. It must put out a high frequency noise.

 

Any chance that sensitivity can be adjusted without the Toyota maintenance computer thingy that only dealers have?

 

I know I was able to do it myself on a 2005 but I don't remember how. Actually on the 2005 the process was 1) buy the "kit", cut a small wire under the dash, install and adjust the glass breakage sensor, go to Toyota and pay the dealer $50 to turn it on. Except for the glass breakage sensor the system was already in the car just need to be turned on by cutting a wire and the dealer programming it.

 

Thanks for that. Inspired by your post, I've been googling the adjustment; and from what I've read, the sensitivity is just a knob on the RS3200 (at least in other cars), so if I can find the darn thing, maybe I can adjust it up and try it again.

 

On the 2005 it was near the center of the car way up under the dash. If you paid for it the dealer should have given you all the documentation, including installation instructions that came with it. If I had a dealer install it I would get them to adjust it correctly. You don't want it too sensitive or thunder will set it off.

 

Thank you! The dealer gave me a bunch of docs, but I didn't see installation instructions. That would be a big help, actually, since I'd know where it was. And I would just have them adjust it - certainly the right suggestion - except I bought it from a far away dealer (availability), so not so easily done in this case.

 

I had the dealer install the system for me today. I wanted proof that the system was installed and working correctly, so the tech demoed it for me. He rolled down the window and clanked two wrenches together to set it off.

The control unit for the alarm has a dial on it to adjust the sensitivity. It's supposed to be in the lower panel with the mirror adjust and whatnot. I haven't opened it up myself, but I've seen diagrams.