Hey Everyone,

I have been reading this forum for the past 2 months now and I have finally received mine. Mag Grey with Stone interior. Fully loaded, including XM, back-up sensors, side mirrior tilt when in reverse, and remote start. All four items of which I had installed with Toyota parts directly by Toyota. Also VIP Alarm which was factory installyed. Total cost $33,195......just drove it home last night.

I do have a question regarding the VIP.
Very simply, how does it work, can someone give me a detailed overview, someone with firsthand experience please.

Thanks kindly,
Thunderlove3

 

Lock your doors (thru any method you choose), it arms after 30 seconds. Unlock your doors (except from the inside) and the system unarms. Mine came with a warning to disarm the system before opening the trunk, but I've found no issues with opening the trunk using the button under the lift handle (I never use the remote for anything so it's always in my pocket). The system is completely integrated so really you don't have to take any special actions at all. It's basically a noise maker so how effective it really is I'm not sure, good for keeping kids away I guess which is why I got one on mine. I looked into the tracking alarms, but the extra cost and the extremely minimal insurance reduction made it less than appealing.

It uses the same light on the dash by the clock as the engine immobilizer. There are times when the immobilizer has the light steady on but the VIP wants to blink the light (if memory services this happens when the immobilizer is being activated and the alarm is doing it's 30 second countdown to arming.)If you look carefully, you can see the light actually pulse brighter during the 30 seconds even though it's on all the time.

 

The warning is to not open the trunk using the key before disarming the system with the remote. So if you wanted to try it leave the remote some distance away and use just the mechanical key to open the trunk.


As for using it, like Droid13 I don't take it out of my pocket. Upon touching the handle you'll get two beeps, the door will unlock and the alarm will disarm. Pressing the button on the door you'll get one beep, the doors will lock, and the alarm will arm. Pressing the button on the trunk will open the trunk (no beeps though) so I'm not sure about the alarm status at that point but I suspect it is disarmed.
You can't arm the alarm if you don't turn off the car. (Accidently tried that once.)