Is there anyway to turn on the Toyota Prius anti-theft system without charge (for those who don't have it like Package 2)? If yes, how? If no, what are people paying for it?
did you try taking the car to the dealership that sold you the car to see if they will turn it on for you? maybe you can ask a couple service advisors to see if they are willing to do it? some toyota dealers will give you 1 free software configuration change the first year suggestion 1 drive the car to the service lanes, let them put the paper number on your rear view mirror, let them put the paper to protect your carpet, wait with the car, when the service advisor comes, ask him for one complimentary service, maybe show him the contract saying you bought it there, if they want to keep you as a future customer, they should do it for you for free. if they don't then try another dealer. don't let them write up any thing and drive off suggestion 2 buy the glass breakage sensor from thier parts department (prefered) or priuschat.com or elsewhere, install it yourself, then do suggestion 1 maybe they will turn on both for free!
Nice ideas, rigormortis. Maybe couple the complimentary request with some routine oil service, so they still get some biz. At purchase time, they were trying to sell the anti-theft to me for $700 and after repeated nyets, they lowered it to $400, which I still refused. Any real difference between their anti-theft versus the window sensor? Wouldn't the regular anti-theft detect a window smash with accompanying shaking movement of car?
i think getting the alarn + window sensor would be about 400 msrp, so the price drop was fair! heh nah you can turn on the anti theft without having the window sensor installed. its just like a minor setting change. shaking won't set it off. it only goes off if doors or opened or someone breaks that window or makes a loud noise, thats optional the thing i don't like if someone uses a mechanical key or jimmies the mechanical key slot, it won't go off! once its turned on, you can set it to go off anytime a door is open even if the doors are unlocked, or set it to only arm itself when you lock the doors watch out for some dealers who want to install some other alarm system that makes you carry around a second set of remotes, thats stupid , or the actual vip toyota alarm module in the trunk, heh
Thanks. I'm a little not clear on What does the window sensor do that the regular anti-theft does not?
the window sensor will beep a tone 'stay away' if you tap on it? or sound the alarm if someone breaks it. its basically a microphone that is mounted in that area below the stereo in front of the center console. and theres a volume knob on it with just the alarm enabled.. someone has to break the window and reach over to open the door for it to sound the alarm, or open any of other doors or hood .. or in "passive" mode just open a door (locked or not) no dealer will give you the window sensor for free.. its a $130 something dollar part.
yes but keep in mind, if someone picks or punches the mechanical key slot to open the drivers side door or uses a copy of your metal key, it won't go off, that is a major bummer i think if someone slim jims it, then it will go off
That is correct. And it's an alarm, not an anti-theft system. Thieves can still take your car, alarm blaring, with an alarm. ALL Prius have the anti-theft system, and it's enabled. It requires the FOB to either be plugged in (non-SKS) or in the car (SKS) to get to "ready". In this case, the thief can still take your car, but he/she will need to tow it (front wheels off the ground). To make it clearer, you can have: 1. Stock anti-theft system. All Prius have this enabled from the factory. You can't get to "ready" without the FOB. 2. Above PLUS alarm system enabled. If you open a door, hatch, or hood, the horn will sound and the lights will flash for awhile. This can be set to auto set or manually set. 3. Above PLUS glass breakage sensor. If glass is broken the horn will sound and the lights will flash for awhile. 4. Aftermarket stuff, such as LoJack, fancy alarms, etc. 5. Gwido, my uncle. He sticks around the car and shoots anyone messing with it.
yeah, the stock anti theft system does make it harder for someone to steal it.... if you can get the stock alarm enabled for free who cares if its necessary or not the reason to get the alarm system enabled is it seems to me that prius hyrbrids are more suspectible to smash and grabs of your contents or vandalism and not actual theft of the car.
i think the extra security layer that the alarm system adds is well worth the $0 you will probably have to spend it have it turned on.
