What are the alarm options for a 2012 Corolla L?

#1
Had it for a year. We have some pretty shady neighbors that have lived next to us for a couple of years, but the last year or so they have been a lot of problems. Lots of shady people hanging around their rental house, way too many people living in a tiny 2 bedroom house, etc. I've brought my concerns to the landlord, including when one of their visitors threatened one of my family members. Illegal burning in a burn barrel in the yard smoking up our house and the neighborhood, 20-30 people drunken parties at night in violation of noise ordinances, etc. Police have been out once for threats and 5-6 times for noise ordinance issues. In the near future, I'm going to put up a security system for our home (at least one or two of the cams will be focused on the car and driveway). But I need one for the car. Someone did this recently:

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I suspect that it was in the driveway. I presume that they took a screwdriver and tried to pry the corner of the outside door handle off to get to the components that unlock the door. I didn't see the broken part anywhere. It looks like they also may have broken off something inside (that black part). The whole keyhole cover is now very loose, but not falling off. I have been trying to identify this part so that I can order another one, but trying to find that particular shade of blue is probably going to be interesting. I also don't know how that keyhole cover attaches or what that broken part inside is. I do know that a couple of weeks ago, the driver's side wouldn't lock or unlock with the key FOB. All of the other doors would. The broken part on the door handle was just noticed 2 days ago. When I jiggled this keyhole cover a little bit, the key FOB started working as of lately. That's odd. Were we having to lock and unlock it manually before.

I'd like to get an alarm. We're just outside of Atlanta, Georgia. I have checked local cities for actual car alarm installation places and the search results misinterprets it as audio installations. I know that some places install both, but I'm also hitting a brick wall. I thought about checking a retailer like Best Buy. They only carry 3 types of car alarms. Ideally, I'd like to keep the same key FOB.

Any idea how to go about this? The car doesn't have an alarm and just has the stupid flashing "security" light that indicates that the anti-theft system for the chip key (which I'm not even sure it even HAS) is working when the key is pulled out. The lights flashing when the lock button is pressed is just the keyless entry system working. I guess we never realized this and always thought that was an alarm.

What's the best way to alarm this car without having to change key FOBs?
 

ZeCorolla

I Love Corolla's!
#2
The part that is broken is called the "Door Handle Outside Cover". Here is a link to two in Blue Metallic and Dark Blue (can't tell which shade of blue is your car).

Cover - Toyota (69227-AA010-R3)
Handle, Outside Cover - Toyota (69227-AA010-J8)

To remove the old broken one on your car, there is a rubber plug on the side of the door which you have to remove and then use a T30 TORX bit to remove the T30 bolt holding the cover in. Then there are two clips holding the handle cover, one of which is already broken which is why the cover is loose on your car. To install the new cover, just clip in the new cover, then re-install the T30 bolt in and replace the rubber plug onto the door.

Since you said the driver's door lock stopped working but started working again after shaking the keyhole cover, either the keyhole is damaged by the thieves and needs to be replaced as well or it was simply knocked loose due to the clip breaking.

As for car alarms, I don't have much knowledge on where to go to install one near your area but just search up some well reviewed car alarm installers in your area. There is an OEM alarm system from Toyota that you can get so it can work off of your Toyota key but I also think that there are aftermarket alarm systems that work off of the Toyota key as well for cheaper. You also do infact have the chip key but the anti-theft system that the flashing security light indicates is the immobilizer. All US Corolla's since 2005 have an engine immobilizer and so if a thief tries to hot wire your car, it simply won't start due to the absence of the chipped key.
 

fishycomics

Super Moderator
#3
Bestbuy is a good start, you can get your key fob programmed with the alarm. your option. the immobilizer they do not need a key they add an extra part and code it in another bill if asked.. I have an aftermarket alarm and I chose an aftermarket fob and have that additional code part in from a alarm shop
 
#4
Since you said the driver's door lock stopped working but started working again after shaking the keyhole cover, either the keyhole is damaged by the thieves and needs to be replaced as well or it was simply knocked loose due to the clip breaking.
It worked fine for days and now it is being stupid again. When pressing the key FOB to unlock it, I think the headlights flash and it unlocks. But when pressing the lock button, the headlights do not flash (as they used to when it was locked) and it locks both of the back doors but not the two front doors now. I have ordered a new cover and cover base just in case.

I'm hoping we can get a Viper system, but leave off the remote start feature that we don't need or want. I would like to add on some shock sensors/tamper sensors and such. I wanted to get the glowing LED that they wire in and stick to the window, but apparently it peels off and/or quits working after a while and got poor reviews.
 

fishycomics

Super Moderator
#5
Viper have had that, they can be set up with a sensor that if anyone walks in a radius of the car to go off, you got the cash they will do it.. if you get anything of a glow light think about the running down of the battery. When I had my viper I had a battery back up so when the actual car bat was dead I still had the alarm.
 
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