Any idea what this is under my dash?

Anyone have any idea what this is. It has a button and lights up red when pushed. Has a small bracket that holds it.

 

Aftermarket alarm likely. Hold the button until the light stays solid, lock the vehcile, then try to open a door hard. If no alarm, unlock, hold button until light flashes, lock doors, try to open a door hard. If no horns going off then I am wrong.

 

Seems simple enough to trace the wires to where they go...

 

Let's say that the alarm does trigger.

How does he turn it off?

 

I don't think it for an alarm.

 

Unlock button on key fob or hold the button down again. If that doesn't work pull neg battery cable.

 

$5 say they go back to a module and that module is tapped into the harness under the dash. Dealer installed alarm that the original buyer said no to.

 

Aftermarket kill system installed by dealer. They are $10 worth of components that will fail. Just removed one from a buddy’s car that was causing an intermittent no start condition; AFTER the dealership charged him $750 to replace his starter.

these things suck. My 4Runner had one when I bought it, and I ripped it out the same day. They are absolute garbage. I know some dealers charge buyers $500-1000 for the added “security system”, and it’s just bad business.

it’s likely spliced into a wire in your driver side kick panel. Also probably t-tapped into the harness at your driver knee knocker panel.

edit to add: if you do remove it (and you should) use proper good crimps or solder and use heat shrink to make the connection water tight.

 

That sounds about right. They gave me that option when I was buying. What's the easiest way to remove? Can I just cut the wires to the button?

 

No. Don’t do that.
Pull your driver quarter panel and trace the wires to the splice.
If you are not completly comfortable doing 12v work, find a shop or friend you trust.

a mistake or a poor connection can leave you stranded. It’s not hard to do correctly, in the slightest.

I’d even suggest using a posi-lock

https://a.co/d/iQoLpA1

I keep a box of these in all of my vehicles. They are fantastic for field repairs.

you could use one of those and then cover it with quality heat shrink (with built in heat activated adhesive) to make water tight… good alternative if you don’t have crimp tools or soldering tools.

 

Looking at the picture closer, I’m willing to bet that version has a brain under the dash. Black box.



Have i mentioned how much I hate these things?

 

The button is exactly the same. What functions will I lose by removing?

 

Does your horn honk in addition to the chirp when you lock your doors? If so, that.

You will also gain reliability. I cannot understate hoe often these fail. In today’s age of mechanics that are not true technicians, they like to just throw parts at problems rather than diagnosing.

if you purchased recently at a dealership, they might remove it at no cost. If/when this device fails, it will not be covered under warranty as it’s not a factory installed part.

 

Do not just start cutting willy nilly. I had one of these installed on my 2021 Rav4. I pulled the module-just unplugged it-car wouldn't start. It was a hack job of an install. I had to trace all the wires back and repair where they had cut into the main harness. It was not fun.

 

It's a Big Brother tracking device. If you disconnect or alter it in any way, you'll get 20 years in the Gulag.

 

Would be leaning towards an aftermarket add on dealer alarm opposed to a tracking device based off of past installs, I had done.

 

I have seen both unfortunately. On my truck there was a GPS tracker, the 4Runner had a kill-switch/horn hoking system, my buddy’s truck had a simple kill switch.

Either way, they are prone to failure and can cause issues. The GPS tracker on the truck was actually sucking down my battery fairly quickly, if it was parked for a few days it needed a jumpstart.

The 4Runner had the “Karr” system on it, if you do a google search for “Karr anti theft dealer add on” there are hundreds (well, thousands) of reports of them being installed by dealers and the associated shenanigans.


Obligatory “I really, really hate those damned things”

 

Agree, Do not see OP going to a Gulag over removing it was my point.