IBRJA

What is this switch for? What does it do? I'm assuming that this is a switch that is in other '87 951s. It is tiny chrome stemmed togle switch in my glove box. My initial thought is that it has something to do with the alarm system, for which I have no key for. I have flipped the switch and run the car a couple weeks with the switch in either position. I just read an article about a kill switch, but this does not prevent me from starting the engine. Is it only activated through the alarm system if I am ever able to arm it?

Thanks in advance for any help,
Clueless

IceShark

It is probably something after market installed by a previous owner. A kill switch is as good a guess as any, but I don't believe stock alarm systems had anything like that.

For one thing, a factory switch would most likely be plastic, not metal. Pull the switch and look at the wires connected to it, see how the wires and connector to it look, and trace down where the wires go. Whatever it is could be disconnected due to some problem which developed or removal of the aftermarket product it turned on.

IanM

I'd bet that it used to be one of two things: either a valet switch for an aftermarket alarm system, or a kill switch. You might as well wire it in as a kill switch, since it's already there. Cut the positive wire going to your fuel pump at the fuse box, and solder in a wire going into and out of your switch. When the switch is flicked, the car will start, but then quickly die after the fuel pressure drops. It's an easy job, and you'll have the added feeling of security that your car is harder to steal. Plus it's kinda handy to be able to depressurize your fuel system if you're ever replacing the fuel filter, fuel pressure regulator, injectors, etc.

951Tom

That would make a good car-jacking deterent! Put a timed relay in there and flip the switch before you're forced out of the car at gun point. Then when the thief drives 25ft down the road, the fuel pump electricity gets cut and the motor dies. I'd guess then the thief would just jump out of the car, ditch it and run at that point. What do you guys think?

Tom
'87 951
'86 Supra

John H. in DC Area

My former 89 951 had an Alpine alarm system installed and the glovebox contained a switch precisely as you describe (1-inch chrome toggle on left wall of glove box). If yours is the same, then it is a valet switch that can only be activated by flipping the switch (and holding it for two seconds) when the ignition is off. Hope this helps.

John

keith

what is a valet switch?

IanM

A valet switch allows you to deactivate your alarm system, so that it doesn't go off and confuse the valet who's parking your car. You'll know you're in "valet" mode because your alarm light turns on and stays on (not blinking though). The valet switch on Alpine alarm systems is also used to set the various features of the alarm, ie. to assign different functions to the remote, etc. It's used by flicking the switch back and forth and listening to the chirps. It's all explained in the Alpine manual related to your specific alarm model.

IBRJA

Thanks for the help guys. I called a local alarm installer and he said that he would trace the wiring from the switch, but I believe I can do that too. It's just a matter of how to crawl into that passenger footwell to see where the wires are going and their color. If I feel like crawling in the next week or so I'll let you know the outcome. Again, many thanks for the ideas.

pikey7

Probably a stupid suggestion, but could it be an airbag cutoff switch???

Mike

IBRJA

I do have both Driver side and Passenger Air Bags. I quess I had better treat it gently if is a cut off switch. Thanks for the input.

951 Scotty

Have you checked to see if the switch controls your brake lights. I have heard of folks, such as cannonballers, turning off their brake lights incase they hit radar and have to slam on their brakes and dont want to look guilty.

IceShark

Scotty, you have the cannonballers/moonshine runner's reason wrong. They put in a brake light cut off switch so when getting chased on a dark road at night by the cops you can turn off all the lights and won't give away your position to following cops when you brake. Got to watch those bends in the road though.

tecart

speaking of alpine alarms, i had my battery unhooked for 45 days and it drained my battery, then after charging it and trying to turn the ignition on the alarm horn starts whinning and chirping and i wasnt able to use the valet switch to shut it off or the key transmitter, any ideas as to this, i ended up unpluging the control box of the alarm thus alowing me to start the car while being jumped right away, does the alpine alarm think the car is being stolen if the alarm is set off but the battery drains down and then when jumping the car rhe alarm gets power back then thinks the car is being stolen so it sounds ths alarm and uses the starter kill so i cant turn thwe car over? is this all related to a dead battery, thanks for any insight

IceShark

Don't know about the Alpine, but I had an aftermarket alarm where a similar drained battery happened & I had to jump the car to start.

Anyway, somewhere along the line a component of the alarm had burned out and reacted like yours. I just tore the whole thing out and tossed it because it was so old wasn't worth trying to fix. Was told they weren't protected enough to take sudden charging (with only a friend's car, not some 24 volt quick charger) after being totally drained.

IBRJA

Following up on your advise I called a local alarm installer who said "Don't mess around with the switch or the wiring, just get it into the shop here and I will trace the wiring to determine what it is". He went on to say " Get it here soon because the alarm might arm itself and you'll be stuck wherever and whenever it happens" Well with that advise I figured the guy just wanted me in the shop to spend some cash on his work. I really thought that after driving 6,500 miles following the purchasing of this car that the car wouldn't do what he said. Well, I'm here to say that yesterday after waiting 40 minutes to pick up someone (while playing the radio and running the parking lights) that the radio, without warning, went dead. I tried to start the car fearing that I drained the battery and sure enough, no juice. I gave it 5 minutes after turning off all that is electrical, and it started but only stayed running for a couple of seconds. I tried it again several times and it just wouldn't start. It was like mu fuel pump was turned off, the engine turned but wouldn't start. I then started to get out of the car, to look under the hood, and I noticed the LED's (next to my door locks) blinking. Now I don't have a key for this system and I couldn't imagine what I did to arm the alarm, but sure enough, what the alarm expert said could happen DID HAPPEN. I then called him and he said that he'd have to look at the system, but since I was stranded an hour away from him he said that by switching the toggle switch (in the glovebox) on and off fast 4 times while the key was on, that it might reset the system so that I could drive it to his shop. Well, I did this several times and the LED's continued to blink. I then said "what the hell" and just turned the key to start. YES!!! The car started, but the LED's were still on. I then drove home and will damn well get the car to this alarm specialist ASAP. Also, at this point if you open a door the engine will turn off like a snap. Then you'll have to repeat the toggle switch ritual to start the car again. I'll keep you posted on the repairs.