I am planning on having a Matrix RSX 3.5 alarm installed on my STI. Anyone know if this will cause problems due to the factory alarm? Has anyone had any problems with the aftermarket alarm and factory? Did you remove the factory alarm brain?

I just want to know if it would be a bigger headache then it's worth.

Thanks,
Zab

 

yes it will. when ever you try to unlock the car with the aftermarket it will not unlock and if you remotestart the car the factory alarm will go off. Just completely disable the factory alpine and wire up the new alarm. I would never buy anything but dei products(viper, clifford, etc.) though.

Its really not that bad though....but worth getting it installed if you've never done an alarm before. Tweeter does good work. Not to toot me own horn

 

I have the same alarm you do but in a WRX, you will need to get the transponder for your STi if you want to wire up the remote start. yes you should disable the factory alarm.. ive had this for about 2 months now, and its pretty nice.. i just wired up the windows up/down and trunk popper.

 

Where do you get the transponder from and what is it for? The place installing it said they are going to install the remote start, windows, and trunk pop. I am assuming that meant he had all the parts. Does the trunk have an electric release or will I have to get something also to pop it?

Thanks,
Zab

 

Unless there is something I don't know about the '05, my '04 didnt need one and have yet to have to use a transponder ever on any subaru. Maybe I have the magical ****. A transponder is a part you need if there is a resistance-based chip in your factory key preventing the car from starting without the correct ohm load being sent.

The trunk is not electronic as you have to pull a lever to pop it instead of pushing a button. You will need an actuator for the trunk, but it is a pretty easy install. Just tugs on the wire to pop the trunk.

 

Cool, thanks for the help.

 

05 STi and 06 WRX and STi have immobilizer keys. It's a transponder in the Key and not a resister style like GM VATS. An Immobilizer bypass will transmit a signal to the antena near the ignition switch. The bypass may use a second key (aka hidden key) or a learned sequence from an original key to transmit the proper signal.

 

Yeah....I ended up just doing an 05 last week....used a 556uw and worked like a champ

 

The installers that were putting on my alarm couldn't get the bypass to work correctly. It was exactly as you said with the second key in a little box under the dash and a wire around the ignition switch to send the signal. They ended up butchering one of my keys and attaching the transponder to the top of the ignition. They were very crappy installers, and it took them 2 days to get the alarm on. After this experience, I will just do everything myself. It all works now, but the transponder is obviously worthless now. Let me know if anyone has a better way to install it. Is there anyway to make the remote start not work if not in neutral?

Thanks,
Zab

 

My factory alarm is still in the car. I have had it go off sometimes when the alarm wasn't armed correctly. Was going to try and remove the factory brain, but I am not sure what that would do. On the '06 is it under the center console or in the glove box?

 

The WRX has a neutral position switch that you can interface to the alarm to lockout RS when in gear.

As far as the immobilaer hack the shop did with your key..... yea... that sucks cuz you don't have that protecting you anymore. If they could get it working the right way then it would only be bypassed when the alarm was activating the remote start. You would still have it protecting you when some theif is trying to shove a screwdriver in the ignition switch.

browse www.the12volt.com for more alarm info.

I'm still looking for an imobilizer bypass that learns the key rather than requiring one to be hidden. I've found it for other cars but not the Impreza.

 

Any idea where the neutral switch is located? I might order one of the bypasses and see if I can get it to work. Like I said the installers didn't really know what they were doing.

Thanks for the help.

 

The switch itself is on the transmission. It's wired into the ECU. I don't know the pinout for your specific vehicle. You might find it on the 12volt. It's abreiviated as NPS on some alarm wiring guides. If you have the Subaru service PDFs it's in there. Some of the Imprezas showed ground when in neutral. Some showed ground when in gear. It depends on the model year. That's all I know about it.

 

i dont like the idea of butchering the key and hiding it....defeats the purpose of this added security. i hope they didnt sell on an ignition kill for a standard transmission car? If they did bring it back and have them wire it for fuel kill instead

 

holy crap 2 days for an alarm install??? If you don't mind me asking where did you get it installed at?? On a Subaru since I own one, I can pretty much wire a remote start alarm in 2-3 hours. Sucks they hacked your key instead of using a bypass because as someone mentioned with a bypass it only allows it to start if you press the button but if you don't it will still need an extra key with the transponder built in to start it but since you have a transponder on theyre already who knows how easy your car can be stolen.