I bought an 01 Tacoma SR5 4x4 4 door and it has a little red led button switch mounted to the left of the steering wheel on the dash. I know if I push it in and load a 4 wheeler in the back the horn starts to blow. I have no idea if this is factory or aftermarket. I got know documentation when I bought the truck.
Can anybody shed some light on this. I suspect it might be causing me a problem that just started while replacing the battery today. When I connect the battery terminals the turn signal lights flash and I can't get the truck to start now. It's like the starter is disengaged. I noticed after dark tonight that when I attempt to start the truck the LED clock in the dash and the radio lights will go out. Any ideas appreciated..

Grinder

 

It sounds like an alarm system that you've now fully activated when you swapped out the battery, making it think that someone was trying to steal the truck.

You need to contact the stealership and/or "VIN check" to get ahold of the previous owner.

 

Sounds to me like an anti-theft system, whether factory or aftermarket. I bet you have tripped it and now you need to reset it to get your truck back. Ask the p/o for any info, or do a search for things like alarm system, or ignition lockout, stuff like that. You need to find out teh reset for that particular alarm system. Look for a control box someplace with a HEAP o'wires going to it, maybe under the hood, maybe under the dash, and get teh brand name. Then we may ba able to do better...

 

^^^
What is your avatar man? I can't figureitout!!!

 

Whose, mine?
It's just a pic I found that I thought looked extremely cool. Nothing big, just a blacked cloaked figure on a black horse witha really nice sword and lightning behind him. Kind of like I always pictured the Nazgul in the LoTR books, which I read back in the mid 60's, and several times since. I really enjoyed the movies too...

 

Thanks for the replies, I have search the internet for Tacoma factory and aftermarket alarms. Not much to go on. I suspect this is the problem though.
I will call a Toyota dealership tomorrow and see if they can shed some light.

Grinder

 

emergency driver eject button

 

its an anti theft device, my girlfriend has the exact same red button on her 2001 celica. I've never pushed it but; this may be a dumb question, when you put the new battery in did you try pushing the button again to disarm it?

 

Take off the positive post , wait a few minutes and then put it back on. Then if needed push the button again to turn it off.
You can find the manuals on Ebay for the 01 most of the time and they don't cost much. The dealers have them also. Mike

 

Thanks to those that gave good input on the problem. It was an alarm problem. This morning I carried a key out that remotely opens the doors. Connected the battery and when the flashing started I hit the buttons on the remote. Still did not start. I sat in the truck and I guess inabled and disabled the alarm and finally it started just fine. Maybe this post will help someone else in this situation.

Ginder

 

Ginder, Get that manual, they sure are handy and they are only a few bucks in most cases. Glad you got it figure out. Mike

 

My 01 tacoma has the same light only it is mounted below the dash on the left side of the steering wheel. Mine was an alarm and it sounds like the same thing for you. The one for my truck was a Slincer Alarm that was put in aftermarket. As far as i understood from a stealership that i talked to is that all aftermarket alarms put in by a factory were Slincer Alarms. i just ordered the brain off ebay that came with everything and i have never had a problem. if you dont get it fixed befor you read this i can check the number on my alarm and tell you the brand of Slincer Alarm it is. It sounds like the same thing as mine, hope this helps.