Our cars are one of our valuable assets. And because we spend a lot of time and money on cars, affordable maintenance is a plus. This is when being a handyman becomes useful. If we know how to take care of minor car issues such as how to install a motion sensor car alarm, we’ll have more significant savings.
In this article, you will learn how to install a motion sensor car alarm so you can save the unnecessary expense of hiring someone else. So you can use that money to spend on something better for your car. The experience will also strengthen your car knowledge to be able to tend to your vehicle more.
How A Motion Sensor Car Alarm Works
The car alarm comes in two categories OEM and Aftermarket. These are the brief descriptions of each one.
- OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) - Refers to a car alarm built in the vehicle upon manufacturing.
- Aftermarket – A car alarm installed at any time after the car is manufactured, a third-party mechanic usually does it.
Car alarms come with a set of features. Remote car alarms allow the user to control the alarm wirelessly from a key ring. It comes with sensors that enable features such as motion detectors or tilt sensors. Traditional alarm systems in a car use the car’s own horn. When someone attempts to enter the vehicle, it then activates the horn.
But what about more sophisticated models with motion sensors? Is knowing how to install a motion sensor car alarm any different from installing other traditional alarms?
A motion sensor can usually be installed as an add-on to your factory car alarm or your OEM car alarm. This is how you do it. Let’s get started!
Installing A Motion Sensor Car Alarm
We will go through 14 steps on how to install a motion sensor for OEM car alarms. Follow the steps accordingly to achieve the best results. These are the steps as follows.
STEP 1: Prepare your motion sensor.
- Proximity sensors or motion sensors come with four wires or a 4-pin harness. The green wire is for the warning signal used in aftermarket alarms. This means we can disregard the green wire for OEM car alarms.
STEP 2: Check the labels.
- The labels for sensors come with instructions. Wire colors have corresponding uses that you can hook up through a pod so you can integrate it into your OEM car alarm system.
STEP 3: Follow the connection by wire color.
- After connecting it using its corresponding colors, you can test it by moving your hand by the sensor to see whether or not it can sense your movement. Motion sensors can be adjusted for sensitivity as well.
STEP 4: Choose a door trigger.
- For this step, you may also use the trunk or the hood.
STEP 5: Take a look behind the door panel.
- We do this so we can check the color of the wire.
STEP 6: Trace down the wires to the front.
- It would help if you were prepared with the necessary tools to open panels for installation.
STEP 7: Open the panel and locate the ignition wires.
- After seeing the wires, prepare your probe so you can test your wires for the motion sensor.
STEP 8: Test your wires.
- For this step, you can ground one side of your probe and check voltage at 12 volts live.
STEP 9: Use the car key to test ignition.
- After using the key, use the other probe to test and recheck voltage at 12 volts live.
STEP 10: Tag the door trigger wire.
- You want to be able to see that key on shows 12 volts on your meter, and 0 volts key off.
STEP 11: Set the red probe on a constant 12 volts live.
STEP 12: Push the pin or the latch on the door’s side to simulate a closed door.
- Your voltage with a closed-door should have 0 volts on your meter. The same process is applied for the trunk.
STEP 13: Attach your motion sensor.
- Now that you have tested your wires, you can apply your motion sensor using the three wire hook up with the last wire going to your car.
STEP 14: Test the motion sensor.
- Now that you have attached the wires, you can close the door and set the alarm using your car-remote. You can move your hand around the inside of the car to simulate an attempt to reach out to something. Consecutive high-pitched beeps will signify it is now working, and you are ready to go.
Installing A Motion Sensor Car Alarm That Uses Plugins
Motion sensor car alarms can also come as plugins. These plugins come with a PIR (Passive Infrared) motion detector. Because there are many motion sensors available in the market for your car, it’s good to be familiar with other options. That is why it is an excellent investment to know how to install a motion sensor car alarm. Take a look at another way to install a motion sensor to your car using a plugin product:
- Locate your car socket.
This is also known as your cigarette lighter. The plugin is charged up through the socket with a built-in battery. When your car is switched off, it uses its reserve power from the built-in battery, adding a security feature to your vehicle. - Attach the plugin to your car socket.
- Pair the plugin with its remote.
These products usually come with a separate remote. Instructions may vary, so check the pairing instructions of the product. - Charge your motion detector plugin.
The charging is done through driving hours. Do not forget to read how long the first full charge will take. - Test the motion detector plugin.
Be aware of your plugin motion sensor so that you don’t accidentally press it while you’re driving.
These steps all assume you have a factory car alarm that requires a motion sensor add on. Must we also know how to install a motion sensor car alarm for aftermarket car alarms? If you’ve been paying attention, you already do! Review the first few steps and take note to use the green wire.
Conclusion
Because most cars come with a built-in car alarm system, it has become relatively easy to learn how to install a motion sensor car alarm. Additional security, more savings, and the satisfaction of knowing how to do it yourself make owning a car very satisfying. Find out more about Motion Sensor Car Alarms.