I just noticed that trussville is selling the alarm upgrade again. I guess mazda worked out the kinks. Has anyone installed this on their own? If so is it a difficult task or can most anyone do it? I was hoping to put one into my car.

Thanks,
The Tick

 

I believe this (the original shock upgrade) was the first install with photos to be posted on the forum. Here is the thread which is around page 9 or 10 of the Audio and Electronics section.

I don't know what changes may have been made and whether the 'revised' sensor will install essentially the same.

Who's going to be first to try it out?

 

I will, I'll go to my dealer and get the replacement module. I bought the early one, and the TSB meant a repalcement. The new module means my replacement is ready,

OveRLOAD

 

Well, well, ......... has anyone installed the revised sensor yet? How did it go? I have not installed my 'revised' sensor yet - hopefully I'll do it this weekend.

Not having seen the old instructions, the revision appears to be that a wire must be cut to install a diode into it's path - all with supplied crim-on quick connectors.

I'd be curious to see the old sensor install instructions if anyone has a copy available - I'm just looking for the page that contains the circuit diagram if that helps.

rx8cited

 

Probably a dumb ?, but searching the data base can sometimes take longer than posting this question a dozen times...

I'm assuming that the NEW sensor only applies to older vehicles and that newer shipments have the upgraded sensor already installed? Please let me know -- thanks...

Tinkerer

 

I'm putting the new sensor in my old car that does not have a sensor. The million dollar question that I think you want the answer to is when did Mazda start putting the "revised" sensors in at the factory and I have no clue on that one.

I think (someone correct me if I'm wrong) if you have a shock sensor and your interior lights flicker when your alarm is not armed, then you have a defective old shock sensor.

From what I've read on the forum, I think dealers and owners turned down the sensitivity on the defective shock sensors to mask the light flickering problem it caused when the alarm system was off .

Hopefully all those people know about this issue and will get the "revised" sensor installed.

rx8cited

 

I installed the 'new and improved' shock sensor a couple weeks ago. The sensor is exactly the same as the old kit- they just changed one part of the instructions - the wire to splice into the keyless module is different now (there are older step-by-step instructions somewhere on the forum), and of course there is now a diode present in between the sensor and the control module on the new wire (brown I think it was).

Anyway, it works great- no flickering, no false alarms (except for some rednecks at an autoparts store revving up a POS Caddy 5 feet from my armed car). Well worth the $38 or so.

 

G8rboy,
Thanks for your info. Here are the old step-by-step shock sensor installation instructions.

They are still helpful, but as you mentioned the revised installation involves cutting a BROWN (trunk light switch) wire and putting a diode in its path.

Also the BROWN wire of the shock sensor wiring harness now connects to the BROWN WIRE CONTAINING THE DIODE instead of to the BLACK WIRE WITH BLUE STRIPE (rear door upper latch switch). All this is covered in the revised shock sensor instructions.

Has your alarm been armed during a thunderstorm with the revised shock sensor installed? If so, did the the alarm go off?

rx8cited

 

there is still no light that blinks right ? to let thieves know i have an alarm?

 

Nothing that is added by this alarm upgrade- just the blinking security dash light that everyone has.

 

No extra blinking besides the standard Security Indicator Light light that flashes on everyone's dashboard when they pull the key out.

The smart thieves should know this car has a stock alarm :D .

 

I just installed the revised shock sensor in my car (had no shock sensor before this) and have a few questions/comments:

1) I have the sensor set to maximum sensitivity and it still takes quite a whack on the windshield to get the alarm to go off.

Surprisingly, I did a test where I left a window open so I could put my hands on the car and shake it side to side - and that did not set the alarm off ?

I'm guessing that my sensor won't go off during a thunderstorm - I'll find out for sure this summer.

I'd like to know how sensitive you folks found the alarm to be when it was at maximum sensitivity (describe what you do to set your off) and also whether you left it set to maximum sensitivity or had to decrease the sensitivity?

I expected that at maximum sensitivity, shaking the car lightly or whacking the windshield lightly would trip the alarm, but not so for me.

2) With the shock sensor set to maximum sensitivity, when I lock the car by using either of the inside door lock switches prior to getting out and closing the door, the lights don't flash to indicate the Security System is armed. If I then press the LOCK button on my remote, the lights do flash.

Prior to installing the shock sensor, the lights would flash after I locked the car with the door lock switches.

Now, if I decrease the sensor's sensitivity, then lock the car with the door lock switch, the lights will flash as they used to. So, I think having the sensor set to maximum senstivity causes the security system to not arm correctly because of the shock sensed by closing the door.

Has anyone else noticed or experienced this.

All this may be normal for this shock sensor, I'm just trying to get confirmation. Comments please?

Also, if you know, please specify if you have the revised shock sensor (with the diode) or not.

Thanks,
rx8cited

 

rx8cited-
I have mine (the new and improved sensor) set to roughly the middle of the sensitivity range. I can slap any window with my palm and it will go off. My basketball grazed my rear bumper this afternoon and set it off. I haven't tried rocking it, but since the design of the sensor is based on detecting vibrations and not movement, I doubt it would (I took the sensor apart before I installed it since I have a bad habit of wanting to see how things work, and it was based on what looked like an IR sender and receiver next to each other and a parabolic shaped metal reflector above them).

I would see if you can tighten your tie-wraps, or see if there's a more solid place to attach your sensor so it can directly 'feel' the shock vibrations better.

 

Very interesting. I unfortunately have no experince with this particular sensor, but this sounds weird, and I wouldn't mind hearing a bit more about this from others who have installed it.

 

G8rboy,
Thanks for your reply. I have the shock sensor mounted on the big wiring harness to the left of the blower motor as the instructions stated to do and have sensor and its harness tied down tightly. Where is your sensor mounted?

Funny thing, I also took mine sensor apart before installing it :D.

You have a good point about it sensing vibration similar to hitting the windows compared to the much slower vibration from shaking the car with my hands.

Did you ever have your sensor set to maximum sensitivity? If so, can you describe what happened when it was there?

Do you lock your doors (arm your alarm) using the remote or by using the door lock switch? Wondering if you have the lights don't blink after locking door with maximum sensitivity issue I described.

Thanks,
rx8cited

 

I mounted mine on the same wire harness bundle, but more towards the passenger kick panel where the wire bundle felt more 'stiff'. I'll poke my head down there when I get home and snap a pic if you want.

I never took the sensor to maximum... I kept easing it up until I felt it was too touchy and then backed it down a hair. I also never lock the doors with the interior lock switch- just the remote... I'm lazy like that . They also blink with the remote for me. I'll try the door switch today...

 

G8rboy,
Sure, I'll take your offer on the picture if it's not too much trouble. Let me know if you get the blinking lights when you lock the door with the door switch - I'm guessing you will since yours is not set to maximum sensitivity. Appreciate the help .

Thanks,
rx8cited

 

I installed the new shock sensor upgrade today. It was fairly easy. I had a little trouble trying to get the pliers and my hands up in the tiny space to crimp the connectors on the cut wire during the diode install though.

I turned the unit a quarter turn more sensitive from the minimum and it seems to be right. I did the windshield hand slam test and the tennis ball from a meter and all tested OK.

I get a single flash of the signal lights on lock and a double flash on unlock. The auto lock and arm also functions if the car door is not opened and a single flash is seen.

It is working as it should.

 

I'm glad this came up. On Friday, the stealership just installed the diode kit to the old sensor I installed back in August. I heard the tech test it in the garage. Yesterday I was testing it, and could not get it to go off by smacking the windshield. I even locked and armed the car while sitting in the passenger seat, and nudged the sensor with my foot. I tried these with the sensitivity **** turned all the way in BOTH directions. Now I can't even remember which way is what...Is fully clockwise MAX Sensitive or Min Sensitive? Thanks.

 

There's a LED that lights up when it detects motion, even when it's not armed.. check to see if that goes off..

 

BNez, according to the directions, the diode has to be installed with the labelled part of the wire towards the keyless module and the non-labelled wire toward the harness. Look for the label on the diode brown wire. It should go up toward the dash. The other end will head toward the harness or clump of wires center/left.

Also, according to the instructions, if you run the test and the alarm does not sound, if you turn the **** full clockwise and ther is no sound then it says to reverse the diode. If it still does not work then the sensor must be replaced. Counter-clockwise is the minimum setting with clockwise the increase. Remember too that there can be no key in the ignition and the alarm has to be set.

 

I'm brand new to this board, so far looks great!
I just ordered the alarm upgrade from Trussville (found it by surfing yesterday), but wondered if there are scanned instructions I can download to see what I'm in for, before it arrives?
Thanks folks.
Scott

 

the instructions are horrible. The diagrams are difficult to make out what wire set to work with. In the DIY thread for the shock sensor install, I posted scans of the ambiguous sections, with the different wire bundles colored differently. It should help quite a bit if you reference this.

 

Sorry to sound so dumb, but new to this board. What is a DIY thread?

 

Nevermind...must be "do it yourself". Sorry for the rash post.