Power Lock - 2007 Corolla

I just bought a new 2007 Corolla. It doesn't have keyless entry (power locks). At first this was "OK", but the more I use the car, it would be nice to have this option.

What does Toyota include in the door (wiring and hardware) for keyless entry? I know a lot of cars have the items already "installed", just not connected. Is this true of a Corollas?

If not, has anyone had success in adding keyless entry (power locks) on a Corolla? I have read that kits sell for about $100 bucks.

Any links, thoughts, and or experience in adding this feature is appreciated.

Thanks!

Consider these two questions:

1. Do you have power door locks already?

2. Are you thinking aftermarket keyless entry systems, perhaps an alarm system that locks the doors for you?

If the answer to #1 is no, you're going to need a door lock solenoid plus some supporting electrical bits in each door. That is not going to be easy or cheap. Once you get that, you can go aftermarket which just likely taps into those circuits. Again, factory retrofit is going to be expensive, if at all possible.

No, the car doesn't have power locks at all. It's all manual. My thought was that the power option might be there - just not "plugged" in. I've seen options in other cars that are "there", but is missing the fuse or is not connected.

Is there any chance of that on the corolla? Could those needed parts be in the door already - just not connected?

If not, it does sound like it would be a lot of after-market retro fit. Although, I might be able to get the parts from a wrecked or old corolla maybe?

Thanks for the thoughts and reply!

You'd be butchering the car and causing many areas to lose factory warranty.

I've had manual locks on my 03 CE since new and have no issue with them.

Car's much too new to be doing that to it.

Just my opinion. Good luck.

I know this is a VERY long shot, so noone laugh at me

...

How long ago did you buy the vehicle? I don't know about Toyota, but I've heard things about other manufacturers allowing a 30-day return period (probably with lots of fine-print!) on a vehicle. Maybe ask the dealership if they can take the car back and allow you to pay the difference on one equipped with power locks. If the car doesn't have a lot of mileage on it, they MAY go for the idea, since it gets TWO 2007's off their lot.

If there is no such consideration for a still-new-just-bought vehicle, then I suppose you could trade the car in for a power-equipped one, although you stand to lose a lot of money that way. They'll give you black-book value and sell it off at close to MSRP, and make you pay through the nose for the new Corolla.

So either way, whether you try to retrofit or to exchange the vehicle, you're going to lose money, and probably a lot of it.

Just my two cents, it may be worth a shot just to ask the dealer if you can exchange your car

My policy is: If I can't afford it decently-loaded, I can't afford it.

Most of the time to provide the safety margin for extra maintenance costs etc, I ask myself if I can afford it FULLY loaded, with every possible option. If the answer is yes, then its a green light to go with just the options I want. If the answer is no, but just barely, then I make a decision based on how well I can afford it with only the options I want.

Thats usually a good way for me to determine if I can afford a vehicle.

Now back on topic, yeah as I said, unless you're willing to lose quite a bit of money by either doing a big retrofit or a trade-in for another 2007, (and I can't really say for sure which is cheaper!), then just do without the door locks.

What does Toyota include in the door (wiring and hardware) for keyless entry? I know a lot of cars have the items already "installed", just not connected. Is this true of a Corollas?

No vehicles have things like power lock actuators in the door that are simply not plugged in. That would be cost ineffective for the manufacturer.

At best, some cars use one wiring harness for every vehicle. This means that cars without certain options have the wiring for them but none of the hardware.

I don't know that the Corolla is such a vehicle as I've never taken apart any other 9th generation Corolla other than a LE model.

Hello. My first post to a forum.

I’ve got a 2008 Corolla CE without the convenience package (no pwr locks, no pwr windows, no cruise). Fantastic, smooth quiet car 35.5 MPG, in 160 miles/day use.

When I bought the car I was offered the installed alarm system which I declined – so they removed the “brain”.

I realized that the aftermarket door actuators are still there, and system wiring that was obviously added later seems to be all intact. I took a few photos of the connector and wires. The connector has a plug which appears to short out two wires – I assume it’s an ignition enable function. There is also a tiny momentary contact button (brown wires) that was unmounted but still part of the harness. There is a cluster of relays at the driver’s kick panel that are wired to the door locks.

I’d like to set up a keyless entry or alarm, whichever is easiest.

Do you recognize this as a connector as being for a particular brand of alarm? Otherwise I'll head to best buy and pay the man. Thanks for any advice.

What does Toyota include in the door (wiring and hardware) for keyless entry? I know a lot of cars have the items already "installed", just not connected. Is this true of a Corollas?

No vehicles have things like power lock actuators in the door that are simply not plugged in. That would be cost ineffective for the manufacturer.

At best, some cars use one wiring harness for every vehicle. This means that cars without certain options have the wiring for them but none of the hardware.

I don't know that the Corolla is such a vehicle as I've never taken apart any other 9th generation Corolla other than a LE model.

 

Hello. My first post to a forum.

I’ve got a 2008 Corolla CE without the convenience package (no pwr locks, no pwr windows, no cruise). Fantastic, smooth quiet car 35.5 MPG, in 160 miles/day use.

When I bought the car I was offered the installed alarm system which I declined – so they removed the “brain”.

I realized that the aftermarket door actuators are still there, and system wiring that was obviously added later seems to be all intact. I took a few photos of the connector and wires. The connector has a plug which appears to short out two wires – I assume it’s an ignition enable function. There is also a tiny momentary contact button (brown wires) that was unmounted but still part of the harness. There is a cluster of relays at the driver’s kick panel that are wired to the door locks.

I’d like to set up a keyless entry or alarm, whichever is easiest.

Do you recognize this as a connector as being for a particular brand of alarm? Otherwise I'll head to best buy and pay the man. Thanks for any advice.

You might have the Toyota accessory alarm and need only one component to get going. Try the dealer's service dept to get a cost on activating what you already have.

If the dealer/distributor installs an accessory, you normally get a decent warranty.

Actually, if I learned a dealer put aftermarket stuff in a new vehicle voiding my warranty, I'd open an arbitration for a buyback if this were not disclosed prior to purchase.

A Mazda dealer played this game on me in 92 with a starter disabler. When I was told they cut the main underdash harness to install this, I went ballistic on them. Wound up getting the complete security system (starter disabler) installed free with a warranty. Still a bit unhappy but traded the car in 3 years anyway.

This gadget was a whole less intrusive into the car than opening up the doors and modifying the locks.

What does Toyota include in the door (wiring and hardware) for keyless entry? I know a lot of cars have the items already "installed", just not connected. Is this true of a Corollas?

No vehicles have things like power lock actuators in the door that are simply not plugged in. That would be cost ineffective for the manufacturer.

At best, some cars use one wiring harness for every vehicle. This means that cars without certain options have the wiring for them but none of the hardware.

I don't know that the Corolla is such a vehicle as I've never taken apart any other 9th generation Corolla other than a LE model.

 

Hello. My first post to a forum.

I’ve got a 2008 Corolla CE without the convenience package (no pwr locks, no pwr windows, no cruise). Fantastic, smooth quiet car 35.5 MPG, in 160 miles/day use.

When I bought the car I was offered the installed alarm system which I declined – so they removed the “brain”.

I realized that the aftermarket door actuators are still there, and system wiring that was obviously added later seems to be all intact. I took a few photos of the connector and wires. The connector has a plug which appears to short out two wires – I assume it’s an ignition enable function. There is also a tiny momentary contact button (brown wires) that was unmounted but still part of the harness. There is a cluster of relays at the driver’s kick panel that are wired to the door locks.

I’d like to set up a keyless entry or alarm, whichever is easiest.

Do you recognize this as a connector as being for a particular brand of alarm? Otherwise I'll head to best buy and pay the man. Thanks for any advice.

Letting Best Buy touch your car is an invitation for disaster.

 

You might have the Toyota accessory alarm and need only one component to get going. Try the dealer's service dept to get a cost on activating what you already have.

If the dealer/distributor installs an accessory, you normally get a decent warranty.

Actually, if I learned a dealer put aftermarket stuff in a new vehicle voiding my warranty, I'd open an arbitration for a buyback if this were not disclosed prior to purchase.

A Mazda dealer played this game on me in 92 with a starter disabler. When I was told they cut the main underdash harness to install this, I went ballistic on them. Wound up getting the complete security system (starter disabler) installed free with a warranty. Still a bit unhappy but traded the car in 3 years anyway.

This gadget was a whole less intrusive into the car than opening up the doors and modifying the locks.

I'll probably keep the car - but I'd like to find out what that one component is (brand/model) , and although I expected the dealer service people to be less than eager to help me in my scheme to circumvent paying for their work in installing the system, I'll give them a shot too.

OTOH I'm having fun making this my "good deal" car since it gets great MPG, was super cheap, and I upgraded to cruise control via info from the net for $35 including shipping. It's on its second windshield however, the miles on the freeway are usually at high speed - (drag reduction tricks welcome).

All I'm after here is the ability to unlock the door(s) using what's been installed. Plan B will be to buy an aftermarket keyless kit and interface it where I found their tap-ins near the relays, but I want to explore the plug and pray option first. BTW the sales people used a small calculator-like transmitter that they entered a code into to open the locks on any car on the lot. That probably narrows it down.

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