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LE Proximity Unlock Upgrade

15K views 39 replies 12 participants last post by  ttangerine  
#1 · (Edited)
I decided to start a new thread instead of continuing to hijack another thread in general discussion. For those with LE and want prox key function, you seem to have two options:
(1) Aftermarket smart key - these steal your smart key's chip to put in a new key, and an OBD2 adapter is used to communicate with it to enable the proximity function. Here's an example of one: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004149080798.html. I noted a few concerns:
  • you need to mod your original key, stealing the chip and solder wires to it
  • you won't have the physical backup hidden key with you
  • it doesn't have sliding door controls
  • prox unlock/lock is by distance only, so you will get random lock/unlock if you just walk around close to your car
(2) Replacement smart door handles - I was pretty happy to find these. More expensive, but still reasonable to add the prox key function. It works exactly like OEM, so you touch the door handle to lock/unlock. Here's the link: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004961386777.html
  • you need to open up the door panels to replace the handles and install the module
  • seems to come with white handle shells, so color match could be an issue
 
#4 ·
I requested the installation guide for the replacement smart door handles. The installation is a bit involved but it's basically plug and play. Admittedly, my ability to read simplified Chinese is rather limited, but from what I gather, you keep the control box somewhere hidden behind the console, there's a harness to tap into one of the ECU's behind the glove box, and another tap into the harness near the front fuse box. You then pull two small cables, one into each door, to connect up the new door handles. The rear door handles don't have new sensors, they're just shells (optional) to match the new front ones with the chrome (XLE/Limited type).
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#6 ·
I have an installation appointment tomorrow for a remote start/ proximity unlock system by Compustar. It operates similar to the first system you described but, to my knowledge, will not require a sacrificial original key.

Here's what is being installed:
CM-DC3 Universal Remote Start Control Module w/ Built-in Bypass (the CMX is recommended but I have a DC3 on hand and Compustar confirmed firmware that allows proximity unlock is available for the DC3)
RFX-P2WR5-SF
- ANT-2WSF 2-Way SS Antenna with Proximity Unlock
- Two PRO R5 2-Way LED Remotes
- FT-TEMP Thermistor Temperature Sensor

I'm pretty sure the harness number is FT-HRN-DC3. Sadly, they don't offer a plug and play option for the Sienna yet.

FYI, their EZ-GO II and Pro T13 systems also offer proximity unlock.

Will keep you posted after the install tomorrow. Fingers crossed it works well.
 
#9 ·
I have an installation appointment tomorrow for a remote start/ proximity unlock system by Compustar. It operates similar to the first system you described but, to my knowledge, will not require a sacrificial original key.

Here's what is being installed:
CM-DC3 Universal Remote Start Control Module w/ Built-in Bypass (the CMX is recommended but I have a DC3 on hand and Compustar confirmed firmware that allows proximity unlock is available for the DC3)
RFX-P2WR5-SF
  • ANT-2WSF 2-Way SS Antenna with Proximity Unlock
  • Two PRO R5 2-Way LED Remotes
  • FT-TEMP Thermistor Temperature Sensor

I'm pretty sure the harness number is FT-HRN-DC3. Sadly, they don't offer a plug and play option for the Sienna yet.

FYI, their EZ-GO II and Pro T13 systems also offer proximity unlock.

Will keep you posted after the install tomorrow. Fingers crossed it works well.
What’s all that gonna cost you?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#11 · (Edited)
It replaces both driver and front passenger doors with sensor handles. The rear handles use the existing power sliding door buttons.
I doubt they have English instructions, if they did they would have sent to me already cause I was asking them in English…

I studied the instructions a bit more. The wire tap near the front fuse box is to get the power windows, so you can do auto window open when you press and hold on the handle. If you don’t care for that feature you can leave it unconnected. Then it’s just the one connector to the ECU behind the glove box, and of course wires to the handles in the front doors.
 
#28 ·
it showed up a few weeks later. The aliexpress link didn't work anymore, but I found another model.

It came with zero instructions, so I asked and got video1 which has an extra wire going to the drivers side and a doesn't tell me what to do with this black wire.

Mine looks like this.

They sent another video. Mine is still different.

I think jetstreamblue is probably right and the extra wire I'm missing is to control the window when holding the button on the door down.

In case these urls don't stand the test of time, they just show unplugging a cable behind the glovebox and plugging it into the kit and two wires running to each door handle not installed on the car. With the new mirror control module clipping into the top right.

I translated the audio from the videos to:

Video1: The 24-model Senna can still enter comfortably. The co-pilot control box is removed. The first plug of the computer board is connected to the first adapter of the product. The second plug is connected to the second adapter of the product. The second plug is in the same line. Then our product has a professional bracket. The original car has a reserved position. Click it at this position. Then the two white plugs on the product are for the main and co-pilot of the handle. Then this black plug needs to be pulled on the main driver. At this place of the main driver's tripod, you can plug the original car out and connect it to our adapter.

Video2: If you want to use a dedicated computer, there is a dedicated bracket on it. And there is a dedicated reserved position in our glove box. Just install the computer directly. But if I want to use a dedicated adapter cable, all the plugs are plugged in for non-destructive installation. Unplug the original car's plug, plug in our plug, then transfer this plug, and then plug this plug back into the computer. It's that simple. Then just replace the handle with an inductive one. No need to pre-buy a key, no need to activate the computer.

I also translated the photo above with the help of chatgpt.

I haven't torn apart my sienna yet, but I found some helpful videos on how to rip out the glovebox , front door panels, and center console. It's quite the process to install this, maybe I'll give it a shot this weekend.

I'm still not confident on:
How you remove the back of the glovebox.
How you feed the cables into the doors.
How you remove the back internal panels to get to the door handles back there.
What I'm supposed to do with this black wire, maybe there's a ground screw I'll find when I take things apart...

Kicking myself for not spending the extra 5k for the deep sliding seats, automatic rear door, tinted windows, moon roof, foot door unlock, and prox unlock you get in the xle model.
 
#29 ·
Alright I got it installed, it was a huge pain. Spent the last 6 hours on it. Door panels are easy to remove. You don't need to remove the center console just the L piece above the glovebox, you need to remove the two clips on the ceiling of the glovebox first and then it just pulls out. The back of the glovebox is just held on by 3 screws and two bolts and a few pull clips. When putting the new handles on the car there's a small switch that applies tension to the handle you need to hold it halfway down and then slide the handle on, this took forever to learn. Overall doing just the front wasn't a terribly difficult job, the hardest part is getting the cables routed through the rubber between the doors, I managed to use a wire similar to a coat hanger but thinner from home depot and some tape to fish it through. The ground wire I just mounted to a bolt on the right of the glovebox where I saw other wires being grounded.

The good: Everything works and I got it all back together
The bad: The paint does not match, my sienna is ice cap white, this white is more borderline beige and metallic. Maybe it's wind chill pearl. Not sure how I feel about that. Originally I was like it's fine once we change the back door handles it won't be a big deal, but for the life of me I could not figure out how to install the rear door handles. You slide the door half way open, pop two cover plates, pull two bolts, pull on the panel and it comes off, then you pull three bolts securing the handle and you can slide it out of the way. There's a white plastic covering behind it with two bolts, I just pulled the bottom left one and slide it to the side exposing the back of the handle. Now you can do the same trick as the front handles where you squeeze the two white pieces and it unlatches the handle and you can remove it. However this is where you will run into trouble. The 3rd and 4th handles in the kit do not have all the hardware and I could not figure out how to swap over the pieces. I asked the seller how and he just sent back this circled. No idea what he means if anyone figures it out, please let me know. I eventually gave up and put it back together. Two different handles wouldn't be a big deal if the color actually matched, I don't know if its worth the effort of buying a spray can of color match to fix the paint. It'll be a pain to tape the chrome and remove the panels again.

There's another aliexpress listing selling one for much cheaper that might be worth pursuing, the colors seem to be off here too though and it has a slightly different computer, I think it'll work the same though.

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#39 ·
My shipping agent sent photos of the door handle kit from Taobao. The silver looks darker than the standard silver.
I may need to visit an auto body shop and see if they can paint them professionally. Not ideal but I think the color mismatch will annoy me too much. Hopefully it’s just the lighting / shadows and it will look fine in person. But I’m pretty sure it’s off.
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