Getting Started with Alarm.com Connected Car

How To
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What is Alarm.com Connected Car?

Connected Car allows users to track their vehicle’s location, monitor its diagnostic health and receive alerts for speeding, towing and more—all from the Alarm.com mobile app.

Plus, because the Car Connector uses a dedicated cellular connection and has a backup battery, you get 24/7 awareness, even when the car is parked and the engine is off.

What do I Need?

To get started through Surety, you will need a Car Connector (ADC-3035L) (Sold Separately) for each car and the Connected Car service plan add on, $5.00 /mo, per car.

Add on pricing is for service only, the Connected Car sensors are sold separately (and not available through Surety at this time.)

If interested in adding this feature to your existing Surety account, please reach out to support@suretyhome.com or send us a Private Message.

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Benefits

  • Real-time car status
  • Driver safety alerts
  • Diagnostics and security alerts
  • Plug-and-play installation
  • Works with vehicles with an OBD-II port (standard on vehicles manufactured in 1996 or later. Hybrid and electric vehicles are not currently supported.
  • Add the Car Connector as a geo-device to trigger Alarm.com integrated lights and thermostats.

Special Features

Vehicle diagnostics

Maintenance alerts and real-time data in the mobile app help keep vehicles in good working order.

  • Check Engine
  • Low Battery
  • Low Fuel

Family driving

View trip recaps—see routes and gauge fuel efficiency. Monitor drivers for speeding or adjust habits to reduce wear and tear.

  • Excessive Speeding
  • Sudden Acceleration
  • Hard Breaking

Vehicle security

Protect against theft and damage with location tracking and unexpected movement alerts.

  • Car Location
  • Car Towed
  • Car Alert
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Installing and Pairing Procedure

Installation precautions

  • Choose a safe location before installing, removing, or reconnecting the Car Connector.
  • The Car Connector should never be plugged into or unplugged from the vehicle’s OBD-II port while the vehicle’s ignition is ON or in ACC/ACCESSORY mode, as this may cause issues such as dashboard lights to come on, but that should not affect the operation of the vehicle itself. Please ensure that the ignition is completely OFF before plugging in or unplugging the Car Connector. Should dashboard lights come on, they can usually be cleared by turning off the ignition and unplugging the Car Connector.
  • When the Car Connector is plugged in, ensure it is installed securely and cannot easily be removed or come loose. If necessary, make use of cable ties to ensure a secure connection.
  • Do not install the Car Connector in a manner that could obstruct the driver’s ability to safely operate the vehicle. If necessary, make use of an OBD-II extender cable to re-locate the position of the Car Connector.
  • The Car Connector cannot share the Vehicle Bus (its internal communication network) with other devices that are also connected to the Vehicle Bus. Do not use the Car Connector in vehicles with devices such as wheelchair lifts or OnStar® that also communicate on the Vehicle Bus, or with a Y-cable to connect multiple devices to the OBD-II port at the same time.
  • The Car Connector uses a small amount of power from the vehicle battery while the ignition is off. If the vehicle’s ignition will be off for more than a week, it is recommended to unplug the Car Connector to prevent the possibility of draining the vehicle battery.

Pre-installation checklist

  • Car Connector
  • Vehicle with an OBD-II port (standard on vehicles manufactured in 1996 or later). Hybrid and electric vehicles are not currently supported.
    • The vehicle should not be in an underground garage or in an area where cellular coverage may not be available.
  • A smartphone or tablet with an Internet connection.
  • A service plan with the Connected Car add on enabled.

Add the Car Connector to an account

Before the Car Connector can send a vehicle’s information to Alarm.com, it must be added to an account.

To add the Car Connector to an account using the Mobile App:

  1. Log into the Mobile app.
  2. Tap Menu
  3. Tap + Add Device.
  4. Tap Car Connector.
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the Car Connector and add it to the account. The entire process will take up to 15 minutes.
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Troubleshooting

Here you will find LED status explanations and troubleshooting for the Car Connector (ADC-3035L)

Prior to installation, you will want to confirm the location of your vehicles OBD-II port. Typically they are located on the drivers side under the dash area or in the glove box. You may need to check your driver’s manual for more information.

The Car Connector can be connected to an OBD-II extension cable for installation in a better location in the vehicle. Never use the device in a way that could potentially interfere with your ability to safely operate the vehicle.

LED Guide

Car_Connector_LED_callout_(smaller)

Ignition state
LED pattern Description
Red Off Ignition is off or vehicle has not been detected
Red Solid Ignition is on
Communication
LED pattern Description
Orange Off Modem is off
Orange Solid Connected to Alarm.com
Orange Flashing Searching for cellular network
Orange Rapid Flash Connected to the cellular network but not to Alarm.com
GPS
LED pattern Description
Green Off GPS is off
Green solid GPS is on and the current location has been determined
Green flashing GPS is on, searching for a location
Green rapid flash Requesting time from the GPS satellites

Car Connector is showing as not responding in the mobile app

Alarm.com has not heard from the Car Connector in more than 24 hours. Ensure the Car Connector is firmly plugged into the vehicle’s OBD-II port and that it is in an area with cellular coverage. Always make sure the vehicle is off when adding/removing the Car Connector

“Unplugged” or “plugged in” events or notifications are received when the Car Connector was never unplugged

The Car Connector may have a loose connection to the OBD-II port. Ensure that it is firmly plugged in and use an extension cable if necessary.

The Mobile app status shows “engine on” when the vehicle is off

The Car Connector may have lost cellular connectivity and cannot send an engine off message. This is common when the vehicle is parked in an area where cellular coverage may not be available, such as an underground garage. The message will be sent when connectivity is restored.

The car never appeared on the Cars card in the Mobile app

If the orange LED is not solid, park and turn off the car, then try unplugging the Car Connector and plugging it back in or moving the vehicle to an area with better cellular coverage. Try the installation again. Follow the Installation Precautions and directions above.

If the orange LED is solid and the red LED is off, park and turn off the car, then try unplugging the Car Connector and plugging it back in. Try the installation again. Follow the Installation Precautions and directions above. If the vehicle is a pre-2008 model year, ensure the Car Connector has been plugged into the OBD-II port with the ignition on for 30 minutes before attempting a fix.

Each trip is displayed as multiple smaller trips in the Customer app

Your vehicle may have stop-start technology, which means the engine shuts off to save fuel when the vehicle is idling. Go to the Car Settings page in the Mobile app and turn on the Stop-Start Technology setting. If the vehicle is idling for long periods of time, it may still cause trips to be broken up.

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Frequently asked questions

How many Car Connectors can be added to a customer account?

Up to five Car Connectors can be used simultaneously on a single customer account.

Does the Car Connector need to be deleted and re-added when installed in a new vehicle?

No. The new car should detect the Car Connector once it is plugged in and the ignition is started. Once calibration is complete after the first trip or so, the device name should update automatically to the make and model of the new car.

What if the device obstructs normal driving operation when plugged in?

The Car Connector can be connected to an OBD-II extension cable for installation in a better location in the vehicle. Never use the device in a way that could potentially interfere with your ability to safely operate the vehicle.

Why is the fuel level not displaying for the vehicle?

Reading of the fuel level is not supported on the vehicle. The fuel level can only be displayed when the vehicle reports a value through the OBD-II port and the Car Connector is able to read it.

What is the Hibernating status?

If your car’s engine has been off for a week, the Car Connector will enter a deep sleep mode to prevent draining the car’s battery. The Car Connector will stop communicating information until the engine is started again.

Why didn’t I get a notification when the low fuel indicator on the vehicle dashboard turned on?

The low fuel notification is sent when the fuel level drops below the user-defined threshold in the Car Settings page in the Mobile app that may be different from when the vehicle reports low fuel.

When will I get notifications for excessive speed, sudden acceleration, or hard braking?

Thresholds for these alerts can be configured by going to the Car Settings page in the Mobile app.