remote start on a 1996 1998 jeep gc?

All the 455T does for you is control the doorlocks, and also arm/disarm the factory content-theft alarm when you lock/unlock the doors from an aftermarket remote. Note that there is a difference between an alarm and an immobilizer. The alarm makes sounds/lights when people break in to steal your stuff; an immobilizer prevents the engine from starting without a valid key present. These two systems are independent; a given car may have one, both, or neither of these systems. I think the Grand Cherokee pre-1999 has an optional alarm, but no immobilizer ever. I could be mistaken. But is the head of your ignition key gray or black? Only the gray keys have Chrysler's Sentry Key immobilizer. So, from what I remember: 1. You can go ahead and install a remote starter without the 455T. The OEM Jeep alarm should automatically disarm when the remote starter starts the engine. (If you want to verify this, just arm the Jeep alarm, wait a minute, then reach in through the window and start the car with the key.) 2. The OEM Jeep remote will still work with the car off, but not with the engine running. So, after you activate the remote starter, you'd have to put the key in the door and turn it to unlock and get in. 3. If #2 above eventually makes you crazy, you can run wires into the driver's door and connect two relays there to lock/unlock that door. If you repeat this in the passenger door, it'll unlock all the back doors too. Quite a bit of work but that'll be your only option if you can't get a module.

Mine is a 1998, and has an alarm and immobiliser fitted as standard as I think all the 96-98 models do - if I open the door with either key (black, no transponder on these systems), the hazards start flashing. I presume the horn is meant to sound as well, but it's broken!

If I then attempt to start it - it'll run for two-three seconds before shutting the engine off. I have already disabled the (export only, I am in the UK) May & Scofield starter cut immobiliser (a separate module, the manufacturer was good enough to tell me how to do it!). So now I'm just left with the American-fitted immobiliser to bypass remotely. Nobody seems to know how to do it without the 455T - I've spent hours googling, and all the answers are "you can't"!

I find it a bit hard to believe, but no-one seems to have figured it out yet - the 455T interfaces with the Databus connection and used to be advertised as controlling the alarm, immobiliser, and door locks - which would be great, if I could find one!

Thanks for your help,

Patrick.

Here's a description of the system - it states that the VTSS system cannot be fitted to (export) models with the immobiliser fitted - however I and a few other UK people would beg to differ!

http://autorepair.about.com/library/a/1i/bl152i.htm

The immobiliser (export system) it mentions is easily disabled (I can post instructions how to in here, if that's allowed - as I mentioned, the manufacturers told me how to do it!) -  it stops cranking altogether.  However I am still stuck with the American immobiliser and alarm (albeit without horn!), which enables a short engine run before shutting down.

Both systems originally disarmed from the same keyfob, in tandem. I'd be happy to rip the American system out completely, there is little to no car theft where I live - particularly of cars with automatic gearboxes, as the evil little gremlins who steal cars only seem to drive stick - but if I have to add an aftermarket alarm as well as the remote start (or a combined system), then I will. But it seems the American system I am left with is tied into the databus system, which will not disarm it without the remote fob.

Any and all advice more than welcome!

	Battery		PINK/BLACK		(+)		IGNITION SWITCH HARNESS
	Ignition 1		DARK BLUE/GRAY		(+)		IGNITION SWITCH HARNESS
	Starter 1		YELLOW/BLUE		(+)		IGNITION SWITCH HARNESS
	All Door Trigger
	LF Latch		TAN		(-)		AT BCM MODULE TO LEFT OF STEERING COLUMN BEHIND DASH
	RF Latch		TAN/RED		(-)		AT BCM MODULE TO LEFT OF STEERING COLUMN BEHIND DASH
	LR Latch		TAN/ORANGE		(-)		AT BCM MODULE TO LEFT OF STEERING COLUMN BEHIND DASH
	RR Latch		TAN / YELLOW		(-)		AT BCM MODULE TO LEFT OF STEERING COLUMN BEHIND DASH
	Alarm Disarm		VIOLET / YELLOW		(-)		DRIVER'S KICK PANEL "BLK PLUG" AT ECM
	Parking Lights		BLUE/RED		(+)		IGNITION SWITCH HARNESS

Yep, that was the first thing I tried! However it doesn't work for the 1996-1998 models, it only works up to the change in 1995 from an IR system to an RF system. All that happens if you ground the violet / YELLOW "disarm" wire is that the dome light comes on (and stays on, if you leave it grounded - flat battery the next day!)

I've removed that unit here in the UK on one of these. It was behind the instrument panel and I simply chased the wires down and rejoined the cut wires. Certainly wasn't tied in to the vehicle electrical system, CAN or otherwise and certainly shouldn't be on a US built vehicle (or Steyr in Austria for R/H/Drive models) of that vintage.

I suspect that was the export May and Scofield unit, located behind the light switch in RHD Grand Cherokees? - in their engineer's words,

"The wire numbers I mentioned were 21 and 22 on the Black 24 way connector these wires should be joined together, as I joined the company just after this product was designed I never fitted one to a veh so I cant advise on the location of the wires but I would assume it will be under the big fuse box

If you are fitting another alarm you may be able to remove the “link” looms 3 off and plug back into the body control module, when its all working you can tuck the looms with extra wires behind dash or remove carefully but only after you have proved all is well.

Pics 069 is a bcm and 303 is an alarm you might have a metal cased one but if so its not original as we fitted metal only on the early ones.

The key fob numbers are 04686255 and 56008969 these are interchangeable ( I don’t know why they made 2 fobs with the same electronics in and gave them different part numbers but  I have used them in place of each other)

I mention again that we didn’t control the remote entry on this model and you need a working fob to be able to start the veh as there is an American immobiliser on this veh..

Please note the removal or tampering with any security device on you veh may leave you with insurance issues."

This is purely to remove the starter cut that was added on to export vehicles (as a Thatcham requirement, in the case of UK vehicles)

All the wires were black, can't remember a unit behind the glovebox, I wasn't adding anything, just removing the alarm. If a starter cut then it's pretty easy to chase the wires and rejoin then test then kill it's power or remove it. to satisfy Thatcham at the time, all black wiring, metal case, either cable tied or bolted down, 4 wires for 2 cuts, starter and ignition or fuel line,12V+ constant, 12V+ ignition, 2 x grounds (earths) actually EVERY Cat ll immobiliser was wired this way, just trace and test and remove.

One thing bugs me here, export (UK R/H/drives) were assembled by Steyr in Austria, surely they'd have used a Euro sourced immobiliser for example the Japanese and rightly so were not hot on immobilisers (very little auto-crime in Japan) thus all Honda immobilisers came from Valeo in France, something similar at the time on Toyotas.