Key-Sense Wire, 2005 Chrysler 300

It's almost that time of year again.... when my factory r/s on my 2005 Chrysler 300 doesn't start when the temperature drops below 10 degrees.  I've pretty much figured out the problem, but it will be difficult to get the car to the dealer the night before HOPING it will be cold enough to not start.

 

The problem:

When 10 degrees or colder, the r/s refuses to start, and it gives a response code (horn honks) that means 'there is a key in the ignition, so abort the remote start'.  This, from what I understand, is a safety feature (along the lines of the hood being up).

 

The reason:

I have determined that the problem is most likely in the ignition switch.  On those cold days when it doesn't start, when I get in the car to start manually, I hear the "key in" chime dinging when I open the door- BEFORE I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNTION!  This is why it won't remote start.... the car thinks there is a key in the ignition, so it applies 12v to the key-sense wire, which is also connected to the remote start.  I'm not 100% sure the glitch is in the ignition switch (as opposed to some other component in the car), but I am sure that it is wrongly thinking there is a key in the ignition when it is cold out.

 

Here's what I want to do:

Rather than try to get the dealer to fix or replace my ignition switch, I am thinking about just cutting the key-sense wire that goes to the remote starter.  This will undoubtedly prevent the problem.  Only thing is, I am afraid that this might cause ill side-effects.  Is it possible that I could 'zap' my real key by putting it in to RUN, then disabling the remote starter by pressing the brake?  Or is the ONLY thing the key-sense wire is for is to prevent the r/s from working when a key is in the ignition?  It seems safe to cut this wire (I can't see me ever trying to r/s the car when I really do have a key in the ignition anyway), but I don't want to screw things up.

 

Any thoughts on what I want to do?  Is it safe?  It is a Mopar remote starter for the 300, and I believe it is made by Code-Alarm, but I could be wrong.

 

THANK YOU!!!!!

Kevin

Yes, it's a factory remote start.  Although it is factory, I installed it myself.  So although the parts are covered under warranty, labor is not.  I took the car to my dealer when this first happened.  It was not cold enough to "act up", so they couldn't troubleshoot it.  However, the mechanic did go over it to make sure there was nothing wrong with the installation, and he confirmed that the installation itself was fine.

 

The problem is not the remote starter itself, but rather it is a problem with the car.  This is what I feel, and this is what the service manager felt as well.  Problem is, they cannot troubleshoot it unless it is acting up.  It is difficult to predict when it will "act up", and I cannot just leave my car at the dealer for a week.

 

I am not the only person who has had this symptom with the key-in chime dinging on cold days when there is no key in the ignition.  I have talked to one other Chrysler owner who has had the same thing, and even a Chevy Avalanche owner who has heard his key-in chime ding on cold days with no key in the ignition.  The thing is.... the car thinking there is a key in the ignition when there isn't is NOT a problem in itself.  It is only a problem if you happen to also have a remote starter that will not work when there is a key in the ignition.  Thus this problem is not, and won't be, widely reported and complained about.

 

As for being a circuit board.... it could be, but considering that the "switch" that powers the circuit to the factory key-in sense wire (to make the chime ding) must be built into the ignition switch itself (otherwise how would it know there is a key in there?), then the problem must be in the ignition switch.  Personally, I think it is a flaw in the design of the ignition switch.  If I get a good opportunity, I would still like to have the dealer fix the problem... but they will definitely not fix it just because I say it's broken.... and believe me, they are going to fight replacing the ignition switch as much as they can!

 

Regardless.... I'm still curious about my original question:  Is there any other purpose of the key-in sense wire on a remote starter other than preventing a remote start when a key is in the ignition?

 

-Kevin

 

 

I'd like to have the dealer fix it.  Even if my solution would work, it still isn't "right".  But as I said earlier, it's hard to predict when the temperature will get low enough for it to not work.  Generally speaking, if it is colder than 10 degrees, it will act up.  The weather man might say it will get down to 8, but you don't always know.  If I could just leave my car there for a week when it should get low enough over the week, that would be fine.  But I hate to leave my car there for a week.  I kind of need it!

 

That's why I figured I'd cut the wire if it was okay.  Problem would be solved, no hassle.  I have the wiring diagram for the r/s as well as the "shop manual" for the Chrysler 300 on CD-ROM (the same one the mechanics use).  I'm 99% sure the problem is the ignition switch, but they obviously need to confirm that themselves with a volt-meter or scan tool while the in-key chime is dinging with no key in the ignition.

 

The only reason I posed the question to this forum about the key-sense wire is because I figured that someone might happen to know exactly how the remote starters work, rather than simply knowing how to install one.  Personally, I don't think that wire does anything but prevent the remote starter from starting the vehicle when a key is in the ignition (not sure why it cares though).  If that is the case, then cutting that wire would be no more harmful than cutting the wire that goes to the hood-pin switch to prevent the r/s from working with the hood up.  I wouldn't bypass THAT though, and the Chrysler system doesn't work that way anyway, but you get the idea.  :)

 

-Kevin