first time, alarm/remote start, 05 accord

Hi,

Im thinking about doing my first alarm/remote start install. I want to get a Clifford rsx3.5 off ebay and I was wondering since dei only lets professionals do their installs, will it come with instructions? If not does anyone know where I can get some? Also I have a 2005 Honda Accord and I've been searching around for a wiring chart but I cant find any. Can anyone get me one.?

Since this will be my first install does anyone have any tips or tricks that they can give me.

Thanks for all the help!!!

Tips/tricks:

1) www.bulldogsecurity.com --> lots of wiring diagrams, you'll find the one you need there.

2) Figure out if your '05 Accord has a vehicle immobilizer? Probably does, in which case you'll need to go to autotoys.com or bypasskits.com and purchase the Honda bypass kit OR you can purchase a universal bypass kit which forces you to put a spare key (usually a valet key) in a box that gets hidden under the dash.

3) Ask yourself the following questions: have i ever used a digital/analog multimeter?  have I ever soldered anything/made proper wiring connections before?  Do i have all the tools I need to accomplish the task?

4) The key for you, being this is your first rs/alarm project is the properly test all wires with a voltmeter (digital multimeter, aka. DMM).  Don't bother using a testlight (even though you could techinically get away with this) .. for you, obtain a full blow DMM.  Practice soldering some wire joints before actually making all your connections.  All of your wiring for the remote start function will be located in the ignition harness, and in harnesses in and around the steering column.  Other wires, such as tachometer, will be found in the engine bay at an ignition coil, or you can sometimes find a wire at the ECM/ECU inside the vehicle (sometimes even the wire that physically goes to a harness connected to the actual vehicle tachometer).  Takes some time to familiarize yourself with the locations of these wires before beginning to actually splice/strip Honda wires and start making connections. 

5) maintain wire organization -- it's real easy to hook up wires and gain momentum as you find the wires you need to hook and then end up with this spaghetti mess or wire in the foot well under the driver's dash, esp. when you do your first one.  Use zip ties and wiring looming (split looming) to protect groups of wires to the various harnesses that'll connect to the r/s brain module.  Test, test, and test again as you start putting the car back together -- this way, you have a better chance of identifying something you distrubed (a connection, wire harness, etc) as you start 'stuffing' wires under the dash to complete the job. 

6) Use wire grommets if you're drilling through the car's firewall to transport wires from the engine bay to the interior.  Remember to protect wires from engine heat by steering wires away from components that would be hotter than others (i.e. stay away from exhaust manifolds and allow the loomed wire to hug such parts as the air intake, areas close to the exterior -- areas you know will be cooler than others.  Use zip ties or plastic brackets to keep the loomed wire away from problem areas.

7) Familiarize yourself with the interior and engine fuse boxes, always a good rule of thumb to have a univerasal automotive fuse assortment handy in case you blow a fuse while testing wires (available at any hardware store, radioshack, etc.) 

8) Familiare yourself with SPDT 30 amp, 12 volt automotive relays -- these are your friends!  This site has plenty of great info on relays.  Familiarize yourself with the r/s brain's output polarity in each wire -- if a wire's output it (+) and the receiving wire in the Honda is (-), you'll need to use a relay to reverse the polarity.

9) Familiarize yourself with finding a good grounding location for the remote start. 

10) Place the antenna in the center of the windshield, BELOW THE TINTED portion.  No exceptions if you want to maximize range/performance.

11) Plan on needed 6-8 hours -- basically the whole day.  You cannot predict obstacles, so don't plan on needing the car for anything that day -- you may have to run to Radioshack to pick up some parts -- have another car available. 

No matter how technically savvy you are, or how much previous experience you have had with automotive electronics, the first one is usually pretty intimidating, especially since you're dealing with the ignition system and vehicle alarm/ECU.  If possible, you can sometimes locate the full Honda service manual online (sans $$$) and figure out exactly where everything you'll need access to is located before you tackle the job.  I don't think that'll be necessary for this car, but you may want to take a peek at how to carefully remove the lower dash without ruining any clips.  Also, if you want to add the defroster feature, you'll need to know how to access the wires behind the defroster button -- usually in the center console -- also information that can be found in the service manual.

Best of luck

peterubers thank you so much, that was very helpful

I just have a few more questions. I am experienced with soldering and a multimeter but you say to test the wires. How should i go about doing that?

Also, the one question you didnt answer is about the installation of the clifford. Will there be something in the box that tells me what each wires goes to or is there a place online that I can find that?

Thanks Again!!

dswift thanks for the advice. I already read the entire RSX3.5 installation guide. I have a good idea on what to do. Im going to make sure i lay everything out before attaching anything and test all the wires.

One last question, at first I wanted the RSX3.5 but now im looking at the RSX50.5 but I cant find a installation manual. Is everything the same except for the added range and the tilt sensor? or should i try and find the manual? THANK YOU!

Looks like the added feature is the SST (spread spectrum technology) 1 mile range -- same as they use w/ viper remote starts and other DEI brands.

If you can spring it... go for the range, it's a one time deal, and you'll thank yourself later that you have the added range. 

As far as testing each wire with a voltmeter:

1) obtain a digital voltmeter from an auto store, home depot, radioshack, etc.

2) place the black lead into the com port and red lead into the "V" port

3) switch the multimeter (i.e. voltmeter) to 20 vdc, properly ground the black lead (I used aligator clips to ensure that the lead does jostle loose from ground during the testing of all my wires).

4) touch the red lead to the wire you're intending to test.  Usually these multimeter leads have spiked ends so you can often get away with probing a wiring harness with the red lead and determining the wire charge (+ or -).  Make sure you securely have the red lead touching the wire of interest while you test the function that it utilizes (i.e. if you're testing a doorlock wire, make sure the red lead is securely touching the intended wire as you press the doorlock button). 

For wires that don't allow you to easily probe the exposed metal in the wiring harness, you can strip a little of the wire in-line and test the wire in that fashion.  Just be sure and tape off the stripped portion of the wire if you determine that you've found the wrong wire. 

Work in this order: 1) do all the ignition harness wiring first (12 volt constant, starter, ignition, accessory wires (some vehicles have more than one of each)) as well as the horn and parking light output and tachometer wire, system ground wire, and brake wire.

** Next you much tach learn or voltage learn the system (voltage learn if you've opted to use "voltage sense" vs. tach learning the remote start brain.  It's highly recommended that you TACH learn it ... rather than voltage sense.**

*** now test the remote start function only; and if you have an immobilizer, do not install this just yet, just place a key in the ignition barrel but do not turn.  ***

*** if the remote start is able to start the car appropriately, then the next thing to do is install the immobilizer bypass ***

2) Do the alarm/doorlocks next

3) do accessories, such as trunk, defroster, heated seats

4) Program the remote start brain for any special features, alarm settings, siren settings, etc.

5) re-test the entire system (remote starting, doorlocks/alarm, trunk, accessories)

6) start consolidating wire bundles and looming them and taping them off and/or zip tie-ing them.  Loom any wiring in the engine bay, use grommets for holes you've made in the firewall to transport wire across it.

7) pack all of it into the lower dash, test again, verify it's working.

8) mount your antenna, hide the excess wire behind the A-pillar and the interior headliner along the upper windshield edge. 

9) re-test for range now that the antenna is mounted

10) secure brain under dash, replace mouldings/lower dash materials -- finalize the project