viper 5301 remote starter in 95 explorer

i am installing a viper 5301 in my 95 ford explorer - a slow install

1995 Ford Explorer XLT

4 door

6 cylinder OHV 

2 wheel drive

automatic transmission

keyless entry with factory alarm

overhead console

no memory seats

no EATC

no message center

no heated mirrors

Pretty much the standard soccer mom version.  I moved the radio to the accessory delay and installed the automatic dimming mirror with automatic

some connections are straightfroward but others are not - seems that these units were reworked from the previous vipers - and the install manual is not online yet (if i had a scanner...)

i got the connection chart from here, researched lots of threads and studies the ford technical specifications publications - but still have a few questions - my first is about the parking lights

it looks to me like this viper has an internal relay that supplies a 10 amp (+ or - depending on how the fuse is placed in the viper) output for the parking lights - the connection chart here shows a connection to the headlamp switch - it looks like that connection drives the coil in the explorer relay

connection chart info:

parking lights (-) - WHITE/ purple - driver kick panel

parking lights (+) - WHITE/ black - headlight switch

this is from the primary harness connection section

Install manual text:  This wire should be connected to the parking light wire in the vehicle.  See Setting the light flash polarity section of this guide for polarity settings.

For parking light circuits that draw 10-amps or more, the internal jumper must be switched to a (-) light flash output.  (See Setting the light flash polarity section of this guide.)  P/N 8617 or a standard automotive SPDT relay must be used on the H1/11 light flash output harness wire.

Install manual text:  Setting the light flash polarity. 

Light flash (+)/(-) polarity

The internal fuse is used to determine the light flash output.  In the (+) position, the onboard relay will output (+) 12V on the white wire, H1/11.  In the (-) position, the onboard relay will supply a (-) output.  When wiring into a multiplex circuit, you can replace the fuse with a resistor (paying attention to the polarity setting).  (Refer to diagram on p. 24, H1/4 WHITE/ brown wire description.)

i have the schematics for the external lights and the headlight switch pinout on the web site

http://mysite.verizon.net/respkm62/viper5301ina1995fordexplorer/

i also have the install manual text for each harness connection if anyone needs it - as i find the correct connections, i will fill in the info

can someone help with this connection?

Isnt parking lights off the R/S... WHITE...Take your DMM put Black lead to ground...put red lead in suspected Parking light wire on Remote Start...press lock/un-lock...see what voltage does on R/S...if you see 12 volts flash check manual again and verify wire and wire desription.

Once you find and verify + output on remote start you are going to take black lead on DMM and put black to ground...Locate parking light wire in car...Put red lead on wire,pierce insulation...Turn parking lights on-off...When you get 12 volts on your meter...then move dimmer switch up/down{dial/switch that dims your dash lights] you do not want a change in voltage...If voltage de-creases and increases  ,usually a few volts, when turning dial it is wrong wire{When you do find Parking light wire and your moving dimmer up/down you might see a slight change in voltage like 12.57-12.48,not a problem}

Hope this helps

thanks tommy - i was looking at a different chart that gave the wrong wire color - i found the brown wire in the passenger kick panel and tested it

i also connected the unit to the harnesses but something is wrong - i can hold the valet button and the unit enters programming mode - the horn honks for the menu selection and the option setting (i need to set it to automatic transmission) - when i press the unlock on the remote (to select auto transmission) the remote gives an error tone - i tried it with the door open and closed

it might be that my lock/unlock is wrong - the chart shows: 

lock - pink / YELLOW - meter shows a constant 12v - drops when i press the lock button on the door

unlock - pink/light green - meter shows constant 12v - drops when i press the unlock button on the door

i connected the wires and tested at the harness - when i connect all the harnesses to the unit, if i press unlock (or lock) on the remote i get no relay clicks that i can hear - and the remote gives an error tone a few seconds later - then i release the valet button (not knowing if the change worked) - 30 seconds later i get a short and long horn honk (the manual does not tell how to exit programming mode)

the manual for the 5301 changed - the 'component locations and finding wires' section says to go to directechs.com - all the explanations were deleted (the 5701 has some explanations) and of course i don't have access to the web site

when i look at the 5701 explanation for locks, it shows the same connections for either type a or type b locks (positive or negative) - not sure how the unit would know which are being used - the 5701 has this

important:  remember that these wires' functions reverse between type a and type b.

the only connection i have not made

dome output - not sure i need it

second lock output - might need it for progressive locks but wanted to get the regular lock connection first

the cabin temperature function seems to work so the remote seems to talk to the unit

any ideas on what i am doing wrong?  as far as i know, the unit is set to its defaults.

the lock wires i attached to are a thin gauge - very thin - they have 12v at rest and when i use the switch on the door, the voltage drops and quickly returns to 12v - these are the wires that go to the switch

not sure what caused this - probably the relearning the remote - it seemed to take

then i tried to change the transmission option in the programming menu - and this time i placed the remote in the transmit mode (or whatever - before when i tried to program, i did not do anything to prepare the remote to transmit - not sure if i need to)

then i tried the lock and unlock - it worked - guess i should try the remote start - kinda spooked about that after reading some horror threads about cars that come alive and consume small puppies

i also read about the units with the bad antenna problem - someone said the 'newer' (ones that worked) had a silver dot of paint somewhere

thanks chris - now on to the dome light and second lock wires

For the Dome light...It is a feature where the dome light goes off/on with arm/dis-arm. Second unlock is a feature where drivers door is unlocked when you hit unlock...press again for all other doors..An upsell for that feature is no-one can jump in passenger seat when you hit unlock...Good Luck on rest of install...

notes for posterity - the second unlock wire is not needed - the progressive unlock function still perfroms like the one on the factory keychain fob (once for driver door - twice for all doors)

lock does not arm the factory alarm - i will research if that is a programmable setting or if i need to connect the viper arm wire to the factory antitheft - i suspect i will need to do that

locking with the ford fob arms the antitheft - unlocking with the viper fob disarms the antitheft - makes sense - i have the disarm wire connected

the inside dome lights do not come on with the viper unlock - viper has a dome output wire that powers the coil in a relay - i suspect i need to connect that to the light GREEN/ orange wire between the gem and the lamp relay

i did try the remote start - relays clicked but it did not turn over - need to revisit my heavy gauge harness - the lights flashed though - the brake aborted the retries (yes!)

one other note - the brown wire flashes the parking lights, tail lights, tag lights and instrument lights - i thought it would after looking at the schematic - wonder if all that is more than 10 amps?

	Battery		YELLOW		(+)		IGNITION SWITCH HARNESS
	Ignition 1		GREEN/ VIOLET		(+)		IGNITION SWITCH HARNESS "2 WIRES"
	Ignition 2		BLACK/ GREEN		(+)		IGNITION SWITCH HARNESS (BLOWER MOTOR)
	Accessory 1		GREEN/ YELLOW		(+)		IGNITION SWITCH HARNESS "2 WIRES"
	Starter 1		RED / LIGHT BLUE		(+)		IGNITION SWITCH HARNESS

Do all the dash lights come on, on the dash, and the vehicle just doesnt crank...Or the parking lights just flash when you press the start button...? Did you hook up Tach Wire...? Did you do Tach Learn Procedure?.... Default is virtual tach{it says it learns during start, did you have a bad start attempt during learning sequence?}...then voltage{if not using tach}...Option 3 is blank...4 is regualer tach...Also IT IS set in manual Transmission mode{default}...Will have to change that to automatic...{scrolling through the install guide}