Printer Friendly Forum Posts - dei 451m blows fuses-1993 dodge dakota

(Very Frustrated)
I got a Astra Alarm system a few weeks ago. I was able to get a diagram for the wiring of the remote start (Thank you!). That works great! And the alarm works as well. I am having problems with the door locks. At first, we hooked them straight in the door. My truck's door locks has 5 wires. 1 hot wire and 2 ground. Orange-purple and pink-purple giving 12 volts when you press the switch to lock and unlock. I wish my system was set up to give a + pulse, but of course, it doesn't. After doing some research and finding a thread on here about using a DEI 451M, I ordered one. It's all hooked up now, following the instructions that came up with it. Everything was tested with a meter to be 100% sure. I can attach what all we hooked up to if that would be needed. The first time we tried it, it blew the 15 amp fuse in the DEI 451M unit wires. (The purple and purple-black wires came spliced together and are connected to the 12+ lock switch as directly.) Replaced the fuse with another 15 amp, and tried unlocking instead of locking. It blew the lock switch in the fuse box. It originally was suppose to be a 20 amp, but had a 15 amp in it. (We had blew it testing things before I got the DEI 451M unit.) I found a 20 amp fuse to put in the DEI 451M unit, and it blew the 15 amp in the fuse box. I've tried it twice, and it isn't blowing the fuse in the DEI 451M. Any ideas? I am aggravated with this thing. I would greatly appreciate any advice! posted_image

The locks have to be 5-wired not 3-wired.

Please show your wiring. What you've connected to where, I'll guarantee you've either one or both pairs of motor wires the wrong way round.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

WHITE/ black: pink/violet - lock switch side of the wire
GREEN/ black: the other side of the lock wire
BROWN / black: ORANGE / violet - switch side
Blue/ black: the other half of the ORANGE / violet wire
Violet/ black: red wire (12 volts all the time) this is spliced with the violet wire and has the 15 amp fuse. Manual said you would possibly need a 20 so that has been upgraded.
It is blowing the 15 in the fuse box now.. Which is suppose to be a 20. I am fixing to run to town to get a another pack of 20 amp fuses.. Not sure if that's what's wrong or not.

The locks are 5 wired..

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If it doesn't work like it should, I don't need it! :) Lol

Seems OK let me go and look at one!
Correctly wired.
Were you physically seeing the switch when you did this?

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Yes, had a meter testing voltage and testing negative too..

I am hoping it is just the fuse.. I'm thinking adding the extra 2 relays, it will need more amps?

Sorry, ??

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Do the locks operate at all or does it just blow the fuse.

One thing I noticed is my info indicates ORANGE / Purple is lock side and Pink/Purple is unlock side.

Also it's quite apparent that you have things mixed up and are causing a short to ground. Bigger fuses won't fix that they'll only better your chances for an electrical fire.

How are you testing for switch and lock side of your cuts? Hint: view of the switch is NOT a good determinator.

I usually CUT the motor wires, the POS side on operating the switch is therefore your switch side.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

howie ll wrote:

I usually CUT the motor wires, the POS side on operating the switch is therefore your switch side.

That only works on a single motor or anything downstream of the cut.

The problem with 5-wire door lock switches is one of the switches goes not to the lock motor but instead to the other switch. That and the entire system resting at ground easily throws anyone who isn't entirely familiar with setup and how to verify things without getting false conclusions.

Yes quite right find the processor or lock control unit.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

catback wrote:

Do the locks operate at all or does it just blow the fuse.

One thing I noticed is my info indicates ORANGE / Purple is lock side and Pink/Purple is unlock side.

Also it's quite apparent that you have things mixed up and are causing a short to ground. Bigger fuses won't fix that they'll only better your chances for an electrical fire.

How are you testing for switch and lock side of your cuts? Hint: view of the switch is NOT a good determinator.

Okay, just got back from town with a bigger fuse. Do you think it will hurt to try it? We have a meter that reads amperage. We tested the switch to figure out the wires and also double checked them under the dash where we cut the wires to connect the DEI Unit.

Pressing the door locks on the side of the door, yes it works still. Unlock and lock. When I try using the remote to lock the truck, it blows the fuse.

Don't go more than 30 amps though I think that's an approach that will go nowhere please note what Catback said and follow his advice.
Manufacturers specify fuse ratings with good reason.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

He's saying to find the control unit to hook the DEI unit up to?

After adding the 30 amp in the fuse box, it blew the 20 amp in the DEI unit.. posted_image

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If it doesn't work like it should, I don't need it! :) Lol

Yes.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

That wouldn't be the driver door switch?

No

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

howie ll wrote:

Yes quite right find the processor or lock control unit.

On basic el cheapo aka old school power lock setups, processors and control units are non-existent. You just have to be through, and determine actual ground, from what looks like ground, from what actually goes towards the motor. Essentially, knowing the system while testing the system, and verifying you are where you think you are in the system.

It gets more interesting when your not working in the door but somewhere in the cab. You find your wires and cut them, one side goes into the door the other somewhere else. The lock motor is in the door so is that the lock motor side? But then again the switch is in the door as well, so where does it go?

See what I mean, for the uninitiated it's either confusing or very easy to make the wrong conclusion.

Back when I first came up against 5-wire systems it was an aftermarket spal power window conversion. If came with instructions but trying to learn the logic of how the 6-pin illuminated switch worked took some time before I fully understood it with ease. Namely my mind was boggled at how the lamp inside lit up with only a power connection to the vehicle's dimmer/dash illumination without a dedicated ground at the switch, only pins that could switch in and out of ground and power.

If your working at the driver kick panel, the side of your ORANGE / purple and pink/purple wires that go into the door are the switch side (based off of info I have - test first as always)

I'm 99% sure that's what we have hooked to. That's why I'm so frustrated! Lol The wires we hooked to come in under the dash panel from the door. They connect into a black connector (not sure why). We pulled the other side of the door switch out, and they are actually different colored wires. I'm not sure if they are the same wires or what. We tested the ORANGE / purple and the pink/purple for the switch side by putting the meter on them to see which side had the 12 volts when locking or unlocking by the door switch.

That was my post ref cutting the motor wires BEFORE testing, that will give you the correct way around.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

We did cut them. We tested them at the driver's door switch. Cut the wires under the dash and double checked them. [:errr:

On a positive note, the alarm & remote start work great posted_image

Lol

dalamb13 wrote:

I'm 99% sure that's what we have hooked to.

In 5-wire it's not just hooking to, it's hooking to and hooking to the right way around that's critical. Much like hooking up a battery not only does it have to be hooked up but you MUST get the wires connected the right way around or bad things happen.

Like I said, 5-wire systems like these are confusing. The wires do change color. I must say this is why I like having factory wiring diagrams.

The way this setup works is the driver switch goes to the passenger switch which THEN goes to the lock motor. The purple stripe is the switch to switch connection. The dark green stripe is from the passenger switch to the actual lock motor.

So try it in the passenger kick panel.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

catback wrote:

Like I said, 5-wire systems like these are confusing. The wires do change color. I must say this is why I like having factory wiring diagrams.

The way this setup works is the driver switch goes to the passenger switch which THEN goes to the lock motor. The purple stripe is the switch to switch connection. The dark green stripe is from the passenger switch to the actual lock motor.

So I need to find a dark green stripe?

howie ll wrote:

So try it in the passenger kick panel.

What's the worst that can happen right? Lol Oh why can't this be simple. Y'all wouldn't want to earn a few dollars and come hook this up for me would you? posted_image

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If it doesn't work like it should, I don't need it! :) Lol

Catback's about 1000 miles North, I'm about 3700 miles North East, so difficult!

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Lol, I do appreciate y'alls help!

Gotta love diagrams

81D_locks.jpg

And no, don't try on the passenger side. No TRYING here, here we test and make it work not "TRY"

So as to not confuse, don't go to the passenger side. You're perfectly able to connect things on the driver side as majority of installers do.

catback wrote:

dalamb13 wrote:

I'm 99% sure that's what we have hooked to.

In 5-wire it's not just hooking to, it's hooking to and hooking to the right way around that's critical. Much like hooking up a battery not only does it have to be hooked up but you MUST get the wires connected the right way around or bad things happen.

Like I said, 5-wire systems like these are confusing. The wires do change color. I must say this is why I like having factory wiring diagrams.

The way this setup works is the driver switch goes to the passenger switch which THEN goes to the lock motor. The purple stripe is the switch to switch connection. The dark green stripe is from the passenger switch to the actual lock motor.

So basically I need to try it on the passenger side? The passenger switch has a ORANGE / purple, ORANGE / black, red, pink/purple, pink/black. The driver side actually has a full black wire for a ground for both the lock and unlock side. Any thoughts?

catback wrote:

Gotta love diagrams

81D_locks.jpg

And no, don't try on the passenger side. No TRYING here, here we test and make it work not "TRY"

So as to not confuse, don't go to the passenger side. You're perfect able to connect things on the driver side as majority of installers do.

Sorry, sent that last post before I saw this one.

OK here we go, looking at that diagram, I WOULD go to the passenger side. Sorry.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

The diagram is a reference piece for a different year dodge, YMMV but it out lays a standard old school 5-wire reversal lock setup.

While you may be 99% you have things right, because your blowing fuses I'm 99% you have things backwards.

Left field but reverse the output wires on lock and unlock.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

howie ll wrote:

OK here we go, looking at that diagram, I WOULD go to the passenger side. Sorry.

I wouldn't, if your getting messed up on the driver side your just as easy to get messed up on the passenger side.

A proof in the testing being wrong is the conclusion that pink was lock and orange was unlock which goes against the factory diagram.

Hey y'all. spent the afternoon on it! And... It's working!! I appreciate both of your help & advice posted_image

It was greatly appreciated.

I ended up wiring it up with the passenger side, but "rigged" it where the DEI unit is under the driver's side dash. Added wires to go in the dash to the other side. (Tested it twice, so it's all good.) I actually think this is the main switch? The wires from the switch on the passenger door, split offs at the door harness (one going to the other side, one going to the passenger motor). So, after 18+ hours, it is all hooked up and ready to roll.

Monday I will be taking my dash BACK apart posted_image

Somehow my radio wire was unhooked! posted_image

Oh well. God bless you both. Y'all were a great help!