'02 ford explorer, viper 160xvl rs

To reiterate a few things: 1. BLACK/ white NEEDS to see a ground or the remote start won't turn on. 2. Gray hoodpin wire MUST NOT see a ground or the remote starter won't work. 3. To program tach, you need the following: Constant power, ignition, ground, valet switch, and correct tach wire.......test that all of those are working. If you start to get frustrated, do this: Run tach wire under hood and leave it there, connected to nothing. Program remote starter for "voltage sensing" mode, and set "crank time" to 1.0 seconds. Continue with the other parts of your install, including transponder bypass, until you get the car to remote start and run sucessfully. Voltage sensing mode may or may not work reliably for you, depending on ambient temperature and whether or not your engine is in proper tune. I've used voltage sensing on almost every Explorer with good results. Other installers might disagree, and will always hook it up. However, voltage sensing is always a good tool to at least temporarily stop worrying about your tach frustrations, and you'll be able to get the rest of your install done and then you can hook up the tach last.

Thank you everyone for your help. I finally got the tach to learn. Embarrassingly enough, when I read "ignition coil pack", I was trying to hook up to the wires near the ignition key. As soon as I hooked up to the actual coil pack, it worked like a charm. But it wouldn't start. Or try to turnover. Or anything for that matter. Any ideas? Thanks.

You never mentioned any bypass module in your posts, if you hadn't got one installed yet, insert the key in the ignition and don't turn it. Now try to remote start & see what happens ?

I forgot to mention that. I have a bypass module that I'll install after I get it to start correctly. I have tried to start it with the key in the ignition but not turned forward at all. It didn't do anything at all. After learning the tach, are there any other steps before it should start? Is there a wire to hook up that tells it that I'm pushing the start button? I'm probably missing something simple. Thanks.

Did you press the "*" twice within 3 seconds in order to remorte start. If it still won't start, try to perform the take over test. Start the vehicle with the key, while it is running, press the "*" twice within 3 seconds then wait till park lights flash, turn the key off ( don't pull it out) see whether the vehicle is still running ? Post the results & go from there.

I pushed the "*" twice within 3 seconds and still nothing. I tried the take over test and the car shut off when I turned the key. The horn and door locks work, but the parking lights do not. The fuses all seem to be fine. Hood pin wire is not connected and is not seeing ground. Key is in the ignition when I try to start it.

What is the WHITE/ blue activation wire on the main H1 harness? Does it need to be grounded?

Nope!

Thank you. Here is how I have everything right now. Heavy GaugeRelay Satellite Wires 1. I have the orange output to accessory circuit wire going to the GREEN/ light green ACCESSORY /HEATER blower 1 wire in the ignition harness. 2. The (2) red 12V constant wires are going to the thick yellow wire in the steering column and have a constant 12V. 3. The pink ignition output is going to the RED / light green thicker wire in the steering column. It sees 0 volts when the key is off and then 12 when it is turned on. 4. The red starter wire in the column- I cut it and the car wouldn't start. I ran the key side to green and the starter side to purple. 5. I do not have the RED / white or pink/white wires hooked to anything. Ribbon Harness is connected I have not connected the 4 wires(blue, orange, violet, pink) to anything. H1 Harness 1. I have the red 12V hooked to the same thick yellow wire in the steering column as the relay wires. 2. Black is grounded. 3. Brown is connected to horn and works. 4. BLACK/ white, green, blue, violet, and RED / white are not connected to anything. H2 Harness 1. Light GREEN/ black dark GREEN/ purple in driver's door harness. 2. Gray/black, GREEN / WHITE, and violet/black are all disconnected. H3 Harness 1. Brake shutdown(Brown) goes to tan/black wire at brake switch. 2. Tach input(violet/white) goes to ignition coil under hood and is learned. 3. Neutral safety(BLACK/ white), hoodpin shutdown(gray), and 2nd status/defogger(blue/white) are all disconnected. Door Locks 1. both go to door lock wires in kick panel and the locks work correctly. Relay Satellite ribbon harness goes to relay satellite LED goes to the LED and works correctly. Valet/Program button is connected and works well enough to at least learn the tach and turn valet mode on and off. The antenna is connected I have not touched the jumpers. The fuses are fine.