southern california hood sensor choice

Hi, I have a 01 Civic and just had a local authorized dealer install a viper 5002. I noticed there is no hood sensor that comes with it normally. I would like one installed. I called another local dealer and they told me they don't install pinswitches anymore but rather use a mercury tilt switch. But i thought that would be a bigger problem up north not down here. we do get rain, and sometimes for a week or so but that happens like 2 or 3 times a year. I read instructions for the mercury switch and it says that they won't operate at a 45 degree angle. so i figure i should get a regular switch and just check it from time to time. or maybe both, one to backup the other when it fails. also do you think it'd void my installation warranty if i have the switch installed by another authorized dealer? thank you

xshock wrote: also do you think it'd void my installation warranty if i have the switch installed by another authorized dealer?

If you mess with their installation at all it could void the warranty. Why not ask them to install the hood pin switch and buy a few from them as spares? Simple enough to replace when it goes bad.Installer, IT support, and FFL. I need less hobbies.

I find hod switches last for years if you do three things; position them carefuly so that when the hood shuts the pin isn't forced too far, (use Euro type from Harrison etc with cut downable pins), position as high as poss so that water runs away and spray thoroughly with a water retardent.

I prefer the accuracy of a pin switch to a tilt switch. The problem is I live in Minnesota. We have layers and layers of road salt laid down throughout the winter and that corrodes the hell out of those switches. I would recommend the pin switch for you.