remote starter doesn't fire first time

Just got the Prestige (Audiovox) APS57a remote starter installed in a 08 Mazda 3. When the car has not been started in a while, for example in the mornings, the remote starter attempts to start the engine the first time (you can hear the cranking) but the engine never fires. Then, about 3-4 seconds after that it attempts to start it a second time and then it works. If the car hasn't been sitting for a while, then it starts normally the first time. I'm being told that this is normal behavior but I'm not so sure that's the case. I would think that the remote starter should work the first time even on cold days after the car has been sitting. Is it possible that the programming needs changed? I've been reading about tach wires and crank times. My installer said the tach wire was installed. Is one of the purposes of the tach wire to let the remote starter know when to stop cranking the starter? Do you think the crank time might need programmed to be higher? If so, that leads to another question. Is over-cranking dangerous to your vehicle? Or, maybe if we increase the crank time setting, would the tach wire let the remote starter know when to stop cranking? Anyone that has any thoughts of what the problem might be, I appreciate it.

exactly the tach wire lets the remote starter know when to stop cranking. just ask the installer to up the crank time just a little bit, maybe another 1/2 second or so

Thanks soundnsecurity, I will do that. I hope the fix is that easy!

sorry guys but......the tach wire has nothing to do with the preset cranking time values. if the tach wire is hooked up and programmed, it makes the unit function so that the starter cranks until the engines starts and the unit "sees" the preprogrammed tach signal, at which time it stops cranking the starter. the tach wire also functions to monitor the engine rpm while remote started for over rev protection. the preprogrammed cranking times are used if the unit is set for voltage checking and the unit will crank for that amount of time weather it starts or not. if it doesnt start, then it simply tries again. tach is the way to go because no matter how cold it might be the starter will crank for the length of time needed until it sees the engine start.

Hmmm, looks like we have some conflicting information here. I think I need to meet with my installer and find out what all of the settings are and how the tach wire is hooked up. I found an installation manual on the Audiovox website (I pasted the programmable features page below). ckeeler...I think I the most important ones would be setting #5, #10, and #14. Do you agree? Thanks! RF Programmable Features Bank 3 Is Remote Start Selectable Features: Feature Selection 1 Chirp 2 Chirps 3 Chirps 4 Chirps 5 Chirps 6 Chirps 1st Defrost Output    Not Available 2nd RF Start Chirp    Not Available 3rd Run Time    5 Mins 10 Mins 15 Mins 20 Mins 4th Parking Lights    On Steady Flashing 5th Input Check    Voltage Tach DBI Input 6th Voltage Level    >0.5V B4 Start < 0.5V B4 Start 7th Ign. 2 Select    Off During Crank On During Crank Same As Accy. 8th Ign. 3 Select    Not Available 9th Diagnostics    Off On 10th Crank Time    0.8 Sec 1.0 Sec 1.5 Sec 2.0 Sec 11th Gas/Diesel    Gas Diesel 10 Diesel 15 Diesel 20 12th Transponder O/P    While R/S On During Start Until Ign. Off 13th Temp Start    Not Available 14th Crank Averaging    Averaging Preset Time Note: When averaging, the engine must be started 4 times with the key to be effective. 15th R/S Shock    Not Available 16th Turbo Select    Not Available 17th BLACK/ Blue (Aux O/P)    Single Pulse As Feature #1Bank 2

well....... if your gonna have setting #5 on voltage checking, then you can use #10 and set it to the time you need or you can use option #14. either one. if you use #14, then #10 does nothing, and vise versa. if you have it set for voltage sensing on #5 than tach does nothing. if you have #5 set fot tach sensing, than #10 and #14 dont do anything.

I see, good info, thank you...do you recommend tach sensing over voltage sensing? It seems like the voltage sensing is less accurate and there is more of a chance of over or under cranking.

i ALWAYS recommend tach sensing over voltage if at all possible. without question