Autostarters in Chrysler products

I have been installing autostarters for a few years now and all of a sudden I seem to be having problems with the Chrysler vehicles.  One instance: My customer has a 2001 Dodge Stratus and he has been back 6 or so times with problems with his autostarter.  The First unit installed was a model similar to a Black Widow marketed  through The Right Connections in California.  The first couple of them just went dead (the buttons on the remote didn't work).  If I disconned power and reconnected it it would work fine for a couple of days and then the same thing would happen again.  I swapped out the unit at first then went over the whole installation after the second one.  The third time I installed a Design Tech figuring that these units are having problems with the other electronics in the car.  The Design Tech's starter relay shorted closed.  I removed it and  installed the newer Right Connections model now called Xtreme XR-20.  It did the same thing the first ones did going dead after a few days. Then I put diodes across the door lock relays to prevent spikes.  This did nothing I installed a power filter on the main power lead (which comes right from the batt).  The unit still had problems but still worked to some extent.  The buttons on the remote were scrambled (unlock locked the doors and the trunk realease unlocked the doors the other buttons did nothing) and the car would not start.  Tech support at TRC said to put a diode on the parking light wire to ground.  I have not tried this yet but, I did take out the fuse for the parking lights a while back to try this theory and the vehicle still had problems.  At this point I an willing to try another brand again this time an Omega RS-7K2 and see if that fixes anything.  I did do a little checking into it before hand though.  I called Omega and talked to tech support and he said they have had problems with Chryslers too, doing the same types of things that almost all the other autostarters did.  Units basically locking up and when power was disconnected and reconnected the unit worked fine again for a while.  Sorry this is so long I just don't know what else to try.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!

Jon Mason
Traveling Electronics

I am actually using an injector for my tach pulse and I have not jumped any wiring in the ign harness.  My starter has 2 ign outputs and I've got a third through a relay.   It may just be that the autostarter I'm using is not going to handle it.  I don't have a dealer that handles Magnadyne who do you use?

i am direct with them. check out my site it has a link . do you own the shop or what, if would you be interested in getting a test unit let me know i will pass one on @ cost for you to try out.

www.securityconcepts.biz

I do own the shop and am always looking for a unit that will give me fewer problems.  The models I have been using have been ok but,  my my reputation is at stake here.  I feel awful when I try a unit out after installation and it works fine several times and then delivering it to the customer and having it not work at all.  (this happened last week in a Suzuki)  I'll check out the site.  I do about 100 autostarter installs a year.  It's probably not much by some standards but I also install a variety of other automotive electronics and home too.  It keeps me busy that's for sure!  I currently buy in lots of 6 to 12 and pay about $50.  I'd like to keep it about that since my pricing is regulated by my competition and I need to make a profit as well.   I am also trying to find a good distributor for cruise controls but,  I can't buy enough to satisfy Rostra's requirements.  Do you have a supplier for this as well?    Thanks for you help!

Jon

Traveling Electronics 

jon pass on  your email and ill give you the manufacture info and cost. i dont like to post cost pricing as people have a tendency to cost compare and i'm not going to compete against myself. i dont do cruise controls at all . i do a lot od backupsensors though is that popular where you are ???

I use the Prestiges aps-785 and have zero problems with them.  I have never had any problems with Chrysler vehicles.  I do nothing but new car dealers and have 3 chrysler dealers along with 2 dodge.  If your paying $50.00 for a remote start you are getting what you pay for.  The 785 is more money.  I have also used DEI products but too many relays for me.  I will say I have had a ton of problems with black widow and dynatech products.  I call dynatech,(dynacrap).  Magnadyne, Omega, DEI, and Audiovox are all made in the same factory in Taiwan.  Nu-tek, I believe that is how it is spelled.  I don't care for Magnadyne but if there made in the same factory they cannot be bad.  And for Omega I will never use there products anymore.  I have had numerous problems with those locking up also.  Back when the were made in Korea. If I have any problems with an Audiovox the distributor just gives me a new one.  But problems are very few.  Usually the remotes.  Rarely does a brain ever go belly up.  I hate problems, costs us money. Just my opinion.  19 years in business will speak for itself!

Dan

my e-mail info is in my profile just click on the NismaX name.  As for Prestiges I've only done one of their units.  They are available to me from my current supplier.  Maybe I'll try one of them.  Even Design Tech has given me problems lately a 2K Monte Carlo and a 2001 Chev Astro Van both left here working fine and both came back with lock up problems.  Then there are the Two Chrysler vehicles 2001 Dodge Stratus and a 98 Chry Concord.   Tha Status has had two Right Connection models and one Design Tech.  The RC models lock up after a few days and the DT shorted the start relay internally.  Just very strange...  Anyway at this point I'll try anything to keep these customers happy and give them what they pay for.  What I have to watch out for is the costs.  If I pay more then I would need to charge more for these installs.  The customers are not going to be happy paying more.  What do you retail an autostarter with keyless for?  I usually go $230 for the dealers and $270 for the general public.

Oh I forgot to answer this one I don't do alot of backup sensors just one so far.  It is cold up here in the winter so Autostarters are my bread and butter in the winter.  And with the increasingly difficult GM's and their Class 2 data buss's even radios are getting to be more expensive then the dealer using their own Delco stuff.   Oh yeah speaking of GM's idiocy making you buy an XM ready radio is lame.  Buying the equipment when you may not want the service is stupid.  Just my 2 cents.

wow $230 for a remote starter with keyless entry ....where are you from I have been using crimestoppers now for awile and have had no problems at all..I only charge $165 for a remote starter with keyless entry

...rick

$165 for an autostarter with keyless?  That seems too cheap.  Do you have the same pricing for all vehicles or just the ones that only need neg or pos pulses to trip the locks?  Seems to me that after buying the starter and installing it your not really making enough to make it worth while.  I run power from the battery and use spit loom on the wiring in the engine compartment to make everything disappear.  I don't know maybe I spend too much time making it look good.  What do you charge when there is a security system involved? 

I only run power to the battery when it is necessary as in the newer chrysler vehicles and if there is a factory security system like gm's passlock or chryslers sentry key system then it is an additional $50 .....it usually only takes me 2 to 3 hours to install a remote start with keyless entry....

rick

Well except for just recently the models I use have been trouble free.  I found I had better luck getting 12v from the batt to the autostarter to keep it from locking up.  What method do you use to tie into the ign wires?  I strip back the wiring and "t" splice into the wiring and tape.  Well we both charge the same amount for the security system bypass kits.  By the way I'm up here in NH if you need a geographic fix.  I have had these prices for a couple of years.   I figure I need to make a hundered bucks to make it worth my while.

I guess it all depends on where you are and what the cost of your product is.  Design Tech charges me $75ish for a single button autostarter with 2 remotes.  I don't charge anything extra except for security systems and in the case of the keyless unit to hook up the locks.  I hope your getting your product at a reasonable cost do you can make something.  Sometimes I think my distributor is screwing me.  I just started selling Sirius equipment and I found that Crutchfield is selling the equipment for less than what I buy for "wholesale". 

I by direct from crimestopper and they charge me around $60 each for a 2 remote 4 button on each remote ....remote starter and I typically make around a hundred dollars as I charge $165 whether the customer wants locks or not...

I dont charge additional for relays as they are minimal in there costs .....

I use a wholesaler for relays and such ....

as for connection  I used to solder every wire but i havve cut  my time in half but only soldering underhood connections...

for underdash I use 3m "T"taps with a male disconnect...

rick

I completely trust the 3M t taps I havent had a single problem since I started using them and they make installation a breeze....

rick

I often wondering the same thing ...I am currently wanting to get a hook up on street glow neon kits...I just found one on ebay and he is selling them for $99  so you know he paid probably half of that...

if you find out how they are doing it you let me know

rick

Well for comparison my distributor is selling under car kits for $138.  These guys must be buying overseas and importing them or selling old stock.  It's the only way I know of.  I just got a fax on 7" flip down monitors for $200 from my California distributor.

Well I agree I don't want to give my services away either.  I rarely have anything come back.  That's why I have a hard time figuring out why certain autostarters crap out in certain cars.  I do all the vehicles the same hooking up all the leads and not short cuttting anything.  The autostarter brain locking up is just a pain and it makes the installer look bad.   The Chrysler products I installed the Xtreme models in will both be exchanged for either an Audiovox or Magnadyne.  As for the future of Xtreme with me I might have to drop them although I never have any problem getting them exchanged they even give me newer models back if I want.