Printer Friendly Forum Posts - 1998 chrysler town and country

I could really use some help here. I am installing a 2-way remote start alarm (Autopage RS1000) on my dads 1998 Chrysler Town and Country. I can't seem to get the door locks(unlock and lock) and factory alarm to play nice. All 3 from the alarm module have to go to the same wire on the van. I have tried each by them self and the lock and unlock work but I can't get the factory disarm to work. I am going to use a relay for each but the factory disarm is really trying my patience. I am to use a 665 Ohm resistor and I have tried several combination to get as close to that as I can. I have even used one that is 680 Ohm but nothing works. I get the locks to unlock with the 680 Ohm resistor but the alarm does not disarm. I don't know what else to try. Any suggestions? Can I disable the factory alarm??? I would do that over all else if at all possible.

I found THIS (middle of the page about using a couple diodes) and I'm going to try it instead of the relays but I'm still lost with the factory alarm.

What color wire are you using in the van for arm/disarm?

I'm using WHITE/ DK green. And I'm finding 250 Ohm isn't working for unlock...or was it lock??? I"m sure it was unlock. I think it calls for 1500 Ohm to lock, 250 Ohm to lock, and 665 Ohm to disarm. I used a 150 Ohm resistor and that works great. i guess it's ok to use that as long as it works right?

This kinda stinks because this is the second alarm I have installed on this van. The first one worked ok but it was kinda funny from the start. It would have to be disarmed before you remote start or it would set itself off. In other words: if you would attempt to remote start without first disarming the aftermarket alarm the aftermarket alarm would think it was violated. It would sound the alarm as if someone opened the door. I never had a problem with the factory alarm after intallation with that one though. That alarm module shorted out after 2 years of use. I found the spot on the board where the damage was and I guess it could be fixed but I ain't messing with it. I tried to find the question that I had post 2 years ago but I couldn't. Is there a way to find older posts? I thought I asked this question then. Oh well.

for vehicles with factory alarm:
Use relays and set up for negative trigger. Place a 4020 ohm resistor inline on the lock output, and a 665 ohm resistor inline on the unlock output.

Have the UNLOCK and DISARM output trigger the relay with the 665 ohm resistor
Have the LOCK and REARM output trigger the relay with the 4020 ohm resistor

Ok, I used the relays and the value of resistors that was on the wiring diagram. It not locks/arms and unlocks/disarms properly. Thanks for the advice JWorm. Now, all that's left is to get the door trigger to work. I thought I had the correct wire with the BROWN / White wire at the connector under the fuse box. This wire is in the right plug. I'm going to double check and see if maybe the coloring is faded or the wire is dirty making it look like the correct wire. All is working except the door trigger...well I haven't finished programming it yet so I haven't tested remote start yet...

I thought this would the easiest install since I already have one installed. All I had to do was replace the wires. Everything was easy except the resistors and this wire. I"m not sure what I did to get the old alarm to work but there is not a BROWN / white wire. I only see a BLACK/ white...

I found a note in my file that I wrote when I installed the old alarm. It said I found the wire I was looking for above the BCM. I'll look there and see what I find. I also wrote down that I posted this in the other post that I tried to find earlier. That post is over 2 years old and I couldn't find it. Do posts get deleted after a time?

Yes, that was the wire. I was confusing the fuse box with the BCM when the BCM is actually above the fuse box. Rookie mistake... posted_image

JWorm, thanks for all the information. Everything you told me helped get this done. I am a rookie installer and I only work on the side. I don't even make any money off of this, yet. I want to go to school and get MECP certified but I gotta save up the money. That school ain't cheap. Props to you for helping us rookies out!

ok, same problem with this remote start alarm as with the old. Everything is wired like it should be but when I remote start the van the alarm gets a door violation warning and sets it self off. It is suppose to disarm the van upon remote start (and it does) but the alarm thinks one of the doors is being opened at the same time. This is what the old alarm would do so we had the owner just disarm before remote starting. He shouldn't have to do that, right? I mean everything works properly except the remote start. Is that just how it is? Does he have to disarm it before remote starting?

This also shows a door trigger when I disarm the system as well.

I have the door trigger wire of the Autopage connected to the BROWN / White wire at the BCM that works for door trigger but that is triggering the Autopage alarm when I remote start. If I disconnect that wire the remote start works fine except now I can open the door and the alarm doesn't know that I have. Is there another wire to connect to that might work better? I was also thinking about using a relay to temporarily disconnect the door trigger wire. I think that could work the best.

Ok, Ive tried the relay and the relay cuts the circuit but I'm guessing it doesn't cut the circuit quick enough or something. I don't know what else to try and I can't finish this install. Does anyone know what I need to do?

Everytime I try to remote start or just simply disarm I get a door trigger alarm/warning.

I'm thinking about trying to find the dome light wire trigger. When I disarm or remote start the dome light does not come on. The only time the dome light comes on is when a door opens. That could work better, if I can find the correct wire.

This is sort of a 2 place question. It is vehicle specific and it's going to help install an alarm. Does anyone know where/what color the dome light wire is for a 1998 Chrysler Town and Country? I'm looking for this wire because I'm having a problem with the door trigger.

I've been trying to get this post answered but no one is reading it

This site has been slow the last week or so. Usually happens around this time of year.

Domelight wire = BROWN / lt. green (-) at dome light on/off switch

Ok, nothing works. Using the dome light wire doesn't work either. When the vehicle disarms, it unlocks the doors and because of that the dome lights come on for a brief second which also triggers the alarm. The factory alarm disarms but the RS 1000 alarm will give a door trigger warning if you disarm first or full alarm if you try to remote start without disarming first. Any ideas???

nightowl2 I'd suggest 4 things you could try in order to avoid the problem you're having.

1. My info says door trigger should be blue/orange (+) at the light switch harness. It doesn't say explicitly that this wire is doors only, unaffected by the domelight, but it's possible that that's the case. The domelight switch on your van would most likely have some kind of switched wire that's only active when a door is open.

2. Try cutting that BROWN / white wire and diode isolating it from the BCM. It might be backfeeding from the BCM when the domelight is activated by the disarm.

3. Use a pulse timer relay to interrupt the door trigger wire to the aftermarket alarm for a few seconds after the disarm pulse goes out.

4. Search for individual door trigger wires, assuming they are different from the BROWN / white. This is fairly involved and should be almost a last resort.

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C Renner's Auto Electronix
My service is cheap, quick, and good - pick any two

Hey chriswallace187 thanks for that. I was trying to avoid #4 as would be expected. I was thinking about diode isolating the trigger wire but I really am a rookie and wasn't to sure if that would work. Now that it has been suggested, I am going to try that. It can't hurt anything and the worse thing that can happen is I loose a few minutes of time, like that is going to hurt considering the time lost already.

Ok, I might be on to something. I finally got a battery for my DVM so I could check voltage on the wire. The wiring diagram says BROWN / White(-) at the BCM which is what I am using BUT when I check the valtage with the door open and close there is no difference! Now, I also checked it with the dome light on and off...on = (+) 0.94 volts and off = (+) 12.84 volts. Could the wiring diagram be wrong? Now what? I guess I'll test a few more wires to see what I can find and then diode isolate each door.... posted_image

I am not finding any wires that are effected by the door opening or closing. Just the dome light coming on or going off. I actually found 2 wires that are effected by the dome light. The BROWN / white and the BROWN / green.