Printer Friendly Forum Posts - viper 5900 remote start

Hello I'm new here...

I have a 2000 Ford Expedition with the Viper 5900.

The car is fine and the alarm works reasonably well. I bought the car like this and did not do the install nor do I know who did.

Last winter everything worked fine-including the remote start. Recently after disconnecting the battery a few times for other maintenance, I didscovered that the remote start doesn't work.

At first it would just crank but not start. Now it will not even crank.

I can place the key in the ignition in the "OFF" position and press the remote start and the remote start will work.

Current guidance tells me that the antenna ring is out of alignment. I'm not sure if thi is true or where I can find this ring. I've been told that it sits along the ignition.

Can anyone guide me a bit so that I can figure this out? It's getting cold out and I'd really like to have this working soon.

TIA

they may have used a data module and you disconnecting the battery a few times may have wiped it... you may have to find out what style of bypass was used and if it is a data module it may simply need to be re-learned....

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Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer

Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979

How do I find the style of bypass? ( I neglected to state that I am limited in my electronics abilities- usually limited to low-voltage in-home A/V installs and super basic car audio)

I purchased this car about 11 months ago with all of the equipment already installed.

If I can find out the style of bypass, is there a guide to re-learning the codes?

You will need to find your alarm brain, along with the immobilizer bypass brain. Most likely, it will be smaller than the brain for the alarm. The imobilizer brain usually has about 6 or less wires, and the remote start brain will have typically 15+ wires. Once you have found the bypass module, find a model number such as 556uw ect...

Where is this brain typically located? I assume somewhere under the dash but I don't want to start pulling random panels if I can get a head start by trying the typical location first. Once I locate the bypass module model number what is the next step? I'll need to check it out tomorrow as it's gotten dark and it's getting a little chilly.

Every vehicle is different. Typically it can be found ziptied somewhere under the dash, but may be under the kick pannel, under the center console ect. I honestly could not tell you for sure. In my car, it is under the center console where it can not be accessed without taking half the car apart.

I looked under the dash on the driver's side and the passenger side and even on top of the dash where one of the sensors sits.

I really don't want to dismantle half the car to find this module... Is ther any other way to fix this remote start? I mean it WAS working last winter with zero issues until I disconnected the battery. And will still work with the key in the ignition...

well, here's a thought, if you don't wanna dismantle half the car to find the module take it to the pros they'll do it for ya. posted_image

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COMMIT YOUR WAY TO JEHOVAH AND HE WILL ACT IN YOUR BEHALF. PSALMS 37:5

I suppose I could do that but I know that this unit is not broken-it just needsa re-set or something. I did not want to dismantle the interior because it's a hassle - unfortunately, for me, I am hesitant to let anyone touch any of my cars. I've had a few bad experiences with bad installs where techs did not use proper care when working on the cars and they came back with damage that wasn't there. Thus, I swore to do as much as I could on my own cars...

Anyway, back on topic...Once I find this module, and locate the model number, where do I go from there?

Find the module....download the manual yourself and read how to reprogram it. Or, let us know what module you have and we can help. We are not going to post up solutions for every bypass module out there because you are too lazy to find out what module you have first.

Hopefully you have 2 keys for the truck. You will probably need 2 to reprogram the unit.

whitetruck wrote:

I looked under the dash on the driver's side and the passenger side and even on top of the dash where one of the sensors sits.

I really don't want to dismantle half the car to find this module... Is ther any other way to fix this remote start? I mean it WAS working last winter with zero issues until I disconnected the battery. And will still work with the key in the ignition...

If the vehicle works with the key in the ignition, its about 99% that you simply just need to have the module "learn" your key signal. As stated above, find the module, or take it to the pro's. There are entirely too many modules out there for someone to post every learning procedure, not to mention, you typically need access to the module in order to program it.

Ok Now I understand. I did not know that there were more than just a few modules. I thought this would be a siple re-learn procedure but apparently if there are that many differnt modules this may be an issue.

BTW, this is not a matter of being lazy as JWorm mentioned. I have 6 cars to attend to and it gets a bit tiresome to stay on top of all of the maintenance and nothing burns me up more than an easy fix made hard by the "pro's" who don't want to share their secrets. I know that people need to make a living but there are millions of people out there that would never even attempt to try an install or a repair-they will go to the pro's. Personally, I like to work on my own stuff but I know enough to know when I don't know so I ask for help.

I will locate this module and download the re-learn instructions. Hopefully this will fix my issue.

good luck.. that should be the issue.

well to take apart the driver side of the dash is very easy....pop off the trim that goes around the column that runs accros the guage cluster, there is a 7mm screw there, take off the fuse panel cover, there are 2 8mm bolts, there are 2 7mm screws on the hood latch and brake release, pulls those, also there in that area there is another 7mm screw there by itself, and along the top left corner of the panel near the headlight switch there is a 7mm screw, and las there is another 7mm screw on the bottom right corner area close to the center console, u can easily see all the screws and take them out and have the panel off in less than 5 minutes....and also the other screws on the hood and brake releases are on the bottom so stick your head under the handles and look straight up u will see them....hope this helps and good luck...once u get it off u should be able to see the brain and bypass module...thats where most installers place them...good luck...and let us know what happens...

SO, there is a Brain and a bypass module. Do they look the same? How will I know the difference? I guess I'll just write down everyhting I see...

Ok found it and fixed it. Took 5 minutes! Thanks for the help. It's greatly appreciated.

Now I'm wondering if I need to have a remote start installed in my WRX 5-speed... posted_image