03 Dodge Caravan Remote Start Troubles...
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Security and Convenience
Forum Discription: Car Alarms, Keyless Entries, Remote Starters, Immobilizer Bypasses, Sensors, Door Locks, Window Modules, Heated Mirrors, Heated Seats, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=10861
Printed Date: August 18, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Topic: 03 Dodge Caravan Remote Start Troubles...
Posted By: IXJ159
Subject: 03 Dodge Caravan Remote Start Troubles...
Date Posted: March 13, 2003 at 8:32 PM
I was installing a 03 remote start on a dodge caravan and it is giving me some unwanted troubles.... first off, the car had 2 starter wires, 1 12volt and 1 ground threw an 180 ohm resistor...... so i wired up the starter wire to the starter, ran a jumper from that wire to the coil on the relay so it would turn the relay on when that wire is energized, and have the relay grounded w/ a 180 ohm resistor...., so i hooked everything up, all works good, pushed the start button works like a charm... however.... now when i try to start the car w/ the key, it cranks from anywhere from like 5-15 sec before it will start? but like i said, if i hit the remote start button starts in like .5 sec everytime....... so i checked all my connections, etc etc... everything looked good, then i started to disconnect each connection to see when the van started normally..... sure enought, cut the negative starter wire and the van starts just fine w/ the key, so i was please..... then i hit the remote start button it started up just fine for like 3 starts, then after about 3 starts, it cranked for like 15-20 sec before it starts, so the problem is reversed?? so I'm not sure what to think about this problem... 1 option i thought would be to, since there is 2 starter wires, just ground the negative starter wire w/ a 180 ohm resistor at all times....??? or I thought maybe a diode would maybe sold this problem,... it doesnt make sense, tho, cause during a normal start that relay woulnd not be energized, so a diode wouldnt solve anything? anyhow... anyhelp would be appreciated... Thanks, Eric.
Replies:
Posted By: Velocity Motors
Date Posted: March 14, 2003 at 5:10 AM
Please tell us what wires you have going to what on the relay for the secnd starter.
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Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA
Posted By: IXJ159
Date Posted: March 14, 2003 at 6:31 AM
I'm using a SPST relay instead of a SPDT, but it this case it doesnt matter, 85 - grounded 86 - tapped into the starter wire from remote start 87 - grounded w/ 180 ohm resistor 30 - to negative remote start trigger as im sitting here typeing this i think i see my problem.... when the user starts his car w/ the key the starter wire would energize my coil...which would trigger that relay which would mess up the resistance grounded..... so i think a diode will take care of it right??? or, find a different trigger..... i see it all now... let me know if u think im right tho.. thanks, eric.
Posted By: jrilla
Date Posted: March 14, 2003 at 7:57 AM
85 needs to go to a ground out when running wire from your RS. I assume you mean that pin 30 is going to the 2nd starter wire on the vehicle?
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J Rilla
Owner/Installer
Posted By: Velocity Motors
Date Posted: March 14, 2003 at 4:20 PM
You need to use a SPDT relay otherwise the wire is still activated witht he GROUND that you have on pin 85.
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Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA
Posted By: Chris Luongo
Date Posted: March 15, 2003 at 9:38 AM
Yes, you are correct----when the user starts his car with the key, this also energizes the relay you installed----meaning the car sees 180-ohms-to-ground from your resistor, AND whatever the ignition switch does, at the same time---this is not good.
There are basically three ways to take care of this.
1. What remote starter are you installing? Does it happen to have its own second starter output, be it negative or positive? If so, use this to drive your relay.
2. You need two relays.
-Tie the output of the remote starter to the 86 terminals of TWO relays. -85 on both relays goes to ground.
-87 on Relay #1 goes to constant positive; 87 on Relay #2 goes to constant ground.
-30 from Relay #1 goes to the van's yellow + starter wire.
-30 from Relay #2 goes through the 180-ohm resistor, and then to the van's PURPLE / brown - starter wire.
3. Use diodes instead. Most of the time, diodes are only used for low-current applications, and relays are used for high-current jobs.
But, did you notice how tiny the ignition wires on that van are? And the blue/red constant wire at the ignition switch is only rated for 10 amps.....so therefore, the yellow starter wire can't possibly draw much current at all!
In my opinion, you can get away with using large-size diodes, eliminating the need for one of the relays. Plus, since it's only a starter wire, it just runs for one second at a time---it doesn't stay on long enough to put much stress on the diodes.
-Take the starter output of your remote starter, and attach two diodes to it. One of the diodes will go to the van's yellow starter wire, and the other diode will go to terminal 86 of the one relay that you have already correctly set up.
-If you wire the diodes backward by mistake, you won't break anything---it simply won't work at all. Instead of worrying all day about which way to face the diode, just make a temporary connection at first---if it works, you put them the right way.
-Diodes come in different amp ratings, and the bigger ones cost slightly more, but diodes are dirt cheap anyway. I'd recommend a 6-amp diode going out to the yellow starter wire, just to be on the safe side---or if you only have small ones on hand, put two or three of them in parallel. For the diode that goes to activate your relay, use any size you'd like.
Posted By: IXJ159
Date Posted: March 16, 2003 at 11:51 AM
Thanks for the help guys, i just wired up a diode on my starter wire and it works great thanks again.........Eric.
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