car alarm/remote start trouble shooting

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=108625
Printed Date: November 27, 2025 at 5:26 PM

Topic: car alarm/remote start trouble shooting

Posted By: bigbodychevy
Subject: car alarm/remote start trouble shooting
Date Posted: November 02, 2008 at 7:29 PM

I have a CA 610 (code alarm). I installed this remote start alarm with the help of a friend over 2 years ago. Worked like a champ untill recently. I also added some accuaters since its in a car that did not have power locks at the time of the initial install. The car is a 1992 Chevy Lumina Euro (sedan).

The problem atm is the running Tail lights will not come on except for the pulse flash from arming/disarming the alarm. I can not continue to drive with no Tail lights this time of year since I drive to work when its still dark outside. Where and how should I test to find the short. Sorry for my ignorance, I am very new to alarms/remote starts. This was my 1 and only install and about 60% of it was done by a friend who is no longer around. I have installed Countless Stereo systems and work in the IT field. I have all the tools needed to do the job but am stuck finding the problem.

My first thought was a bad relay. I replaced both Relays in the system. Still as soon as I turn on the running lights I blow a fuse and loose all interior and tail lights, But if I arm/disarm the alarm those lights do pulse as normal. What is a good place to start and how exactly do i use the voltage meter to find the short?

attached below is the wiring diagram of the car and a link to the alarm manual.

https://webappshttp.voxdmz.audiovox.com:1025/manuals/installation/CA610Inst_%20revD_122105.pdf

Constant 12V+	Red	Ignition Switch Harness
Starter	Yellow	Ignition Switch Harness
Ignition	Pink	Ignition Switch Harness
Ignition 2	Dark Blue/White	Ignition Switch Harness
Accessory	Orange	Ignition Switch Harness
Tach	White	Or PURPLE / White (-) At Coil or Multi Coil Pack
Brake Switch	White	Brake Switch
Trunk Release	Black	Switch
Trunk Pin	n/a	HAS MERCURY Switch
Parking Lights	Brown	Light Switch
Head Lamp	Yellow	Light Switch
Hood Pin	n/a
Door Trigger	White (-)	Driver's Pin Switch
Door Lock	Light Blue	Driver's Kick Panel
Door Unlock	Black	Positive Trigger
Horn Wire	Black (-)	Steering Column
Windows Up	LF=Brown, RF=Blue/White,
Windows Down	LF=Dark Blue, RF=Tan

Please help! Thanks in advance for ignoring my newbness.

Replies:

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: November 02, 2008 at 7:45 PM

Did you recently install a radio in the vehicle?

Posted By: blanx218
Date Posted: November 02, 2008 at 8:00 PM

you can also narrow down your problem by disconnecting the parking light wire of the remote start from the car wire. if you still blow a fuse the problem doesnt lie in the remote start. also make sure you dont have any incorrect bulbs. you can blow a fuse that way too.

Posted By: ckeeler
Date Posted: November 03, 2008 at 11:24 AM

the problem has nothing to do with the park light circuit on your remote start or the installation as it works when the unit arms/disarms. you have obviously tied into the system AFTER the fuse box. thus the reason they still flash with the remote start even with a blown fuse in the fuse box. that also tells you that nothing after the fuse box is shorted. you have a short inside the headlight switch. is your headlight switch the square one with a seperate button for headlights and parklights and has a slider off to the side for dimming the dash lights?

Posted By: bigbodychevy
Date Posted: November 03, 2008 at 12:06 PM

Yes Ckeeler it is as you described. 1 square button for parking lights 1 square for head lights, and a slider to set how bright the dash lights are.

When the fuse blows the dash lights also go out. Everything works fine till I turn on the parking lights, As soon as I hit that button the fuse blows.

So should I remove this and trace that wire back to see where its spliced into the brain at? Is my short on this wire? Can I test it with my voltage meter to prove the short? I am going to stop on the way home to buy a headlight bulb to try the suggestion up above.

Thanks alot for helping me here guys, I really gotta stop car pooling with the wife. I miss my Alpine SWX 1243D and the back massage on the ride home its so relaxing ;-P

Posted By: ckeeler
Date Posted: November 03, 2008 at 12:38 PM

no, you have to change that switch. its bad. it has an internal short. thats all your problem is and all you need to do is replace the switch

Posted By: bigbodychevy
Date Posted: November 03, 2008 at 12:46 PM

have you seen this before, whats the best way to get a new one, and what is the part name so when i call a junk yard I dont sound like a dumb @$$?

Thanks alot.

Posted By: ckeeler
Date Posted: November 03, 2008 at 12:50 PM

its just called a headlight switch assy. it will be the headlight button/parklight button/slider all in one unit, just like you have now. the CARQUEST part number for a new one is DS655. looks like this

posted_image

Posted By: bigbodychevy
Date Posted: November 03, 2008 at 1:02 PM

OUCH Carquest wants $330 for one new, and Autozone wants $144 for one new. Junk yard here I come.

Posted By: bigbodychevy
Date Posted: November 03, 2008 at 1:16 PM

Found one on ebay for 22 shipped. Now i play the waiting game.

Posted By: bigbodychevy
Date Posted: November 04, 2008 at 4:43 PM

Ckeeler I took the switch assembly out and took a closer look. On the back side of this switch assembly There are 2 wires tapped into(T-tap). One is brown on the assembly and that is tied to the solid white coming out of the alarm brain wich is parking light output.

The other wire coming out of the switch assembly that is tapped is white(maybe pink) and it is tied to the green on the alarm wich is door trigger -.

Does that further support its the switch assembly that is bad? Not sure how fast that assembly is gonna get here today. Sorry for being a pest, I'm just anxious to get my car back! ;-P

Posted By: ckeeler
Date Posted: November 04, 2008 at 4:50 PM

sounds like its gonna be the switch for sure.

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: November 04, 2008 at 10:54 PM

If you need to drive the car, leave the fuse out and temporarily power the alarm wire. At least you can drive until the switch comes in.

Posted By: bigbodychevy
Date Posted: November 05, 2008 at 8:15 AM

That is not really an option the short is drawing constant power and leaving my Optima yellowtop low. I have the battery out of the car on a trickle charger untill the short is fixed. I don't want to kill a 200 dollar battery.

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: November 05, 2008 at 8:52 AM

i am an idiot wrote:

leave the fuse out

I didn't mean to temprarily apply constant voltage. You will have to place a switch in line with it.

Posted By: bigbodychevy
Date Posted: November 09, 2008 at 12:39 PM

ckeeler are you around. I made a big bone headed move.

There are 2 brown wires coming out of this harness. I cut everything loose not relizing this. I have all of the wires connected except the 2 solid brown wires.

On the light switch assembly one of the brown wires comes from a 4 pin harness, the other comes from a 7 pin harness. How do i test the 2 brown wires left hanging to determin which wire goes to which harness?

Posted By: ckeeler
Date Posted: November 10, 2008 at 8:59 AM

bigbodychevy wrote:

ckeeler are you around. I made a big bone headed move.
There are 2 brown wires coming out of this harness. I cut everything loose not relizing this. I have all of the wires connected except the 2 solid brown wires.
On the light switch assembly one of the brown wires comes from a 4 pin harness, the other comes from a 7 pin harness. How do i test the 2 brown wires left hanging to determin which wire goes to which harness?

what do the 2 wires measure when the switch is off, and when the switch is on?