prostart ct 3200 remote programming

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=116696
Printed Date: May 13, 2024 at 7:09 PM

Topic: prostart ct 3200 remote programming

Posted By: zero_10
Subject: prostart ct 3200 remote programming
Date Posted: October 04, 2009 at 1:07 AM

We recently bought a 2000 Neon LE which had a Prostart CT-3200 installed in it. For the first couple weeks we had the car the remote starter worked perfectly. After this time the timing belt came due and the battery was left unhooked for 2 days while I tracked down all the right parts to finish the job. After this the remote starter no longer worked. I assumed it had lost it's settings and needed the remote re-programmed.
I tracked down the manuals from autostart, and started trying to re-program the remote without any response / success.

After about 50-60 failed attempts we tried the reset procedure, and the signal lights blinked 8 times as they should, but still no luck trying to program the remote.

I have no problem getting the starter into programming mode (i.e. flashing the hood pin), and I have tried several different ways to get this remote to work. After flashing the hood pin I have tried the following:

1) Wait 6 seconds (to verify we are in programming mode), cycle key to on, wait 3 seconds, then off, on, off, all while repeatedly pushing or holding the "I" button
2) Wait 6 seconds, cycle key on, off, on, off (no wait) while repeatedly pushing or holding the "I" button
3) Flash hood pin, immediately cycle key on, off, on, off, while repeatedly pushing / holding the "I" button
4) Flash hood pin, cycle key on, then back off (1 cycle only) while pushing / holding "I" button

We have also tried all of the above using the "II" button, and both the "I" and "II" buttons together at the same time. At least 20 attempts were made at each of the methods. This is well in excess of 200 programming attempts with no luck whatsoever. I have searched all over this forum and some others and found nothing that I have not already listed above (and consequently tried). At one point the battery in the remote died and we replaced it, so we know a dead battery in the remote was not the cause (the light on the remote works anyways, so its obvious when it is working).

The LED on the antenna assembly comes on solid when in programming mode, and none of the components were touched at all during the timing belt job, so that rules out mis-installation in my mind as it did work perfectly before.

I am hoping somebody can throw me a bone and maybe tell me,
Can unhooking the battery wipe the programmed remotes from the starter or has something else possibly gone wrong?
Are there any other jedi tricks I need to try to get this stupid remote working?
Is there something I have missed here?

My wife is bugging me to get the remote starter working properly since the cold weather is coming posted_image

Sorry for the long post, I seriously need help getting this remote going though, and would appreciate anything you guys can throw my way

Replies:

Posted By: tommy...
Date Posted: October 04, 2009 at 2:54 PM

Usually instead of deleting the remotes programming...It normally sets the remote start back to default settings...You probably need to set it to tach-less...Or re-learn tach...! Does this unit have keyless entry on it...Meaning can you lock/unlock from the remote...Or is this just a start only...?

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M.E.C.P & First-Class
Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

Posted By: Zero10
Date Posted: October 05, 2009 at 1:52 PM

The car does not have power locks so remote entry is not hooked up on this car so it is setup as remote start only.

The manual indicates that I have to program the remote before I do the tach learning procedure, you are saying I have to program the tach before I can program the remote? The remote is not required to program the tach so I guess I could try it.

Any other ideas? I must be missing something here, I don't understand why it is putting up such a fight, and there appears to be no real tech support contact for these guys. I emailed them days ago with no response.

Posted By: moonliter
Date Posted: October 05, 2009 at 3:53 PM

Here is how to Program the Transmitter to the module.
1. FLASH the hood pin switch. Parking lights will stay on for up to 20 seconds.
2. Before the lights go out, turn the ignition key to the IGNITION ON (RUN) position and immediately to the OFF position.
3. Press and hold button I and keep it down until the parking lights flash 5 times quickly.
4. The module has stored the transmitter in its memory.
5. Close the hood, to exit.

Tach Programming
you should go through the Tach programming procedure every time a new Unit is installed or the module has been reset.
1. FLASH the Hood Pin Switch.
2. Before the lights go out, Press and hold the Brake Pedal.
3. Press buttons I & II simultaneously on the Transmitter. The Parking Lights will flash 4 times.
4. Release the Brake Pedal.
5. Start the vehicle and let it to reach regular Engine-idle speed.
6. Once the vehicle is idling properly, press and hold the Brake Pedal until the Parking Lights flash five times,
7. release the Brake Pedal: the Tach signal is now programmed.

Hope this helps

Posted By: Zero10
Date Posted: October 05, 2009 at 3:59 PM

I have the instructions manual, and those steps are pretty much copy & paste from the manual. The problem I have is 2-fold

1) The tach programming procedure you posted requires the remote to be programmed, I am not able to program the remote in the first place
2) The steps you posted are exactly what I already said I have tried up above, and it is not working

Posted By: moonliter
Date Posted: October 05, 2009 at 4:11 PM

Did you check that the antenna is properly plugged in ? Can you tell me how many pins is your antenna cable ?

Posted By: tommy...
Date Posted: October 05, 2009 at 5:26 PM

Was just wondering ...If it did have lock/unlock on the remote...To press it and see if you hear a "click."..I was just saying that on most of the units i am familiar with...If you dis-connect power(take terminal off of battery) the remote start doesnt usually lose the remotes programming...rather it goes back to default settings...Which in most cases...just needs the tach re-learned...or set back to tach-less in the menu/programming...And while i am not familiar with that unit...Maybe they never connected the remote starter to the hood pin...IS it a factory or aftermarket hood pin...? Although it is recommended to install/hook into the hood pin...It is not always done...Meaning maybe the unit is not seeing the hood even is open...You could just do the same thing with the hood wire at the brain...Just a few thoughts...

-------------
M.E.C.P & First-Class
Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

Posted By: zero_10
Date Posted: October 05, 2009 at 11:38 PM

I have checked, and the antenna is properly plugged in, and the red LED responds when it is in programming mode and when the ignition is on/off. The antenna has 4 wires.

After the battery was disconnected, the remote triggered no response at all from the unit, so after a large number of programming attempts we reset the unit to verify that it was even working. So I can say for sure now, the remote needs to be programmed.

The hood pin works, the park lights come on when the hood is lifted and by manipulating the pin I can put it into programming mode. I know 100% that it is going into programming mode, the lights stay on for 20 seconds and the red LED lights up solid.

How is it possible this remote starter is so bloody difficult to program?

Posted By: zero_10
Date Posted: October 06, 2009 at 12:43 PM

I called prostart for assistance, and this time they actually tried to help (albeit poorly), they basically read me the instructions from the manual line-for-line, even though I said I already tried them several times, and when it failed the guy simply said "well then, I have no idea what could be wrong, maybe the module is defective". Worst customer support ever.

Basically he told me to go buy an entirely new kit, swap each part 1 at a time and hope it fixes the problem. If I have to sink $80 in a new kit and $25 for a second remote, I might as well sink $150 on a PROPER remote starter and be done with this piece of garbage because who knows how long a new one would last.

I removed the module and antenna box from the car, brought them inside and opened them up, I don't see any physical damage, loose solder joints or burned components, so I have a bit of a hard time believing that something is actually wrong with either of these pieces. I metered out the antenna wire and none of the wires are shorted to any others or cut. I checked again that the unit gets a proper "ignition" power signal and that all of the other wires are properly connected, so far so good. I tried a reset and the unit still responds, I did the auto tach programming procedure, and again, the unit still responds, but no luck programming remotes. I am out of ideas.

Posted By: sparkie
Date Posted: October 06, 2009 at 5:07 PM

Try this. Unplug the unit entirely. Use a volt meter and check that you have 12 volts on both red main power wires. Also check that you have a good battery in the remote. It should be 12 volts too. If you do make sure that the black wire in the 5 pin plug has ground - should be to a paint free area of the chassis and not the dash. Plug in the antenna,then the 5 pin plug and then the 6 pin main power plug. Don't plug in anything else yet. Now try programming your remote. If it works, then plug in the remaining plugs.

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sparky

Posted By: Zero10
Date Posted: October 07, 2009 at 10:36 PM

I checked all of the power and ground wires as you suggested and everything is correct. After much frustration I ___FINALLY___ got this licked.

I went to Canadian Tire to see if I could borrow a replacement antenna or brain to try swapping them out and while I was there I saw that they had the CT-3300 on sale for $45, cheaper than the brain for the CT-3200, so I took a gamble and got one. Unfortunately the first one had several broken components inside and was used, I returned it and they replaced it with a CT-3310, which has a smaller box and a different antenna. The antenna is labeled S-1 instead of R-1, and it has a tiny little nub instead of a big long antenna.

I put in the antenna and on the first try I got the new remote programmed (unfortunately my old 2-button didn't work with it), however the buttons were all mixed up, lock was correct, unlock was start, etc. I swapped the brain for the CT-3310 one and re-programmed the remote and tach and now it works perfectly.

The moral of the story is, the antennas break, for no apparent reason they just break. If yours stops working and cannot be programmed then replace the stupid antenna. For what it's worth, pro-start tech support told me it was impossible for the antenna to break and that it had to be the module, I think I have just proven otherwise.

Finally the remote start works, my wife can warm her car from the bedroom and I am done screwing with this thing.