2000 dodge neon viper 5501 inop

I have a 2000 Dodge Neon (Automatic Transmission) with a Viper 5501 and DLPKCHG1-CHRY3 bypass.

Symptoms: When I key the remote start button on the key fob, the key fob initiates the remote start sequence and I hear the 5501 box clicking but the engine does not start.

When I run the Remote Start Startup Diagnostics I get 9 Flashes indicating "Low Battery (Voltage Mode)"

I have verified that the H3/4 (Violet) Starter Output wire on the 5501 is connected to the 14 ga. yellow wire at the driver's kick panel and probed it with a test light while turning the ignition key to make sure its getting a good connection.

I have also verified that the H3/1 (Pink) Ignition 1 Input/Output wire is connected to the 18 ga. Blue/White wire in the cloth tape above the driver's kick panel by probing the wire with a test light while turning the key to ignition.

The remote start does not work with the key in the ignition or with the key turned to accessory and I also cannot start the car then activate the remote start and have the car remain on after I remove the key. Essentially I can't get it to work at all.

If I can provide anymore information please let me know. Thank you for your help.

Did the remote start ever work?

The Ignition wire should be Dark Blue @ the ignition switch harness.

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Soldering is fun!

It never worked.

I was going based off this post here: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp~TID~662

If I need to change it to the Dark Blue wire I will try that instead. Do you think it will make a difference?

I changed it to the Dark Blue wire and it acts the same.

Just to clarify on my earlier post by saying "it never worked" I mean that I have never gotten it to remote start, but the system itself is new.

Here is another wiring guide for reference  :  https://www.readyremote.com/main.asp?make=Dodge&model=Neon

Try connecting the Tach wire and programming for Tach Mode ( Menu 3, Item 2, Opt 4 ).  Do the Tach Learn and then try a remote start.

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Soldering is fun!

i remember a while back that i had a problem just like this on a neon but it was a little newer, maybe 2004 model, but the problem was a wire that wasnt on ANY wiring diagram that i could find. i cant remember exactly what color it turned out to be because its been a long time and probably the only neon ive ever done but definitely check any wires that you dont have hooked up at the ignition harness and verify how it behaves. when you find one that behaves like an ignition, tap it too and your problems should be over.

btw, an easy test for the future to find out if you are not powering up all the wires you need for remote start is to study how the lights on the instrument cluster behave while using the key to go through the cycle and start the car, remote start should act exactly the same if you have it right.

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Kreg357: I'll give the tach mode a shot tomorrow. Right now I have the tach wire tapped into the BLACK/ Gray at the ignition coil.

Soundnsecurity: Right now I only have one ignition wire connected up but I did find on this list here: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/alarmdetail/4.html another ignition wire but it appears to be the same wire as the accessory so maybe its a typo?

Additionally, the Viper 5501 has four ignition wires on the 8 pin remote start connector. Right now I have the Ignition 1 input/output (Pink) connected up to the dark blue ignition wire. I have the Red Ignition 1 Input, RED / White Ignition 2/flex relay input 87, and the Pink/White Ignition 2/flex relay output all disconnected. Should I find an additional ignition wire, my instinct is to connect it up to the Red Ignition 1 Input. Would I be correct in making that assumption?

I will give these both a shot tomorrow and see where I stand. Thanks for the help so far.

If you connected to the Tach wire, change Viper to Tach Mode and do the Tach Learn.

The H3 wiring is part of your problem.   Test and verify all ignition wires.

H3/1 PINK (+) IGNITION 1 INPUT/OUTPUT                                 Dark Blue @ Ignition Switch
H3/2 RED / WHITE (+) FUSED (30A) IGN2 / FLEX RELAY         +12V @ Battery
H3/3 ORANGE ACCESSORY OUTPUT                                      BLACK/ Orange @ Ignition Switch
H3/4 VIOLET STARTER OUTPUT                                               Yellow @ Ignition Switch
H3/5 RED (+) FUSED (30A) IGNITION 1 INPUT                          +12V @ Battery
H3/6 PINK/WHITE IGNITION 2 / FLEX RELAY OUTPUT             BLACK/ White @ Ignition Switch   ** Program Menu3, Item8, Opt2
H3/7 PINK/BLACK FLEX RELAY INPUT 87A of FLEX RELAY     Not Used
H3/8 RED / BLACK (+) FUSED (30A) ACC/STARTER INPUT      +12V @ Battery

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Soldering is fun!

well theres your problem, you havent hooked the ignition 1 input up to constant 12 volts. this is the only way you will get any ignition output.

ignition inputs all go to constant 12v, ignition outputs go to whatever ignitions are in the vehicle.

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soundnsecurity - I figured it was something silly that I was missing. I was under the impression those did not need to be hooked up based on the wiring diagrams that I printed but I'm glad to see that its just something that I plain out didn't do.... those are usually the easiest types of problems to fix.

I'm at work right now and I'll give it a shot as soon as I get home... thanks again for all the help.

Alright. It remote starts now but only with the key in the ignition. I don't have to turn it I just have to have it in the ignition and it remote starts fine, otherwise it will start and then shut off almost immediately.

Sound like a bypass problem?

Kreg357: thanks for the wiring chart I printed it out and just took it with me when I connected up the rest of the wires.

Yes, sounds like a transponder bypass issue. 
Did you install the antenna loop as directed in the guide?
Did you connect the bypass modules' Brown GWR wire to the Vipers' Blue (-) 200mA Status Output wire?
Did you perform Step 2 of the bypass programming successfully?

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Soldering is fun!

I have the loop antenna around the ignition as directed.

I did not connect the bypass modules brown gwr wire to the vipers blue status output wire because based on the installation guidelines here: https://www.xpresskit.com/DocumentDownload.aspx?documentid=6461&productid=121&firmwareid=746 I was under the impression it did not need to be connected in D2D mode. Is that correct?

I thought I programmed it successfully but if the other two are right then I suppose its the only thing left that I may have done wrong. I will try to program it again and see what happens.

Sorry, I thought you were running in W2W mode.  If you are running in D2D mode, then there are only two wires to connect from the bypass.  The Brown GWR wire is handled by the D2D harness.  Are the Vipers D2D jumpers in the horizontal position?

I believe you should be using this install guide :  https://www.xpresskit.com/DocumentDownload.aspx?documentid=6321&productid=123&firmwareid=746    It includes the transponder bypass programming step.

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Soldering is fun!

That was my mistake when I linked to that one. The guide you have posted is the programming guide I had printed out. I will try to reprogram the transponder bypass again this afternoon and see where I get.

I couldn't get it programmed. I had tried to program it when I first installed it and I may have flubbed that one up. I think I'll go ahead and order another one.... its a shame but I'll just have to tally this one under lesson learned. I'll update when I program the new one.

Still no luck . I flashed the new one and plugged it in and followed the instructions to the letter. The only thing I noticed is when it gets to step 7 it tries to crank it doesn't just try to turn the ignition on.

After trying a few times with the same results I decided to try programming the tach again in both voltage and tachometer mode (I have it wired to the gray/black on the ignition coil). It acts like its learning the tach signal because when I press the control button it lights up blue and stays solid fairly quickly.

All in all, when I came back inside to type this up, the car is still exhibiting the same problem. It tries to crank and right when the engine gets going it turns back off again but... if I leave a key just sitting in the key hole (without having to turn it) it will crank up just fine then I can remove the key and it will stay on.

If it will help I will try to take pictures of how I have the antenna loop wrapped around the crank and anything else that you recommend.

I know one thing is for certain I shouldn't have tried to be big DIY-man on this one, geez. All I can do is say thank you for your help and I'll definitely be donating to this forum for helping me get this far.

That could be your problem, the car is cranking.  The programming instructions have you program the Viper unit for diesel mode.  When you press the Start button during programming at Step 7, the Viper will bring up all the ignition wires.  The Viper will not crank until it sees the  (-) "Wait to Start" input signal at H2/7.  That allows time, with all the necessary ignition wires powered, until the vehicle programs in the new "KEY" (the bypass module and its antenna loop). 

Try manually setting the Viper to Diesel 45 second delay, Menu 3, Item 9, Opt 4.  That might give it enough time at Step 7 to accept the new "KEY" before it tries to crank.

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Soldering is fun!

Went out and gave what you suggested a shot. It doest appear that the light goes solid like its accepting the programming but it exhibits the same problem.

If the bypass is accepting my programming should I even be able to repeat the programming process? Its almost like I can go back through those steps over and over and it will continue to act just like I'm programming it. Maybe its just not accepting my programming for some reason?

I tried unplugging the bypass altogether and the car behaves the same with or without it. Since that pretty much confirms to me that its a bypass issue I ordered one more bypass that is a different model that these other two.... if this doesn't do it then I quit.

Hopefully a professional installation tech will be able to take what I have and finish the job for a discounted price..... hopefully.