avital 4103 problem 1999 dodge ram

Before I get started I would like to say hello to everyone as I have just joined. I used to be an electronics tech in both the Army as well as at a depot. I have worked a lot with electrical wiring and installation but not specifically on a remote starter.

My friend has a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500. Power locks, power windows, no factory alarm. It is an automatic. He does have a fob from the factory that allows you to lock and unlock the vehicle remotely.

The starter is a avital 4103.

Here is what I have hooked up thus far:

12v (red) in truck wired to red heavy gauge wire from unit (has inline fuse).
Starter (yellow) in truck wired to heavy gauge purple wire from unit.
Ignition (dark blue) in truck wired to pink heavy gauge wire from unit.
Lock (ORANGE / green) in truck from plug that goes into control module to right of steering column underneath, to the right of the brake switch. This is wired to the green wire from the unit.

Unlock (pink/green) same location as lock above, wired to the blue wire from unit.

Horn (BLACK/ red) from steering column wired to brown wire from unit.
(h1/6)
Brake wire (WHITE/ tan and located at brake switch) wired to brown wire from unit.(h2/3)

Chassis ground to black wire from unit as well as BLACK/ white wire from unit (this BLACK/ white wire connects to one side of on/off toggle switch that came with the remote starter for neutral safety and the other end is tied into chassis ground) (h1/8)black wire ground. (h2/1) is wired to one side of toggle switch, the other wire is tied into chassis ground with (h1/8).

After plugging in the unit, reconnecting the battery in the truck, and according to the instructions I turn the key to on, and using the program valet button I click once to choose channel 1, then click and hold button until the red led light on the unit pulses once to show that I have chosen channel 1.

The unit does not blink, nor make any sound by honking the horn, it's as if the unit is dead, no power. I am unable to program the key fobs that came with the unit. The remote starter has 2 heavy gauge red 12 volt wires, each with a fuse, one is wired up the other is not as there is not a second 12v red wire. Should both red wires from the unit be hooked to the single 12v red wire in the truck?


Install manual:
https://www.directeddealers.com/manuals/IG/Avital/N4103_2008-07_web.pdf

1999 Dodge Ram 1500 wiring: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/alarmdetail/93.html

I would greatly appreciate any help, as I am sure it is as simple as I missed a wire in the install. Also I soldered my connections I have made so far and have checked continuity as well as the voltage being on the red wire spliced into the 12v red wire in the truck.

If anything I have mentioned having hooked up is wrong please let me know. The door lock and unlock is confusing.

Chris

I'm unfamiliar with both the vehicle and the unit but from a quick glance the obvious jumps out:-
Connect both of your unit's heavy gauge red wires. There's MORE than one constant supply in the ignition feed.
Ignition 2 needs to be connected according to your links.
The lock wires might be reversing polarity, check the vehicle's lock and unlock wires, if they sit on ground at rest rather than POS or open circuit and each in turn shows 12 volts + (0.8 secs.) on activation you'll need relays or a DEI 451L wired as "5" wires, see the relay section.
Virtual tach or have you hardwired (the preferred method for reliability) and programmed tach?
The brake wire you connected to, is that the 12V+ input to the switch or the bulb side? Make sure (test) that it's the bulb side.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

And lastly as a matter of procedure, don't EVER assume the info you have is correct, TEST EVERYTHING at every stage of installation.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

howie ll wrote:

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I'm unfamiliar with both the vehicle and the unit but from a quick glance the obvious jumps out:-
Connect both of your unit's heavy gauge red wires. There's MORE than one constant supply in the ignition feed.
Ignition 2 needs to be connected according to your links.
The lock wires might be reversing polarity, check the vehicle's lock and unlock wires, if they sit on ground at rest rather than POS or open circuit and each in turn shows 12 volts + (0.8 secs.) on activation you'll need relays or a DEI 451L wired as "5" wires, see the relay section.
Virtual tach or have you hardwired (the preferred method for reliability) and programmed tach?
The brake wire you connected to, is that the 12V+ input to the switch or the bulb side? Make sure (test) that it's the bulb side.

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According to the manual it says to connect each red wire from unit to two different 12v constants if the vehicle has it. I have only found the one 12v red under the steering column. I did not find the other color mentioned as being a "or" option. I did not want to resume without checking to see if both red wires from the unit can be spliced into the same single 12 volt source. However I understand what you are talking about so I will track down a second one though after an hour of looking at all of the wires before installing I only had the one 12v red constant.

The Dodge wiring shows connecting to the lock/unlock through the drivers kick panel, however those same wires are the two that I have hooked to going to the plug in the timer module to the right of the brake switch underneath the column.

"*1 Keyless models use positive trigger for lock, and 5-wire for unlock. Can also find wires at the central timer module to the right side of the steering column, lock is ORANGE / green, unlock is pink/green."

I will track down the ignition 2 wire and hook up to that, thank you for pointing it out. I do not have anything dealing with tach hooked up because I can not get the unit to power on at all. I found the tach wire in the engine compartment coming from the coil, but am unable to find it inside the vehicle, even though I understand where it should be found. I do not have any instructions on how to take anything a part on this vehicle other than the cover under the steering column and I do not want to try taking other things off when I do not know how the other parts of the dash come off.

With the brake switch wire, the dodge wiring side in the link only tells me that it is WHITE/ tan is found at brake switch or on column. I found it going into the plug that attaches to the brake switch. The brown wire I have hooked to it from the unit, in the manual says (+) Every diagram for the dodge side only mentions the WHITE/ tan wire, so any other wire I do not know what they are. I simply need to get the unit running and at least the remote start only working and the rest I can always spend more time on.

I appreciate your quick response as well as the help! Once I have everything figured out I will post the how-to wire for wire in order to help others if they have this specific application.

The brake wire was only a diagnostic idea test it, it should only go to 12v+ on applying the footbrake.
Other suggested sources for a 12V+ constant, inside fusebox feed wire.
Tach, rear of rev counter.
I appreciate your points about minimal takedown, don't disagree but it might be worth going on owner forums or looking at "how to" stripdowns on U-tube.
As for the locks I didn't realise how "eccentric" they are. Test each individually, one appears to be direct
POS, the other 5 wire.
I can furnish you with a quick wiring thumbnail if you want.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Thank you for everything once again, I am going to work on simply getting the remote starter portion working either this afternoon or on saturday. I work overnight and do not want to start back on this after an 8 hour shift. I will post an update saturday night/sunday morning.

I know how you feel, I retired 20 months ago but the UK pension is a joke and I've been working 20 hours a day this week, day off today (house and paperwork) 4 trackers on Saturday, 4 + on Monday and an R/Start + alarm on Tuesday.

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Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

As far as not being able to get in the programming you must hit unlock on the remote fob before you try to enter programing mode. Also if you have the horn wired correctly it should beep the corresponding number to the led flashing

Power Lock      ORANGE / purple      5wi      driver door harness
Notes: Keyless models use positive trigger for lock, and 5-wire for unlock. Can also find wires at the central timer module to the right side of the steering column, lock is ORANGE / green, unlock is pink/green.
Power Unlock      pink/purple      5wi      driver door harness
Notes: Keyless models use positive trigger for lock, and 5-wire for unlock. Can also find wires at the central timer module to the right side of the steering column, lock is ORANGE / green, unlock is pink/green.

the outputs on the 4103 system are negative trigger you will need to change the polarity using relays. Test the lock wires to confirm


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If i Can't Install it    I Don't need it   Joe

I had a 2000 Dodge Ram and it was perfectly fine running both 12v inputs to the remote start off the single constant wire at the ignition... there really is no need to search for a 2nd constant wire. However, there should be a red and a pink/black at the ignition switch. Both should be 12v constant.

12volts      red and pink/black      +      ignition harness

Starter      yellow      +      ignition harness     
     
Ignition      dk. blue      +      ignition harness

Accessory      BLACK/ orange      +      ignition harness

Second Accessory      BLACK/ white      +      ignition harness

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Kenny
Owner / Technician
KKD Garage LLC
Albany, NY 12205