remote start 01 ram 1500 nightmare

Hello all,

Intstalling Audiovox remote start/door lock control Model APS57CA. Thier "customer service" is a joke so I'm still scratching my head on a few things.

Got all my wires hooked in and checked. The brain responds to the remote and internal relays click but the truck still wont start and door locks wont respond.

I did the "tach learn" sequence they wanted many times to no avail. My tach wire is hooked in to the wire off the coil (I tried both coil wires too).

I've tried every way to hook up the lock and unlock wires to my 2 wires off the main switch with no luck.

Any help is appreciated! Losing what few brain cells I have left!!

Post the list of wires on your remote starter and where you have them connected to on the truck.

First of all, you cannot use the wires directly off the unit for lock and unlock. The locks are reverse polarity on that vehicle. You will have to either buy a DEI 451M relay pack or buy 2 relays. If you tried connecting the wires directly, it may already be too late and you may have already fried the unit. If you have a factory alarm, you can also use the factory alarm arm / disarm wires for lock and unlock but you will need the relay pack or 2 relays because it is a single wire resistance based activation.

Second, the tach wire should be BLACK/ gray at the ignition coil. If you use the injectors, you need to use the uncommon wire between all of the injectors (they will have 1 wire color in common, and 1 different color... you need the non-common colored wire). Again, if you connected to the wrong injector wire from the start, you sent a positive signal to the unit and it may have fried it.

To be honest, it sounds like you don't have a lot of experience and do not know what you are getting into. I highly suggest biting the bullet and having it done professionally... hopefully you haven't already damaged anything with the unit; or in the vehicle. One oops (like you have already done twice) can cause thousands of dollars in damage to your vehicle.

If you insist on doing it yourself, you will have to list out every connection you made between the unit and the vehicle.

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Kenny
Owner / Technician
KKD Garage LLC
Albany, NY 12205

12v constant -pink/black

starter -yellow

ign1-blue

ign2-blk/wht

acc-blk/orng

parking lights-blk/yel

horn-blk/red

tach-blk/gry

brake-WHITE/ tan

Pretty sure I have no factory alarm or keyless. Had this truck a month so not entirely sure, it only came with 1 key.

Thanks for the help!

I hear ya Kenny. Ironically I'm ASE certified tech in 5 cats(electronics included). But I've only done one of theses years ago on my Astro van.

Is it a base model or premium model? Where was the tach wire originally connected? And what other wire at the coil did you connect to? I haven't had my 2000 Ram in a while, but I though there were multiple wires going to the coil...

Did you test all of your connections before making them? If I remember my Ram correctly, there were multiple wires at the switch of the same color and you had to make sure to get the right one. What exactly happens when you try to remote start it? Does it crank at all? Do the parking lights flash a certain amount of times?

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Kenny
Owner / Technician
KKD Garage LLC
Albany, NY 12205

offroadzj wrote:

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Is it a base model or premium model? Where was the tach wire originally connected? And what other wire at the coil did you connect to? I haven't had my 2000 Ram in a while, but I though there were multiple wires going to the coil...

Did you test all of your connections before making them? If I remember my Ram correctly, there were multiple wires at the switch of the same color and you had to make sure to get the right one. What exactly happens when you try to remote start it? Does it crank at all? Do the parking lights flash a certain amount of times?

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Its the Laramie extra cab  4x4 with the 5.9. There are only 2 wires at the coil. diagram says to use  the blk/gry. The other wire is GREEN/ orange at the coil. I tried both for giggles.

I tested all 6 of my main wires as I spliced in. And tested all my other secondary wires as I went down the list. Using the Audiovox diagram and my Dodge wiring diagram.

I get 7 clicks from what sounds like an internal relay of the audiovox brain. horn sounds when I try lock and unlock as well as an internal relay in the brain. No crank.

Just read on another manual that the 7 clicks indicates no tach signal, so I may check and double check that tomorrow.

How many times are the parking lights flashing when it fails to remote start? It sounds like you do have a tach issue. It is possible that it may have already damaged the unit by connecting to the other signal wire. You can test the tach wire with your meter set on AC. YOu should see around 5volts (iirc) that will fluctuate with RPM. As a temporary test, you can change the unit to voltage sensing to see if it fixes the issue.

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Kenny
Owner / Technician
KKD Garage LLC
Albany, NY 12205

Still pulling hair on this goofy remote starter. Been doing what I can when weather permits (and its my truck , so Im dragging my feet)

Well I couldnt do a "normal" amperage test on the coil. Tried to run the meter in series, but the truck wont start with the signal running through the meter, and I dont have the nice amperage clamp that goes around an alternator wire.

I did try a voltage test on both wires at the coil. Strangely, both had 13 to 14v on both!?

Did the "tach program" procedure many times and still get the 7 clicks indicating unit wont recognize engine is off. Hate to say it but, is there a way around a true tach signal?

7 flashes on an audiovox unit is for tach signal not programmed. You are not testing for amperage on the coil..you are testing for a/c voltage (NOT 12v DC) on the control wire. Huge difference! I think those have easy to access fuel injectors as well. Should be either 2 or 3 wires each and only one wire will be different at each injector. Use the wire that is different.

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To master and control electricity is perfection. *evil laugh*

Thanks for the reply. I had a stroke of genius and decided to check my connection. I used to be a big fan of these blue plastic quick splice thingys...though if the gauge is not perfect, they are worthless. In one of my 2 connectors to the tach signal there was an open. Now off to buy a bag of relays for the lights and locks.

T-taps are worthless no matter what gauge wire you are using. Over time they will end up cutting through the wire and then you are in for a lot of fun. Splice, solder, and tape with 3M Super33 always.

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Kenny
Owner / Technician
KKD Garage LLC
Albany, NY 12205

Just an update. Finally got 2 relays soldiered into the lock circuit. Figured out my parking light circuit. (Audiovox manual = mostly useless). Truck is starting, locking/unlocking, with lights active.

I'm sadly reminded that "customer support" is usually a joke, especially from Audiovox. The kid on the other end said I didnt need seperate relays for the door locks, and had no clue what I was doing wrong for the tach signal, which turned out to be an open in the circuit.

Thanks to the guys that were willing to lend advice!