Astrostart series 1000, 95 Mazda Millenia

I will try to help but am unfamiliar with astrostart.

I can only think of 3 logical possibilites and these assume none of the astrostarts wires were touched with in any way.

1) the hood switch is bad, bent or misaligned (maybe during the battery charging or if it was replaced someone hit the pinswitch

2) the system needs to be programmed for tach-learn etc. (a surge or disconnecting of power to it might have knocked out the previous programming)

3) the unit went bad (perhaps someone connected the cables reversed for a second or, for the same reasons as #2)

Let me know if any of these suggestions helped. Thanks

Thanks for the reply.  Yes, checked the hood switch as you stated.  As for the jump, when the battery died, can say I am sure that cross connect on the jump didn't happen, but also noted that in the instructions (afterwards) that the Astrostart switch should have been turned off, which wasn't done.

As for #2, programming.   I don't have any install docs, and user manual is pretty useless for programming, as they don't even tell you what the dip switch layout is.  How do I find out how to reprogram?

TL

Hey Kar tuneman.

I like your signature.

I guess as long as you understand why you should only use a DMM to test circuits and use a fuse on anything you connect to power, you can avoid damaging things and fires lol

There is no substitiute for real world experience but it still can't hurt to take a certification test.. It seems there is limitless stuff to learn in this industry as I find out everyday.

Peace

Hymer....your takin all the fun out of it for me. (not really) I'm just too darn slow to reply!

Keep up the good work.

Without having any direct experience with the astrostart we can only hope that the 5 x led flashes is a diagnostic notification that can guide you to a solution.

Someone with access the install manual can help with that in a future reply.

My fingers are crossed for you that the unit isn't damaged.

Best of luck with the outcome and keep us posted.

Amazing..it's always the simplest thing.

Thought you checked that already?  LOL

Anyhow, let us know if that was it.

Once again my fingers are crossed for you.

Pushing lock and unlock at the SAME time triggers "car finder"

Try reprogramming your hood pin

normally open......   dip#2, and 9 UP hit the brake, put the dips DOWN...hit the brake

normally closed........dip # 2 up hi the brake put the dop down, hit the brake

Regardless of what is causing this problem (hope its not a defective unit) it appears the installer "hammer bagged" this one. I would go over everything.

Keep us posted.

OOOOps....sorry, I was thinking about the 1105. The 1000 is like so.

when the hood is opened, and the contact is closed put 2, and 3 up, then hit the brake, put them down, hit the brake.

                                                            contact is open, put 2, 3, and 4, up...do the brake thing.

I can't really critisize the "astrostarts" as I have no experience with them.

But this kind of programming procedure seems "audiovoxish". Or at least like the older ones.

They worked fine, were reliable, and straight forward install, but any programming issues were at the least a bit tricky and time consuming.

But perhaps I am somewhat "spoiled" from using only DEI products for the last several years.

Not to say DEI is any better quality, it just seems that an issue like this would have taken under a minute to rectify.

And I question the install integraty due to that fact there is no hoodpin connection, that displays to me that safety and liability were not a factor in this particular install..so why would quality be?

regardless, Kar Tuneman apparently knows his stuff so hopefully you are on your way.

again, luck be with you.

I use the multitest 2 to program and check errors in programming. (astros version of the bitwritter) Those dip switches are a pain.....

Ahhh......So astrostart is on top of it's game.

Good to know.

Wow, pretty amazing that it took a jump start to discover that many things were wrong with it.

So in a sense it was a good thing that the battery died.

Glad you are back in business.

Thanks everyone, I also learned alot about the astros.

I remeber the first time I installed an Astro....I was overwhelmed. The manual seemed to be written in some foreign language (like french or something)

That was my first complaint, it was written as if you had years of experiance with their product. The programming was the same way...mess up the sequence, and you gotta Hope you didn't change something you didn't want too....OOPS. I now see the great design and function of everything they build into their units. Smart design and function, for years of trouble free starting. YUP, I'm an astro guy Astro's weekest area (besides being owned by DEI now) is the bypass, and override modules they use. They all work just fine, BUT, you still need to put a "key in a box" for too many vehicles.

Thats all I got to say about that.....

In comparison, DEI does the same thing. Thier install manuals are written as if everyone installing the system has been doing so for years and understands "engineering" terms and ways of thinking. I have been using DEI products for at least 10-12 years (not solely mind you..but mainly).

However, dei states they will only sell to retailers provided thier installers are MECP certified. But we all know there are ways to get anything regardless. I don't think they actually make the manuals difficult for that reason. My theory is either A) everything is designed overseas so there is difficulty with translation or B) it is difficult to convert enginnering to be understood by anyone but an engineer, and these products basically go from enginner, to packaging, to distributor, to consumer.

However, in most cases the disconnecting of power has no effect on its progarmming. DEI claims it will hold memorty for like 100,000 years or something to that effect (basically a non-issue)

They come out of the box w/ the most popular default settings. There is a jumper on most of them for positve/negative light flash output as some with some newer vehicles even the parking light circuits are "computorized, data, multiplexed, or anything the factory can do to make a simple "light switch and bulb" be a technical riddle. Buts thats progress I guess.

Programming changes are done with a combination of the remote, valet/override switch AND the ignition switch (you need 4 hands so someone can hold the manual open (lol), but in 99% of the cases you do not need to access the "brain".

If you have a dei bitwriter and need to change the programming post install you need access to plug it in, but after that the bitwriter is quicker. But we continually need to pay for upated software for it or the unit will not work. So still "bugs' in it so to speak.

Dei does not however use dipswitches at all except with certain interface modules. But those are a "set and forget" kind of thing so not a big deal.