viper 550hf problems

Hello, I am having problems rewiring in my Viper 550HF Remote Start system. The truck, a 1992 S-10 Blazer (2 Door) had the system in it until I removed it last year because of problems (truck would start with the remote, but then immediately die and plus, in the middle of the night, the alarm would randomly go off, so I had enough) and now since I am using the truck again I want to get everything back together. All the wires and relays are in place so I just wired it back together using the back of the unit (color codes and wire diagram) and I thought everything was fine. Except:

-When I close the door, the system looses power. The system is getting battery power (Red Wire) but I noticed that if I have the Dome Light Supervision (Black w/ White) disconnected, the unit doesn't get any power. It only turns on (and immediately sounds the alarm) when I have the door open. Also, with the door shut (or the door trigger pushed in), the remote doesn't work and the LED light turns off.

-When I push buttons 1 and 2, the remote start sequence doesn't initiate. The truck doesn't even flash the lights or anything. It's as if it wasn't even a remote start system... But it is and it was (at least) giving power to the starter...

-I did notice that the hood trigger was rusted off and the button was stuck down, so I just removed it and the black wire is still in the engine bay. Would this stop the engine from starting? And if so, is there any way I can trick it into thinking the hood is shut without any trigger at all?

I checked the fuses and all are fine and I did notice that when I was splicing the 5-pin remote start harness, when I touched the red (12v constant) to the purple ("starter relay turn-on"), the starter would engage, but the engine wouldn't start...

If any one could help me out here, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks,
Nick

Where and how did you ground the system?



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Installer, IT support, and FFL. I need less hobbies.

I'm not sure where it's grounded to, because I just connected the wires under the dash. Would that be the cause of the problems?

Thanks,
Nick

Oh OK, I rigged it up to my power supply that gives 12 volts and I see what it's doing... Somewhere along the line, the wire to goes to the ground is not connected. So it's trying to pull ground from the dome light wires and when the light turns off, the ground is lost and power is cut... Cool.

Now what about the other issues? Can I substitute something for the hood pin switch?

Thanks,
Nick

Grounding the unit properly everything but the pins witch should work fine trusting no other connection was missed.


Get a new pin switch. They are extremely cheap and any install shop will have them. I only do this as a hobby and probably have better than 100 of them laying around. The pin switch is a safety feature but with it cut like you have it the remote start will still work. Just be sure to replace it as soon as it is convenient for you.

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Installer, IT support, and FFL. I need less hobbies.

Thank You, I bought one on eBay that came to 4 dollars with shipping so it's not that bad... Are they all the same? I heard that the one I need gives a ground signal when the hood is open, but I don't know what it does if it's closed... Anyway, I'll be getting that in tomorrow or Monday.

If this is the problem, would it not even attempt to start? Would any lights blink on the LED or taillights? When I hit the 2 buttons to start nothing happens, like if I had hit the channel 2 button (not connected to anything) the LED just goes off until I let go of the buttons...

Thanks Again,
Nick

Thanks Wiretapper.

I just don't know about this remote start. It doesn't even want to anymore. The keyless entry/alarm works fine, but the remote start doesn't. I don't know why it isn't and if it's the hood switch (but it's not getting a ground, so it should work). All the proper relays are hooked up to the wires on the steering column...

I just don't know.

Nick

If you attempted to remote start the system without a proper ground it is possible that you destroyed internal components in the brain. Does it do anything when you try to initiate the start sequence? Does it flash the lights, does it energize any of the ignition/accessory/starter circuits?

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Installer, IT support, and FFL. I need less hobbies.

Nope, nothing is energized when I initiate the start sequence. The lights don't flash, the LED goes from blinking to off until I release the buttons on the remote. The alarm and keyless entry functions of the system work flawlessly.

I know the wires are connected to the proper wires in the steering column for ignition/accessory/starter but the brain just doesn't send out the signal to start it I guess.

So that would mean that the is some kind or variable that would cause it to not start or their are problems with the relays under the dash or the unit itself (which, again, I think is fine because of the fact that the other functions work perfectly.)

I have 4 relays in the truck connected to the keyless entry system. 3 relays are attached together with wires going to the steering column and the 5-wire cable that goes to the keyless entry brain (all the wires look like they are connected to the relays fine). One other relay has the unlock/lock wires coming out of it to the brain.

Nick

Did you hook up the H3/6 BLACK/ white wire? This wire needs to see ground in order for the remote start to operate.

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Installer, IT support, and FFL. I need less hobbies.

Do you have the manual for the 500HF. All I can find on the site is the 550ESP and 500HF... I'm not really sure which harness this is without the manual. Is it the harness that goes to the tach learning, etc.?

Nick

OK, Thank you Twelvoltz for that hint. It worked. Somewhat at least.

Now when I hit the Channel-3 Button on the remote, the lights blink and ignition (I think it's the ignition, the check engine, ABS, Brake lights come on) but the starter doesn't engage. Then the ignition turns off automatically in about 3 seconds and thats all she wrote.

Now what could THIS be?

Thanks
Nick

This sounds like you either have not reconnected all of the heavy wires, pulled the ribbon cable out, or have burnt something up in the brain. To check, pull out your DMM, engage the remote start and probe the ribbon cable wires...the orange should go to ground when accessory is required, the pink with ignition and the purple with start. The red should show +12V all of the time and the yellow should show +12V with ignition.

I wish I could help you out with the manuals but DEI contacted me and told me to stop posting their manuals. I cannot afford to lose access to directechs so I had no choice.

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Installer, IT support, and FFL. I need less hobbies.

Thanks, I will check tomorrow.

It was actually the inline starter fuse on the thick red cable. It had a 3amp fuse in it for some reason??? so I put in a 20 and it started but died, so I started it with the key and did the tach learn dip switch process and now it works fine.

Thanks for all your help!

Nick