How to Hook Up a Remote Car Starter
Remote starters allow owners to start their vehicle from a location other than inside their car. Remote car starters typically serve as an enhanced security system. Installing a remote starter does not require any specialized tools. Check with the manufacturer of your vehicle, as well as the maker of the remote starter, before purchasing the device. Not all remote starters are compatible with all cars.
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Things You'll Need
- Remote starter set
- Soldering iron
- Wire cutters
- Digital multimeter
- Screwdriver set
- Wire strippers
- Socket wrench set
- Heat gun
- Power drill
- Electrical tape
- Shrink wrap
Instructions
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1
Open the remote starter manual and choose which functions you want to use. Most remote starter systems provide the capacity to provide extra security settings. Some starters add other features that allow for opening your trunk or rolling down your windows on a hot day. Each function correlates to more individual wires being connected to your vehicle's electronic system.
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2
Open the hood on your vehicle and remove the negative battery cable.
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3
Expose the panel cavities underneath your steering wheel. Screwdrivers or socket wrenches are generally used for removing the panels and coverings. All of the panels beneath the dashboard, steering column and driver-side kick panel need to be removed so that you have access to all of the wires needed.
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4
Hold your remote starter's computing and receiving unit up to some of the hollow cavities exposed underneath your dashboard. Find a place where the receiving unit can be mounted to the frame of the inner-dashboard components. Leave enough space for the paneling to be reinstalled. Use epoxy or zip ties to mount the remote starter system onto the framework beneath the panels.
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5
Use a wire stripper or a wire cutter to trim the wires of any features you do not plan on using. These wires should be trimmed to a length of 2 to 4 inches. Your remote starter manual will indicate which wire connects to which feature on your receiving unit. Bundle the rest of the wires together with electrical tape.
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6
Label each wire with its appropriate function using masking tape and a marker. Label each wire that belongs to the vehicle's electrical system. A technician's manual or repair manual will show the location of the wires for each of the functions that will attach to your remote starter. Some of the more important wires you need to locate include the main power wire, the ignition wire and the starter wire.
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7
Cut the wires belonging to your vehicle. Splice and solder the wires from the remote system into the current wiring for your vehicle. Solder the wires together for each of the functions for the remote system. Cover the joined wire parts with shrink wrap and heat the shrink wrap with a lighter until it closes around the joined wires. Connect the black wire from the remote starter system to the frame of the car so that it can properly ground the receiving unit.
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8
Reconnect the negative battery cable to your vehicle and test your remote starter to make sure all functions are working correctly.
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Tips & Warnings
Some cars made in the past 10 years have security microchips in their keys. This requires the presence of the microchip in the ignition before the car can be started. There are ways for starters to bypass this security feature, but it requires the installation of additional components.
References
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