How to Install Keyless Entry
Installing keyless entry in your vehicle provides you with the convenience of quickly accessing your car, especially if you have other items in your hands. You can save yourself installation costs by doing the keyless remote process on your own. The fundamentals of installing the keyless entry system is the same, though your car and the location of certain wires may may be different. Be careful when handling wires to your car to prevent damage to your vehicle's electrical system.
Instructions
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Cut any unused wires from the keyless entry module you purchased. For example, you may choose not to use the trunk release remote button, so you can cut the wire associated with that.
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2
Look at the installation instructions for the remote keyless entry module so you will know which color wire matches the connection in your car. For example, the red wire on your keyless entry module may need to be connected to your ignition wire located in the steering column of your vehicle.
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3
Expose the wires within the steering wheel column and driver's-side kick panel. Accessing the wires may be similar for each vehicle, but the color of the wires and what purpose they serve may differ. Locate the main power, ignition, starting and parking wires. One way of locating these wires is to use a computer-safe test light. Clamp the test light to one wire as you turn the ignition of your vehicle. If the test light illuminates and reads 12V, it's your ignition wire. Perform the same test to identify the wire that stays on when the car is on, and the wire that illuminates the test light when you depress the parking brake. The wire that reads 12V and the test light remain on whether the you turned the car on or off is your "constant" or "main power" wire.
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Connect the color associated with the ignition and main power wire attached to the keyless entry wiring harness to the wires identified as the same name in the steering column or door kick panel of your vehicle.
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Locate the wires responsible for locking and unlocking your vehicle. They should be located under the doors kick panel, which is near the base of the door when you first enter your vehicle. You can identify the wires by using the computer-friendly test light. The test light should illuminate when the door is locked; another wire should cause the test light to illuminate when the door is unlocked. Connect these two wires to the keyless entry module wires (door lock and unlock) of the same color.
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Tips & Warnings
You can use a wire cutter and stripper to strip the wire to connect both wires and secure using electrical tape. You can also use wire taps. A wire tap is used to electronically tap into your wire without cutting or stripping it.
References
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