Anyone installed remote starter?

[Atrus]

I am having trouble with 2 aspects of the starter install - rear defrost and the rear glass release. If anyone can shed any insight, please respond and I'll write up the issues I am having.

Thanks!

 

[tjkj2002]

I installed my AstroStart remote starter,though I did it at the bodyshop I worked at the time and since we where a athorized dealer/installer for those starters we had access to there install data base that had specific install instructions for just about every vehicle made.But it has been over six years since that install and I don't remember much other then the series of relays needed to make the rear hatch open and the rear defrost was not a option,just enough to know I'll never install one again,though my was 1000000000000000000% easier then that Denaili I did.I also do not have any OEM alarm junk either so that made install alot easier.

 

[Atrus]

I totally agree on the "never again"...I have installed a few of these, but they are starting to get so complex. It's not bad when it's all done - if someone said "Hey, can you help me put one in my KJ?" it'd be simple now...the issue is the learning curve on a new vehicle.

So, the issues I am having for the rear defrost and the glass latch are:

1) Where is the glass latch wire?? I see it's supposed to be Light Green/White. Can't find it anywhere!
2) Does this light green/white wire require a relay to run? I was told yes by one person, then no by a different person. Additionally, I believe it'd be a "-" pulse to get it to work, right?
3) The rear defrost - again, do I need a relay? What color is the wire? I was told blue wire, and that no relay is needed. Another member told me that a relay is needed and it's a positive polarity.

That's where I am hung up. Biggest hurdle right now is I can't find these effin' wires!

 

[Marlon_JB2]

This all sounds way too complicated.

 

[Atrus]

It's fun, let me tell ya!

 

[Ry' N Jen]

While living in Central Alberta a few years back I toyed with the idea of installing a remote starter due to the -45* temp outside every morning. But after starting the car and while unplugging my block heaters and battery heater and coiling up the extension cord and stowing it away the engine was already warm.
So, I didn't bother.
Here in BC there are local municipal laws that ticket (either via ticket bitc h or police constable if they find your vehicle idling more than 5 minutes to reduce the amount of unburned hydro-carbons being released into the atmosphere.
Back in Alberta the people leave their vehicles running for upto 2 hours while they are getting ready to leave the house and go to work, shopping, etc.
All the while the heater is cranked full tilt and when they enter their ride the first thing they do is roll the window down to cool off theit vehicle screwy.gif headscratch.gif

Now, living back on the South Coast of B.C. I no longer need a block heater and our KJ comes with one from the factory!
If however I ever move somewhere cold again, I think I'll install one of those 1000 watt or 2000 watt waret heaters you plumb into one of the coolant lines. (We had these in our work trucks, they work very well. http://www.kenlowe.com/pre-heaters/cars/index.html)
Left plugged in all night and coolant temp is well above freezing and the heater has warmer air (then outside), engine heats up faster, and on top of everything else I not wasting fuel or dumping extra hyro-carbons into the air we breath, as well as no headache with the install!

 

[ShafferNY]

What kind of remote starter do you have?

Some offer free vehicle wiring diagrams.

This is for a 2003 Liberty. The color may have changed. I don't know.
Trunk Hatch/Release - orange/pink - conn. 1, pin 17 @ BCM

Nothing listed for the rear defrost. Sorry

BTW. I like things like this. I consider it a challenge.

 

[ShafferNY]

Just found this.
TRUNK RELEASE LIGHT GREEN/WHITE (-) @ BCM, 26-PIN PLUG, PIN 17, See NOTE *4

https://www.directwholesale.net/diagrams/diagram.asp?ModelID=19682&MakeID=25&link=DW

 

[Atrus]

Shaffer, thanks for posting the link. That seems to reassure me that I don't need a relay, otherwise they'd probably mention it.

Now to find that elusive green/white wire....

EDIT: By the way, it's a DEI 562T. Problem is DEI won't deal with anyone but a "certified installer". I called last year with a perfectly valid "Yes/No" question and the guy on the phone took 5 mins of arguing with me other than just saying "yes" or "no".

 

[ShafferNY]

I've installed a five or six DEI/Design Tech remote car starters; two of which had keyless entry that I hooked up. I've never called their customer support, and from what you describe, I'm glad I didn't have to.

I've always had good luck with DEI/Design Tech units, though some are better than others. I certainly hate the fact that I need a relay for this, a relay for that, etc. Sometimes it's hard enough finding space to mount the darn unit itself without having to figure out where you're going to mount various relays and make the wiring neat.

Have you had any luck finding the wire you need? Does it work?

 

[ShafferNY]

Another website you may find helpful is www.the12volt.com

 

[Atrus]

Thanks Shaffer - that's where all my info has come from. The problem has been that they'll throw me a bone, and then when I have a question, they'll stop responding.

I know I have been saying it for 3 weeks now, but I hope to get out there this weekend and wrap it up! Things always seem to pop up, and now it's cold as heck here in MI - it was 22* on my drive in this morning.

 

[ShafferNY]

I had that problem too.

I asked them about wiring up the keyless entry on the remote car stater in my '03 Liberty and nobody could tell me whether I needed to disable the factory alarm or not. After a few replies they gave up.

The website has some useful infomation, but I'm not convinced that the folks that hang out there are all that helpful...or at least not as helpful as they are here.

BTW, 27* here in NY today. Sure makes me happy I have my remote car starter.

To tell you the truth, I wish I had a way to wire up the heated leather seats in my Jeep. They're aweful cold in the morning.

 

[Atrus]

You should be able to do that no problem. Where do you have them wired for power now? As long as they are either ran from an ignition source, or off a relay driven by the ignition source, they should work.

My wife's G6 has a factory remote starter, and I installed aftermarket heated seats. They work like a charm in conjunction with her starter.