remote starter fix

[Slick Magnum]

So I have been having problems ever since the dealer installed the remote starter on the 300c. Rarely worked in my driveway & the wife said it always works at work & at the malls. WTF??!!

Then it hit me. she always parks behind me in the driveway & it has a slight slope to it. Turns out that when we back it into the driveway, it works!! It must be the hood switch!! Problem is, we have such a dark tint on it, it's hard for her to back into the driveway at night.

So, if I cut the wire to the hood switch, will the remote starter still work? I already unplugged th horn wire from both cars so we don't piss off the neighbors.

[fnkychkn]

no it will not. the wire to the hood switch must be grounded in order for it to work. you can try adjusting the angle of the switch. vehicle level with the hood open, the switch should be at a 45* angle.

[SmoovC]

You could also ditch the merc switch, install a pin switch, and wire through a SPDT relay as follows:

pin 85 to the switch,
pin 86 to 12 volts constant (battery),
pin 30 to ground,
pin 87A to the hood input of remote start unit.

The R/S will see ground until the hood is opened.

[Token]

Or just pull the switch all together, and just ground out that wire.

[Super T]

I grounded mine

[PaulFix]

I grounded mine also, but applied the sticker

[lower8]

You could also ditch the merc switch, install a pin switch, and wire through a SPDT relay as follows:

pin 85 to the switch,
pin 86 to 12 volts constant (battery),
pin 30 to ground,
pin 87A to the hood input of remote start unit.

The R/S will see ground until the hood is opened.

are you sure there is a merc switch?

[SmoovC]

no it will not. the wire to the hood switch must be grounded in order for it to work. you can try adjusting the angle of the switch. vehicle level with the hood open, the switch should be at a 45* angle.

are you sure there is a merc switch?

If am understanding fnky's post correctly, there is.
Aftermarket systems work the opposite way: if they see ground, they will NOT start. The Mopar system needs to see ground in order to start.

[fnkychkn]

If am understanding fnky's post correctly, there is.
Aftermarket systems work the opposite way: if they see ground, they will NOT start. The Mopar system needs to see ground in order to start.

actually, it's a ball switch. when the ball reaches the end of it's travel, it closes the switch contacts.
the new kits now come with a different switch that no longer grounds through the chassis. it's now a normally open switch and the circuit returns to the module.

[RobAGD]

After much frustration in cold weather I cut the hood switch out of mine and grounded it. The Horn I added a cut switch, so in the AM I can set it to off and no horn, when I get in I turn it on and when I start it through outthe day I get the little honks. Kind of helpfull this time of year finding the car in the crowded lots.

-R

[LowGo]

I've always had a problem with my remote start not working at random times. It does this even in my garage, which is level, so I don't think it's the hood switch. I've tried to figure out a pattern to it's behavior, but can't find anything that's consistant. I was wondering if there was a way to decifer why the car won't start. All it does is flash the lights at me, with no way of knowing what's causing the problem.

[Token]

It's still likely the hood switch that's causing the problem. I've had the same thing happen when the switch was installed.

The ball switch is a poor design, the simple vibration of the engine starting can move the ball and break the contacts. Causing the car to shut off.
Or if the ball is not in the exact right position, the contacts will not be closed and the remote start will not function.

This was an internittant issue when the switch was in place, as my driveway is also level, but since the removal of the switch, has never re-occured.

Only way to eliminate this possibility is to remove the switch and test it.

[LowGo]

It's still likely the hood switch that's causing the problem. I've had the same thing happen when the switch was installed.

Thanks for the info. I'll have to do some testing on that switch and see if it fixes my problem.

[fnkychkn]

I've always had a problem with my remote start not working at random times. It does this even in my garage, which is level, so I don't think it's the hood switch. I've tried to figure out a pattern to it's behavior, but can't find anything that's consistant. I was wondering if there was a way to decifer why the car won't start. All it does is flash the lights at me, with no way of knowing what's causing the problem.

the clue is how many times it flashes. please describe the exact sequence of events that occur when it doesn't start.

[LowGo]

the clue is how many times it flashes. please describe the exact sequence of events that occur when it doesn't start.

I knew you'd ask me a technical question like that! As I recall, they always flash twice (but don't hold me to that... I'll have to pay more attention next time). I push the remote start button twice... you can hear it do some stuff (little clicking noises)... then the lights flash back at me twice (what I call the "screw you, I'm not starting" signal)! I've disconnected the noisy horn, so I don't know how many times it would honk (twice too, if I remember correctly).

I had the hood up tonight, so I decided to just bend the switch down a little to see what happens. I've used the remote start 3 times since then, and it's worked each time. We'll see if that holds.