93 ford ranger remote start install

[cheinemann]

Hello,

I have a 93 ford ranger 3.0 5 speed manual that I recently attempted to install a viper 4103x remote start in. So far, I've managed to get the door locks / horn, parking lights etc. to work. However, when attempting the remote start, the dash lights up and relays click briefly, and the remote start fails. By chance, does anyone happen to know if there is some sort of antitheft / RAP module on a 93 that I also need to wire up to the remote start as well? I wired up my remote start based on the information from https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/alarmdetail/881.html

Thanks in advance.

 

[Curious Hound]

I don’t think the PATS (passive anti theft system) started until 96 or 97. Make sure you’re hooking up properly with the clutch safety switch (neutral safety on an automatic). I’ve never connected a remote start system. But for the engine starting with a manual, you’ll have to do something about the clutch switch.

 

[cheinemann]

Hey, thanks for the quick reply. Yeah, I did meter out the clutch switch, and found the wire that goes to ground when the clutch is pressed. I tied in and wired that wire to the "secondary start out" (20ma -) as well. I should also mention that I've attempted a remote start as well while holding the clutch pedal to the floor, and I get the same result as I thought the wiring for the clutch pedal could have been an issue.

 

[RonD]

Manual transmissions are a bit of a pain for Remote start
You must leave the transmission in Neutral when you exit the vehicle
So must have a working Parking brake that can hold the vehicle in place

The clutch switch is not a "neutral" switch, it is a clutch pedal position switch, it is often called a "neutral switch" because when the clutch pedal is depressed the shifter position of transmission doesn't matter because engine and transmission are disconnected by the clutch pedal being down all the way, which is "neutral" is a wider sense, lol, but not "neutral' in a gear sense

In a manual you would NOT use the clutch switch at all for remote start, its there to prevent Driver from activating starter motor without depressing the clutch pedal while turning the key to START
Remote start doesn't "turn the key"
And Remote start can't depress clutch pedal
So Remote start would connect to starter circuit after the clutch switch to activate starter motor, and relies on YOU to make sure transmission is in Neutral

Ranger's with manual transmissions never had a neutral switch on transmission, some early Explorers did, and I have read about a few 1990-1995 Ranger that had these earlier M5R1 transmission with the neutral switch, rare, but I wouldn't try to find one a swap out yours, lol

Better to use the Parking brake switch
There is a Parking brake pedal switch which is a Ground switch, its wire is grounded when parking brake pedal is down, with key on this would turn on the Red Brake Light on the dash
I would find a way to incorporate this ground into the remote start, and MAKE SURE the vehicle can't move when Parking brake is applied
That way if you did leave transmission "in gear" and tried to Remote start, vehicle would lurch and stall and NOT drive away, lol



Just a heads up
Parking brake cables can get water inside
Most of the time people want Remote Start for colder climates
When you set the parking brake after getting home all is well

After sitting 8+ hours in the below 32degF temps the water in the parking brake cables WILL freeze
You will be able to remote start and get engine and cab warmed up
But when you try to release the parking brake...................one or both will NOT release because cable(s) are frozen, usually drivers side because no exhaust pipe to warm things up on the side
Many who have had this happen once never use parking brakes in winter again, lol

The water gets in where the 2 cables attach to the 1 cable that goes into the cab, so outside frame rail under drivers seat area
Check the seals on the ends of the cables they prevent water intrusion while driving
You can spray WD40 or silicone lube into cable ends which will displace any water and also lower freezing point of remaining water

 

[cheinemann]

Hey Ron,

Thanks for the quick and detailed reply. To answer your question - yeah, I have the e-brake switch wired to the neutral safety on the remote start interface. I also found that the park brake switch was dirty and needed to be cleaned. Per your suggestions regarding the park brake, I've always parked the truck in neutral with the park brake engaged. Recently, I actually replaced the rear park brake cables as they were hanging up, so the items you mentioned shouldn't be an issue. I'm simply perplexed, as I've got all other features of the unit going, and the accessory, ignition and start wires in the above mentioned doc seem pretty straight forward, but it almost seems as though there maybe some sort of antitheft device interfering with the remote start. However, near as I can tell there are not any sort of antitheft devices on a 93 to my knowledge. The only other Idea that I had was maybe that I need the ground for the "key in ignition switch" wire? Thoughts?

 

[RonD]

"key in ignition" ground is just for the drivers door open chime to prevent locking keys in the vehicle

So remote starer activation is After the clutch pedal switch, not thru it?
So attached to the Pink wire on clutch pedal switch not the red/blue

There should be a THEFT warning light on the dash if there is any kind of alarm

 

[cheinemann]

Thanks for the clarification about the "key in ignition" wire.
I think you may have found my problem - I'm wired up to the accessory / ignition / start wires at the steering column & key location. On that note, I also noticed that there are 2 of each wire - 2 yellow, 2 red / blue and 2 red / green and 2 gray yellow. Do ALL of those need to be connected to the remote start interface? Based on the schematics in my haynes manual, it looks like the duplicates of each wire went to different stuff, so I wired both sets up accordingly. The secondary startup negative wire i'm pretty sure is wired to the red / blue wire on the clutch switch. I thought that wire needed a path to ground to emulate a clutch pedal press. That being said, what is the pink wire for?

Lastly, no - no sort of theft light on the dash of any kind.

Thanks!

 

[RonD]

Try Remote start while you press down and hold down the clutch pedal

The clutch switch has 3 separate switches inside
Just one of the end pairs on clutch switch are for starting, red/blue wire and usually pink wire OUT to starter relay that changes back to red/blue wire at firewall connector
But can both be red/blue

If both are red/blue then unplug the connector and test one of the wires for 12v with key turned to START, if no 12v then that is the OUT to starter relay wire, the one you want
If it has 12v then its the IN from ignition switch, you want the other wire

The other 2 pairs on clutch switch are to disable Cruise and to engage REV Limiter
The 3 switches inside the clutch switch are all OPEN when pedal is up
All 3 CLOSE when pedal is down, but just to eachs other wire of the pair

 

[cheinemann]

ah! That would explain much of the weirdness that I've been seeing when testing - when attempting a remote start even with the clutch pedal pressed, everything comes up for a second or so and then it's like power gets cut. This is likely due to that secondary "start" wire going to the ground for the clutch. Looks like I've got some digging around / metering to do in order to get some better information. Thanks for the pointers, it's greatly appreciated!

 

[cheinemann]

So, I got an opportunity to do some looking around / checking wiring last night. I did move the start wire from the remote start interface to the pink wire at the clutch switch, and removed the "secondary start" ground from the unit as well. However, it would appear to be the same result - The remote start attempts to work, but only kicks on for a brief time before it dies. In theory, this should be a very basic install for a remote start. By chance, is there something dumb that i'm overlooking?

 

[Curious Hound]

Are you saying the starter begins to spin but quickly cuts out? That sounds like something to do with the tach signal or a programming parameter to me.

 

[cheinemann]

No, it wont even do that. The dash lights come on briefly like the unit is attempting to start the vehicle, and then it stops. In addition, I've attempted to "learn" the tach signal without success as well. I've got the tach wire for the remote start wired up to the tan/yellow wire at the coil.

 

[RobbieD]

It sounds like a safety circuit on the remote starter. Can you post a wiring diagram of the remote starter?

 

[cheinemann]

here is a link to the lackluster documentation for the remote start unit:

https://www.directeddealers.com/manuals/ig/viper/n4103v_2009-07web.pdf

Here is what I referenced for wiring / pinouts for the truck:

1993 Ford Ranger Alarm and Remote Start Wire Colors and Locations

www.the12volt.com

 

[RobbieD]

Try temporarily grounding the BLACK/WHITE (-) NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH INPUT and temporarily disconnecting the H2/4 GRAY (-) HOOD PINSWITCH SHUTDOWN WIRE; see if it'll remote start.

Those are the remote starter's safety circuits. That will rule those out, or lead you to other troubleshooting areas. Once you get it remote starting, then you can connect these two wires as needed.

Do have the H2/3 BROWN (+) BRAKE SWITCH SHUTDOWN WIRE connected; sometimes these are both an input and output- brake off = ground = remote start OK; brake on = + 12V = NO remote start. You can use a meter to test your connection point in the truck that it has both conditions.