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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / General Car Topics / February 2005remote start
My daughter is mad at me because I will not install one of those $100 remote start after market options she bought at Circuit City on her 96 Grand Am. I am afraid that some night in the dead of winter a connection will go bad leaving her stranded. There must be 20 connections that need to be made to the ignition, starter, door locks and theft deterrent system. Anyone have experience with such a system? Is my concern unwarranted? I install them as part of the services that my company offers (we do electronic/electrical work, and Hummer work). I have remote starters on *all* my vehicles, and would not want a vehicle without it. For example, my snow plow truck (a 2004 Dodge 2500 hemi) is so nice when I have it warmed up. I can then use the wipers to clear the windshield, which is important since I can only reach about the bottom corner in about six inches! (Or I have to get a step ladder!) However... The *MUST* be installed properly to be reliable. This means soldered connections (not those cheezy blue tap connectors, no solderless terminals crimped with that $2 Sears crimper, etc.) shrink tube for insulation and not black plastic tape (whereever possible, and never use any tape except for high quality. I use 3M 88 tape, which is thin, and sticks well. When taping with 88, I use two passes one starting from one end of teh splice, the other from teh other end. If you don't have the ability to do good soldered connections, I'd suggest finding someone else to install it. Done right, it will last the life of the vehicle! Oh, yes, these things are coming on new cars as factory and/or dealer options. I do the Chrysler kit, takes about 1/4 the time because the kit has the right connectors! REally nice... >My daughter is mad at me because I will not install one of those $100 >remote start after market options she bought at Circuit City on her 96 [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >and theft deterrent system. Anyone have experience with such a system? >Is my concern unwarranted? > My daughter is mad at me because I will not install one of those $100 > remote start after market options she bought at Circuit City on her 96 [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > and theft deterrent system. Anyone have experience with such a system? > Is my concern unwarranted? Check your local laws. In some states it is illegal to have your car sitting while idling when no one is in it. >> My daughter is mad at me because I will not install one of those $100 >> remote start after market options she bought at Circuit City on her [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Check your local laws. In some states it is illegal to have your car > sitting while idling when no one is in it. Those would be rather silly laws. Some car models come from the factory with remote start capability. I've installed several of them. Depending on the car, it ranges from ridiculously easy (jeap cherokee, old landcruiser) to move of a pain in the a.s (corvette with resisitors embedded in the key). Essentially the unit splices into the ON and START leads from the ignition switch, and the break light lead. Installation is made much easier given the availabiliy of a good electrical diagram of the car and redily accessible wiring - ignition wires are usually very accessible as they come out of the bottom of the steering column. A remote lock / unlock is definitely more difficult to install. There should be no concern of a *properly installed* system interfering with normal operation. By design, if the module is unplugged, the car is essentially restored to original. If you have it installed, MAKE SURE the installer properly solders all connections. I don't trust anyone to do this properly besides myself though. >>> My daughter is mad at me because I will not install one of those $100 >>> remote start after market options she bought at Circuit City on her [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >Those would be rather silly laws. Some car models come from the factory >with remote start capability. This defense is rather weak. I mean, does having a car capible of driving 100mph mean speeding laws are silly? I know of several cases where people left their car running, and the car was stolen, and the owner was totally liable for all the criminal hurt, and the property damage he created. So not a law, but a lawsuit issue. btw, I was informed by a cop in the next town over, a running unoccupied car is a ticketable offense. So becareful not where you live, but where actually start it up. >I've installed several of them. Depending on the car, it ranges from >ridiculously easy (jeap cherokee, old landcruiser) to move of a pain in the [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >connections. I don't trust anyone to do this properly besides myself >though. my 2 cents, tom @ www.ChopURL.com > I know of several cases where people left their car running, and the > car was stolen, and the owner was totally liable for all the criminal > hurt, and the property damage he created. Would not be possible with a car running via remote start. As soon as someone entered the still locked car and tried to put it in gear, the engine would quit. It's no more "stealable" than any other parked car. It might be more tempting being nice and warm, though ;) >> I know of several cases where people left their car running, and the >> car was stolen, and the owner was totally liable for all the criminal [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >would quit. It's no more "stealable" than any other parked car. It might >be more tempting being nice and warm, though ;) Yeah, nice selling pitch: be nice to the car theif, prewarm the car before he bust your steering column and steals your car. :) But seriously, the thing about cops ticketing you has to do with 'failure to safely operate a motor vehichle" since it's operating without you present. Which goes back to the suggestions, ask the local authorites wherre you live and where you plan on parking and remote starting the car. Better to be informed than cited. later, tom @ www.WorkAtHomePlans.com >> {SNIP} >> Check your local laws. In some states it is illegal to have your car >> sitting while idling when no one is in it. > > Those would be rather silly laws. Some car models come from the factory > with remote start capability. The merit of the law is a separate subject (and I agree debatable). I was merely informing the Op that those laws do exist in some states and that he should be aware of them before installing such a device. > > My daughter is mad at me because I will not install one of those $100 > > remote start after market options she bought at Circuit City on her 96 [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Check your local laws. In some states it is illegal to have your car > sitting while idling when no one is in it. Anyone who buys one of these things is crazy. Just one more expensive gadget that will go wrong at the worst time. Pretty soon the car makers will make this standard if they haven't already. Infuriating. >> > My daughter is mad at me because I will not install one of those >$100 [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >gadget that will go wrong at the worst time. Pretty soon the car makers >will make this standard if they haven't already. Infuriating. "If they haven'ty already"?? My, aren't you the fine example of knowing what you're talking about!  SignatureBill Funk Change "g" to "a" >> > My daughter is mad at me because I will not install one of those > $100 [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > gadget that will go wrong at the worst time. Pretty soon the car makers > will make this standard if they haven't already. Infuriating. Even the "cheap" Chevy Malibu has the remote start as standard equipment beginning in the 2004 model year. So. you're a little late. There seems to be a push in many areas to make them illegal, however. So, I guess we'll see what time brings. > Even the "cheap" Chevy Malibu has the remote start as standard equipment > beginning in the 2004 model year. So. you're a little late. There seems to > be a push in many areas to make them illegal, however. So, I guess we'll > see what time brings. Actually the remote start is a $150 option on the base models (and not even available on the very bottom line model). The remote starter is standard on the LT models - but then that is already about a $5000 adder. A $24,000 vehicle is not cheap (MSRP on the LT is over $24,500). Ed >> Even the "cheap" Chevy Malibu has the remote start as standard equipment >> beginning in the 2004 model year. So. you're a little late. There seems [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Ed Well the Malibu used to be cheap. I was going by the advertisements that imply that the remote start was standard...my mistake. I haven't looked that closely at the car...just know it sure looks cheap! Which begs the question....why would anyone pay over 20K? > Even the "cheap" Chevy Malibu has the remote start as standard equipment > beginning in the 2004 model year. So. you're a little late. There seems to > be a push in many areas to make them illegal, however. So, I guess we'll > see what time brings. I don't see why it should be illegal for a slush box. Manual transmission is another story though, there was a case here where someone left his car in gear while it was off, then remote-started it and ran over a pregnant woman (luckily she survived without serious injury). I have such a setup and have never managed to leave it in gear while turned off, but of course I can't vouch for the lack of sensibility in the rest of the population. > I have such a setup and have never managed to leave it > in gear while turned off, but of course I can't vouch for > the lack of sensibility in the rest of the population. I'd rather have more than just the parking brake to hold the car in place when it's parked. > > I have such a setup and have never managed to leave it > > in gear while turned off, but of course I can't vouch for > > the lack of sensibility in the rest of the population. > > I'd rather have more than just the parking brake to hold the car in > place when it's parked. Turn your front wheels? Or if you have to park in areas with no kerb (or very steep), I guess remote starters aren't for you. Unless you have a gearbox that's capable of telling the starter to not start unless it's in neutral, which mine isn't. (Come to think of it, it does have a reverse gear indicator, so if I park on the right side of the road then it might work.. :) You should try out reality sometime; it's an interesting concept. many of these states recognize that remote starters are different, and exempt them. However, I'd bet not all of them do, so check with the local law enforcement people. They can tell you if there is a law, and if it is enforced, and if enforced how and why... I suspect that if you told them that it was an autostarter, and the cannot be moved until the key is in the ignition, they will be happy with it. But as James say, check to be sure. >"dh" <hemm99@hotmail.com> wrote in message >Check your local laws. In some states it is illegal to have your car >sitting while idling when no one is in it. > many of these states recognize that remote starters are different, and > exempt them. However, I'd bet not all of them do, so check with the > local law enforcement people. They can tell you if there is a law, and > if it is enforced, and if enforced how and why... I suspect that if > you told them that it was an autostarter, and the cannot be moved > until the key is in the ignition, they will be happy with it. An autostarter will kill the engine if someone puts the brake on to shift the car into gear if the key is not first turned to the RUN position. I would like to know how a cop would know or why a cop would even care if someone's car is warming up in their driveway. >I would like to know how a cop would know or why a cop would even care if >someone's car is warming up in their driveway. A car left with the keys in it running is an invitation to theft. Part of a cops job is to prevent thefts. That is why he would be interested. -------------- Alex >> many of these states recognize that remote starters are different, and >> exempt them. However, I'd bet not all of them do, so check with the [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > I would like to know how a cop would know or why a cop would even care if > someone's car is warming up in their driveway. If he's doing his job to enforce the law an the law says it's illegal, he's supposed to care, isn't he? (Even if he personally thinks it's a silly law). >many of these states recognize that remote starters are different, and >exempt them. However, I'd bet not all of them do, so check with the >local law enforcement people. They can tell you if there is a law, and >if it is enforced, and if enforced how and why... I suspect that if >you told them that it was an autostarter, and the cannot be moved >until the key is in the ignition, they will be happy with it. This may be an effective way of determining if it's illegal and if they will hassle you - if you live in Mayberry and Andy's still sherrif. I wouldn't count on anything a cop told me regarding the law >But as James say, check to be sure. > >>"dh" <hemm99@hotmail.com> wrote in message > >>Check your local laws. In some states it is illegal to have your car >>sitting while idling when no one is in it. >> My daughter is mad at me because I will not install one of those $100 >> remote start after market options she bought at Circuit City on her 96 [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >Check your local laws. In some states it is illegal to have your car >sitting while idling when no one is in it. Interesting point. Since I plan to install a remote starter, this possibility is of interest to me. Checking as many states as I could using Google, I was only able to determine that a few states have such laws and then only applicable to cars on public streets or areas. Seemingly, your own private property is exempt. I live in Nazi Jersey, home of the legislative motto "If we don't understand it we ban it", and even in this socialist crap hole there is no prohibition to having a vehicle running unattended on private property. FWIW YMMV DFB "When a legislature undertakes to proscribe the exercise of a citizen's constitutional rights it acts lawlessly and the citizen can take matters into his own hands and proceed on the basis that such a law is no law at all." - Justice William O. Douglas
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