Remote Start Installation?

Has anyone installed a Viper remote start kit themselves? How hard is it? I'm trying to see how difficult it is.. maybe save myself a good amount of cash.

 

Great question, I want to know too!

 

You betcha. A whole bunch of us have done it. Try a search on remote starter and you'll be surprised how much it's been covered in the past.

If you can read a wiring diagram and know what a soldering iron is, and you have the spare time, then you're all set. Get a kit that includes remotes because using the factory fob just doesn't give you much range.

the12volt.com is a good site. You'll learn fast about how an immobilizer bypass works.

Cheers and good luck.

 

I have installed a BUNCH of them.

Of course, I am also an MECP Advanced Level certified installer with 10 years experience currently working at Best Buy.

They are simple to install. For me. I plan on doing one in my Tacoma before long and posting detailed pics of the install.



I will tell you this. The prices on Viper alarms at pretty much all shops includes the prices for the install. You get with this, a lifetime warranty on the work done ( install of the alarm ) as well as a lifetime warranty on the viper alarm itself, as long as its done by a dealer. The lifetime warranty is just that, as long as you own the truck, or your dealer is in business. If you buy one off of the net, lets say, e-bay, you have no warranty at all. And if something ever screws up, you are crap out of luck.

I also know that Tacoma's have 2 starter wires ( 1 of which will need to be cut, the other you will need to add a relay for ) as well as I ethink 2 accessory wires ( or maybe its 2 ignition's??? ). You may, or may not need a relay for that wire, depending on if the model of the alarm/remote start has a programable 2nd ignition/accessory wire.

 

dsds, can you link me to some of the installation threads on here? i can't find anything that gives me a detailed description of an installation or how hard it might be on the 07 tacomas

 

I had the shop put mine in, $280 out the door. I installed the alarm in my Jeep, I don't think I want to go through that again

 

Best money you will ever spend is getting it installed!

 

Not that i'm incapable of installing it, but if I ever have problems with it, they will replace it.

 

get the dealer to install it, best decision ever, rly worth whatever they charge (which isnt rly much more) for the lifetime warranty

 

Here ya go...

From before:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/5081-remote-start.html

Chances are you'll be buying one of these brands:
http://www.directed.com/Products/Security/Default.aspx

(I went with a Valet 561R for something simple and fairly cheap as just a remote starter)

Immobilizer bypass (XK05 PKT2):
http://www.bypasskit.com/categories.aspx?catid=15

Tacoma is pins 15 (lt grn/blk) and 16 (lt blue/wht) on connector E7. You'll get a diagram and description with it.

Install info, wiring diagram, help:
http://www.the12volt.com/installbay/vehiclewiring/1/yeard/Toyota.html


Good place to buy stuff, but tons of others out there:
http://www.autotechs.com/cat34.htm


Only other advice I can give is don't cheap out too much and get one that depends on the factory remotes (like Valet 561T). Range sucks and you'll go nuts trying to figure out how to arm/disarm the remote starter using the door lock/unlock wiring. I got a six pack of bosch relays off ebay cheap from some seller in CA for the price of one from a parts store up here (you'll need one or two). A few of the heavier wires were soldered but the rest I just used the crimp type wire connectors.

It has worked fine since Dec of 2007 and I saved hundreds of dollars. If it decides to crap out, I can buy several more before I'd be at the point where it was better to pay the installer huge bucks for what might have been a crappy install. All depends what your time is worth. BTW, up here they wanted at least $500 for my Valet install.

Cheers!