jimrockford

I've been struggling with a remote starter/keyless entry install on my 1991 4Runner for the last couple of days. The keyless entry and remote start work, but the heater doesn't come on when remote starting.

I have a theory about why, but would like someone with a 2nd gen to verify something for me.

When I turn my key to "ACC" the radio and several accessories turn on. The heater and gauges don't. I have to turn the key to "ON" for the heater and gauges to work. Can someone verify that their 2nd gen is the same? The wiring diagram supplied to me by the remote starter manufacturer says the heater should work in "ACC".

When I remote start, it acts like the key is turned to "ACC" rather than "ON" which I believe is the way the starter is designed. The gauges and heater both remain unpowered. I'm not exactly sure how to remedy the situation, and I don't feel like working on it much longer. It's 20 degrees outside and my fingers are frozen.

Any help would be much appreciated.

yotafool

ya the heater in my 95 doesnt come on until the key is turned to "ON" and not "ACC", what brand of alarm system is it?

jimrockford

Thanks for the quick reply. It's an Ultra Start 1250 remote starter with keyless entry. The door lock/unlock function works really well, but the remote start, although it also works well, isn't of much use right now since it doesn't warm things up. That's the main reason I bought it.

Cebby

It's been a while, but I believe there are two ignition wires under the dash that you can possibly use. I think they are even the same color. You need to find the wire that is energized when the vehicle is turned to "on". Mine's the same as Yotafool's - HVAC only when key turned to "on", not "acc".

yotafool

No problem, glad to help. Just couldnt figure out the other part but thx to Cebby i hope it got covered.

yotafool

Btw, how is installing it yourself (seems like a pain)? Would you recommend having it professionally installed?

jimrockford

It wouldn't be too difficult, but the installation manual isn't written very clearly. The hardest part is determining which wire goes where. I had Ultra Start email me a vehicle specific wiring diagram thinking that would clear things up. Although the diagram was vehicle specific, it was not specific to Ultra Start's starters. It looks like Ultra Start subscribes to another company's (Installogy) wiring diagram service and just sends a copy of what they have on file. Installogy uses a different naming convention than Ultra Start (accessory vs. heater, 12 volts vs. power, ignition and ignition 2 vs ignition 1, etc) which furthered my confusion.

Another gotcha is hooking into the brake switch. The wire you're supposed to splice into is located way up under the dash at the top of the brake pedal. I unplugged the connector from the switch and found that the wires had absolutely no slack. There was no way to splice into the wire without completely dissassembling the dash. I took a short cut and inserted the wire into the end of the connector and then plugged it back in. Certainly no a good solution, but it worked.

It amazes me that companies spend millions developing and testing new products and then pay a third grader $20 to write the instruction manual. What are they thinking?

Anyway, once I figure out this heater issue, I think I'll be able to provide some decent instructions on how to do it, if you're interested. Again, thanks for the information.

Cebby

This means a theif would have to disassemble you dash to override the safety/theft provision in remote start systems. (In theory anyway) You can pull some insulation back in the middle of the wire and wrap the alarm tap into it and solder it. Or you can use {cringes} a scotchlok {cringes}.

Jim, can you scan the alarm diagram and post them. I'll be in my garage for a while and will take a look at the FSM (electrical diagram)

jimrockford

Cebby: I attached the wiring diagram from Installogy, and a link to the installation manual at the Ultra Start site. Thanks for taking a look.

Ultra Start 1250 Installation Manual

Cebby

I have my FSM in front of me right now. Did you attach the heater/accessory wire to an all white wire, or a white with red stripe?

jimrockford

The accessory wire is connected to a blue/red wire at the ignition harness. I have the power/12 volts wire connected to the white/red wire. Is that the one you mean?

Cebby

OK. From your Alarm instructions that came with the alarm:

What is the Green "heater" output wire going to?

What is the Blue "ignition 1" output wire connected to?

Both Reds should be going to the battery (if possible). Not good to draw that much current from the harness like they suggest in the directions.

jimrockford

green wire (heater/accessory) --> blue/red
blue wire (ignition 1/ignition) --> black/red
red wires (power/12 volts) --> white/red

The green, blue, and red wires are all connected to the ignition harness. I hooked the red wires up to the harness because I figured it wouldn't draw any more power than it normally does when I turn the key to start the vehicle.

Any idea why there would be two red wires? I connected both of them to white/red.

Cebby

The reason for the two wires is likely they need alot of current. Tapping both of those into the same wire *could* lead to problems down the road. These need to go to a constant 12V regardless of the key position.

I'm assuming you have a multimeter? Strip back a little insulation on the white wire and the white/red strip and see which one is powered when key is "on". I'm guessing the Green and blue are large wires? They need to go to large wires.

Before connecting make sure to test, but I think the Green should go to white and the blue to the white/red. (Assuming the white/red is switched). If not switched, leave the blue as is.

I gotta run. The wife is on the warpath.....

jimrockford

The green, blue, and red wires are part of the 6 pin power harness coming from the remote starter control unit. They are all the same size - 10 gauge I think. Those three wires are spliced into the ignition harness to equivalently sized wires.

I tested for power with my multimeter as I was installing. At the ignition harness, I didn't see a white wire. Here's what I saw:

green wire (heater/accessory) --> blue/red = power in "ACC" position
blue wire (ignition 1/ignition) --> black/red = power in "ON" position
red wires (power/12 volts) --> white/red = constant power

My tests seemed to match up with what the instructions said so I was pretty confident it was right. After I finished installing, I tried it out and everything seemed to be working flawlessly. Later it dawned on me that the heater wasn't turning on.

Do you think I should go ahead and run the two red wires directly to the battery? If I do, should I make two runs to the battery, or combine the two into one larger wire (8 gauge maybe) and run that wire to the battery?

Cebby

You are going to make my cut up my electrical manual and scan it aren't you? The heater wire seems to be the only problem. You didn't see a white wire? Hmmm. Lemme see if I can tell you where to look for it. Did you trace the wiring in the steering column? That's where it "should" be...

jimrockford

I wired into the horn in the steering column but was only looking for the green/red horn wire. I didn't pay much attention to everything else. If your schematic shows a white wire, it's probably there. I just didn't see it. Do you know what the function of the white wire is?

I'd go out and look now, but we got a substantial amount of snow today and the 4Runner is buried under a snow drift.

Operation4Skinner1.5

Why in the world would you put remote electronics in a 2nd gen Toyota??

Roark

How are you even doing this?