Sitting in a cold car or leaving your car to sit idle and warm up while you wait inside, hoping someone does not steal it, are unpleasant options. The same issues occur in the summer; you either have to sit in the hot car waiting for the AC to start working and cool off the inside or wait inside your home leaving your car to run idly while praying no one jumps in for a joy ride. If you face either of these problems, a remote car starter may be the answer.
Installing a remote starter can be quite complex if you do not know what you are doing. However, it can be done yourself with patience and some know-how. Find a remote starter kit that has all of the functions that you want--look for features such as whether it has a timer, how far away you can be and still activate it, and how the remote control functions. Buy the kit, unpack it and make sure that you have all of the necessary components.
After making sure your kit is complete according to the manual sold with the remote starter, the next step is to look at the wiring schematics for the ignition system in your car. These schematics are typically found in owner's manuals or repair books made specifically for your make and model of your car. Identify the location of the wires you need to hook the remote starter to. You remote starter kit will explain specifically which wires to use, and you can identify the location of those wires in the owner's manual for your vehicle. Once you have identified the location of all the wires, you should create a schematic drawing of how you plan to hook up the remote starter to your vehicle. After the schematic is drawn, begin work in the car.
Remove the ignition switch, then locate the wires in your schematic drawing. Fuse the necessary wires together onto the remote starter brain for the system. You can fuse these wires using a soldering iron. Run the wiring for the LED sensor, the antenna and other wiring elements of the particular remote starter system you have bought per the manufacturer's instructions. Next, test the system. If the car does not start or any of the other buttons on the key fob do not respond properly, look back over the wiring to ensure everything is assembled and soldered correctly. If you find the mistake, make the necessary repair and retest the unit. If you can't find the mistake, you may have to allow a professional to properly install your remote starter.
