Installing a remote starter without cutting factory wires?

[CTScott]

You don't have to cut any wires - Use tap splices as mentioned. Also, the wire gauge is 16-18 on all of the wires, as our keyswitch is a control circuit, not a power circuit as on many older vehicles. Our keyswitch powers a relay coil, where the relay's contacts then do the high current switching.

The only reason to cut wires would be if you wanted to have the anti-grind feature, which disables the starter when the car has been started by the remote starter. This keeps you remote starting, then getting in the car and accidentally cranking the starter. When I install remote starters on my own cars, I don't bother with the anti-grind feature, but always use it on my wife's car.

[Tamago]

Originally Posted by CTScott

You don't have to cut any wires - Use tap splices as mentioned. Also, the wire gauge is 16-18 on all of the wires, as our keyswitch is a control circuit, not a power circuit as on many older vehicles. Our keyswitch powers a relay coil, where the relay's contacts then do the high current switching.

The only reason to cut wires would be if you wanted to have the anti-grind feature, which disables the starter when the car has been started by the remote starter. This keeps you remote starting, then getting in the car and accidentally cranking the starter. When I install remote starters on my own cars, I don't bother with the anti-grind feature, but always use it on my wife's car.

so you basically don't have any sort of security built in to the alarms you install? without cutting the ignition wire, all your alarm is is a noise maker.. thief jumps in and drives away because you didn't use an the ignition kill circuit?

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by Tamago

so you basically don't have any sort of security built in to the alarms you install? without cutting the ignition wire, all your alarm is is a noise maker.. thief jumps in and drives away because you didn't use an the ignition kill circuit?

My Yaris doesn't have an alarm, but it does have the engine immobilizer, which uses the tansponder key. This is basically the same thing as having an ignition kill switch. The column is still locked without the key as well.

All of these things are easily bypassed by a car theif who knows what he is doing. I don't think that the remote starter makes the car any easier to steal though.

[Tamago]

Originally Posted by CTScott

My Yaris doesn't have an alarm, but it does have the engine immobilizer, which uses the tansponder key. This is basically the same thing as having an ignition kill switch. The column is still locked without the key as well.

All of these things are easily bypassed by a car theif who knows what he is doing. I don't think that the remote starter makes the car any easier to steal though.

if the install is done right, hopping in and driving away will take at least 3-4 minutes instead of just seconds.. removing enough of the ignition wire and relocating the new "tapping point" deep into the firewall means the thief HAS to pull your dash to steal your car..