04.5 and Viper alarm problem

[JeepinDoug]

Last Saturday I had a Viper 791XV alarm installed by Best Buy. I actually did a little homework on this and found out these guys were experienced with Cummins Dodge installs.

The alarm is fairly trick with remote start, adjustable wait to start time, turbo timer and some other stuff I'm not sure of yet.

Originally they told me 4-5 hour install, all the connections are soldered and everything tested. I dropped the truck at 10:30am and it wasn't ready until 6:30pm, I was there for the final three hours waiting.

They finally give me the run through of how it works and it's ready to go. As I'm driving away I notice the engine light is on, the little yellow engine outline light. I figure it's 'check engine', so I turn around, go back in and say WTF?



The Sen. Installer tells me this is common. He says they did an install a month earlier that did the same thing, the owner took his truck to the dealer tech. The dealer tech found nothing wrong and the engine light turned off after a week.

He told me it has something to do with the remote start triggering the light and the comp will get used to it and go away.



Well Saturday will be one week, the light is still on, I feel no performance problem but I'm freaked out about this.

I tried to disconnect the Neg batt terminals and turn the ign key to on, hoping this would reset the light, nope. (This used to work on my old D50 pick up).



If the light is still on by Tueday morning I'm calling Best Buy to fix the problem, no matter what they have to do or else;

I'll have Dodge fix it and forward them the bill.

And

If Dodge can't fix it they'll have to return it to factory specs and refund my money, on top of paying the Dodge tech bill.



This sucks because I like the options this alarm has and the adjustability factor but obviously I can't live with a function light beaming in my face.



My question;

Is there any way I can try to reset this light without a scanner?

Should I key the chimes to see if I get a code?

If I should get a scanner anyway, which one should I get that I can probably get locally, NAPA, Pepboys or VatoZone?



Thanks for any advice,

Doug

 

[SLinse]

This is interesting, I was thinking about gettiing a Vipor aut start/alarm. I would reccomend checking the codes by cycling the key 3 times and see what the codes are?? Hope you get it figured out.

 

[Carlsummers]

JeepinDoug: this is not normal... I have the 791 on my '03 and have never had a problem with the check engine light. Best Buy is doing something wrong (unless the '04. 5 is vastly different than the '03). Get ready to start replacing batteries in the remote... I go through a battery about every 6 weeks... . that bi-directional remote is an energy hog.....

 

[Don-T]

I have the 791XV on my 04 and have never had a check engine light. I do have a couple of problems though. The C

A/C compressor does not run when I do a remote start. The installer was not able to make the tach input work correctly on the remote start so they are doing a 0. 8 sec crank time and the alarm has no way to know if the engine stated or not. If it does not start the first time I am out of luck. The installer did not get the door locks right either. They tried to use diodes instead of relays, I fixed that myself. If I had good documentation I would have done the install myself. If I could get it now I would fix it but DEI won't even let me talk to a tech unless I am an authorized dealer.



By the way, if your A/C compressor works with a remote start, that might be a good place to look for trouble. I can't see any way to make that work correctly because it is an output from the computer. It is not hard wired through the HVAC control and pressure switch.

 

[JeepinDoug]

Thanks all for the replys.

Today I talked to the Sen. Installer again, he ref'd me to have the dealer cancel out the engine light because it was just tripped during the install and there's nothing wrong.

I also have the AC not coming on with the RS and they will fix it next weekend, supposedly.

I went to the dealer tech today, told them my situation, turns out they want $108 to clear the light. I said no thanks. The deal tech also told me that the light should go out on it's own if there is really nothing wrong with it. He said it takes 40-50 key starts to rid the light. I don't think I have that many yet and I keep forgetting to key the chimes.

I want to get a scanner anyway so I'll search to see which works for my rig and clear the light this weekend. Hopefully it doesn't come back.

 

[Don-T]

If you get the A/C to work with the remote start try to find out how they did it, my installer is no help anf DEI won't let me talk to a tech.

 

[JeepinDoug]

Originally posted by Don-T

If you get the A/C to work with the remote start try to find out how they did it, my installer is no help anf DEI won't let me talk to a tech.

I'll do that, they know they need to call DEI about it and I'll get the FAX sheet, scan it and post it.

 

[JeepinDoug]

The latest update;

Last night I bought an Actron CP9135 scanner, plugeed it in an the light turned off. But... . as soon as I remote start the light comes back on. I couldn't get it to shut off and came up showing no codes.

This morning a started normal and the light turned off.

I'll have the installers work on it but I have a feeling it won't be fixed. I know as long as I'm not pulling codes it'll be fine but the light is there to warn me, I don't want to become desensitized to it's appearance on my dash.

 

[Don-T]

I found the problem with the A/C not running with a remote start from the Viper alarm. The installer tapped into the wrong wire from the ignition switch. DEI told him to use a PK/YL wire so they did. The problem is there are 3 PK/YL wires from the ignition switch. The one the installer used was for the electric windows. It is a 10AWG wire. There is also a 14AWG and a 16AWG wire there. The 16AWG is the correct wire to use. The A/C works great now.

 

[JeepinDoug]

Originally posted by Don-T

I found the problem with the A/C not running with a remote start from the Viper alarm. The installer tapped into the wrong wire from the ignition switch. DEI told him to use a PK/YL wire so they did. The problem is there are 3 PK/YL wires from the ignition switch. The one the installer used was for the electric windows. It is a 10AWG wire. There is also a 14AWG and a 16AWG wire there. The 16AWG is the correct wire to use. The A/C works great now.

Nice info, I've got it filed for when I find time to have it fixed. The engine light still comes on with remote start but if I attach the scanner it will be off the next time I key start it.

Thx

 

[Don-T]

What code are you getting when you do the remote start?

 

[JeepinDoug]

Originally posted by Don-T

What code are you getting when you do the remote start?

It reads "No Codes". It has something to do with the comp not being triggered by the ign switch, just a guess anyways.