hi guys, im new here, i tried searching but didnt find anything.


i have a 2004 dakota v8, with power options.automatic

im installing a remote starter that has an alarm/remote entry. i have everything properly wired and installed except for maybe the door locks. i cant figure out how they work. i know they run on a multiplex line. (white with dark green stripe) in my case. but both signals run through this wire. my install instructions say to install two relays, which i did, and im pretty sure i wired them properly. but once the system is programed it will not lock or unlock. has anyone done this before and could explain to me how these relays work on this one multiplex line?? i know they run through resistors but i figured the resistors they talk about are actually in the control module. not resistors i would have to wire in. any help would be very appreciated. the doors are the main reason im doing this as my factory keyless entry stopped working, or work every once in a while.



-Allan

 

Disconnect the wires you interfaced to the white/green wire in the truck immediately. If you connect a direct ground output to that wire it will proabably fry the door lock/unlock circuits in the CTM. If it did not damage it, count yourself very lucky.

You have to use relays set up to provide a negative output from the lock and unlock outputs from the new alarm. The alarm itself does not have enough current on the door lock outputs to trigger the factory door lock and unlock circuits. Then take the lock and unlock outputs from terminal 30 on the relays and connect each one to one end of the corresponding resistor for lock and unlock. Then you twist the remaining legs of the 2 resistors together and connect that to the white/green door lock wire in the truck. I don't remember the value of the resistors, but it sounds like you already have them anyway.

Connect the door lock interface this way and if the CTM is not damaged, it should work.

Jimmy

 

The factory keyless entry system in the CTM uses a different voltage that comes from onboard relays in the CTM to lock and a different voltage to unlock the doors. That's why you have to wire in your own external resistors to duplicate the action of the factory door lock system. I think the resistor values were 330 ohm for lock and 1500 ohm for unlock but I may be wrong on that. I have it at home if you need it. I am at work now. Radio Shack sells the resistors you need.

Your aftermarket alarm does not provide enough of a ground output on the door lock outputs to trigger lock and unlock, which is why you need external relays connected to the door lock and unlock outputs from the alarm. I have no idea how or why the one wire multiplex wire system works. I do know that inside the CTM there are 2 plain old 12 volt relays for lock and unlocking the doors though. I do seem to remember that there are 3 white/green lock system wires in the harness for the lock wire. I know there were 3on the Dodge and Chrysler mini vans and I think the Dakota was the same way. Open the harness up and see if there are 3. If so, and if you are using one of the electric test lights that plugs into the lighter or connects to both ground and power and it can read both ground and power, the correct white/green wire will be the one that while you probe it with the test light the doors will neither lock or unlock when you operate the door lock switch on the door.

Good luck with it.

Jimmy

 

thank you so much for your reply. i only see one white/green wire, and when i probe it with said test light, normally its ground, then one way its power, the other way its no light. (2 different signals) i assume this is the right wire. i thought about it more today and the resistors make more sense to me now. since i dont have factory alarm just factory remote entry my instructions say 330ohm and 820ohm. im heading outside to wire that up properly right now. and to look for more white/green wires. ill check back and let you know how i made out. thank you so much for your explaination, cleared alot of questions i had. you sure know your stuff!!


thanks again.. be back in a bit...

-Allan

 

Glad to be able to help. I was a car audio and alarm installer for over 15 years so sometimes I am able to help guys out here with stereo and alarm work. I really can not remember if the Dakota's have 3 of the white/green wires. Sorry if I sent you on a wild goose chase hunting for it. When you probe the white/green wire and have the test light stuck in the wire, if you hit the door lock switch and it does nothing in either direction, you know for sure you have the right wire. That's how it was on the mini vans but the Dakota's might only have one white/green wire.

At any rate, Welcome to the Dodge Forum. There are some good guys here who can help with all kinds of questions and problems.

Jimmy

 

thanks again for your reply and the warm welcome!

got the door locks working fine! yay! now my last thing on the to do list is the bypass module. i doubt i need to hook up every wire that connects to it. nor should i need to do the coil around the ignition barrel. im going to chk the website again for instructions but i believe all i need to connect would be the data lines and the starter?? it has power and ground but shouldnt the data lines power the module anyways?? btw every thing works it will start but shutoff as ive yet to install the bypass.also havent hooked up the siren yet. i think ill save that for last lol.

 

Glad to hear it's almost done. They came out with the transponder and security keys and the bypass interface modules right around the time I quit installing. But you will need to connect the power and ground leads on the bypass module. Data cables won't power the unit. It might also require the coil on the ignition so the ignition sees the right electrical value on the start circuit so it will let the truck start and run. What brand of alarm is it anyway?

Jimmy

 

right on thanks for the heads up. i made the mistake of letting my buddy install the data bypass, and he hooked the pink wire up where the pink/white , should have went, and plugged the power and ground into the back of the module. so right now i think he fried the module as it no longer powers up or does anything. its a prostart 5010 3 in 1. ill be getting another module tomorrow. and wiring it properly myself. ugh. such headaches. i guess you cant trust anyone but yourself with wiring. thanks again, and ill let you know how it goes when i get a chance to work on it again. as of right now i have everything unplugged and wire tied up into my dash, and panels missing everywhere off the drivers side lol. thanks again.


Allan

 

ok so. im going to pick up a module today, pretty sure my buddy fried my original. dont exactly understand how, he plugged the end of the data bypass module (power and ground) into the main module, it fit in the data port on the back. im pretty sure it doesnt go there but have no idea why i t would have a plug that would fit perfectly into it. regardless i guess im going to wire the power and ground for the bypass into where i wired the main module. then connect the data wire, starter wire, and one other wire i cant remember what it goes to. anywas if you have any tips 01silvercc, dont be shy as youve been a huge help so far. as for the siren which im going to hook up last, i can just run that to a ground in the engine bay and the positive to the siren output correct? no sense running the ground into the cabin if thats all its for is a ground.


thanks again.

-Allan

 

I have never heard of or worked with Pro Start. But I have been out of car audio for 8 years now. I worked for a really long time with Directed Electronics which makes the Viper, Sidewinder and Python systems. Car audio and alarms have changed a lot since then, but would think the power and ground for your bypass would be connected to the same points as the alarm itself. Then connect the data connector, starter wire and the other wire is probably for the ignition. Just be sure you connect all the ignition and accessory outputs on the remote start so that the climate controls and accessories you want will turn on when you remote start the truck. Dakota's have a second ignition and a second accessory wire at the ignition switch harness, if I remember it right. I am at work so I don't have the info here. Maybe the store where you bought the modules will be able to tell you how to connect it, or give you an 800 number for technical help. They may not talk to you if you are not calling from an authorized dealer though.

As for the siren, yes you can just run one wire into the truck cab for it and ground it under the hood. It's fine that way but just be sure to ground it with a ring terminal under an existing bolt or nut. Screws you drill in yourself have a bad tendency to rust, get corroded and work loose over time. When I was installing and even now on my own systems I always ground everything at one point, even the siren. I always find the kick panel will have bolts I can use for ground and the kick panel is a much more solid and electronically reliable ground point than the thin sheet metal and bracketry under the dash. I always connect the main power leads to the positive battery post too, and put an inline fuse no less than 6 inches from the battery connection for safety. This makes it a lot easier to diagnose if there is ever a problem. But that is just my way. There are several methods to do the same thing and most are pretty reliable.

Let us all know how it turns out.

Jimmy