Hello all, first post here. This site is so full of knowledge that I’ve never needed to ask anything. The search function is fantastic. I’ve had a few Dodges over time and have utilized this forum for years now.

I have finally hit a point where I need an answer I couldn’t find in search. Actually I did find the answer but it’s not working for some reason.

I’m installing aViper 5X....something or other alarm in my Dodge Ram 1500 that is bare bones, manual tranny, no power windows or door locks. I’m adding power doors in the process. My problem however is to setup the alarm to go off when the doors are opened. I have seen 12volt and modifiedlife.com and every alarm wiring guide I can get my hands on for this truck and every one of them says the yellow wire behind the driver kick plate is the magic solution, it monitors the dome light I believe. Unfortunately this doesn’t seem to do anything for the door sensors and the alarm. I also notice it’s negative contact according to the guides I’ve seen and the viper alarm apparently accounts for that with door triggers in a positive or negative and a different color wire to use depending on the situation. Unless I’m misunderstanding things then maybe that’s my issue. The yellow wire I’m referring to is connected to the big bundle that has a screwed down cap, it’s really a very large plug that screws together. Hopefully that explains the location of the yellow wire I’m referring to. I can get pics posted if need be.

Either way, I have the rest wired and it seems fine. I don’t have an ignition wired yet but I think I need to do that because in order to setup certain features the alarm needs to know if the ignition was turned on or not so I think I’ll add that too but mainly I need the doors to actually get monitored because that’s really the point of the whole thing right? The rest of the basic alarm features are working as expected (hood latch), shock sensor, parking lights blink on arm/disarm.

Thanks all for listening, I appreciate the feedback in advance. I probably should have signed up years ago.

 

What year is your truck? You can get a service manual for it from here. Wiring diagrams are in section 8W.

 

I have a 1999 Dodge Ram. I saw the manual in the FAQ/DIY section but it doesn't show where to find the wires. I have convinced myself that the wire I found in the main cab plug is the right one but it doesn't work so I probably don't have the right wire or the alarm module is defective even though everything else works.

So I guess what I'm asking just to help my sanity, is the yellow wire going into the giant plug under the drivers kick panel the correct wire for the door trigger on an aftermarket alarm? I know there are several who have done this before so someone has some experience. I don't see any other yellow wires that would make sense.

Normally electrical is my strong suit but apparently not this time. I'm doing something wrong and I'm sure I'm missing something dumb here.

Any help is greatly appreciated. It shouldn't take even a novice this much effort to put in an alarm. My truck was stolen and returned so maybe I'm just frustrated overall with all the repairs I have to do now.

Thank you.

 

There is a section for the component locator, a section for connector pinouts, and a section that shows where each and every connector is. (kinda..... ) On yours, it's entirely possible that the door switches simply tell the central timer module that a door is open, and the CTM decides from there what to do with that information.....

 

Very true! The CTM from the looks of it only monitors the drivers door so it can send the annoying ding when it's open and the keys are still in, things like that.

So I was thinking of trying to get it to go off when the dome light is triggered instead of the door switches. This should be just as affective and it should in theory be the yellow wire from that main harness but maybe I need a relay of some sort?? I didn't initially think that due to the alarm itself seems to have inputs for positive or negative lines. So I'm confused I guess.

I'll keep chugging away and looking at the diagrams to see if I can make sense of it all. Thanks for the input thus far.

 

Yellow wire is constant 12V and then the door jamb switch connects it to ground. In the Base model the CTM doesn't get a signal from the doors.

 

Well that is good info and explains a lot, I guess I'm not going crazy after all despite what my wife tells me. Thanks MoparFanatic. Now I need to figure out another solution. I would remove the door sensors themselves and wire to each side but with the age of everything I think the plastic would bust on it. Everything seems a bit brittle on these older vehicles.

If anyone has any ideas I would appreciate it. I imagine the blue LED on the viper alarm is probably enough of a deterrent but I wouldn't mind the thing actually working as it should. Especially since the thing was just stolen.

 

I'm sorry I was looking at 01 FSM in 98 the Driver's side "Door Ajar Switch" does go to the CTM but the passenger side does not. It still connects to ground

 

Page 804 & 805 is where you will find the switches

 

It looks like if I can figure out what "Integrated Electronic Module" is I should be able to pipe into that. It also looks like the Central Timer Module isn't a bad place either however, it appears to be under the front seat so that's not ideal.