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car remote start dangers and advice
so I feel I am electronically inclined individual so I put and ad up to install keyless start. Then read your advise some hours later and didn't know about air bag blowing or any other dangers do your have any advice or product rec?
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Maybe give some free advice about: Cars?
Hi there,
Well, the first thing I would suggest is getting yourself insured and bonded in the amount of the most expensive vehicle you intend to work on, and then some.
If you forget a fuse someplace, for example, you can burn a vehicle to the ground. Where you have a remote start, this is extra important since there isn't someone in the car that would smell that something was getting hot. Just one of the many things to consider.
Dealing with the various security schemes in newer vehicles is going to drive you out of your mind, by the way. If you don't like a challenge, don't start doing this.
You may want to be very selective of the cars you take on. I would suggest that you look up the model on-line and search for remote install questions related to it. You will find some models where there are many posts in forums declaring the madness they have gotten themselves into. When you find one of those, tell the customer no, and tell them why you said no. Beyond that, suggest they take it only to the most reputable place they can... a place you suggest.
Trust me, always have a quality place to refer them to. There are many customers you will not want to do this for. Example: One lady has dogs that go everywhere with her... and you cannot fathom the smell of the carpet I would have had to lay on for several hours.
As for products, well, make sure the systems you offer do everything the customer wants, because you do NOT want to have to add anything else in the mix later, if you can avoid it.
If they want a remote start, and an alarm, then offer them one unit that does both jobs.
If you are just starting out, it is tempting to try and sell an inexpensive unit, but I am telling you now that going with a no-name remote starter is a seriously bad idea. There will come a time that you will need support, and when that time comes you are going to want the person's car running again as soon as possible.
If I were you, this is what I would do: I would sell the install, not the unit.
Unless you buy in quantity, you will have to gouge the customer to make anything on it, and that is a bad idea.
Crutchfield isn't the cheapest place to buy things, but the prices aren't far over normal market either. They offer good support, and they know what works and what doesn't. Since they support everything they sell at no additional cost, they have a tendency to sell only the things that work the best, hence needing the least support.
I would guide the customer through picking out a unit, then make sure you include any security bypass widgets they tell you you are going to need. When it comes, you do the install for whatever set fee you agreed to.
When you do your first of these, set aside enough time to get it done. Whatever time you think you can do it in... double that, add an hour and tell the customer you will call them then. Some you will have done in an hour, some you will work on for two days.
Other suggestions:
Buy dielectric gel, and use it when crimping your connections. Some people use vaseline, which I don't suggest unless it is an emergency. This will keep your connections from oxidizing. You don't want a call in the dead of winter to come out and wiggle the wiring harness so their car will start. ;-)
Newer cars have the airbag wires sheathed in a yellow harness. Don't touch it. Don't move it, don't pull on it, don't try and shove something behind it, don't loop and wires around it, try not to pass any wires especially close to it. I can't overstate this... leave it alone.
Here is something that I never hear anyone talk about before it is too late: More and more vehicles are coming with 120VAC outlets in them from the factory. These are powered by an inverter which may, or may not be under the hood.
If you probe one of these while live, especially while you will be in direct contact with various grounding points, and you may well die. So, when you are doing the initial inspection look for outlets, and be all the more cautious if you find one or more of them.
Speaking of initial inspections... I almost forgot: Do one.
Make sure every electrically switched thing in this car works before you touch one wire, because anything that doesn't work when it leaves will be your fault... even if they knew about it when they brought it in. Some people are just bad that way, and they will extort you into fixing things you did not break.
Protect yourself. This WILL happen to you if you do enough of these, and fail to inspect and notify the customer of what you find before you start.
Buy a good crimper. The flat-handled combo wire stripper, crimper, cutter, etc. is a really bad idea for any number of reasons: Awkward to use, the handles will make your hands so sore you won't even believe it and they don't fit into places you want to do a crimp under a dashboard.
Directed Electronics has a helpful resource for people who bought their DIY alarm and remote starter combo package:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
... which covers many things I would have placed in here. Instead, I added here only the things that I felt either they had left out, or that applied to your specific situation.
I hope all of this helps you avoid mistakes made by myself and others over the years, and if you have any further questions, please ask.
May I suggest you create an account here? Sometimes I may be on the road and it will be a while before I respond to you (days, sometimes weeks) and if you have an account, you will get an e-mail when I answer you.
Don't let all this scare you off. ;-)
Oh, I thought of something else: If your car doesn't have one, you should purchase one and install it there first. It will let you see what you are getting into before you involve a customer. It also lets you demonstrate the cool features to someone who is on the fence about buying one.
If your car came with one, then find a family member or friend and offer to install one for free for the practice. If they know how handy you are, they will be happy to have you do it.
Your first one will take longer that you think, the ones you think will be easy, won't, and the ones that terrify you will be some of the easiest installs once you get into them.
Ok, now I am done. :-)
All the best,
DN.
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