First off I've been installing just about anything electronic in vehicles for quite some time now. I worked in the circuit city roadshop for two years, that's where I got MECP certified and learned the basic stuff. I did quite a few remote starts and alarms in addition to many head units, amps, subs, mids etc. I have been working more than two years now at a privately owned car audio shop where we do a pretty large volume of remote starts. Lately I've been doing more wiring and installing diferent products for friends, I put a Greddy Emanage(piggyback ECU) on my buddies 94 Supra TT and then removed it from there and put it on another buddies 00 Civic EX. I will be installing a Boost Cut Controller on the Supra before long. Just some background on me so you won't think I'm an idiot for posting this.........

After having a remote start on my car for a long time, and seeing another fourth gen camaro that was worked on at circuit city have similar issues I feel pretty confident that I can offer some tips on how to make your remote start more reliable. The issue here is ignition switches being burned up or locking up. Many times installers(and I have been guilty of this) have tapped the heavy gauge power wires(constant power, accessory power, ignition power and starter) on the left side of the underdash right where it goes straight forward towards the firewall. The routing of wires under the dash can be kind of confusing at times. I tapped my heavy gauge wires at that point and it ended up burning up two ignition switches. Also, the car I mentioned above that was worked on while I was at circuit city burned two ignition switches up as well. The first one was paid for by CC, the second one was paid for and the remote start was removed.

Anyway, the best way to do this to avoid burning up any ignition switches is this- Run a 10gauge wire in from the battery. You can either go straight to the battery or you can use the red (+) distribution point that is directly behind the battery. Use this to power your remote start relays. Be sure and fuse this wire, I have a 40amp fuse on it and it has been ok so far. If the AC is on and the blower is on high you might pop that fuse. If so add one size larger fuse. Now for your starter, ignition and accessory wires. Look at the steering column. The ignition and starter wires will be pink and yellow, respectively and drop down on the over the right side of the steering column and then go across to the left. The orange accessory wire can be found on the right side of the column also, but instead of it dropping and going left, it goes right. These wires come directly from the ignition switch. Tap them as close to the column as you can.

If you are having problems burning up ignition switches your remote start may be wired incorrectly. When mine went out, it got harder and harder to turn the key, then one day I went to turn the key and it felt like the switch was locked up. I pulled the switch out and it was melted and a very dark brown color around the constant power wires. If you are having these issues and have a remote start please check to see how it is wired, and if you are wanting to install a remote start take the extra time and wire it this way!

 

Can you have a remote start on a clutch car?

 

If you bypass the clutch start switch, but I really wouldn't recommend it. Even with the ebrake all the way up it will still start and take off in first or reverse, maybe even second