Hi Everyone,
Hope this is an appropriate section to post this in...
Anyway, I got an Directed Avital remote start unit a few weeks ago. I was going to hire somebody to put it in but the guy I was going to go with has been tough to schedule with, so I started going on my own. So far I've broken the driver's side A-pillar trim
and successfully routed the antenna wire through the passenger side A-pillar trim. I've also figured out how to get most of the interior trim off.
I have a couple of questions I hope I can get some advice with...
The car is a 2005 Kia Optima 2.4l 4 cyl automatic
1) I need to run two wires through the firewall - for the tach, and for the hood open switch. With this car, I'm having a tough time finding a spot to drill through. I'd rather go through an existing grommet, but the only one I can find seems to lead to a mysterious compartment I can't get to from the interior. If I could find a landmark on both the interior and exterior I could measure to a spot that's 'blank' on both sides - but I can't find a common landmark! Any advice with this?
2) Where is the remote start box typically mounted? I was thinking about behind the dash, under the radio. There is a metal bar there I could get some screws into, and it would also be a good spot to mount my ground screw.
3) Are T-taps ever OK? I was thinking about soldering the high current wires (the two +30A current inputs, and the starter wire) and t-tapping into the door lock wires, trunk release, etc. Mainly because it sounds like a PITA to strip and solder tiny wires in a cramped space.
4) Any advice on how to set the defroster on when the car starts? My dash has a momentary button that when I press I hear a relay click. I've got a wire on my remote starter that I can make a pulsed ground - it will go to ground for 200ms after the car starts. I'm thinking that I can hit the hot side of that button and ground it for 200ms and have the defrost go on that way - is this typically how this works? Or would it be better to find the power wire for the defroster and put current directly to it? I've got a 2nd ACC output on my remote start that my car doesn't use - I suppose I could wire that to the defroster?
5) Anyone know where I can get wire diagrams online? I'll go buy a manual if I need to but free is better. And KGIS is no longer free so I can't get the diagrams there. And if I do need a manual, who is better for wiring diagrams? Haynes or Chilton, or another option?
6) Anybody know of a guide to getting the interior trim off? There's a panel by the driver's right foot I'd like to remove if I can
7) Finally, I might do this in stages. Does anyone know what bare minimum circuits need to be hooked up, just so I can get the bare minimum functionality working (car runs, climate control fan blows)? I'm guessing the 2 +30A power connections, ignition, the ACC connection (to get the fan blowing), hood open, brake light, and ground? I might hook up the bare minimum and do the rest (door locks, trunk release, etc). later. Depends on how smoothly things go when I get started.
Thanks everyone!
Hope this is an appropriate section to post this in...
Anyway, I got an Directed Avital remote start unit a few weeks ago. I was going to hire somebody to put it in but the guy I was going to go with has been tough to schedule with, so I started going on my own. So far I've broken the driver's side A-pillar trim
I have a couple of questions I hope I can get some advice with...
The car is a 2005 Kia Optima 2.4l 4 cyl automatic
1) I need to run two wires through the firewall - for the tach, and for the hood open switch. With this car, I'm having a tough time finding a spot to drill through. I'd rather go through an existing grommet, but the only one I can find seems to lead to a mysterious compartment I can't get to from the interior. If I could find a landmark on both the interior and exterior I could measure to a spot that's 'blank' on both sides - but I can't find a common landmark! Any advice with this?
2) Where is the remote start box typically mounted? I was thinking about behind the dash, under the radio. There is a metal bar there I could get some screws into, and it would also be a good spot to mount my ground screw.
3) Are T-taps ever OK? I was thinking about soldering the high current wires (the two +30A current inputs, and the starter wire) and t-tapping into the door lock wires, trunk release, etc. Mainly because it sounds like a PITA to strip and solder tiny wires in a cramped space.
4) Any advice on how to set the defroster on when the car starts? My dash has a momentary button that when I press I hear a relay click. I've got a wire on my remote starter that I can make a pulsed ground - it will go to ground for 200ms after the car starts. I'm thinking that I can hit the hot side of that button and ground it for 200ms and have the defrost go on that way - is this typically how this works? Or would it be better to find the power wire for the defroster and put current directly to it? I've got a 2nd ACC output on my remote start that my car doesn't use - I suppose I could wire that to the defroster?
5) Anyone know where I can get wire diagrams online? I'll go buy a manual if I need to but free is better. And KGIS is no longer free so I can't get the diagrams there. And if I do need a manual, who is better for wiring diagrams? Haynes or Chilton, or another option?
6) Anybody know of a guide to getting the interior trim off? There's a panel by the driver's right foot I'd like to remove if I can
7) Finally, I might do this in stages. Does anyone know what bare minimum circuits need to be hooked up, just so I can get the bare minimum functionality working (car runs, climate control fan blows)? I'm guessing the 2 +30A power connections, ignition, the ACC connection (to get the fan blowing), hood open, brake light, and ground? I might hook up the bare minimum and do the rest (door locks, trunk release, etc). later. Depends on how smoothly things go when I get started.
Thanks everyone!