© 2003 Directed Electronics, Inc. Vista, CA
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According to available information, the only vehicles currently manufactured this way are most General Motors
trucks, sport utility vehicles and column shifting passenger cars. Available information also indicates that pre-
1996 Dodge Dakota pickups with 2.5 liter motors are manufactured this way as well.
GM vehicles that have the neutral safety switch built into the column shifter can usually be identified by a purple
starter wire. Typically, vehicles that use an outboard mechanical switch use a yellow wire from the ignition switch
to the mechanical switch and a purple wire from the mechanical switch to the starter itself. Remember, this is
only a rule of thumb and is not intended as a substitute for proper testing.
We suggest the following procedure to test for vehicles manufactured in this way.
NOTE:
You must complete the remote start system installation before doing the following test.
Ensure that the remote start system is functioning normally. This includes connecting to the brake
as a shut-down.
1. Make sure there is adequate clearance to the front and rear of the vehicle because it may move slightly.
2. Make sure the hood is closed and there are no remote start shut-downs active.
3. Set the emergency brake.
4. Turn the key to the "run" position, this will release the shifter.
5. Place the car in drive (D).
6. Place your foot directly over the brake pedal, but do not depress it. Be ready to step on the brake if the
starter engages.
7. Activate the remote start system.
8. If the starter engages, immediately depress the brake to shut the remote start system down. If the starter
does not engage, no additional safety system is required.
If the starter engages and the vehicle is a General Motors product or Dodge Dakota pickup, refer to the follow-
ing text and diagrams for an alternative shut-down method which will prevent the starter from engaging. If the
vehicle is not a General Motors product or a Dodge Dakota pickup, please call Directed Electronics Technical
Support for an alternative shut-down method. Do not return the vehicle to the customer until this feature is
properly installed!
Every vehicle built in this fashion requires that the shifter be placed in park to remove the keys from the igni-
tion. As a result, it is possible to use the key-in-ignition sense switch to prevent remote starting if the keys are
in the ignition. The following diagrams illustrate how to accomplish this. The first diagram applies to all General
Motors vehicles at the present time. The second diagram applies to all pre-1996 Dodge Dakota pickup trucks with
2.5 liter motors. This solution has one side effect - if the customer inserts the key in the ignition with the driver's
door open, the remote start system will shut down. If this interface is used it is important to inform the cus-
tomer to close the driver’s door before inserting the key into the ignition when the remote start is active. This
testing the neutral safety switch
