utomotive Wiring Tips - Using Relays

Things To Consider When Wiring Accessories...

When wiring anything in your vehicle that draws heavy current such as high powered
offroad lights or audio amplifiers, there are a few things to consider. Number one, make
sure you use wire that is rated for the amperage that the accessories is going to pull. It is
always better to have wire that is OVER rated rather than wire that is not rated high
enough. If wire is used that is not rated to handle the current that your accessory will pull,
the result could be overheated wires that could melt the insulation or the electrical plugs
found throughout your vehicle (see image below), causing a short or worse yet it could
result in a fire. If you know how much current your accessory will draw you can determine
what
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With accessories that pull a lot of power it is always better to get your power directly from
the batteries positive terminal rather than tapping into the existing fuse block or wiring
harness. In most cases the vehicles existing fuse blocks, wires and connectors are not
rated to handle the additional load of high powered accessories such as offroad lights and
amplifiers. If you are the kind of person that likes T-Tap
to add all kind of goodies to your vehicle
connector
it might be worth installing an additional fuse block that handles non-critical items like
offroad lights, CB radios, power inverters, audio equipment, etc. This additional block can
Where to Get your Power

then be powered by a heavy duty wire capable of carrying the current required of all the
accessories on the block. Be sure to fuse the block at the battery.

Another important thing to consider is how you control the switching on/off of the power
to your accessories. In almost every case where high current is required, the switch you
will use to turn on the power should not handle the load because most switches are not
designed to handle higher amps. The job of switching the power is better left to a relay.
What is a relay? A relay is a device that, through a magnetic induction coil, turns on the
power for you. The switch that is installed in the cab of your 4x4 actually only powers the
relay itself which draws very little current. In most installations a 30 AMP relay from
Radio Shack (Auto Relay Cat. Number 275-226) will do unless your amperage demands
exceed 30 amps. I like to used a lighted switch in the cab to let me know if driving lights
are on.

Offroad Lights or Accessory Wiring Diagram using a 4 - Pole Relay Relay

Click to Enlarge

The method I use for wiring the lights and other external accessories, for the most part,
follows the diagram pictured above. As in the diagram a wire is run from a 12 volt power
source to the switch in the cab and out to the relay placing a fuse at the source of the
power. (Follow the relay's wiring schematic when connecting the wires to the relay) One
of the relays terminals goes to ground. Then run a heavy gauge wire from the battery to
the relay placing a 30 Amp fuse in line very close to the battery. Do not connect the
power to the battery until all wiring is done. Then I run a single heavy gauge wire out to
the lights or other accessory. If installing lights, split it into two leads at the lights. If you
do this be sure the wire is rated to handle BOTH lights since it will carry the current of
both. The diagram shows two leads coming from the relay. Then I run the second wire
of the lights or other accessory to a good ground on the frame of the vehicle. If the wires
will not be soldered together and crimped connectors will be used it's a good idea to put
a dielectric paste on the connectors where they come in contact. This will prevent
corrosion as time passes ensuring a good connection. Then double-checked all wiring
before plugging in the power.

Electrical: Circuits, Wiring, Relays, Switches

FAQ Home

Volvo Maintenance FAQ for 7xx/9xx/90

Cars

Version 5.0

Electrical Diagnosis Tips

Baked Engine Wiring

Fuse Locations

Maintaining Chassis Grounds

Relay Locations

Dielectric vs. Conductive Grease to

Protect Connectors and Grounds

Hot Fuel Pump Relay

Relay and Fuse Panel Removal
Relay/Fuse Panel Base
Replacement

Circuit Board and Contact Repair

Power Windows Operate in OFF
Relays Run Hot

Relay Repair vs. Replacement

Slow Battery Discharge

Power Window Switches

Multiple Electrical Failure: Ignition

Switch Bad

Power Door Lock Failure

Cruise Control Surges: Worn Servo

Electrical Diagnosis Tips. For a superb introduction to basic automobile electrical

diagnosis using a digital multimeter and accessories, see Fluke Corporations website
reference athttp://www.fluke.com/application_notes/automotive/beatbook.asp?
AGID=1&SID=103
Wiring Fault Diagnostic Tips. [Tips from Import Car Magazine]
DIAGNOSTIC THOUGHTS
Wiring failures occur as open, shorted or short-to-ground (grounded) circuits. An open
circuit, obviously, is a broken or disconnected wire. Shorted circuits occur when the
insulation between two wires fails. Grounded circuits occur when a bare wire is allowed to
touch the vehicles powertrain, sheet metal or frame. As for narrowing diagnostic
probabilities, lets remember that:
1. Before wasting hours of expensive diagnostic time, test all fuse circuits with a DVOM or
approved test light. Remember that fuses can fail without showing signs of an obvious
burn-through. Since a loose or corroded fuse connector may also cause many intermittent
circuit failures, thoroughly inspect and clean the fuse circuits before proceeding with your
diagnosis.
2. Most wiring failures occur at either end of the wire as a bad connection. Although splice
failures inside the wiring harness are rare, some nameplates are notorious for splice
failures. Technical service bulletins (TSBs) and Internet sources offer valuable insight to
typical nameplate problems.
3. Corroded harness connections cause most intermittent circuit failures. Simply
unplugging the connector and applying an electrically compatible corrosion inhibitor will
repair most connector failures.
4. When diagnosing intermittent failures, remember that suspect turn signal flashers,
fuses, bulbs and relays can be replaced more cheaply than they can be diagnosed. When
diagnosing an intermittent lighting failure, for example, I always begin by cleaning the bulb
sockets and installing new bulbs. How much diagnostic time are you willing to spend
testing a $0.98 light bulb thats nearing the end of its practical service life?
5. Engine, computer and body ground connections should be checked first, especially if
the vehicle has recently visited the collision repair shop.
6. Keep in mind that most electrical systems, when left untouched, perform very reliably.
When they do fail, the failure will be predictable, such as a bad current or ground
connection, blown fuse and the like. Most predictable failures can be solved within a twohour time block.
7. On the other hand, the DIY mechanic "short-testing" a cooling fan switch or fuel pump
relay can create a multiple failure with unpredictable consequences like burning a wire
within a wiring harness. Obvious tampering should always create a red flag... Electrical
"red flags" may include newly installed sound systems, electrical accessories, trailer
brakes, auxiliary lighting and the like...
8. Many circuits serve more than one accessory or function. Years ago, for example, I
found that a burned brake light fuse was caused by a loose courtesy light in the ashtray.

Without a good magnetic short detector, the problem would have been difficult to solve
since a relationship between a brake light and ashtray light isnt immediately logical or
clear, to say the least. In other unlikely cases, Ive found an instrument cluster fuse that
also supplies field current to the alternator. The moral is, never rule out the effect of one
circuit upon another...
10. In fact, avoid using test lights altogether. When testing fuses, for example, I use an
LED-type test light (available from a major tool manufacturer) that indicates open or
grounded fuse circuits and voltage availability. This eliminates guesswork and protects
ground-sensitive electronic circuits like air bag sensors.
11. Use a professional DVOM with a min/max voltage feature and alarm to test
intermittent failures. The min/max feature will record the highest voltage reached in the
circuit and sound an alarm each time a higher voltage is reached. For the technician
working alone, this feature is a real time saver, especially when performing a "wiggle" test
on an intermittent wiring problem. In the same sense, lab scopes are particularly useful to
find loose ground connections. During a wiggle or vibration test, loose ground connections
will show up as a voltage spike in an otherwise zero-volt lab scope waveform.
12. Remember how hard it is to find the trim screw driven through a wiring harness hidden
underneath a headliner? A good short detector will help you quickly locate concealed
short-to-ground circuits. For about 30 bucks, its a great time saver for you and your
customer alike.

Fuse Locations. See the follwoing diagrams for fuse locations in 740/940 and some
760/all 960 cars:

740/940 Fuse Locations

960 Fuse Locations

Relay Locations. See Michael Ponte's excellent illustrations below to identify relays in
740/940 cars. To access relays, remove the snap-on cover over the cigarette lighter, then
remove the two screws securing the storage box. Remove the box and you will see the
relay tray behind the fuses.

In 960 cars, the relays are in the same location but mounted on a vertical relay board.
Relay Identification in UK 760 Model. [Query] I need the relay identification on the relays
which are located on the side of the transmission tunnel under the plastic panel in the
passenger footwell compartment. These relays are labeled A,B,C,D,E,etc. No
disrespect ,but please do not refer to the ones in the compartment behind the ashtray
because I do not have that model. [Response: Steve] In my 1990 760gle United
Kingdom model the relays are A: main lighting(part); B: motronic/jetronic relay; C: central
locking relay; D: foglamp relay; E: main lighting relay(part); F: bulb failure warning relay
(front); G: overdrive relay; J: power boost relay; K: rear wiper delay relay;
L:windscreenwiper delay relay; M: seat belt warning relay. A, B, F, J, L, and M are
permanently attached to the board.

Hot Fuel Pump Relay. The relay should not get hot even if the pump is drawing too much
current...until the excess current starts to kill the contacts. Either way, a hot relay is a bad
relay. There are three possible reasons for a hot relay:
cold solder joint
bad crimp joint
bad relay contacts
All mean that a point in the relay has resistance and when current flows through that point
there will be a voltage drop which means work is being done and that work manifests itself
as heat (P = E * I). Over time the bad joint gets worse due to the heat and maybe heat
cool cycles, the resistance goes up, the joint gets hotter, the voltage at the pump goes
down so it needs more current to do the same work so the joint gets hotter, it gets worse,
well you get the picture. At its worst this kind of scenario can destroy a motor because the
low voltage condition causes a high current draw which over heats the motor. The relay
may or may not be fixable. I usually try to fix them and are often successful. Note that
Volvo released an improved relay, which has silver terminals, to solve this problem. If the
car's existing relay has copper-colored terminals, replace it with the newer relay.

Relay and Fuse Panel Removal. It is possible to pull the whole relay panel out the front of
its opening. Remove the plastic box (which also contains the accessory socket) above it

to facilitate this. There is an obvious clip that you bend slightly to release the tray. Lift
upward slightly, then the tray slides rearward and out. The opening in the console is just
the right size--the tray does not need to be turned or twisted.The wire umbilical attached
to it is long enough to allow the panel to be pulled out quite far. This is also how you can
hook up accessories to the fuse and relay connections under the panel. Use a good light
so you can see well.

Relay/Fuse Panel Base Replacement. My headlight relay got into a bad habit of getting
real hot. I had the same problem and after replacing the relay, I replaced the plastic base.
It's quite easy, get yourself a 1307160 ($2.89 CAD) and pull your relay/fuse tray out of
there. After removing the relay, flip the tray and remove each wire (tape the lug & mark the
position). You can usually coerce the crimp-on connectors out by bending the little tab
internal to each connector (with a small screwdriver). Once the relay base is clear of
wires, unclip and push it out. Install your new base and re-install each wire in the proper
position. I find that, using a knife, you can "restore" the little tab on each crimp connector
so that it "clicks-in" when you re-install the connector in the base. It is vital to have firm
connectors or else they slide out when you push-in your relay! One additional note... The
base melts because there is resistance & arcing between the crimp-on connector and the
relay lug. There is quite a bit of current going through there and you want to make sure
that you have tight connections. You can do that by "squeezing the gulls" of each crimp-on
connector. Contacts #30, 87 & 87b are the culprits (not sure if they are all used though).
My relay/fuse panel is all plastic. Double-check the part number of the relay base by
removing a relay and reading the part number in the center of a "good" relay base.

Relay Repair vs. Replacement. Here's a generic statement about your relay (which I know
nothing about) -- this statement displays my bias about the (poor) quality of Bosch wave
soldering. If you can pop the cover off the relay, try resoldering all the connections on the
circuit board before you replace it. (After all, you have nothing to lose but a few minutes.)
The heavy connections that go to large components like the actual relay may need a large
soldering iron or gun, whereas the connections at smaller components, such as
transistors, should be reflowed using a smaller iron, like a 25-Watt iron. If you're not
comfortable soldering, find a friend who is.
[Don Foster:] Over time (like 10 years), the solder used in production manufacturing
tends to become crystallized and cracks. The type of solder used in high-volume
production is different than that used in an electronics repair shop. The problem with the
relays is tiny, almost invisible microscopic cracks in the solder. These cracks usually
encircle one (or several) heavy connections, such as from the relay or a main lug
connector. Under a bright light, and using a magnifying glass, inspect the soldered
connections. Simply resoldering these circuit board very often restores them to perfect
performance, and it's a whole lot better (and cheaper) than a $50-$100 replacement part. I
have recovered literally dozens of Bosch relays (OD, fuel pump, wipers) to perfect
performance this way at $0. In fact, I resoldered ALL the relays in my family's 6 Volvos
before a failure stranded us.

Power Window Switches. [Switches don't work] I can suggest one course of action that
helped to alleviate the situation, take apart the individual window switches and clean them
out. The switch pivot has a bit of oil or grease on it and some of it gets on the ball bearing
contacts, causing dirt to get stuck and faulty contact points. The same may be true with
your child safety locks for the rear windows. It worked for mine, but I think I need to clean
the switch once more as it only operates correctly 80-90% of the time going down, and all
the time going up. I was even thinking of replacing the switch itself if that didn't work. No
experience on the power relays, though.
[Symptom: Window does not raise or lower.] [Diagnosis:] Switch. These are fun to fix. Pull
the switch assemblies out of the door handle (two metal springs at front and back hold
them in: use a screwdriver to lever them out. Then pop the switch out (I usually wind up
doing them all as long as I'm there) and pry the side off the little nipples so the cover
comes off each switch. Be careful since there is a spring in the rocker, you don't want to
lose it. Take out the little metal "lever" and use some very fine sandpaper to neaten up the
contacts on the lever and the contact points inside the switch. [Tip from John Yuristy] . I
wouldn`t use sandpaper or steel wool on contacts, some are just plated and you will
remove the good stuff.
[Response:Steve Ringlee] For a detailed analysis of the window switches, take a look at
Michael Ponte's analysis at http://www.mikeponte.com/volvo/pwin.htm. Another solution is
disassembling the switches (be careful in removing them from the black plastic holders),
de-oxidizing and cleaning them using an electronic de-oxidizer such as DeOxIt from Caig
Labs, then using a fine Scotchguard nylon scrubber to burnish the contacts, and finally
reassembling them using Caig ProGold protective coating (very small quantities precisely
applied) on the contacts to prevent further dirt and oxidization from ruining the contacts.
Caveat: I have tried the "rebuild" approach on these switches and found that it did not last
that long; I ended up buying a new driver's door switch from RPR for around $30 just to
save more work.

Power Door Lock Failure. [Query:] There has been a failure of the door locks on my 740
wagon. The tailgate unlocks with the drivers door but no other function works. Do I need
a new lock actuator or is there something else to check? [Response:] There is a switch in
the driver's door that sends a signal to a relay mounted on the central relay panel. The
relay then sends power to all the lock motors (all doors except driver's door). If some of
the locks are operating and others are not, then you have either a wiring problem or a
ground connection problem. Either way, the place to start is to remove the door panels on
those doors that are not working. Unplug the lock motors and check to make sure they
operate freely. If so, proceed to check the wiring with a multimeter - look for bad ground
connections, no power on lock/unlock leads when door switch operated, etc. I expect that
the three passenger doors are on one harness and that the tailgate has a separate
harness lead that comes from the relay. So look for those points which are common to the
three passenger doors.

Baked Engine Wiring. [Early-80s to 1987 240 and 7xx cars:] Harness failure often causes
multiple symptoms such as rough idling, stalling, hesitation, overall erratic performance
and random misfiring. The symptoms may mimic ignition or fuel injection trouble you've
encountered on other cars. I cannot address 240 vehicles newer than 87, the friends I

help do not own anything newer. In all the 240's I've seen there are several wires that are
"flaky": oil pressure; alternator wires and alternator dash signal; knock sensor; water temp
gauge; starter from ignition; starter to coil; primary ignition wiring near the ignition coil; and
on 7xx cars, harness connectors in the right rear corner of the engine compartment below
the ignition coil. ALL the wires from the ECU do not show any signs of deterioration in any
of the harnesses we have opened up. Since the flaky set are wrapped into the main
harness to replace them means replace everything. At big $$$ for Volvo & the service
center. After getting nailed for the 85's harness, I took preventive measures on my 83 and
others until we find a long down time to correct the problem. We replaced the alternator
and the oil pressure sending wires rerouting them around the right side of the engine bay.
We believe that if the alternator wire shorts to some other wire that is where the big
problems could occur. The alternator wire has the potential to supply a constant 12+ volts
to any of the others ( which are to ground) and act as a heater wire inside the harness,
getting hot enough to melt all the others. In my 85 it was from the starter wire to the
alternator wire up by the dash connector and was caught before much damage was done.
Had it replaced by the dealer thinking insurance only to find that insurance refuses to
cover this problems in Volvo's. Cutting open that harness revealed NO damage or
deterioration to any other wires in the harness except the above wires. Our solution: We
reroute with new wires to all of the above sensors. Best done with some other time
consuming task. To make it really easy we release the intake manifold. Takes two of us
about 3 hours to reroute all wires and replace the manifold. Tried it first without releasing
the manifold and it took 8 hours. I believe Volvo could have created a replacement
harness consisting of just these wires but did not do so because of $$. Another is that if
you catch the problem soon enough no other wires will fry because of a short between
two of the bad wires. Wait too long and other wires will be damaged from the heat of the
short. Since this is probably about the time Volvo found out about the problem, it looked to
them like all the wires in the harness are bad.
[Quick preventative:] Watch the wires coming from the connector directly under the
windshield below the driver and the oil pressure and alternator wires on the right front of
the motor. These are the first ones to go. If it starts reroute the alternator wire first as this
can cause the most damage if left in the harness. Then replace the starter, then the coil
wire as these have the next greatest potential for damage. If you can, get the wires
replaced before they cause other damage, do so as the cost will come out of your pocket.
[1983-1987 7xx cars:] If you are referring to the problem of wiring harness rot that affects
the 83-87 models, it usually affects the harness on the engine. On the LH cars, this
usually includes a fuel injection harness and a separate ignition system harness.
However, I have seen some deterioration of other underhood harnesses including the
wiring that goes to various lights (turn signals, corner markers, headlights, etc.
[Advice on replacement:] The engine wiring harness went bad on my 1983 240 Turbo
(170,000). I noticed it first when my starter would try to engage occasionally when I hit a
bump or turned a hard right. The wires up by the firewall on the left side of the car were
bare at the connector. I tried to separate and tape them, but that did not work. I found out
why when I replaced the harness. The harness runs along the left side of the block, and
EACH of the wires was completely bare the majority of the length of the block!! As you
know, depending on which ones touched which, anything could happen. REPLACE the
whole harness!!!!!! Trying to patch it will only lead you into hours and hours of nightmares
both as you attempt to cob it together, and as soon as moisture gets in your cheesy butt
connectors and your gauges, idle, starter, etc go wacky!!!

Remember: My Volvo is Turbo. Although a similar process, I can not speak directly on the
naturally aspirated version. The job took me (a former diesel mechanic but working with
limited tools on this job) 5 hours. I unbolted the intake and pulled it away from the head.
Of course to do this you will need an intake gasket. I recommend you do this also, as to
work around and under the intake would be treacherous. With the intake pulled away, you
can see straight down in there. You may want to replace your flame trap when you are in
there as you have a straight shot at it. Any troublesome vacuum lines could easily be
swapped out also.
The new Volvo harness is color coded exactly as the original. (big advantage). It is also
exactly correct in length. (huge advantage). Just remove the old one, being careful at
each connection - temp sensors, alt, oil press, etc. are all very dry. You may have to cut
the old harness out in pieces as it is not pliable at all. Install the new one by starting at
firewall and working your way along the block and around to the oil press and alternator. It
is pretty self explanatory really. Leave about 5 hours to do it. This sounds like a lot, but
multiply it times the hourly rate of your local shop, or the cost of burning up a starter (and
a tow) like I did, and you will have a little more incentive to clear up some time on
Saturday morning. No special tools. (May want torque wrench for intake if you are
REALLY particular). I shopped all over and I purchased it from NILS SEFELDT Volvo in
Houston Texas (281) 721-1600 (800) 468-0041 fro $230.22 and the gasket for $11.70.
[Additional tips from Dick:] My suggestion: do not remove the intake manifold on the 700
series. Remove AMM and hose to intake, idle speed motor and hoses, also flame trap
and oil trap. Label stuff carefully. Begin your rewire from under the car, ie the oil pressure
sender light, removing the old stuff as you go. Your new harness has yellow bands
indicating where the clamps should be. Remove the harness from the AMM and replace
with new. You will have to remove the knock sensor wiring and mark it . I think you get the
picture. With the oil trap removed, you can clean it and put a new O ring on it (leak
source) and new flame trap. Other suggestion is to remove the 3 plug ins on the
passenger side and pull then through and under the manifold along with the injector
harness stuff.
Believe marking and labeling is extremely important. I blew the brains out of a 240 by
mixing up two similar 3-prong connectors. Label the old harness too because you can
always compare wire colors in the connectors that are alike.
[More from a VCOA Wiring Clinic, courtesy of the BrickBoard:]
Scope: The problem afflicts 200 and 700 series Volvos manufactured during the period
1983-1987 [Note: several commentators would also include the 1981 & '82 models of 240
series.]. The problem has also appeared in other vehicles manufactured during the same
period with Bosch electrical systems. Owners of all vehicles manufactured with Bosch
electrical systems during the period should inspect the engine wiring harness. Anyone
considering purchase of such a vehicle should inspect the engine wiring harness if the
harness is the original.
Presentation of problem: Disintegrating insulation on wires exposed to high temperatures
for long periods (10 years or more).
Symptoms: All vehicles within scope are vulnerable to the problem. Close inspection of
the engine wiring harness will reveal the problem before it causes short circuits. If a
vehicle within scope exhibits drivability problems that are intermittent and cannot be
otherwise diagnosed, short circuits in wiring harness caused by deteriorating insulation
may be the cause.

Inspection: Use a strong light source and check wiring, paying particular attention to
wiring passing close to high heat sources. High heat sources include intake manifold,
exhaust manifold, turbocharger, block, firewall.
Common locations presenting problem: B23: firewall near main connector, alternator,
intake manifold. B230: ground wires on intake manifold, oil pressure sender, water
temperature sensor on block. B28/280: no engines were available for inspection.
Solutions:
Temporary solutions: liquid electrical tape, applied in several coats over several hours,
good between -20 and 255 degrees F; shrink-fit insulation, applied with heat gun or torch,
good past 400 degrees F, but hard to fit correctly over end connectors; spliced wiring,
recommended by some Swedishbricks and SAAB list members as the most nearly
permanent fix that does not require a new harness. Standard electrical tape is at best a
one-month reprieve. Any solution short of splicing lasts no more than a few months.
Permanent solution: new wiring harness, cost ranges between $250 and $350 (US).
VCOA has been successful in persuading Volvo to lower the price of its wiring harnesses
for vehicles within scope, and current price range quoted above reflects those reductions.
Prices have been cut from 33%-50% from previous levels (Example: old price of engine
harness for B230FT engine was approximately $500, now reduced to $270). Dealers who
offer club discounts will add their standard discount to the current prices. It is absolutely
critical that you order the correct harness. Very difficult to do when there are 3-4 variants
out there, yet little way to tell the harnesses/engine applications apart.
Workability: Owners who prefer to have a mechanic install the new wiring harness can
expect to pay 4-6 hours of shop time for the job. Owners who prefer to do the job
themselves should set aside one or two days. For the B230 engine, it is recommended
that the owner have all vacuum hoses replaced at the same time, as well as fuel injector
seals. In addition, performing the job on the B230 engine involves removal of the intake
manifold and air intake valve, and so requires replacement of the intake manifold gasket
and the air intake valve gasket. Owners who have replaced wiring harnesses of B23 and
B280 engines may wish to offer advice on other maintenance that should be performed at
the same time, as well as other parts (besides the wiring harness) that may be required.
Dielectric grease for multi-pin connectors, as well as an oxidation inhibitor for single
connection points to aluminum ground, are recommended. Do not interchange the two, as
dielectric grease is an insulator, while oxidation inhibitor is a conductor.
Picture References. Check out http://www.homestead.com/volvo2/harness.html
for visual images and instructions for wiring harness replacement and other maintenance
items.

Maintaining Chassis Grounds. [Query:] What do I have to do to keep the grounds in my

chassis circuits in good condition? [Response 1: Steve Ringlee] This is tough to do
without the pictures in the Volvo OEM wiring diagram book (the best $25 I've ever spent,
by the way) but here are the grounds for my 1990 745:
Battery chassis near the battery: often corroded
Engine main ground under the p/s pump (typically OK because of oil coating)

Right auxiliary chassis ground (behind right headlamp): frequently corroded

Left auxiliary chassis ground (behind left headlamp): also usually corroded
Inside left A-pillar: underneath the trim panel by the bottom front left door hinge;
Inside right A-pillar: just beneath the engine computer by the right front door pillar; this is
important since so many functions ground here and humidity/salt can affect it from the
carpets.
Left and right taillight grounds
On the right console between the seats: not a problem
Courtesy lamp ground above the left B-pillar; not a problem
Fuel pump and sensor ground next to sending unit on fuel tank
SRS ground beneath the driver's seat next to the crash sensor. It goes without saying that
if you are going to touch this, you need to disconnect the battery negative and wait some
time for any charge to dissipate from the crash sensor.
[Response 2: Don Willson] One ground connection you missed Steve. Though it has
nothing to do with air bags it will cause major running problems. That is the injector
ground wires. Just cleaning them and tightening the bolt is not enough. The wire must be
soldered to the crimp lug. The internal resistance of this crimp increases until injectors
start to missfire, the O2 sensor sees too much oxygen and feeds the engine much too
much fuel. Mileage drops to 10 mpg with smoke and no power.
These grounds, if corroded, can play havoc with your car's electrical system. A lot of the
problems brought up in both Brickboard and Swedishbricks forums relate to faulty ground
connections. It pays, especially for those in wet or salty climates, to clean and de-oxidize
the ground connections (DeOxIt from Caig Tools is great, at electronic stores) then coat
them with OxGard conductive paste (get it at Home Depot) which is designed to protect
electrical connections where conductivity is important and shorts across circuit connectors
are not a problem.
For a good overall discussion of Volvo electrical system grounds, see the article Volvo
Electrical System Service: In Search of Good Grounds, Bob Kraft, ImportCar magazine,
December 1997 athttp://www.underhoodservice.com/ (see their searchable archive for
ImportCar Magazine.)

Dielectric vs. Conductive Grease to Protect Connectors and Grounds. [Query:] You have
repeatedly recommended the application of dielectric grease to underhood wire
connections. Isn't the insulating property of such grease counter to the goal of
IMPROVING the integrity of electrical connections? I would think that a conductive paste
(such as Eastwood's Kopr-Shield) would be better. The only potential downside I can think
of is that sloppy application could cause short circuits, but care and common sense
should preclude this. [Response:] This is a good question and one that I have received
several times. Yes, it is true that the dielectric grease is non-conductive. However, in the
context of connections that carry voltages larger than 1 volt, the grease will not result in a
bad connection. The male and female connectors will wipe enough of the grease off at the
mating surface so that the electricity will flow just fine. The important part is that there is
no chance of the grease creating a conductive path between adjacent terminals in a multiterminal connector. The main purpose of the grease is to seal the terminals against
oxidation which creates a high resistance barrier and moisture and dirt which can result in
shorts and ground paths.

It is important to note that on all Volvos, the Oxygen sensor signal lead carries a very low
voltage (0.2v - 0.8v) and the dielectric grease must NOT be used on this lead as it will
interfere with the signal voltage.
For the GROUND connections - especially those in the engine compartment where the
ground leads are fastened to aluminum surfaces like the intake manifold, I recommend
using one of the conductive greases like OxGuard. These are found at electrical supply
houses and are typically used by electricians to treat the end of aluminum electrical
cables to prevent the very high resistance aluminum oxide from forming at connections this was a common cause of house fires. The same high resistance oxide plays havoc
with engine management system signal voltages. You can eliminate the problem by
cleaning the aluminum surfaces and treating with the conductive grease. Also note that
many of the spade type crimp on terminals that are available are made of aluminum. It is
very difficult to find copper ones. [Note: see also the note on greasing connectors under
Engine Tune, Performance.] DON'T use OxGuard on engine or chassis electrical
connectors or sensors.

Circuit Board and Contact Repair. [Tips from Joe Ward] My rear taillight has been
blowing the bulb rather frequently. Upon a closer inspection I noticed it had worn the
copper trace where the lamp holder contacts the copper trace. I removed lamp holder,
lightly sanded copper trace areas with some 600 grit, cleaned with alcohol, applied a thin
film of conductive epoxy on all three copper traces and let dry overnight. Next morning it
was hard as rock and conductive! This product was found at a local electronics supplier
(it was near the check-out counter and it occurred to me this would be a good product to
try before replacing). Product is used for field repairs for circuit boards that have cracked
or broken traces and soldering not available. Cost ~8.00 for tube but it didn't take much.
[Tip from JohnB] I had a similar problem with the plastic/copper circuit board below the
steering wheel on my Saab. So I sanded the copper circuit and placed about 5-6 strands
of copper from some 12-gauge multi-strand twisted together and flattened onto the copper
on the plastic and using a 350w Weller soldering gun and electronic rosin core solder, just
flashed the copper/wires together

Power Windows Operate in OFF. 1986 740: I just noticed that my power windows work
without the key in the ignition. [Response:] a stuck relay would do that. Either that or
there's a hot short at the relay socket or in the wiring between the relay and the ignition
switch. Should be leftmost relay in the front row. It also powers the electric radiator fan, so
given a hot engine on a hot day it too could run when the key is out. A hot short between
the relay and the fan thermostat would also enable the power windows. Try tapping on the
relay to see if that doesn't at least make a temporary difference. If that helps then you may
be able to salvage the relay by opening it and using contact cleaner. If not, then pull the
relay anyway and inspect socket for evidence of shorting. After that it's either try a new
relay or start tracing with a multimeter.

Relays Run Hot. 87 740 B230F 120,000 miles. Problems with the 740 fuel pump and
headlight relays are well documented. Volvo has a tech. bulletin that recommends

replacement of the relays and the sockets, which have both been done to my car before I
purchased it. Driving today, I put my finger on the fuel pump relay and it was darn warm. I
could just hold my finger on it - any hotter and I wouldn't be able to. Is this
normal/acceptable? If no, what's the fix (another relay??). [Response:] Relays on Volvos
run hot. That's why I drill holes in the covers. You must first remove the circuit board to
drill the cover. On overdrive relays, I have never had to replace a relay with holes in it, it
seems to help a lot. I have also run cooling to the relay/fuse board from the crotch cooler
port, so when the A/C is on, it blows cool air on the board via hose. It may help and can't
hurt. [Another:] I've seen several instances on 740s of excessive contact resistance at the
fuel pump relay connector. This causes overheating and melting of the spade connectors
and plastic socket. It probably wouldn't hurt to examine the male spade connectors and
socket for signs of high resistance and overheating (discoloration of metal, melted or
burned plastic). [Another:] Your description of the innards of the fuel pump relay sounds
right.... the wires from the solenoid coils to the PCB are small and fragile -- but I've never
experienced them breaking (at least, breaking from vibration). Because they're fragile,
fingers off! Soldering the PCB is done on the other side from the components. You'll notice
the component leads (including the fine wires) stick through and are soldered to so-called
"traces". These traces are copper, but are usually completely covered by solder so have a
silvery color. You'll also see where larger tangs stick through and are soldered -- these are
the heavy-current leads from the relay contacts as well as the relay connectors.
I usually solder the heavy connections using a soldering gun (but carefully, because these
deliver a lot of heat quickly, and can damage a PCB). The smaller solder connections are
best done with a small 25-Watt iron. Of course, you must use electronic solder, not
plumbing solder (which contains an acid-based flux).

Slow Battery Discharge. See the "Starting" section for more information.

Multiple Electrical Failure: Ignition Switch Bad. [Query:] After stopping our '90 745T the
ABS light came on, the blinkers did not work, along with the power windows. Wife
managed to get home and call me at work. My first reaction was, of course, a fuse. But
when I got home and started up the car, everything was fine, along with the fuses. Any
ideas on a solution to my quandary? [Response: Abe Crombie] The electrical switch
behind ignition lock is almost certainly the culprit. You can test for this by starting car and
then turn key a few degrees either way and see if you can't duplicate what your wife
observed. The switch has the spring in it that returns the key to run position after you go to
the starter position and it can weaken or wear. The switch is easy to change and is readily
available through a good parts supplier.

Cruise Control Surges: Worn Servo. [Query:] What is the fix for surging with the cruise
control ON. It tends to fluctuate 2-4 mph in level driving conditions. Real annoying.
[Response: Abe Crombie] Look closely at the servo on the throttle housing that tugs the
cable wrapped around the throttle spool. This can get a hole worn in it and the vacuum
level that keeps throttle positioned evenly is impossible to maintain.

Remote Car Starter Installation Guide

NOTE: The information on this sheet is provided to you on an "as is" basis with no representatio
of accuracy whatsoever. It is the sole responsibility of the installer to check and verify any circui
connecting to it. Only a computer safe logic probe or digital multimeter should be used. Dr.Detai
other associated or unassociated individual or corporation who furnishes this document assume
no liability or responsibility whatsoever pertaining to the accuracy or currency of the information
installation in each and every case is the sole responsibility of the installer performing the work
other associated or unassociated individual or corporation assumes no liability or responsibility
resulting from any type of installation, whether performed properly, improperly or in any other wa
information supplied is a guide only.

REMOTE STARTER INSTALLATION

The following information is provided as a reference guide for remote starter installation. We wil
most common characteristics of the wires you must locate and connect to in the vehicle for this
installation. As always, we recommend that you use a digital voltmeter to perform all wire tests.
seriously damage vehicles on board computers and cost you big $$$. We also recommend that
connections be soldered to assure a solid lasting connection. Avoid routing any wires near any s
under the dashboard, pay special attention to wires routed through the firewall. Split looming is
wires running through the engine compartment, if you don't have any available to you, taping th
the wire will also add some protection.

Before getting started

When a customer's vehicle enters your installation bay you should take a few moments to give i
over. Check all the switches and systems in the vehicle as well as the exterior lights to make su
working properly and report any defect to the customer before beginning your installation. In the
remote starter installation you should also listen to the engine to make sure that it is running pro

Ignition switch wiring

The major connections for your remote starter are done at the key switch, IGNITION, ACCESSO
and in most cases POWER. These wires are usually easy to find, coming off the vehicle's ignitio
These wires are typically large in gauge however; they can be small gauges as some cars use t
control remote relays for all the vehicles operations instead of the wires themselves.

Power wire
The power wire for your car starter should be connected either directly at the battery or to the w
supplies power to the vehicle's ignition switch. Some vehicle's have more than one wire supplyin
switch but may be fused differently. A good example of this is the dodge intrepid, there are 2 con
wires at the ignition switch, both are the same gauge, RED & PINK/BLACK. The RED wire is fus
and the PINK/BLACK is fused at 40 amps, connecting a remote starters power lead to the RED
eventually result in a blown fuse as most remote car starters draw much more than 20 amps. If
car starter has 2 power wires you can connect 1 power wire to each of the vehicles power wires
which one is used to supply the accessory output and connect that wire to the power wire that c
higher load.

Ignition wire
This wire supplies power to the vehicle's ignition system and fuel pump, it shows between 10 an
the key in the RUN and CRANK positions of the key switch. Some vehicles have more than one
all ignition wires should be connected when installing a remote starter. Use relays for connecting
ignition wires.

Second Ignition wire

Some vehicles have more than one ignition wire; all ignition wires should be connected when in

So lets open it up and see whats inside.

Ah, yes, thats right, I bought a MegaSquirt ECU from someone on the GRM board. Also
included in the box was a wiring harness and the assembly guide for the ECU. Seeing as
there are a few wiring decisions to be made, I decided to go through the build instructions
and ensure that everything was in the correct place. Everything was where it needed to be
except for two things. Considering how many components are on this thing, thats pretty
darn good.
These two transistors were in the correct places, but they were put in backwards. The
curve of the narrow sides is supposed to follow the silkscreened curve on the PCB.

After ten minutes with a soldering iron, solder wick, and a pair of pliers the problem is
solved.

While driving the car I noticed that the ABS warning light wasnt coming on when it should
(while starting the car) and the ABS wasnt working. So I pulled the gauge cluster and
replaced the bulb. Wouldnt you know it, ABS light comes on and stays on.

So it seems that the previous owner(s) had left the ABS broken so long that the warning
light actually burned out, nice.
I did a couple of hours of research on the internet for why the ABS wasnt working. It turns
out that there is a fusible link in the ABS relay under the dashboard breaks after someone
jump starts the car backwards. I pulled the relay apart and found this:

The fusible link was broken. The internet also told me that you could solder a couple of
wires across the broken fuse with a 7.5-8 amp fuse inline. So I did just that.

Put it back in the car and the ABS light went out and the ABS worked. But I also noticed
that the relay was getting very warm while the car was running. So I took the relay apart
again and found that one of my solder joints wasnt connected well. In the process of
fixing it I accidentally unsoldered another joint in the relay. It happened to be one end of
the coil wire and proved impossible to fix. Next run to the salvage yard Ill look for a
replacement.
Yesterday was the first autocross of the season in my region so naturally I had to go.

It was a lot of fun, but I was reminded how much I hate automatic transmissions in
performance applications. I could bump shift it between 1 and 2, but it still felt slow.
Overall impressions: the car has lots of body roll, the nearly new all-season tires arent
very good (to be expected), the limited slip works well, the engine pulls strong (at least
compared to my del Sol), and the seat needs to be lowered and/or the sunroof removed.
In two weeks the car gets its daily-driver privileges revoked and we can finally really start
digging into it. I cant wait.
1995-2002 Toyota 4Runner Fog Light Installation Using Factory Fog Light
Prewire
I recently installed aftermarket fog lights on a 2000 Toyota 4Runner (Third Generation). I
was able to use some of the factory wiring that was already ran for optional factory fog
lights.

Under the hood on the driver side, you should be able to locate the fuse/relay panel. The
fog lights fuse/relay location are normally clearly marked on the top plastic cover.

The fog light circuit is typically fused at 15 amps. If the vehicle didn't come equipped with
the factory fog lights, there will most likely be no relay in the location. If you look at the
relay location you will notice five female spade connectors. The two larger spade
connectors on the right side are the ones I used (A and B. One should meter constant
12V, the other should meter continuity to the pink wires on the factory fog light harnesses.

The factory fog light harnesses should be taped up behind the bumper. On each side,
they are pretty easy to find.

On the factory fog light harnesses you should have two wires
White/Black - Ground
Pink - Goes up to fuse/relay panel in engine bay (Positive)

If you connect your aftermarket fog lights, to the wires at the factory fog light harnesses.
White/Black wires should connect to ground wires coming off the aftermarket lights, Pink
wires should be connected to the positive wires coming off the aftermarket lights. Now
when you jump terminals A and B at the factory fog light relay location, you should be able
to power up your new fog lights. The fog lights I installed required about 8 amps of current
with the vehicle off.

Now all I did was run two wires one from terminal A and one from terminal B, though the
fire wall into the vehicle and connected them to an on/off switch.

You will always want to make sure to use a switch that is appropriately rated for
this application. If I remember correctly I used a switch rated to handle 25 amps @12
Volts.
Hope this helps!

Jeremy's Car Audio Tips

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Labels: 4Runner, Toyota
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Volvo XC90 Aftermarket Stereo Installation

If you haven't installed an aftermarket stereo into a Volvo XC90, then you may find this car
audio tip helpful.

The stereo removal is pretty easy if you need step by step direction for removal I will post
a link bellow.

Metra 99-9225 Dash Kit Instructions

Along with a dash kit, you will also need an aftermarket antenna if you want to be able to
get reception with your new aftermarket stereo. I will post a link to the antenna I typically
use bellow.
Universal Window-mount Antenna
If your going to be integrating the factory steering wheel controls you will also need a
SWC interface, like the one bellow.
Axxess ASWC

Moving on, once the stereo/ac control panel is removed you will need to separate the face
of the stereo from everything els. Make sure the key is completely out of the ignition
switch before disconnecting any wire harnesses. Do not place the key back into the
ignition switch until you have reconnected all necessary harnesses.

The main LCD display will need to be reconnected and remain in the vehicle to allow the
factory components to function properly. In order to make this possible you will first need
to remove the LCD display from the stereo panel.

The CD changer portion of the stereo can be removed, and will no longer be used. The
main LCD will need to be reconnected and set aside.

This is the CD changer harness. Other than the two orange fiber optics cables there
should be three wires.
12V Constant - Violet/White
Switched 12V - Violet
Ground - Brown
When I wired up the new stereo harness I tapped into the Violet/White for my 12V
Constant at this harness, but I tapped into the cigarette outlet power for my Switched 12V
and ground because I know the cigarette outlet is rated for more current.

The wires coming off the cigarette outlet harness should be,
Switched 12V - Violet
Ground - Black

Once you have connected your main power wires for your stereo, and any accessories
like the power antenna, SWC interface, you will need to connect your speakers. The Volvo
XC90 I installed this stereo in had what was called the eight speaker system. Some will
come with the twelve speaker system, with an optional sub. If the vehicle your installing
the new stereo in has the twelve speaker system you will need an additional amp to
power the additional speakers. Otherwise some speakers will be lost including the factory
sub.
The speaker wires can be found back bellow where the factory stereo/ac controls mount,
in the dash.

Front Left Positive - Gray/Red

Front Left Negative - Gray
Front Right Positive - Gray/Red
Front Right Negative - Gray
Rear Left Positive - Gray/White
Rear Left Negative - Gray
Rear Right Positive - Gray/White
Rear Right Negative - Gray
As you can see you will need to meter and pop the speakers with a 1.5V battery to identify
what side the speaker is on.

After locating the speaker wires you will want to cut each pair. One side will be coming
from the factory amp, the other side will be going to each set of speakers. You shouldn't
need to use the side that runs down towards the factory amp under the passenger seat.
The other side should be the side that runs to each set of speakers, you will want to test
this side with a digital multi meter. You should get a reading of around 2ohms on each pair
of speaker wires. Now depending on the stereo your installing, will depend on how you
will want to wire these factory speaker to your new stereo. If your new stereo doesn't
support 2ohm speakers, then you may need to wire the front left and rear left speakers in
series and the front right and rear right speakers in series to get the impedance up to
around 4ohms. You will lose your "Fade" in the stereos settings, along with some volume
and quality but should allow you to power the factory speakers off the aftermarket stereo
without adding an aftermarket amp. If you are also installing new speakers then you
shouldn't have to worry about the impedance of the factory speakers.

After you have all your wiring taken care of, you will want to place and secure the main
LCD nicely bellow the stereo. I normally rap it in carpet.

That's just about it, sometimes you will have to cut out some of the plastic behind the
stereo to get it to fit in just right. One other thing you may want to be aware of is the
headphone controls in the back of the vehicle will be lost.

If you happend to trigger the AIR BAG LIGHT then you will need to get that code deleted
at the dealership, or if you want to do it yourself you can purchase a diagnostics tool like
this.
It is the Autel AutoLink AL619
Anyway I hope this helps!

- JEREMY'S Car Audio Tips

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Labels: Factory Amp, Stereo Replacement, Volvo, XC90
Ford F-Series Super Duty Trucks - Wiring Factory Auxiliary Upfitter Switches

If you are looking to use the factory upfitter switches in a Ford F-Series Super Duty Truck
(F-150, F250, F350, F450, F550) then this tip may be helpful to you.

The 4 factory switches are typically located on the lower passenger side of the dash,
below the stereo.
They can be used to power and control additional accessories, when the vehicles ignition
switch is in the on position.

The auxiliary upfitter switch wires aren't typically the wires you will clearly see right bellow
the driver side steering column.

You can typically find the wires and the relays under the plastic cover, located on the end
of the driver side dash.

Once that cover is removed, you should see the black relay pack.

You can remove the black cover to reveal the 4 auxiliary switch relays. The output wires
will be located below the relay pack, coming out of factory black split loom.

Near the output wires, you should see a white tag that identifies the aux output wire
colors with the aux switch number.

AUX 1 - Yellow
AUX 2 - Green/Brown
AUX 3 - Violet/Green
AUX 4 - Brown

You should be able to located the fuses for the auxiliary switches in the fuse panel to
identify the max current for each switch. I believe AUX 1-2 are 30 Amps, and AUX 3-4 are
10 Amps.

If you need more room to work, you can unclip the relay pack and pull it out under the
driver steering column right near the parking brake.

You can also then gain access to the wiring off the back of each auxiliary relay.
Hope this helps!

- JEREMY

Car Audio Tips

Posted by Jeremy Travis Vasquez at 3:43 PM No comments:

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Labels: F-Series, Factory AUX Switches, Ford, Super Duty
Monday, May 6, 2013
Mercedes Benz ML 350 Overhead Installation

I recently had the pleasure of installing an overhead LCD/DVD player in a new 2013
Mercedes Benz with a sunroof. Not to much different from any other vehicle with a
sunroof, just had to really pay attention to details.

I placed the overhead up to the headliner, to get an idea of where it would look and
function the best. Once I had an idea of where I wanted it, I checked for clearance by
dropping the driver side of the headliner. I then placed the metal mounting plate in the
center of the chosen location, and double checked my measurements.

Once I had it centered, I traced it onto the headliner.

Time to cut the headliner, I slowly cut the piece of the headliner out with a razor.
(Always make sure the sun roof and sun shade are in the closed position!)

Once the piece was cut and removed, I checked for proper fitment.
The back of the overhead mounting plate will be secured to the roofs reenforcement bracket that runs across the roof of the vehicle. The front will be supported
by the headliner.

I riveted a piece of ABS plastic to the front egde of the metal mounting plate. This piece of
ABS will rest on the top side of the headliner so when the overhead LCD/DVD player is
mounted to this plate the headliner will be sandwiched in-between.

The dome light is a positive trigger system.

Constant 12 Volt - Pink/Black
Positive Dome Light Trigger - Gray/Black
Ground - Brown

On the back of the center consul there should be a power outlet that is switched power.

That's where I tapped into switched power.

I used short steel rivets to secure the back side of the mounting plate to the vehicles reenforcement braket. I had a little less then 1/4th inch to work with and using screws was
just to risky.
One other thing you must be carful with is where you run your wires, I ran mine in the little
channel of space I had between the headliner and the re-enforcement braket that runs
across the roof. If you don't run your wires properly you will get marks/scratches on the
sun shade.

Once I had my wires run and mounting plate secured, I mounted the overhead and tripple
checked clearance.

It was a tight fit but came out perfect!

Car Audio Tips

Jeremy
Fuse Panel, Ignition Switches, Etc... How to Wire Stuff Up Under the Dash.
How do you wire up the fuse panel? What do you need to do to the dash? How's the
ingition switch fit into all this?
First you have to figure out what you've got to work with. Are you using an original ignition
switch? Is it from an older car? Or are you starting from scratch and have a new universal
ignition switch?

If you still want to run the original switch, it's probably not capable of carrying enough
current for modern needs without seriously limiting the the voltage or burning out all
together.
However, there is a way to keep it and still use it to power everything. That's right, our old
friend the relay.
The relay is just an industrial sized switch. With it the older ignition switch can still be
used, but now it will simply turn on and off the relay which takes hardly any juice at all...
And it's simple to do:

Now if you have a newer style switch, they're capable of handling much more current.
However, if you're running lots of accessories, then you still may want to run a relay.
Now, to wire up your fuse panel, look at the following diagram. Note that only one wire
power wire can run a few circuits on the fuse panel. You use jumper wires. Some
aftermarket ones come with them, and others you just make your own.
Circuit : Ron J
Email :

Description:
This circuit features exit and entry delays, an instant alarm zone, an intermittent
siren output and automatic reset. By adding external relays you can immobilize
the vehicle and flash the lights.

Notes
The alarm is "set" by opening Sw1. It can be any small 1-amp single-pole
change-over switch - but for added security you could use a key-switch. Once
Sw1 is opened you have about 10 to 15 seconds to get out of the vehicle and
close the door behind you. When you return and open the door the buzzer will
sound. You have 10 to 15 seconds to move Sw1 to the "off" position. If you fail to
do so, the siren will sound. The output to the siren is intermittent - it switches on
and off. The speed at which it switches on and off is set by C6 and R10. While
any trigger-switch remains closed, the siren will continue to sound. About 2 to 3
minutes after all of the switches have been opened, the circuit will reset.
One of the inputs is connected to the vehicle's existing door-switches. This
provides the necessary exit and entry delays. It's usually sufficient to connect a
SINGLE wire to just ONE of the door switches - they're generally all connected in
parallel with the return through the chassis. You can add extra normally-open
switches to the door-circuit if you wish; but note that any additional switches will
have to be able to carry the current required by your vehicle's interior light.
Any number of normally-open switches may be connected - in parallel - to the
"Instant" input. Since they don't have to carry the current for the interior light,
you can use any type of switch you like. You may want an instant alarm on the
bonnet, the boot, the rear-hatch, the rear-doors etc. It doesn't matter if these
already have switches connected to the door-circuit. Simply fit a second switch
and connect it to the instant input. It will override the delay circuit. You can use
the chassis for the return. However, a ground terminal is provided if - for any
reason - you need to run a separate return wire for either zone. If you're not
using the instant zone then leave out Q2, R3, R4, R5 & D3.

The exit delay is set by R1 & C1, the entry delay by R9 & C4, and the reset time
by R7 & C3. The precise length of any time period depends on the characteristics
of the actual components used - especially the tolerance of the capacitors and the
exact switching points of the Cmos Gates. However, for this type of application
really accurate time periods are unnecessary.
The circuit board and switches must be protected from the elements. Dampness
or condensation will cause malfunction. Fit a 1-amp in-line fuse AS CLOSE AS
POSSIBLE to your power source. This is VERY IMPORTANT. The fuse is there to
protect the wiring - not the alarm. Exactly how the system is fitted will depend on
the make of your particular vehicle. Consequently, I CANNOT give any further
advice on installation.

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The circuit is designed to use an electronic Siren drawing 300 to 400mA. It's not
usually a good idea to use the vehicle's own Horn because it can be easily located
and disconnected. However, if you choose to use the Horn, remember that the
alarm relay is too small to carry the necessary current. Connect the coil of a
suitably rated relay to the "Siren" output. This can then be used to sound the
Horn, flash the lights etc.
Add an Automatic Immobilizer.
Before fitting this immobilizer to your vehicle, carefully consider both the safety
implications of its possible failure - and the legal consequences of installing a
device that could cause an accident.

If YOU decide to proceed, you will need to use the highest standard of materials
and workmanship. Remember that the relay MUST be large enough to handle the
current required by your ignition system. Choose one specifically designed for
automobiles - it will be protected against the elements and will give the best
long-term reliability. You don't want it to let you down on a cold wet night - or
worse still - in fast moving traffic!!! Please note that I am UNABLE to help any
further with either the choice of a suitable relay - or with advice on its
installation.
When you turn-off the ignition, the relay will de-energize and the second set of
contacts (RLA2) will break the ignition circuit - automatically immobilizing the
vehicle. When the ignition is switched on again the relay will not energize; and
the vehicle's ignition circuit will remain broken. You must press Sw2 to energize
the relay. It then latches itself on using the first set of contacts (RLA1); while the
second set of contacts (RLA2) complete the connection to the ignition circuit.
The design has a number of advantages. It operates automatically when you turn

the ignition off - so there's no need to remember to activate it. The relay uses no
current while the ignition is off - so there's no drain on the battery. To de-activate
it you'll need to have the ignition key and you'll need to know the whereabouts of
the push-switch. Sw2 only requires a single wire because its return is through the
chassis. It carries no load other than the current required by the relay-coil. So
almost any small "momentary-action, push-to-make" switch will do. For extra
security Sw2 could be key-operated.
The Support Material for this alarm includes a step-by-step guide to the
construction of the circuit-board, a parts list, and a detailed circuit description.

Mercedes 'A' Class

Starter Motor Location, information & Replacement
link,

Starter lockout relay information.

Starting problems?
Please read this information before going further.
If you have starter motor problems on your vehicle please read this page
through before going out to buy or even phoning the garage It may save you a
lot of money and heartache.
Even if having the work undertaken by a garage make them aware of this
information/content. Many garage operators will not be aware of the situation
in respect of starter motors on this car.
The A class is fitted with 4 different starters and so going to an car accessory
outlet may not produce the correct starter for you particular car
Two of the Starters as different purely by brand name 'Bosch' , and
'Valeo' these are standard motors and operate in conjunction with a lock out
relay situated under the bonnet of the A class.

However the other two are NOT standard and have built in
immobilisers .
The only way you can find out the correct starter for your car is to use your VIN
number/chassis number and purchase from Mercedes.
Mercedes Parts system will detect if your vehicle is fitted with a starter with
built in immobiliser and if so which of the two variants should be fitted. If as
indicated below the paper work on the last page of your service book displays
an 049 in the range of codes displayed then your car does require a starter
with a built in immobiliser.
Fit the wrong starter and your car will not start using the Starter Motor, in fact
the starter motor will not even operate.

There is no doubt that with this car you live a learn and best learn fast or you
will grossly out of pocket.
This e-mail was received from an owner in South Africa and I'm pleased to see
she did her home work and saved on the ESP/ABS problem and also saved
money when it came to dealing with a defective/suspect starter motor.
I ask you this question if this motor has been replaced in a Mercedes-Benz
workshop would they have owned up to the failure being caused by over
lubrication? I think not, You would have paid a fortune for the work and the
replacement motor not knowing the true cause. Thanks to this owner you have
now been made aware of another possible cause for the starter motor failure,
so for those of you and I include myself if you have problems. Ask for the old
starter back , as far as I'm aware they are not exchange they are a straight
replacement which makes the old motor your property, it got to be worth
taking a look.
:-quote
Thanks for a great site, had a problem with ABS/ESP/BAS light showing while
driving with the car going into the infamous limp home mode. Your advice
regarding the brake light switch solved it!
( mypage 18)
Some other info: I had intermitted starter problems for two years, agents only
resolve was to change it at enormous cost!
Eventually I removed it and the only problem was that there was too much
lubricant in the bearings that spilled on the commutator. Cleaned it, and it has
been perfect for two years now! Went to the agent and found 5 starter motors
they have replaced with same problem.
Regards from South Africa
Unquote
Prelimary check
Is power reaching the starter motor?,
Unlike most cars when the starter fails one would hear a click, on this car it is
usual to hear nothing at all
You will therefore not know if power is reaching the starter motor and solenoid.

You can however check this by opening the battery/fuse board access hatch in
the floor, disconnecting the triple pin socket and plug situated towards the far
side of the battery compartment, (shown above) put the red cable probe of
your voltmeter into the socket carrying the Mauve & White cable, (this is the
thickest of the three cables going to the triple socket and plug) the black(earth
probe onto the battery earth connector.
With the volt meter turned ON , No power will be registered when the ignition
key is in either position one or two,
However when the key is turned to the start position and held the volt meter
should read the voltage You can however check this by opening the
battery/fuse board access hatch in the floor, disconnecting the triple pin socket
and plug situated towards the far side of the battery compartment, (shown
above) put the red cable probe of your voltmeter into the socket carrying the
Mauve & White cable, (this is the thickest of the three cables going to the triple
socket and plug) the black(earth probe onto the battery earth connector. With
the volt meter turned ON , No power will be registered when the ignition key is
in either position one or two, However when the key is turned to the start
position and held the volt meter should read the voltage going to the starter
motor, this will at least confirm that power is reaching the cable feed to the
starter motor, if no power is recorded on the meter then I would consider the
starter cutout relay suspect. Note the voltage available for the starter from my
battery which is fully charged. This car will not start if the battery is sub
standard/defective going to the starter motor, this will at least confirm that
power is reaching the cable feed to the starter motor, if no power is recorded
on the meter then I would consider the starter cutout relay suspect. Note the
voltage available for the starter from my battery which is fully charged.
This car will not start if the battery is sub standard/defective

This photograph from the rear shows us where the starter motor A and
solenoid are located in relation to the engine.
And of course if sitting on the workshop floor as seen here, no problem of
access in fact it couldn't be more straight forward. you could in fact change the
starter with in minutes, rather like the olden days with fords ,Morris minors and
so on.
However when as is normally the case the engine is in this car it is a very
different story as the engine lays at a 45% angle and the starter motor is
tightly sandwiched between the underside if the floor and top of the engine, in
fact it is impossible to even touch the starter let alone get at, so even such

things as the starter motor contacts/wiring cannot be checked.

To get at the motor to remove or check it, the engine must be lowered, this
provides just enough space to remove and replace the motor as necessary.
So knowing that a starter motor can be one of the more troublesome
components on the car, why didn't the designers simply place a removable
hatch in the floor!

That would have been far to easy and anyway where would the after sales
income come from if every thing was that easy?
No sorry if you can't do this job yourself it is going to cost you hundreds and
that's before you pay for the new starter and the VAT Oh and yes it could gets
worse!!!
If this is you first starter problem on the 'A' Class and the car has done a high
mileage 80000+ then it is most important that the ring gear is checked , the
geared ring situated on the fly wheel. This can be done by inspecting the ring
gear through the port into which the starter motor is normally housed. Ideally
the engine needs to be turned through 360 degrees so that the whole ring is
inspected and the ring gear tends to wear at particular spots rather than even
wear over the complete circumference of the ring.
This can be done by putting the car in 2nd or 3rd gear and turning the drive
shaft, while you or a third party inspect the gear as it passes the starter port.
However because of the very limited space available you may have to use a
mirror to view the ring gear teeth.
Being aware now of the starter location one could be forgiven for believing
that it is secured to the engine with bolts, well it is BUT they are technically
screws in that you need a mail Torx bit to remove them.
However from this photo it appears the electrical connections to the solenoid
are standard If this is you first starter problem on the 'A' Class and the car has
done a high mileage 80000+ then it is most important that the ring gear is
checked , the geared ring situated on the fly wheel. This can be done by
inspecting the ring gear through the port into which the starter motor is
normally housed. Ideally the engine needs to be turned through 360 degrees
so that the whole ring is inspected and the ring gear tends to wear at
particular spots rather than even wear over the complete circumference of the
ring. This can be done by putting the car in 2nd or 3rd gear and turning the
drive shaft, while you or a third party inspect the gear as it passes the starter
port. However because of the very limited space available you may have to
use a mirror to view the ring gear teeth. Being aware now of the starter
location one could be forgiven for believing that it is secured to the engine
with bolts, well it is BUT they are technically screws in that you need a mail

Torx bit to remove them. However from this photo it appears the electrical
connections to the solenoid are standard bolts. bolts.
PLEASE NOTE
Having removed the starter, I would mark the tooth central to the starter port
with white paint, this will enable me to not only ensure that the engine is
turned through 360 degrees but also ensure the starter is fitted back to the car
as found. This action will delete any remote possibility of the crank-case and
cam-shaft sensors detecting a change in the engine set up.
(It is worth noting that the engine is much easier to turn over if the plugs are
removed first although this would need to be carried out prior to lowering the
engine as you cannot get at them once it is in the lowered position.)
The ring gear is the gear wheel attached to the flywheel on which the starter
motor gear wheel (starter Dog) engages every time the car is started. If this is
heavily worn then you are wasting your time putting in a new starter motor,
with out assessing whether to take the risk of damaging the new motor.
Big decision time!
Because if you do decide by necessity that the fly wheel ring gear should be
replaced, then the engine has got to come out of the car and the gearbox split
from the engine , only then can you get at the flywheel and replace the ring
gear.
There was a time when the ring gear alone could be changed , this was done
by drilling off the old gear, heating the new ring and then placing it over the
flywheel and allowing it to cool whereupon it became fixed to the flywheel.
In today's throw away World I suspect you will have to purchase the complete
flywheel with the ring gear pre-attached, I have no idea if this is the case nor
am I aware of the cost.
What I am however aware of is this this is a very different job to lowering the
engine and replacing the starter, it will be costly and the car will be off the
road I suspect for at least couple of days dependent on who you employ to do
the job, unless you have a means raising the car and dropping the engine out,
down below the raised car it is not a DIY task. If this task does have to be
carried out and you car is a manual gearbox, then it is a wise move to replace
the clutch at the same time, although adding to the cost it will pay in the
longer term.
B The starter motor
C The starter solenoid, the unit which engages the starter dog and passes
power to
D Starter motor dog, the cog which engages on the fly wheel ring gear and
turns the engine over to start.
Take a good look because you won't see it or get at it on the car, it is
sandwiched between the top of the engine and the floor. One just hopes that it
never fails! which sadly they do.
It is most important that when replacing the starter that you ensure the starter
Dog (Cog) is identical to the one on the starter being removed from your car .
After market starters may be cheaper BUT they may not be identical and will

cause more problems when fitted , in one case the new starter damaged the
ring gear which then required the engine to be removed and the ring gear
replaced.
Ring Gear
The ring gear fitted onto the flywheel can be purchased alone , this can then
be fitted by the owner or a garage , BE WARNED, if the ring gear is not fitted
100% correctly you will have problems and both starter and new ring gear will
need to be replaced.
MY Advise purchase the flywheel complete with new ring gear fitted, Yes it will
cost more but when fitted it will work and you will not need to get the engine
removed again to replace them both at of course extra cost and
inconvenience.
Mercedes Parts can cost more but if supplied to your Vin Number By mercedes
Parts, then they should be correct for your car

The flywheel and ring gear in the photo on the right has been removed from an
automatic 'A' Class and is not therefore solid.
The photo on the left is off a ACS model which has the same solid flywheel and
the manual version
in both cases they show the damage caused by wear which is inflicted on the
ring gear over many years of use.
This damage can be seen through the starter port (location point ) as the
flywheel is turned. In high mileage cars this damage should be looked for
before the new starter is fitted.
The teeth between the yellow sector are badly worn with the result that when
the new starter dog (gear) tries to engage at this point it may be damaged or
even fail to turn the engine.
On a used flywheel the tips of the teeth and certain places on the flywheel will
be slightly worn, this is acceptable but where they are badly worn as indicated
between the yellow marker it is advisable to replace the flywheel or ring gear
should be replaced.
If you have facilities to heat the ring gear alone then the gear only can be
replaced on the flywheel certainly on the manual version, I do not know if this
is the case with the automatic .
where the flywheel is scored (Grooved) or you do not have full workshop
facilities it may pay you to replace the flywheel complete with ring-gear
Why are some teeth worn more than others ?
This is due to the compression of the cylinders which causes the engine to stop
in one of four points on the flywheel . Inevitable wear will arise at these points
over time.

Removing the plugs prior to commencing work to replace the starter Motor will
enable you to turn the engine with ease, thus inspecting the complete ringgear
Two Types of Starter Specification
Just when you think your getting to grips with all the little intricacies of this
vehicle something else crops up that reminds you of the vehicles complexity
and variation between not only different models but years of manufacture.
There are apparently two types of starter motor, yes we now that the Russian
site shows a 'Bosch' and 'Valeo' starter motors. But now we hear, and it is
confirmed that there is one starter fitted with an immobiliser feature and one
not, at present I cannot find out any more accept that one is 80.00 more than
the other, and that the immobiliser version was fitted to the last of the preface lift models W, Y, Reg. vehicles.
Following an e-mail about a car not starting after having had a new starter
fitted it came to light that a 2002 'A'140 W168 also had the starter with the
immobiliser, so this variant is not it appears restricted to late pre-face lift
W168s
It should be noted that where the car is fitted with this variant of starter motor,
the car will not be fitted with a starter lock out relay. see details below.
If I get more information I will post it .
In the meantime if you have starter problems ,make sure you purchase your
new starter using your Vin number ( Vehicle identification Number ) Number or
you could well find yourself with more problems than you started and you will
have to repeat all the work to get the new starter back off the car!!!! Buy it
from the Car Breakers or E-Bay and you could have the wrong component for
your car. Fitting cheap or even second hand spares where they can be got at is
one thing, fitting them in obscure locations like this starter with all the work
entailed is quite another.

Please read this

information Q & A
extracted from my page
3 it really makes the point
about starter motor
replacement problems,
and this happened after I
published the information
on my pages, what a pity
Mercedes- Benz Mechanics
and Management aren't aware of the problems we owners
high-light

128.. I still
have
starting
problems
even after
replacing
the starter motor!!
Hi Lofty
I could not find the email address for asking questions about A class mercedes.
I was so pleased to find your forum as I have been searching the internet for a
solution or explanation to my problem.
I have an A 140, 2002 that has done about 85000 miles. It has always been
reliable but now has a starter problem.
I have read through all of the questions/answers related to this but have not
come across my exact problem although it sounds very similar to many of the
e-mailers.
Like many of the other, one day it would not start. Left it for 5 minutes and it
started no problem. About 3 weeks later, same problem. Left of 5 minutes and
started ok. 2 weeks later, wouldn't start and couldn't get it to start. Next day
started first time. This then started happening on a weekly basis, and you had
to leave it for at least half an hour.
Took it to my local garage who said they thought the started motor had gone.
Booked it in to be done the next week. Replaced the starter motor and it will
not start!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They have phoned Mercedes who say that it must be
the computer, over 1000 for the part and must go the MB as it needs to be
programmed to the car? The garage has told me that as an alternative, they

could fit a button on the dash that connects to the starter motor so that it can
be started. I am very worried.
What do you think?? Appreciate your advice.
'R' (female)
'R' Hi
Forget what MB say for a start, even if the ECU does want a repair we have a
company that can repair or replace the ECU and re-code for a max of 350 less
15% if you mention my site .see mypage.38. BUT I'm sure it won't come to
that
Have you tried replacing the starter lockout relay?
it is situated under the bonnet in the black box secured to the bulkhead left
hand side. you have to search carefully in the box because the relays are deep
in behind the loom wires, you can get at them from the passenger side by
pulling the carpet back but I have never removed one, they are held in by
small clips see my page fuses and relays
There is every chance that's the cause of your problem When you turn the
ignition on do all the instrument cluster lights come on as normal every time?
I wouldn't have a modification done as you may well cause other problems,
gone are the days when you could just stick in an extra switch, the 'can-bus'
system is all interlinked and one item affects another when they go wrong.
Did you get a diagnostics test done before you started any work?
Come back to me if you want further information but in any case the car does
not want a 1000 new ECU lofty
Feed back
Hi Lofty
Finally a conclusion to my problem.
I took all of your information to my garage regarding the starter lockout relay
and gave him your website address. The starter relay was not where you had
described, even the fuse and relay diagram with the car said it was. He phoned
MB, they said it should be there!
Anyway, to cut a long story short, there are 2 types of starter motors fitted to
my model A140. One has a starter lockout relay as described and the other
has it built in to the starter motor.
The new starter motor MB supplied was one that has a separate relay and the
one they should have supplied was the one with it build in. The starter motor
was replaced yet again and now it is working.
If you hadn't planted the idea in their heads that they need to locate the
starter relay, I do not think this problem would have been solved and they
would have gone along with MB thinking it was a problem with ECU.
thank you. 'R'

Lessons have got to be learnt from this owners experience, I'm not aware what
information was supplied to the Mercedes-Benz Parts department supplying
the New starter motor, BUT it is essential that the VIN number not only be
supplied but that the MB parts use that VIN to find out what spares are

appropriate for the car, if you purchase parts using the Van, and they turn out
to be, as in this case, the wrong parts for the car, seek damages from MB for
the costs incurred in the installing and removing of the incorrect part. They
might then take more care with the next customer.
This is the experience of another owner who didn't initially go to Mercedes:Hi lofty My Vin no is WDB1680312J560***, the starter motor no is
A00515121080. My partner went to 'Euro-Car Parts' before contacting
Mercedes-Benz, they had two starter's but didn't know which one was for my
car even though they were given the Vin No!
They also said that one had an immobiliser and one didn't. What they did say
was they needed to see the old starter.
As I mentioned in my last mail, mine doesn't have an immobiliser in the starter
motor, it does have a lock out relay, although this is pretty hard to find.
Anyhow the main thing is, it is now working again, thanks again for all your
help M.
There is a warning on this very page about the different starters, only you and
the supplier can ensure the correct starter is supplied and fitted, lowering the
engine twice to fit and remove the starter is no joke. do not GET CAUGHT OUT
BY THIS MISTAKE, take my advise, get MB parts to write 'Vin checked on the
sales invoice, then you have real come-back

So which starter have you got?

I have managed with the help of the above owner and two MB Dealerships,
one of which is a very good independent garage to find out a bit more
information in respect of deciding if you have one of these dreaded starters,
with in-built relay/immobiliser?
At the back of your service book you will find a data card in German, along
with a considerable amount of information.
This is an example of the information on two such data cards, one from an
affected car and one from my own. This information is also available to the MB
parts department on the EPC (electronic parts catalogue) when the Vin number
for the vehicle is entered , this then decides the type of starter appropriate for
your vehicle.
And yet another identical incident. When will Mercedes Parts ever learn??
Yet another starter problem, code 049 starter required
When Marc phoned me with a starter problem I pointed him in the right
direction, he came back and confirmed that his service book had the 049 code
in it, I warned him of the problem, he subsequently warned the garage. they
like the incident above have fitted the starter but couldn't get the car to start,
they were insistent the the correct starter had been ordered & fitted. This is
marks last e-mail to me on the subject:-Quote.

Hi Lofty,
Here is the latest update:
The starter motor they fitted was indeed the wrong one and it took them 2
days to find out. In the end they had to order one directly from Mercedes Benz
and re-fit it, they will not charge me for the extra labour though.
The car was ready on Friday afternoon but when I called to arrange collection I
was told there is a noise coming from steering wheel now!
The guy who worked on the car told me he thinks it is related to the steering
angle sensor and that it will need replacing for the noise to disappear.
Just to make it clear, there was no noise on the steering wheel when I took it to
them and this only happened because they removed the wheel to check the
ignition switch when they couldn't find what was wrong (after they fitted the
wrong starter!) and obviously they damaged something in the process.
The lad that worked on the car admitted that as there was no noise when I
took the car to them and that the steering wheel would not have been
removed at all if the correct starter motor was fitted in the first instance.
The garage owner is arguing that he will not pay for this but I do not
understand what his argument is, it was clearly their fault!
More arguments to follow tomorrow morning, can you believe this saga? my
advise unless they correct the fault they have caused?
Cheers, Marc
My reply to Marc,
If they do not play ball :- www.Consumerdirect.gov.UK, this is consumers direct
line to complaining to Trading Standards who will not take the case unless you
have first taken the matter up with Consumer Direct. when you contact them
and give details they will give you a case number inform the garage of you
intention
I suspect the problem is as simple as to be that the short screw one of three
has been re-located in the wrong hole and is fouling as the steering wheel is
turned.
So you have been warned
So do not just go off and buy any old starter you could be completely wasting
your money as well as, either money having it installed or your own time
installing it. and it is not a quick job! In either case it will have to be removed
because it will never work.
Examples of data cards, Some digits have been removed to protect the
vehicles identity .

Motor-nr 166940 30 604??? Type A140

Auftrags-nr 0 2 537 38800
Product-nr 4823167 4
Getriebe 16836020000 704???
Then below are a whole line of numbers:
049 292 330 431 441 461 533 551 580 613 668 669 723 803 880 882 925 984
989 U46
In the details of one of the car's affected you can see the ref code 049,
according to my informant this indicates that there is a 'discontinuation of the
central gateway', from what I can gather, which is very little at present, the
electronics of the vehicle is set up differently, the affected cars will not have a
starter lock-out relay fitted, K3 that will be incorporated in the starter .
In the case of the information on the photo no such code appears, so all things
being equal , my car would take a standard starter motor.
FURTHER INFORMATION FOR CARS WITH O49 CODE IN SERVICE BOOK.
Hi Lofty,
The part number is MA1661510101/87 and it costs 234.50 + VAT from
Mercedes Benz + an 80 surcharge refundable upon return of the faulty unit.
This starter motor is for a 2002 W168 1.9 Ltr Long Wheel Base.
I have been advised by the MB dealer that this particular starter motor was
only fitted to certain variants and only for a relatively short period of time (only
for 1 or 2 years).
I will certainly buy your CD, you have been extremely helpful to me during this
difficult period and for that I thank you whole heartedly once again.
All the best,
Marc, thank you for you continued feed back on this problem, Your duplicate
problem to the one above highlights the need for the supplier of the starter to
double check the details before selling you the replacement motor, it will save
the person/owner installing the motor a lot of heartache if his she doesn't have
to remove the new starter just because they have been sold the wrong one.
Use you Vin when purchasing you replacement starter motor and high light to
the MB parts department that you have 049 in your service book that will a
least prompt them to double check that you are being sold the correct t unit.

This unit is a Bosch rebuilt unit and is exchanged for your defective unit , I
have no idea of cost but having been rebuilt by the manufacturers or their sub
contractors it should be as good as a brand new unit from Mercedes-Benz.
Certainly worth making an enquiry, but make sure your Vin number year of car

etc cross reference with this motor.

Starter motor reconditioning

Starter motors generally are reliable, they do how ever become unreliable
when not provided with the voltage required due to flat or poorly charged
battery, where carbon brushes are worn or where the bushes in the motor
allow the armature to contact the motor windings integral of the motor unit,
and although you can purchase a brush kit because of the different starter
motors in type as well as the two variations of built in immobiliser and relay
operated it make it difficult to pre-determine what spares will be required .for
the job, Because of those difficulties I would replace with a new or
professionally reconditioned unit. Replacing Starter Motor
Before you even think about tackling this job, take a deep breath.
This job is not for the average owner or indeed for the inexperienced DIY
mechanic, it will test your skill and patience but never the less can be done
given time patience and the availability of the correct tools and equipment.
You will also need to work under the car and therefore need to not only have a
means of getting the car up and off the ground but also the discipline
to ensure the car is 100% safe before you even consider risking your life by
getting under an unstable vehicle.
Symptoms of starter motor defect
All symbols illuminate on the dash as normal but the engine does not turn over
(start) when the ignition key is turned to the start position.
Do not confuse this situation with a flat or defective battery.
All modern cars require a good well charged battery and anything other can
cause all manner of problems as well as false signals on the instrument cluster
warning display.
The battery condition can be checked by putting on the head lights, make sure
they are bright and remain bright for 30 seconds or so, if the intensity of the
lights reduces then you battery may well be the problem
Having eliminated the battery
See information towards the bottom of this page kindly provided by Richard, re
battery voltage, new verses old.
Check that the earth leads going from the negative terminal of the battery are
sound.
In view of the work changing a starter motor involves it is even worth double
checking the earth continuity by using a battery jump lead from the negative

terminal of the battery to any clean metal part of the combined engine and
gearbox, if the car then starts the problem is the earth.
if your car is a manual and it will start when bump or tow start, that will almost
certainly eliminate other causes for the car not starting and points more
directly at a starter motor.
There are circumstances where due to wear on the starter dog and flywheel
the starter will jam, no further response can be got from the starter. (Jammed
starter, in effect the solenoid has thrown the starter dog, the small cog on the
starter which engages in the ring gear to turn the engine over, start the car
and has jammed in the teeth of the ring gear on the flywheel.
If a manual gearbox car, then put the car in a low gear, Ignition OFF and bump
the car backwards and forwards this action more often than not allows the
sprung loaded dog to disengage/clear from the flywheel, however it will
happen again in the long term so be prepared for a large bill because in this
instance the engine will have to come completely out of the car, the gearbox
split form the engine and the flywheel and starter replaced, a 1000 + Job.
Be aware that because of the location of the starter motor, which as stated
earlier is situated between the under floor and top of the engine, the engine
will need to be at least lowered to allow you to remove the starter motor, even
then space is tight.
Obtain the replacement starter motor, if it is an exchange unit/item then make
arrangements to return the old unit once removed.
Ensure you get the correct starter for your particular vehicle, Use your Vin
number to confirm the type of motor fitted,
It is my understanding that there are two types of motor fitted to the A class,
Bosch & Delco, I was also told that on some A class the starter motor is fitted
with an immobiliser so it is most important that you get the right one.
Also while you purchasing the starter buy yourself two exhaust suspension
rubbers, if your car needs a starter it is very likely that the rubbers (ring A168
49 201 44) are original and will be best changed at the same time. see
page.34.
Also situated between the catalytic converter and the main silencer box there
is a seal, (seal A168 49 201 181) This may well need replacing have split the
two boxes in which case at least order this item, your Mercedes Parts dept will
mail this to you when they have it in stock)if needed it can then be fitted at a
letter date, All of these parts have a part to play and are checked on the
MOT/UK (Annual vehicle inspection)
Now you wonder when the list will end BUT when was your poly V belt last
changed or even inspected, they are not expensive and it is certainly worth
considering changing it at the same time as replacing the starter , because the
engine is lowered it will also be easier. The last thing you want is a poly V belt
shredding soon after your starter motor replacement. for details see page
57.Remember these jobs you are about to undertake would cost you well over
600.00-800.00 plus vat so do not short-change on doing that little extra

work, it really will pay and be worthwhile in the longer term.

Our first major problem is getting the car to the working area, If you have
caught the problem with your starter early enough ,you may still be able to
start the car even if it takes several attempt, if your starter really is dead then
you will have a greater job getting the vehicle into the position for working
beneath the car, this may mean using the hydraulic jack and raising the car
one block at a time, if like me you have two jacks then you can alternate
front ,rear until the required height is reached, please use wooden blocks DO
NOT USE HOUSE BRICKS OR BLOCKS AS THEIR CONSTRUCTION CAN BE
UNSTABLE, CAUSING THE CAR TO COLLASPE.
Safety while at work Please follow all the rules on my mypage 5 your life
depends on safe working, not a lot of use fitting a new starter if your not here
to use it!
Now you are going to need to work below the car so if the starter is still usable
before you disable anything get the car to the position where you intend
working, on ramps, rear of car raised etc.
If you have a vehicle pit then even better.
Ensure the handbrake is firmly applied and rear wheels are firmly chocked
front and rear.
Pre requisites
I for my part use a plastic seed trays for putting the various screws etc in this
makes sure the at least remain in one place and when you get back to the job
you haven't got to hunt around for the bits.
Having positioned the car to the working area :If you have a coded radio remember by disconnecting the battery you will
loose the code and will need to replace it before the radio will work.
Disconnect the negative (-) terminal of the battery secure in such a way that it
cannot contact the negative pole of the battery.

The first job to prevent damage to the paintwork of the vehicle and to allow
monitoring of the lowering process, is to remove the front bumper /spoiler
assembly.
(If you have my CD 'Lofty's Homepage' copies Feb 2008 please see the file
'Starter lowering engine', as a reference.)

Steering alignment
Align the steering to the dead ahead position see page 49 for detail

Now remove the ignition keys and gently move the steering wheel slightly in
either direction until the steering lock engages
Remove the ignition keys and do not replace until the steering column has
been re-connected to the steering rack.
Because the starter motor complete with solenoid is sandwiched between the
floor and the top side of the engine you may well, like Pete a fellow owner
want to work from the engine bay as well as under the car, if this is the case
then it is necessary to remove the screen wash reservoir
Simply siphon out the fluid into a clean container for further use.
Release the screen wash reservoir from its fixing,
lift and remove the washer pump complete with hoses from the side of the
reservoir, the pump assembly is simply retained in the container by a spigot
which houses into a rubber grommet, just gently ease it out.
This will allow you to completely remove it from the engine bay.

Disconnect the electrical connections to the power steering the lid of the
protective black box has been opened to display the connections located on
the bodywork N/S front lower engine bay.
see page.49.

Pay particular attention to releasing clips and cable ties , the last thing you
want on lowering the engine is to damage wiring ,looms etc where possible
secure these items up out of the way of the moving assembly, a few extra
minutes spent looking for these fixings will save you hours of labour and heartache later on, note some black clips are not that conspicuous!
Remove the two 'Scart' like plugs that are located at the back of the ECU,
along with the wire going to the windscreen washer heaters this will prevent
any stress being applied to the loom wiring and casing see page 38 for detail
Cut /release any cable ties securing the loom to the engine (replace on
completion to prevent abrasion of the cables)

Disconnect the air intake hose from the air filter housing, as it is a fragile item,
I would also remove it from the front cross member again it will not handle
being crushed or damaged and to be able to see what else is going on as the
engine is lowered and thus prevent damage.
While in the engine bay area I would Remove the Air filter housing a simple
task along with the ECU, although this sounds a lot of work most jobs only take
minutes.The ECU is a very costly item and should be stored safely a
replacement will cost you in excess of 1000.it have to come from MercedesBenz Germany
Now the steering column lower UJ can be easily got at and can be
disconnected from the steering rack, take care not to damage the
gaiter.<br mypage.16.>

Remove the two radiator fixing clips. there removal allows the radiator to move
with the whole assembly.

Disconnect the electric fan, you will see I have passed the cable through to the
front of the car and secured it with red tape , this is one connection you cannot
not afford to forget to re-connect, leave it in the engine bay and if it doesn't
get damaged it will be forgot!

Air conditioning filter dryer electrical contact , will only fir one way again
secured to the front of the car out of harms way, the metal pipe going to the
dryer has a flexible high pressure section in it but watch this to make sure it is
not put under any stress,
DO NOT ATTEMPT REMOVING ANY AIR CONDITIONING PIPE WORK OR HOSES
THESE ARE UNDER PRESSURE AND THE SYTEM CONTAINS REFRIGERANT
GAS/LIQUID. see page31.

Remove both front wheels ensuring that axle stands or support (remember you
will need your trolley jack for lowering the engine)using the front two jacking
points.
Wheel Arches
It is necessary to remove the plastic lining from the front wheel arches.
This is to allow you to access the rear Torx Bolts. Release the clamp on the air
conditioning pipe located within the o/s wing, ( While you there check for signs
of damage to this pipe! In at least one case it was damaged by abrasion due to
ill fitting and was the cause of a failure of the Air conditioning facility)
Place the plastic wheel arch linings somewhere safe, they will not take kindly
to being trampled on!
Both front wheels will need to be removed before the lowering process can
begin

The air conditioning pipe enters the engine bay lower off/side, ensure the pipe
is released from the securing clip there also . This will allow the engine
movement without damaging the pipe.

Under the vehicle

The exhaust will need to be disconnected
Release the clamp between the catalytic converter (front Box) and the main
silencer,
retain the seal which fits between the two sections , replace as necessary
when re-fitting(seal A168 49 201 181)
Remove the silencer/rear box complete with rear pipe from suspension
rubbers.
Replace rubbers as necessary before re-fitting.
Remove the plastic under-tray located beneath the engine bay.
You may find it necessary to lower the other under floor pans however
remember they cannot be removed completely unless working over a pit and
the car is carefully positioned in the first instance.
During the preparation stage for lowering the engine we need to look for
anything that is going to be damaged if put under stress by stretching or
contact with other components like the air conditioning pipe in the front o/s
wing, when in doubt detach it from the engine which is what the owner has
done with the major earth connection onto the engine There is also a good
side of this action, the earth contact can be inspected and if necessary cleaned
before re-attaching on completion of the job thereby ensuring that a good
earth connection is made.
Release the cable tie securing on the oxygen sensor which may be obscured
by the arched tunnel

Rubber hoses are another example where damage will cause you even more
work, make sure they are unclipped and free to move with the complete
engine and sub frame.
Also having completed the job again make sure that none of the hoses are
contacting other component parts that will cause wear and eventual major loss
of coolant and other fluids, or in the case of wires/looms that they are in
contact and will suffer abrasion.

The engine has to be lowered complete on the sub frame I have a 2 ton trolley
jack and that will be sufficient to do the job, make sure the relief valve works
easily and the the jack does not drop while under load.
Ensure the jack is situated so as to take the load evenly. If available have axle
stands or blocks positioned so as to stop the combined load engine and
gearbox from being lowered more than 80mm, set these up prior to
commencing the lowering process.

When this job is undertaken by a Mercedes-Benz garage the car is elevated on

a car lift , using a special jig which fits into the sub-frame recess ports the
engine can then be lowered while under complete control. If you are
undertaking this task you are unlikely to have such equipment however the
method you use must be safe from the working point of view and also be such
as to prevent damage to the engine and ancillary components.
Using this procedure the engine should not be lowered more than
80mm(3.25")MAX. Where air conditioning is fitted particular attention should
be paid to flexible and other hoses.

This photograph was kindly supplied by Chris which clearly shows the starter
location while under the car, when the back of the engine is lowered .
Do bear in mind that his car is a 'B' Class which may have slightly more room
than the 'A' Class

While undertaking a task such as changing the starter will in most instances
reveal other problems , in this case rusting of the sub-frame, a good spray with
duck oil or even a coat of rust treatment would be well worth while both of
which will retard the rusting.

Chris is of the opinion that there is sufficient room for removing the starter
from below PROVIDING you have the correct tools and equipment to raise the
car to a safe working height. Please see page 5 before even considering
working under your car

The point is made that the engine mounting needs to be completely removed
to allow the engine to drop , failure to remove the mounting will result in it
jamming on the projecting lug.

Remember to do this job you will require a range of tools and other equipment,
including Torx Drive sockets and torque wrench.
You just cannot afford to take chances when working under the car! And to do
so would be irresponsible.

You will also need a piece of substantial timber, preferably hard wood, 1.1
meters long Approx (3' 9" inches long, this allow for overhang either side of the
sub frame. the piece I have in mind is (10cm x 6 cm approx.
This will be placed beneath the sub frame and will take the weight of the
complete engine and gearbox (power pack)while lowering, so do not short-cut
on the quality of the bearer, timber you use/purchase. A metal bearer would be
Ok providing is was sufficiently robust but timber is less likely to slip than
metal on metal.
Although this photo shows the car at an angle it is purely to show the sub
frame layout the car would need to be higher for working under and also level
or jacking the sub frame would be more difficult.
Having placed the bearer beneath and central to the sub frame supported by
the trolley jack, we are now ready to slacken the sub frame securing bolts,
from the diagram above we can see there are 4 each side,
While the trolley jack supports the sub frame remove the Torx bolts both sides,
When released slowly lower the combined unit , Pay attention to all hoses
pipes and electrical cables while doing so
DO NOT LOWER MORE THAN 80)MM (3.25 inches)
Air conditioning compressor
Where it is foreseen that the amount lowered exceeds 80mm it is necessary to
remove the Air conditioning compressor , DO NOT disconnect any hoses or
connections , simply remove the 'Poly V belt' < href="mypage.38,htm"> see
page 38 and release the compressor from it is fixing it should then be secured
to the under floor in such a way as to avoid putting any stress on hoses and
pipe work, being replaced when the necessary work has been undertaken and
before the engine is fully restored to it is working position.
> The space created should allow you to remove the starter motor, you may

like Pete decide to do this from the the engine bay(Top) or from the bottom
(under the car)(Please note I have not done this job myself) Do remember that
there is an electrical connection that needs to be disconnected from the
starter.
I suggest that the securing nuts would be best loosened before slackening off
the starter securing nuts.
Withdraw the old starter motor
The manufacturers do advocate inspecting the flywheel ring gear for damage,
However if substantial damage /wear is apparent on the teeth of the ring gear
the flywheel may need replacing, only you can now decide what action to
take . To replace the flywheel as stated earlier the engine will have to be
completely removed and the gearbox split from the engine a very large job
which may well be out side the scope of DIY.

This diagram shows the location of the starter securing Torx Bolts
Note when removing the nut from the larger of the two cables there should be
a protective insulation cap, this will prevent you locating the spanner until
removed , ensure it is replaced following re-connection of the cable.

If you suspect that there is damage to the flywheel, the starter can be heard to
run but does not engage, i.e. turn the engine sufficiently to start the car, then
you would be best advised to get the work done a garage, UNLESS of course
you have full access to garage facilities.
As mentioned earlier dependent on the miles driven, it may be wise to replace
the clutch assembly complete with thrust bearing at the same time as
replacing the ring gear. More expense and work this time but saves removing
the engine again in six months time when the clutch goes! see page 58
Torque settings
Bolts starter to transmission-------------------Nm20
Cable to starter circuit ---------------------------------------6
cable to starter terminal-------------------------------------9
Bolt exhaust to catalytic converter-----------------25
Bolt steering shaft to rack-------------------------------20
Front axle carrier screw on to the body-------120
Strut screw on the front-axle carrier--------------60

Replace all components in reverse order paying attention to detail and

ensuring both hoses and cables are secured as found to prevent abrasion and
damage in the longer term.
Retain all receipts for warrantee purposes & service history purposes, enter
replacement starter into your vehicle service history file along with any other
replacement parts fitted.
I would to thank Pete & Emad fellow owners of W168, 'A'140 and 'A'160 for a
number of the photo's on this page and some information, without there cooperation the page could not have been extended to include such detailed
information and photographs . Thank you

The following are mails and photographs received from

Emad located on the other side of the World.
Hello lofty,
I thank you for putting this CD up for sale, I look forwards to getting it soon.
Before seeing the CD I could tell that a lot of effort is put into it. Your site is
very helpful and deserves a great support.
I came across your site when searching for how to change engine oil/filter on
my wife's A160. Thanks to your site, it made my life easy because my
knowledge is limited in petrol Mercedes cars. I drive a diesel 1991 300D and it
runs on diesel as well as used cooking oil.
At the moment, my wife's A160 1998 is in need for a starter motor either
reconditioning or new. Do you think I can replace the starter motor on this car
myself or do I have to take it to a workshop?
I thank your for you time and efforts in helping other A class owners.
Highly appreciated
My reply
Emad,
Hi pleased you found the site, many of your country men have purchased CD &
tools for changing the plugs I'm sure MB make it as difficult as possible so that
you feel you have to go them for the service & plug Change.
1The toothed drive wheel on the starter motor is well worn the car have done
16800km.
Starter motor
, This is a big job because the engine has to lowered to get at the starter, it
really does depend on how DIY you are and what tools you have as well as
facilities for getting under the car.
All the procedures for lowering the engine will be on your CD.
Having said that if you are competent with working on engines then there is no
reason why you shouldn't undertake the job but it will take several hours as
the starter is trapped between the engine and the underside of the vehicle
floor.

If you have a good workshop handy with a vehicle lift that would be of a great
help, but few of us have facilities of the nature available.
I had one guy who managed to remove it from the engine bay but it is so
cramped that it is near impossible to even locate the motor. If you locate the
oil filter housing at the rear of the engine the starter is inline with that on top
of the engine, see my page 33,& 66,
One thing I would say is before you condemn the starter look at the age of the
battery 3= -4 years and it would pay you to replace it the 'A 'class is a car that
really must have a sound battery anything less the 98% and it causes all sorts
of problems. ideally 13 volts plus and I know we all think of these cars as being
twelve 12 volt but a new battery will provide 13v plus and the car enjoys and
runs well with a fully charged battery so much so that I trickle charge my
battery about once a quarter, but in fairness I am these days doing g few runs.
Hope that helps there is all sorts on info on the CD that's not on the site, but
for the supplementary files run the free program http://www.irfanview.com/ it is
ideal for reading and scrolling these files where as a lot of program's are slow.
best wishes
Feed back from Emad
Thank you for sending the A160 CD.
I feel stupid for not ordering the tool together with the CD. I will do that soon.
I have not used the CD yet. However, I was trying to buy the starter motor
before doing anything. While talking to a Benz parts place at
www.mbspares.com.au the sales person said something about the ignition
switch.
He told me that the ignition switch may have become faulty and advised to
replace it first before changing the starter motor.
This sales man did not try to sell me anything "he actually does not have the
switch in his stock" but offered an advise.
I thought I'd seek your opinion too!
Now for the last three days our A160 started ok without a miss. However there
is that kind of a rough noise at the end of every crank right before the engine
kicks in.
As you know, I do not wish to run around spending money on something that is
not the actual cause. What do you reckon?
My reply
Emad,
One thing you need to do to try and eliminate the switch is when you start the
car ensure the key is supported square to the slot, many of us me included
carry bunches of keys on the same bunch as or ignition keys this in time wears
the switch and it then needs to be replaced
2 Shows Emad's Flywheel and worn starter ring gear, To replace the starter
without replacing the rear gear would be a waste of time and the new starter
would soon be damaged.
However the amount of wear on the ring gear will be relevant to the mileage of
the car, with any high mileage car 100,000 miles + you would be well advised
to replace or at least thoroughly check the flywheel

The cause of the waste oil contamination should also be investigated, Should
this get into the bell housing (location of the flywheel and clutch assembly)
then the components will become contaminated with the oil and will need in
the short term to be replaced due to the clutch plate slipping on the flywheel
(clutch plate not driving the gearbox.)
Pressure washing the engine can not only cause electrical problems but also
drive this sort of contamination into the bell housing.
I do not know what mileage you car has done ? but if it is high 10000+ then
there is every chance that it is the starter but from what you say you would
need to examine the flywheel ring gear as well as it may be that that's causing
the noise when you start your car, the engine has a habit of stopping on four
points on the ring gear which means that those four points teeth on the gear
wear and causes problems it that the starter turns but does not engage fully
on the ring gear.
3</br These photos show Emad's flywheel and worn clutch plate, the wear
being detected by the thickness of the remaining clutch plate relative to the
securing rivets . If removing the engine to replace the starter flywheel
complete with starter ring gear then it is also advisable to replace the clutch
plate assembly as was done in this case.

The ignition switch is not straight forward to change but it is easier than the
starter motor, the other thing you must bear in mind is that there are two
starters and you must get the right one for your VIN No or the car will not start
or even turn over if the wrong one is fitted. Try supporting the key or even
detach it from your other keys see if that helps if yes then the switch is
suspect, if no then it could still be the starter but equally do not forget that
battery condition will effect very dramatically the staring performance of your
car . If the battery is 4+ years old get it tested that may well cure all your
problems.
Feed back from owner

I finally got the job done on our A160.

A friend of mind owns a workshop so I gave him the job to do.
Ring gear was badly worn out at 1/3 of it is diameter "see photo"
I also got the starter motor replaced - He managed to source second-hand part
but in near new condition. Starter motor, fly wheel and clutch disc.
When fitting everything back together the dash showed some error codes My
friend managed to get a mobile mechanic to come and delete the errors.
Now the car starts easer and smoother than ever.
I thought it would be nice to share some photos with you too. Regards

4 Emad's car in for repair. We could all do with a friend who owns garage
equipped like this one photographed, obviously a mechanic from the older
school, using his hands and with the skills to do a good job.
Sadly too many so called mechanics these days do not have the experience,
knowledge or in some cases the right tools to do the job, relying far to much
on diagnostics which can cause more problems that it cures.
We can if we study this page learn quite a bit we have owners changing their
own starter motors at low mileage because the motor fails, that fine but do
remember that if your car has a high mileage on it then as I predicted with
Emad's car the ring gear will almost certainly need replacing and if the engine
is being taken out then use the opportunity to change the clutch plate
assembly it is false economy not to do so, that way you know you the car is in
good condition as far as starter plus ring gear and clutch are concerned.
Many thanks Emad for the information and photos, they will I'm sure help other
owners understand the car better and also make them realise the amount of
work involved when starter problems develop on their Mercedes-Benz 'A'
Class.
This information was received from Richard and I have incorporated in the
page because it is typical of the starting problems encountered by owners.
Some of the content is relates to various electrical measurements / recordings
while testing the car for faults these may be of interest to readers who have a
volt meter and can test their own car if they suffer the same problem as
Richard. quote
Dear Lofty
Thanks for sending the CD and tool so quickly, very impressed , the additional
material on the CD looks very good.
I have a bit of a question for you, or at least would like your opinion on
something from your experience with the A Class.
I have just brought (private) a 2002 A140 manual , I am very pleased with it ,
drives great , no horrible noises or worrying lights (touch wood).Full service
history.
Unfortunately five days after I brought it I could not get it to turn over.
Immediately I thought starter or ECU or relay?
On the A140 there is no relay in the ECU box for the starter inhibit, I have
checked and its not there , understandable for a manual car with a clutch.
The symptoms where as follows.
Turn key to position 1 and the SRS light comes on , then goes off after a few
seconds.
Turn to position 2 and all the rest of the lights come on.
Turn to position 3 (crank) and nothing, although a lot of clicking from the
engine and the fuel pump/purge can be heard.
I called out the AA who said that my battery volts where low, we tried to jump
start from his portable power pack but just the same, so we gave it a bump

and started straight away.

I drove the car home stopped it on my drive and it started straight away on the
key.
Following morning it wouldn't crank again so I went to Halfords and brought
one of their batteries for the car ( it comes with holes to take the vent pipe , on
the correct side now but you need to pull the old plastic joining piece from your
old battery and reuse it. On removal my old battery was a MB unit dated 02.
Anyway the car now starts when it should. Out of interest I rang a couple of
local independent garages and was told that its quite common for the ECU to
not even turn over the starter if the battery is low.
I had not heard of this but as I work in the electronics sector this seems quite
possible.
I have always found that if the battery is getting old then the starter just turns
over slowly, obviously I must be a bit out of date as with the A140 it just does
not crank.
I have taken some voltage readings before and after the fitting of the new
battery just in case you can use them to help someone else out.
In the battery box there is a single connector with 3 wires , these wires are
connected to the starting circuit (or two of them are at least from my findings)
The way the start sequence seems to work is thus:- Turn key to crank position
---->
ignition switch sends 12v to the ECU---->
ECU then checks everything is ready to start and that key is the correct one
(immobiliser)
then sends 12v to the starter solenoid via the white/purple wire on the
connector for about 1 second along with telling the ignition and fuel injectors
etc to get going!
As I said with the manual gearbox there is no extra relays , not ones I can find
anyway although I did read on the web that there might be one on the starter ,
I believe this may be being confused with the solenoid its self.
Measurements of voltages OLD Battery door open interior light on , ignition
key removed
Volts across battery terminals 12.15V
Lights on low beam 11.88v
Battery removed from car 12.34v
Measurements of voltages NEW Battery door open interior light on , ignition
key removed
Volts across battery terminals 12.38V
Lights on low beam 12.30v
Battery removed from car 12.68v
Voltages on the Connector Old Battery when the starter would not turn
White/Purple Pos 0 =0v Pos1=0v Pos2 =0.81v
Pos 3 (crank) 10v - 12.3v it varied, only there for about 1 sec
Blue......Pos 0 =0v......Pos1=0v.....Pos2 =1.33v......Pos3=1.34v

Brown/White.....0 volts on all positions.

Voltages on the Connector New Battery
White/Purple.....Pos 0 =0v.....Pos1=0v.....Pos2 =0.81v......Pos3(crank)12.4v,
only there for about 1 sec
Blue.....Pos 0 =0v.......Pos 1=0v.....Pos 2=1.33v......Pos 3=1.34v
Brown/White.....0 volts on all positions.
Voltages on the Connector New Battery with engine running
White/Purple.....Pos 2 =0.94v
Blue......Pos2 =14.55v
Brown/White......0 volts on all positions.
New Battery Volts with engine running
Volts across battery terminals 14.55v
Hope this info may help someone with their problem
Kind Regards Richard
Thanks Richard, one of the most common faults on the 'A' Class but remember
a new battery from a good outlet like Halfords will cost something like 7580(8/5/2010) which is the minimum amount you will be charged for a garage
breakdown call-out.
Think in terms of your battery lasting four years max and get it tested soon
after that period, when cells start to fail or do not hold their charge replace the
battery.
Gone are the days when you could get out of trouble by starting the car with
the starting handle, but by mentioning that I'm only confirming my age
because starting handles have been missing from cars for many many years,
albeit they were always a good standby and got many an owner out of trouble,
typical was the practice of turning the engine over with the starting handle to
get the oil moving and the engine lubricated on a cold mornings which made
the job easier for the battery now we simply rely on the battery with little
thought for it is condition or age until of course it fails.
See also page.13

Alternative method of dealing with starter Motor problems.,

Although I'm now aware of a number of owners who have replaced their starter
motor from the top ( Engine Bay) I'm not convinced that this would be the
easiest route for owners of manual & ACS versions where additional items such
as gear selector cables may obstruct the starter location.
Having looked at my manual A160 I suspect they were both owners owned
automatics, one certainly was.
With the Manual gear box & ACS versions the gear selector cables may
obstruct access to the starter and therefore need to be released from the gear
selector situated on top of the gearbox as well as moving the cables to get at
the starter, In addition to that it also appears they may have been earlier
models, due the number of coolant /heater hoses that would need to be moved
/disconnected on my later model

Certainly it involves a lot of work, if you have the expertise, yes it can be done
but great care would need to be exercised to avoid loosing the present gear
selector/box settings.
That said I received this information from Bob in Australia who replaced his
Valeo starter from the top, he took his time and the job was very successful.
Bob's e-mails are below, they are worth a read and may help you decide if you
can tackle this job:Hello Lofty,
I have attached some photos of my starter motor change, I bought the genuine
article through the UK from Poland, its a Valeo motor.
You will see in the photo of the engine bay, the manual cables which run over
the top of the starter. these did not really present a problem.
The thermostat housing has to be removed to make it easier to get the starter
out, that black plastic water pipe and the oil filter housing stayed, I could
juggle the starter out with the solenoid passing under the pipe and the rear of
the starter coming out towards the thermostat housing area.
The two securing bolts I can confirm are torx T40 although a Allen key would
probably fit but not the best fit if they are really tight.
Its best to fit the rear bolt into the starter first, then juggle the starter nose
first and then under the gearbox linkage cables then into its mounting position,
fit and nip up the top bolt first.
Its possible if you have long slim fingers to slide your fingers over the top of
the starter, feel the bottom bolt which you placed in the starter earlier, then
slide it into its mounting hole and its possible to roll the head of the bolt with
your fingers to start it a few threads.
Tools I used were a combination of various extension bars, 1/4 and 3/8 and
universal couplings.
The tricky part was getting the solenoid terminal nuts back on! So I cut a small
piece of paper masking tape and jammed it into the socket and then pressed
the terminal nut into the socket to make a nice tight fit in the socket so it
would not fall out.
This worked extremely well.
I found that the gearbox rubber breather hose was rotten and split and broken
at the inlet manifold. I just capped the manifold port, left the breather hose
lying on the block, it can breath to atmosphere.
I also found the rubber fuel line hose from the injector rail to the firewall pipe
had many splits along it length and sooner or later would burst so I replaced
that along with the rotten engine breather hose.
A fresh oil change and filter was done 5w-50, the engine starts and runs
perfectly now, got rid of that lazy lifter rattle, the car has been sitting for about
6months with little use.
Hi Lofty,
Yes you are right, MB would change a fortune to replace the starter. Valeo
starters can be purchased in Australia locally from $663-$750 which I am sure
are the Chinese version! The genuine Valeo starter I purchased came from:-

Phoenix Marine Electrics

(Ray Wild)
Newnham Grange
Daventry
Northamptonshire
NN11 4NQ
United Kingdom
He is a wonderful person to deal with, very professional. (I hope he does not
mind me mentioning his company here).
This cost me 152 pounds($231) including freight to AU. He gets them thru
Holland from the factory in Poland. A big difference. He also sells the Chinese
cheaper ones but I was not interested.
So if you have the time and patience to do this job it really is worth it.
It could be done in 1 day but I took my time and did it methodically and
carefully in 2 days. If I were to do it again it would take less because I know
now what combination of extension bars and universal swivel joints to use and
what angel to go in at etc.
One thing I forgot to mention is that black plastic water pipe which is bolted
onto the block to the left of the starter you have to be very careful not to put
any pressure on it and force the starter past it.
It is plastic and I am sure could crack and that is the last thing you need
happen. Its quiet impossible to remove without lowering the engine because
there is a section which goes down into the water pump and there' is no
clearance between the car body to get it out.
Also there is a bolt behind the water pump pulley which attaches this pipe and
that's also impossible to get out.
Easier just to left that pipe alone as I did and it was no problem to get the
starter past it with patience, that is the key word. Cheers, Bob.
Thanks Bob, all information helps when it comes to DIY.
One of the most interesting aspects of Bob's experience was that the actual
starter motor like at least one other case I have heard of was not the cause of
the starter failure.
It was in fact the fork which is activated by the starter solenoid which had
broken, this has the effect the the starter dog or gear is not forced against the
flywheel ring-gear, and although the starter activates the dog does not engage
in the teeth of the ring gear, hence the starter runs but does not turn the
engine with the result that the car does not start.
the annoying part is that the fork does not appear to be available as a spare
part which means fitting a new starter.

Method used by Mercedes Benz workshops

One of the major problems with starter motor problems /failure on the 'A' Class

is that the engine has to be dropped to get at the starter motor which is
sandwiched between the under floor on the passenger side and the top of the
engine.
Lowering the engine for changing the starter motor is the method used by
Mercedes-Benz Workshops and a bill for close on 1000 would not be out of
order with VAT currently being at 20% 04/01/2011.
The question comes when the car is still very serviceable and in good general
condition but the replacement of the starter exceeds the value of the vehicle.
Well Tom it appears has come up with the answer, and forwarded the
procedure in the hope that it will assist other owners faced with the same
predicament, provided you are prepared to do the work yourself or can find a
mechanic who will undertake the work or assist you with the job, it can be
done without raising the car or dropping the engine albeit there is still quite of
lot of work involved and mechanical knowledge skills are required.
However it is advisable to have a good understanding of what you are
undertaking before commencing work and to obtain not only the correct
replacement starter for your car but also other spares which might be required
during the procedure.
In the first instance I recommend you read fully mypage.43. with emphasis

being on this
page 66.
Also make
yourself
familiar with
the photos
on mypage.3
3 in respect of
the precise
location of the
starter Motor.
Also be aware
that the
starter motor
you install
must be
matched to your Vin number, failure
to do this and there is every chance
the starter motor although not coded to the individual car when fitted will still
not operate, not because it is defective, but because it is the wrong type motor
for your particular 'A' Class' car's electronics set-up.
There would be some advantage to having lofty's CD to hand as it includes
files of information which would be useful when undertaking tasks of this
type. Purchase CD now
Starter motor lockout Relay

In common with most modern vehicles a starter motor lock out relay is fitted,
so ensure this is checked for correct operation before undertaking work to
.replace a defective starter motor
Unfortunately there is only one relay of this value fitted on the A class so if you
.suspect the relay it does mean purchasing a replacement unit

However in the case of some relays the cover can be easily removed you will
.then be able to see if the relay closes when the power is applied
In the case of this relay it can be seen the the contact points 'A' are worn
which is what would have caused the intermittent problem when starting by
this owner

With cover in position, if the relay is working, when the ignition is turned to the
start position the relay will be heard to, or felt to click, I.e. closing of the

contacts within the unit which allows power to pass to the starter motor
.solenoid which powers the motor. Revised part number
A0002 542 76 19.The photo on the right is of the old unit removed, and bears
.the old part number

Note the lugs on the sides of the relay , these engage with the white retention
clips ensuring the relays remain fully housed, use other manufacturer's relays
.and you may not have this facility

The history to this defect was that even after replacing the ignition switch the
owner still had spasmodic problems starting the car. On some occasions only
the SRS light would show when the ignition key was turned, when this
happened the owner knew the car would not start, turn the key on other
occasions and all instrument cluster lights would show, when this happened he
.knew the car would start

Remember a Mercedes-Benz 'Star' diagnostics short test will cost you 50.00
approx, that's the price of two relays so the relay replacement is the cheapest
option initially, the worst that can happen is that you finish up with it as a
.spare part
The other option is to clean the points with fine' wet & dry' and then re-test,
.although I would replace it as soon as convenient

However Ch of France who is an aircraft engineer sent the following

-:information
There is a big mistake on the existing sheet in that the total value of the
resistor has been calculated in serial despite of they are not. You now if you
.use normal law R=R1+R2 but in serial only
Here it's paralel so 1/R=1/R1+1/R2 You will find average 85 that is the true

.value

New file

I found full-time +12V in the smaller box next to the

main fuse box under the hood. I have no idea if it's fused upstream or if so,
what amperage the circuit is good for. I cut a notch in the corner of the cover
.so it seals tightly around the wire

I put a 30 Amp self-resetting breaker in series with the #8 wire (wrapped in

black tape next to the fuse box). I need to go back & tidy up the installation. I
did it on the quick whilest on a road trip when the inverter connection kept
crapping out in the cigarette lighter socket. The hard-wired 400 watt inverter
does great. I think we pulled something on the order of 220 watts continuous
.thru it while on the road & never so much as a hiccup

I ran a Coleman electric cooler in the trunk of my bimmer on a 20 Amp breaker

& I think max draw is only 5 amps @ 12V

For extended roadtrips with overnites in a motel, I bought a used

bare PC power supply & mounted a cigarette lighter socket in the case. They
measure 10.4V under load on the 12V circuit, but if you tie the 5V leg to
ground thru a few large 1-ohm 50 watt resistors in parallel & place them in
front of the fan, it will bump the output voltage back up to 12V under load.
Makes a cheap 120V a/c- 12V dc power supply if your cooler didn't come with
.one

WHERE IS THE COOLANT SENSOR FOR THE

?RADIATOR FANS
Radiator fans are not coming on. Replaced the
fuse. Can you tell me where the coolant sensor
for the radiator fans is? Thx.

I presume from your answer, coolant

temperature sensor does not regulate the fans,
and there should be hot/electric going into the
fan controller at all times. (I did replace the relay
- I said fuse, but meant relay.)
FAN CONTROLLER
1. Remove the fan controller connector. See Fig. 3 .
2. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position. Check
for battery voltage between terminals No. 1 and 3.
See Fig. 3 .
3. Reconnect the fan controller connector and disconnect the condenser fan motor connector. See Fig. 4 .
4. Ensure the A/C switch is off, and start the engine and rub at idle.
5. Measure voltage between the fan controller (side connector) terminals. Voltage should be 1V or less.

CAUTION: Stay clear of the fan when

starts running.
6. Turn the A/C switch to the ON
position.
7. Measure the voltage between the
fan controller (side connector)
terminals while the fan is running. The
voltage should switch between 5.6
10.8V and battery voltage.
8. If the voltage does not switch as
indicated, replace the fan controller.

How to Wire Your Electric Fan Controller

There are a few ways to wire your new electric cooling fan depending on
how much control you want over the engine temperature. Your kit most
likely came with a controller specifically made for your fan and in Part
1, Install an Electric Fan for Increased Power and Cooling, we went over how
.to install the new fan and mount the controller nearby in the engine bay
Now were going to wire it all up based on the typical controller thats
normally included. Performing the wiring on your new electric fan may
sound like a daunting task, especially if youve never done any wiring, but,

its not. Were going to wire them so the fan turns off when the ignition is
turned off. Remember to use heat shrink tubing for all your connections to
protect them from environmental elements. With thinner wires (like fan
motor wires), an additional tip is to strip an additional 1/8 of insulation and
fold them over to increase the thickness of the wire sliding into the butt
.connector

TOOLS

Wiring the Controller

Photo credit: Flex-a-lite

For this tutorial, well be using the controller that comes with the Flex-a-lite
#185 fan as an example. Wire colors may vary depending on your specific
kit. Some controllers like the one pictured above accept spade connectors
at their terminals while others (as shown below) also have short wires
.coming out (pre-wired) where you have to use butt connectors to join wires
The controller pictured below is an example of a controller that is both prewired and also accepts spade connectors. It is a variable speed controller by
.Flex-a-lite (VSC #31165)

Photo credit: Flex-a-lite

1. Connect the Fan Motor Power Leads to the

Controller
Once youve mounted the controller and have the fan/shroud combination
securely mounted, route the two motor power leads from the fan to the
controller, leaving just a little slack to allow for motor/radiator movement. If
your particular controller has short wires coming out of it rather than spade
terminals, chances are you wont have enough wire length to join the short
wire coming out of the controller to meet the fan motor wire. If thats the
case youll have to splice in or butt connect an additional length of wire
.between the two
Our example controller requires spade connectors on the wire endings that
go into to the controller so you can cut the length you need. Follow the
steps below to install spade connectors on the wires and connect them to
.the controller

Strip the blue and black wires coming from the fan motor 1/4 from
their ends. Twist each of the wire ends tight and fold them over like we
mentioned above to increase the thickness.

Strip the 10-gauge black and red wires supplied with the kit, 1/4 from
one end. Twist the wire ends tight.

Crimp a butt connector to the blue fan motor wire, sliding the wire into
the connector until the insulation contacts the metal inside the
connector. Crimp the 10-gauge red wire into the other end of the butt
connector making one long wire.

Do the same with the black wires.

Route the wires from the fan to the controller and cut them to the
proper length.
Strip 3/8 of the insulation from both the newly cut red and black wires
and twist the ends.
Insert the red wire into a spade connector until the insulation contacts
the metal insert. Crimp firmly but not enough to deform the connector.
Alternatively, if your controller is already pre-wired, use a butt connector
to join the red wire from the controller to the blue fan motor wire.
Do the same with the black wire.
If your controller accepts spade connectors, slide red and black wires
with the spade connectors on them onto the correct spade lugs on the
controller.

2. Connect Switching/Ignition Positive Power

This is the tricky part. Most of us dont want the fans running our batteries
down after the ignition is off, so we connect the switching power to a
switched source. But where? Thats going to depend on the car, but for this
tutorial, were going to use a switched accessory position on the fuse panel
in the car, because its the easiest. On older cars, you can go directly to the
.starter solenoid

Route a length of 16-gauge red wire from the controller to the fuse
panel inside the car, tying it away from exhaust components and moving
parts. Be sure to go through a hole in the bulkhead with a rubber
grommet to prevent shorts.
Attach a spade connector to the controller side and connect it to the
correct terminal.
Locate a fuse for a circuit you know is only powered when the engine is
running, such as the ECU/TCU/Cruise Control/etc.
Remove the fuse, install the fuse piggyback, and reinstall the fuse.
Attach a spade connector to the end of the wire and connect it to the
piggyback.

3. Connect Controller Power and Place the

Temperature Probe

Remove the fuse from the power lead fuse holder.

Route two lengths of 10-gauge wire, both red and black from the
controller module to the battery. If you have to go through the bulkhead
(for a battery located in the trunk), try to go through an opening with a
grommet. Be sure to route and zip-tie the wires away from moving or hot
parts.

Attach large ring terminals to the battery side of both wires and spade
connectors to the controller side. If your controller is pre-wired, use butt
connectors instead.

Plug the red and black wires into the controller terminal lugs according
to your instructions.
Attach the battery end of the black wire to the negative battery
terminal or ground using the ring terminal.
Attach the battery end of the red wire to the positive battery terminal
using the ring terminal.
Insert the fuse into the fuseholder.
Locate the radiator inlet and slide the temperature probe between two
of the cooling tubes within two inches of the inlet. It may be easier to
create a hole with a punch tool first before sliding in the temperature
probe.

4. Adjust the Controller for Desired Temperature

If you disconnected any hoses from the radiator or drained coolant to install
the fan, remember to reconnect them and refill the radiator before
.proceeding
Turn the knob fully clockwise, carefully. Start the engine and allow it to
warm up. When the engine reaches the desired temperature (use either the
temperature gauge or an external thermometer), turn the knob counterclockwise until the fan turns on. Youre done it will now turn on at this
!temperature setting
All of the wiring above is mandatory with pretty much any electric fan
controller you get. At this point you can tidy up your wires, check that all
connectors have heat shrink tubing on them and that none of the wires are
able to rub against sharp edges or get pinched when the hood is opened or
closed. Make sure you zip-tie the wires away from hot exhaust components
!as well. Youre now ready to go out and chew some asphault

Optional Wiring Add-ons

Below are some additional wiring options to enhance your install or meet
.any specific requirements you have

1. Mount and Connect the Manual Override Switch

(Optional)
The manual override switch lets you turn the fan on manually if you feel the
need. It isnt necessary. If you plan on omitting it, you can skip this step. If
you want to include this option you need to first decide whether you want
.constant or switched power to the override switch

Mount the switch somewhere easily accessible from inside the car but
where it isnt going to be accidentally hit.

For the ground use a piece of black 10-gauge wire, strip 3/8 from one
end and install a spade connector, connecting it to the correct terminal
lug on the switch.
Find a good ground under the dash (like the steering column or brake
pedal assembly) and cut the black wire to length, crimping a ring
terminal to the end. Attach the terminal to the ground.
Use another piece of 10-gauge wire between the switch and the
controller, preferably other than black (yellow is good). Strip 3/8 from
the switch side, crimp a spade connector on it and connect it to the
correct terminal lug on the switch.
Safely route this wire through the firewall, zip tying it away from
hazards such as moving parts and exhaust system components to the
controller. Cut this wire to length, strip it and crimp a spade connector to
it in order to slide it into the right terminal lug on the controller.
Locate the inside fuse panel and route a piece of 10-gauge red wire
from the switch to the panel.
Attach a spade connector to both ends after safely securing the wire
away from moving parts and connect the switch end to the correct
terminal on the switch.
For the other end, locate the stereo/radio/accessory fuse (for switched
or ignition positive power) or battery terminal (for constant power). If
using switched power, remove the fuse, install the fuse piggyback
connector and reinstall the fuse and connect the wire to the piggyback. If
using constant power, plug the spade connector into the lug labeled
Batt.

2. Connecting the A/C Bypass or Override (Optional)

Typically, we want the fans to come on when the air conditioning is running,
but having an A/C override or bypass is optional. Heres how to perform the
.wiring on typical controllers if you want this feature

Locate the circuit that energizes the fan clutch. You will need to
determine if it goes to ground or positive when energizing as this will
affect where you connect the wire.

Many controllers require that you identify and use the positive signal.
Use a three-way connector to tap into the clutch trigger AWAY from the
compressor and belt(s).

Route the newly tapped wire to the controller and into the correct
terminal.

If your controller accepts either positive or negative A/C clutch

triggering, be sure to use only one of these, NOT BOTH.

Electric Radiator Fans - Affordable Electric

Fans

 It used to be that electric radiator fans were low-performance add-ons that maybe
pulled a couple of extra degrees of heat out of overheated muscle cars. But today,
they are an integrated part of all but the most heavy-duty vehicles.
There are hundreds of electric radiator fans available in the boneyard in a variety of
sizes, many of which are dictated by space considerations. If fan depth isnt critical,
the consensus among confirmed junkyard builders is the Lincoln Mark VIII 18-inch
fan or Fords slightly smaller, 17-inch Taurus LS/95 Thunderbird/95 Cougar 17-inch
fan are the best. These fans move a serious amount of air, which is why they are so
popular with car builders. The hero is obviously the 18-inch, big-dog Lincoln fan,
which is still relatively easy to find in the boneyards. If you have trouble finding a
used one for roughly $30, consider a brand-new one from Rock Auto at only $72
plus shipping. Most of these electric radiator fans operate in two speed modes
high or lowdepending on coolant temperature. Some however, are only capable
of a single speed. A three-pin connector indicates a two-speed version. The electric
fans with only two wires in the connector are the less desirable single-speed units.
Wiring is the area in which some car crafters may need some help. Rather than
simply toggling these electric fans on and off in high-speed mode, there is a simple
and easy way to wire the fan to operate it in both modes, running the high speed
only when necessary. This is especially important when you consider that the fans
high-speed side demands every bit of the 40 to 42 amps to keep it spinning. This
places significant load on the charging system. Low-speed operation pulls a more
conservative 28 amps.
Both the Lincoln and T-bird/Cougar electric radiator fans come with an integrated
fan shroud, which is another reason they offer such great cooling potential. Because
each vehicle application is different and car crafters are good at mounting the
electric fans, we focused our attention on the critical aspect of wiring and
establishing an efficient switching mechanism. While you can just hook up a simple
toggle switch, thats troglodyte tech. We can do so much better. Both Delta Current
Control and Spal make excellent pulse-width-modulated (PWM) fan controllers that
can ramp fan speed much like factory computer controllers. These controllers are a
great way to emulate new-car cooling technology in your muscle car, and the

controllers are fairly reasonable. DC Control sells a basic box for around $150, or
you can get a Spal PWM controller for less than $140 from The Fan Man.
While searching for controllers, we ran across Dave Chapmans Hollister Road Co.,
which offers a very nice three-relay fan control system thats simple and affordable.
The best version of this system is the three-relay kit that comes with two
temperature sensors. The low-speed sensor triggers the fan at 180 degrees F, while
the second sensor engages the high-speed side of the fan at 195 degrees F. All
three relays are ganged together for easy mounting.
We cant emphasize enough the importance of a high-output alternator to supply the
amperage necessary to spin this fan. Plan on using a 100-amp output alternator to
ensure theres plenty of power for all your muscle cars electrical devices. (We
covered high-output alternators in the Sept. 11 installment of Junkyard Builder.) Dig
up a good Mark VIII fan, and then you too can chill out.

Re: dual fans wiring to switch

Question, why do you want a switch in the car?

Midas posted this useful picture, it applies to dual fans the same, just follow the diagram for each
individual fan.
Adding a relay for AC is not too hard after everything is done also.
Note, the diagram uses a fan switch in the block to control the fans. If you want a switch in the car,
run the wire inside to a switch instead of hooking it to the fan switch in the block.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Electric fan on a 1974 Triumph TR6

(with wiring diagram and notes from Dan Masters)

Task: replacing the mechanical cooling fan with a sucker electric fan. I was not
content with the small 12" fans marketed by the Triumph vendors, but there is
a clearance problem between the radiator and the front frame rail (about 3.5").
So choice of a fan to mount behind the radiator is crucial.
After much experimenting, I found that the PermaCool 16" 'standard' fan fits perfectly. The fan is
just the perfect diameter so that I could use machine screws to mount it directly to the edge of the
radiator. No need to make complicated straps, it is a simple bolt-on installation. I would advise
NOT to use the through-the-radiator straps. These fans are heavy, and in time, will bend the fins
and the fan will sag. The fan kit is supplied with some anti-vibrations pads, and I would suggest
.using them
The only mounting problem with this fan is that the radiator has to be removed to install or remove
the fan. The 16" fan costs $81.99 from Jegs (800/345-4545), part #771-19126. This fan blows 2250
CFM and draws 8 amps. Yeah, its a monster, guranteed to cool the hottest TR. You can see a
picture of it at http://www.jegs.com/ and then find your way to the cooling section of the products
.page
Further more, the crankshaft extension has to be cut down to 1.25", and the crankshaft pulley bolt
shorted to 2.5". Rethread the bolt (18 threads/inch) to fit the crankshaft end Reinstall crankshaft
extension. Be sure to replace the dowels between the crankshaft pulley damper and the extension.
.Safety wire the bolt or use lock-tite
I did not want to use the cheesy thermoelectric switches often sold with electric fan kits, as I have
heard a lot of bad stories (grounding, etc) about them. So while the radiator was out, I took it down
to the local radiator shop and had them install at the bottom of the radiator a drain tap and a mount
to which I screwed in a BMW thermoelectric switch. This switch is designed to come on at 91C
(195 F), and seems to switch off at 82C (180F, when my thermostat closes). The BMW part
(#1VT14AA231F1384272BMW 91c V2T) is pretty expensive, but only $25 from NAPA (part
?#ECH-FS198). But what do you expect of BMW parts
I followed a wiring diagram prepared by fellow Scion and Triumph List member Dan Masters
(danmas at aol dot com). This was quite easy to rig up, using a small 3-position DPDT switch I
found at Radio Shack. This switch is tiny, and easy to hide - no need to drill holes in the dashboard,
I mounted it just beneath the steering wheel, on the small metal lip behind the dash board. I am a
real klutz at wiring, but this job was easy, and afterwards, I tidied up the wiring in the engine bay
with tie-wraps and those split-hoses that you can buy just for this purpose. The whole underhood
.installation looks very neat, and something you can be proud of
After installation, I backflushed the cooling system for 30 minutes using one of those nifty kits
from Pep-Boys that enable you to hook up a household garden hose to the heater hose that runs
.from the block

I dont use anti-freeze, as it never gets that cold in San Diego. Instead, I use my own special mix of
distilled water, Redline Waterwetter and PenCool (used to be NalCool). How does it work? Rags
has to sit in traffic in at least 85F air temperature for 30 mins before the fan switches on. The fan
switches on at the advertized 195F (the 3/4 mark on my temperature gauge), and in less that 60
seconds, the temperature drops to below 180F when the thermostat closes and the fan switchs off.
.Thats what I call cooling! The fan has never come on when the car is moving
The real benefit of this mod is that under acceleration, I dont hear the mechanical fan anymore, just
that meaty sounding six screaming up front, pounding through a 2" pipe to the Ansa mufflers.
!Ahhhh, life is good

Notes from Dan Masters (danmas at aol dot com)

1) the relay can be mounted any where that is convenient. The only criteria
that is of any concern (other than protection from physical damage) is the
TOTAL length of wire from the Brown (or Brown/White) wire to the relay and
then from the relay to the fan motor. This length should be kept short, but
as long as you use the proper size wire, it is not really important (assuming
you don't intend to mount the relay in the trunk!). In my car, I bought a
relay with a metal mounting tab, bent the tab and mounted the relay under one
of the screws that fasten the existing relays to the bracket under the hood.
2) connect to a Brown/White wire in a car with an ammeter (this is so that the
ammeter will read correctly), or to a Brown wire in a car with a voltmeter.
3) the fuse in the lead to the Brown (or Brown/White) wire MUST be placed as
close to the connection to the Brown (or Brown/White) wire as possible. If
you do this, the remainder of the wire will be protected, and routing becomes
less critical. HINT: If you detest un-necessary splices as much as I do, you
might try this trick. I buy heavy duty in-line fuse holders from the auto
parts store and modify them to suit my purpose. I cut the leads off to about
an inch and strip off all the insulation. Next, I remove the fuse contacts,
and the wire, from the holder. I place the contacts in a vise and spread the
wire strands out in a fan shape. Using a pair of needle nose pliers, I pull
the center strand out of the crimp on the contact. After a few of the center
strands are removed, the rest come out easily. Once all the wires are
removed, I spread the crimp just a little, and insert the end of the wire I
wish to use and recrimp, followed by soldering. This way, I get an in-line
fuse holder with the correct color coded wires, and each wire long enough to
reach the rest of the circuit without splices.
4) The wires used from the Brown (or Brown/White) wire to the relay and from
the relay to the fan should be sized to carry the rated current of the fan
with a little margin. I would use 12 guage -- good for 20 amps -- unless you
are using a real horse of a fan.
5) the fuse MUST BE NO LARGER than the current rating of the wires used in 4).
6) if you wish to use the optional indicating light, you will have to use the
same size wire for the light as you use for the fan motor to ensure that it is
properly fused (or add a second fuse in the wire to the light, sized to suit
the wire gauge. This fuse will have to be sized not larger than the current
rating of the wire, and placed as close to the relay as possible). If you
prefer, you could connect the indicating lamp to terminal 85, along with the
other two wires. Thgis way, no special precations are required, other than
listed in 8) below. Wired this way, the light will tell you that the fan is
"supposed" to be on, but not that it is actually running. The fuse could be
blown and you would still get an ON indication, even though the fan is not
powered.
7) When you connect to the Green and the Purple wires, you can use ANY Green
or ANY Purple wire you find, whichever of these wires is most convenient for
you to connect to. Same for the Brown (or Brown/White) wire.

8) use at least 14 guage wire for the connections to the Green and Purple
wires, and you won't need to use a fuse in these leads, as the Green and
Purple wires are already fused.
9) You must use a DPDT switch; otherwise, if you have the switch in the ON
position and the thermostat switch comes on, the effect is the same as having
the ignition key on. In this instance, power would be backfed from the purple
wire through the two switches and then back to the Green wire. Since the
green wire is connected to the ignition switch, all the loads fed from the
ignition switch via the Green wires would be powered. By using a DPDT switch,
wired as shown, the green wire is disconnected from the thermostat switch when
the DPDT switch is in the ON position.
10) there is a problem with the labeling of terminals on relays. They are not
consistant in how the 87 terminals are labeled. If you buy a relay with four
terminals, there is no problem, but if you buy one with five terminals, the
"center" terminal may be labeled 87, or 87a or 87b, depending on who makes it.
Sometimes the center terminal, regardless of its label, is a "normally closed"
or NC, contact ie, connected to terminal 30 when the relay is OFF, and
disconnected when the relay is ON. The only way to be sure is to look at the
diagram on the side of the relay case to see that both the center and the
other 87 (or 87a or 87b) terminal are closed only when the relay is energized.
Luckily, it is very rare to find a relay with the center terminal as a NC in
an auto parts store (I have to special order them, and about half the time, I
get the wrong ones!).
11) if you buy a relay with four terminals, and still wish to use the optional
indicating light, just connect the wire to the light to the same terminal (87)
as the fan motor. The same requirments in 6) still apply.
12) the physical configuration of the DPDT switch as shown in the connection
diagram is not important -- only that it looks like that shown when the wiring
is completed. Wired one way, the fan will be ON with the switch handle in the
down position: wired the other way, the fan will be ON with the switch handle
in the up position.
13) if you wish to eliminate the ON-AUTO switch, just connect the thermostat
switch to the green wire, and eliminate the other wire to the relay terminal
85.
14) if you buy the ON-AUTO switch at an auto parts store, it will almost
certainly have three positions - ON-OFF-AUTO. If the third position is
undesirable, you will have to go to an electronics store, such as Radio Shack.
The only problem with this is that their switches usually don't suit an
automobile very well, from an asthetics standpoint. You might want to hide it
under the dash somewhere.
This is all I can think of right now. If you have any questions, let me know.
We thought it would be nice to post up a quick guide on how to wire up a Mishimoto Electric fan.
We hope this is helpful and can answer any questions!

MATERIALS NEEDED:
- 1 x 5 post relay
- 2 x 10 AMP fuses
- 15 feet of 18 gauge wire
Instructions:
Run a 12 volt positive wire to the relay (put a 10amp fuse in this wire). The other side of this relay
is the positive connection to the fan.
The ground from your fan can be grounded to the body of the car. Make sure its a good ground.
Find an accessory wire to tap off of. This is a wire that becomes hot when the key is in the on
position.
Tap a wire off of the found accessory and run it to the switching side of the relay (put a 10amp fuse
in this wire), and then ground the other side
of the switch.
Wiring your fans like this will make them turn on when the key is in the on position (when the
engine is running).
Please refer to the wiring diagram below.

Stand Alone Electric fan wiring

**Please see the 2nd post of this thread- I had to change my wiring setup due to the fact that
once the engine is cut, coolant flow is stopped and with constant power to the switch- the

coolant temp won't decrease for at least 5 minutes- which is just too long**
Chiming in here with my modified electric fan setup. I've used the thread below for wiring up my electric
fan using the Aux fan wiring.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=210783
Short story: I followed that on how hook directly to the Aux fan wiring with a
80C switch. Easy to do, simple and not a lot of electrical cabling. I was running
a SPAL 16'' Puller as my primary cooling fan for a few months.
This worked like a charm- except under the ONE scenario: If the temp switch
kicks on the fan at 80C and starts cooling, and I was ready to park or turn off
the car and the fan was still on- the fan would obviously lose power. IF I had to
turn the car back on for whatever reason (maybe to move the car after you
parked it) and the temp was still over 80C- the startup of the ignition I would
blow the stock 30A aux fan fuse every time. I found out that this can happen
when switching from the +12v of the battery (ignition ON but engine OFF) to
the new +14.3v you get from turning over the engine and obtaining the power
bump from running from the Alternator. By the way- I never blew the in-line
fuse I added from the +12v of the fan- only the 30A fuse in the fusebox.
Also- which is a great point on why I modified it- was that say you are getting
ready to pull into your destination, you might be idling a bit to find parking etc
etc and the car gets up to 80C. The fan kicks on and might still be running
when you turn the car off. Which is fine. But if you need to turn the car back on
again, the thermo switch on the thermostat- which goes to the DME- will tell
the DME that the engine coolant is too hot and don't supply fuel. So you get
this hesitation when trying to start up. I can't get a definite temperature of
what the thermostat DME switch reads that tells the engine that it is too hot. I
only found out what resistance it reads at certain temps. If you know- I would
really be interested what this threshold is.
Anyway- my plan was to remove the fan from the Aux wiring fuses/relay and
run power directly to a new relay that has constant +12v w/o the ignition on.
First tried to wire up a new relay and fuse to the stock fusebox. Wasted my
time since I couldn't find the correct female blade inserts for the fusebox.
Decided to do a completely standalone setup.
Here is what I used and how I wired it in:
Hella 30A Relay and weather proof wiring harness $15
- Relays are pretty much all the same from what I found. Went with this one
since I decided on mounting it stand-alone from everything else and tried to
make the install clean. Sure you can use a standard Autozone 30A relay, but
finding the wiring harnesses are hard to find locally and at the end it will
probably be a pretty messy wiring job. Installed mine on the side of the fuel
pump relay cover.

30A In-Line fuse holders $4/each

- Used this instead of using the Accessory fuse holder (some have used this
stock fuse holder for other things) Put one from the +12v Constant coming out
of this stock fuse holder to terminal 30 on the relay. Used the other one for the
+12v for the fan.

Here is my drawing and relay layout.

Relay Wiring
Terminal 30: +12v (12GA wire) constant from stock accessory fusebox (with Inline 30A fuse) Updated- switched this lead from the constant 12v+ to the
Constant OFF/Ignition ON 12v+ accessory lead
Terminal 85: Ground (12GA wire)
Terminal 86: Trigger switch (14/16GA wire) I'm using my 80C thermo switch
with a manual override switch that I used a extra fog light switch and mounted
it next to the defrost/hazards (to turn on the fan under 80C if needed) You
need to tap into a 7.5 fuse that has constant +12v so fuses 21, 22 and 23 are
always on. I tapped fuse 21 (not 10 as pictured) since it is used for other

switches on the car. Run a wire from here, to the thermo switch. Then a second
wire back to terminal 86. Updated- switched this to the another Ignition ON 7.5
fuse (Used #19 Mirror Control)
Terminal 87: Fan +12v (12GA wire) used an in-line fuse here to protect the fan.
Mounted it near the fusebox for easy access.
Terminal 87A: NOT USED (unless you need power to something that is ALWAYS
on and OFF when the fan is ON)
Notes:
Make sure you invest in good butt connectors, crimp (or solder if you prefer)
and electrical wrap. I hate glossy electrical tape, so I purchased some premium
wire wrap.
Thats about it! It's not the most complex job, but it gets it done and doesn't
rely on anything stock. Hopefully this will help out people who might see the
same issues. There are a few threads around that I've read about their fans
blowing fuses left and right. This should be the solution. Good luck!!
__________________
Relay Test
Easy step by step procedure to test an automotive relay, this information
pertains to all relay controlled circuits.
Difficulty Scale: 4 of 10
Step 1 - A relay is used to control (switch) a high amperage electrical circuit
with a low amperage one, for example a radiator fan can pull up to 25 amps
when in use, which would burn the computer circuit that controls it, a relay is
used to bridge this circuit to prevent electrical damage.

Power Distribution Center (PDC) - Relay Cover

Step 2 - Before beginning tests, use a test light and check all fuses and replace
any that have failed. - Learn more

Testing Fuses
Step 3 - Many vehicles supply relay location and identification information on
the lid of the PDC. If this information is not available, check the owners manual
or Google Images

Relay Identification
Step 4 - Once the relay has been identified, gently grasp or touch the relay in
question, have a helper turn the ignition key to the on position, then crank the
engine over, the relay should click in one of the ignition switch positions. If so
the trigger circuit of the relay electrical system is working, if not continue to
next step. ( Note: If the relay clicks and the circuit is still not working there is a
good chance the contacts inside the relay have shorted.)

Feel Relay Action

Step 5 - Next, remove the relay for inspection, grasp the relay and pull outward
while slightly wiggling the relay housing, note the orientation of the relay, it
must be installed the correct direction.

Removing Electrical Relay

Step 6 - Once the relay has been removed, inspect the relay terminals for signs
of extreme heat or corrosion.

Inspecting Relay Terminals

Step 7 - The relay is mounted in four electrical terminals housed in plastic and
when overheated (due to overload or resistance caused by a poor connection)
can distort and melt.

Inspect Electrical Terminals

Step 8 - Use as small metal scribe or tool to scrape clean any corrosion to
ensure a good connection once the new relay is installed.

Clean Electrical Terminals

Step 9 - Most relay's describe the internal circuit by an illustration on the side
of the relay.
Relay Terminal Identification

Terminals 86 and 85 are the primary side of the relay, which utilizes an
electromagnet to close (connect) the secondary electrical circuit inside the
relay. This electromagnet is activated by a simple power (+) and ground (-)
much like a light bulb circuit.

Terminals 87 and 30 are the secondary side of the relay which acts as the
"switch" that connects electrical current from one terminal to the other.

Terminal 87a is not widely used and does not need to be connected for
the relay to operate. 87a can be used for many different things such as relay
activation monitoring or connecting a separate circuit that uses power when
the relay is not in use.

Relay Terminal Identification

Step 10 - Each terminal is identified at the relay base.

Relay Terminal Identification Base

Step 11 - To test the trigger or primary side of the relay set up a test light by
connecting a scribe to a test light clamp, being illustrated in the picture below
while testing the tail light socket.

Scribe in Test Light Clamp

Step 12 - Once the test light is set up connect each end to terminals 86 and
85. Now start the vehicle and operate the accessory switch, the test light
should illuminate, if not the switch or circuit ground has shorted. ( Note: if the
circuit is computer controlled a delay could be programmed into the operation
of the accessory, additionally if a cooling fan is being tested the engine must
reach operating temperature before the computer will trigger the circuit.) Use
the test light grounded to check for power, and then switch the test light lead
to the power side of the battery to check for circuit ground.

Testing Circuit 86 and 85

Step 13 - Next, use a piece of wire automotive wire (20 to 16 gauge) and strip
both ends exposing the copper wire. Turn the ignition to the "ON" position and
jump terminals 87 and 30 the relay is now jumped and the accessory should
activate, if so the relay has failed. If no power is observed at either 87 or 30,
the fusible link or maxi fuse has shorted. Example: Testing the radiator cooling
fan relay, the cooling fan should be operating.

Testing Circuit 87 and 30

Step 14 - When replacing a relay be sure to match up the terminal location
from the old relay to to the new unit.

New Relay
Step 15 - When installing the new relay be sure the orientation is correct or the
relay will not work.

New Relay Installed

Step 16 - Once proper relay operation has resumed, reinstall the relay (PDC)
cover.

Reinstall Relay Cover

Additional Testing
When a particular two wire accessory is not operating, use a grounded test
light to check for power at the wiring harness (either wire). If there is no
power, the electrical system must be tested starting with the fuse then the
relay. If power is present use the test light connected to battery power to
check the ground circuit. if these tests check out, the accessory is bad and
needs to be replaced.
Some relay's can differ from this configuration but follow the same principle. To
confirm the wiring configuration consult a wiring diagram from Google
Images or aservice manual.
Intermitted Failure
Step 1 - To test for intermitted relay failures which are common, remove the
relay in question, take a small wire strand, about two inches long and insert it
into the relay connector terminal 87 or 30.
Step 2 - Next, reinstall the relay while keeping the wire strand inserted and
clear of any other terminals or metal (ground).
Step 3 - With the wire strand secured in the relay terminal, attach the wire to a
small automotive bulb and socket and ground. ( Note: A side marker bulb and
socket work great because of its small size, make the wires long enough so the
bulb can be seen while driving.)
Step 4 - Temporarily mount the small bulb in a visible area to be seen while
driving, masking taped to the hood or dash works well.
Step 5 - This test can be used to test all aspects of the wiring circuitry by
moving the bulb ground to power. The bulb will now illuminate when the relay
is use, and will go out to signal a failure.
Helpful Information
A relay is switch that utilizes an electrical trigger signal to activate. Once
activated the relay connects an electrical supply to a particular accessory.

These accessories can range from the main computer PCM (powertrian control
module), radiator fan, fuel pump, door locks etc. There are two tests that
should be considered when dealing with a relay problem, is the problem with
the relay itself or is the problem a power or ground issue. A relay is prone to
failure when used for a long periods of time (hot) or when the amperage of the
accessory has increased beyond its designed use.
A rely should be considered as two separate halves, the primary side which
utilizes an electromagnet to close the secondary electrical circuit. This
electromagnet is activated by a simple power (+) and ground (-) much like a
light bulb circuit. The second half of the relay is the "switch" that controls
power to a particular accessory like a fuel pump or ignition system.
In short, when the primary side of the relay (electromagnet) is activated, it
closes the contacts (switch) to supply power to operate the accessory.
Tools and Supplies Needed

Test light

Small piece of automotive wire

Small automotive bulb and socket

Common Problems:

When a relay warm up as in normal operation, the electrical contacts

inside the relay can short circuit causing the electrical flow to stop, when the
relay contacts cool it will resume the flow of electricity.

When excessive amperage has been drawn through a relay circuit it can
cause the relay contacts to "stick" not allowing the power to be shut off to the
accessory. Example: When an ABS system motor ages it will draw excessive
amperage causing the control relay to "stick". This condition will run down the
battery until corrected.
Moister can get inside a relay hindering the relay operation.
When testing relay circuits for power, ground is accidentally contacted
causing the fuse to fail.

Removing and installing switches and instruments illumination regulator -E20-/headlight ran
The switches and instruments illumination regulator -E20- and the headlight range control regulator -E102- are located in a joint
List.

Removing
Remove light switch Chapter.
Release the 4 clips -arrows-.

Take the switches and instruments illumination regulator -E20-/headlight range control regulator -E
Installing
Install in reverse order, paying attention to the following:

Press the switches and instruments illumination regulator -E20-/headlight range control regulator Install the light switch Chapter.

Removing and installing anti-theft alarm system control unit -J284Removing:

Remove dash panel insert Chapter.
Pull connectors off control unit.
Remove securing screws.
Installing:
Install in reverse order of removal.

Removing
Switch off ignition and remove ignition key.
Remove the radio set/navigation control unit
Remove screws -arrows- at centre air vents.

Reach through radio opening and carefully press f

Detach electrical connector from hazard warning s

Car Alarms Installation

Cost car alarm installation cars prices paid, How much car
alarm installationshould cost. prices paid and comments from costhelpers
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itself, its contents, or both. car alarms work by emitting.
Car audio, alarms, security, installation accessories, Wholesale only east
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navigation. installationaccessories, security products, remote starts,
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Electrical wiring diagrams

Wiring Diagram
12 Volts

Car Alarms & Remote Starters Installation Driven Audio, Abbotsford

Car alarm installation christchurch

Volkswagen Corrado Anti-Theft System and Alarm Circuit Wiring Diagram

Remove bolt
Release retaining clips
and remove hazard warning switch
-E3--Item 4-

Bluewire Motorsport SPACEKEY ULTRA ALARM & ENGINESTART SYSTEM

To do a full stealth car security install on this car, youre going to

Audio l Alarms l Navigation l Custom Installs

Car alarm install guides car audio , Car alarm install guides. challenges
diy installers face finding correct installation diagrams car alarms remote
car startersinstall..
http://www.caraudiohelp.com/car_alarm_install_guides.html
Car alarms, keyless entry, remote car starters & car, Commando car alarms,
remote car starters keyless entry systems cars trucks. protect vehicle
commando car alarms..
http://www.commandocaralarms.com/
Car alarms security installation parts, Car alarms alarm parts | security
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car alarms.
http://www.installer.com/main.php?page=auto-security

Squeeze the retaining springs -arrow- and slide the

hazard warning light switch -E3--Item 2- out
of the mounting frame -1-.
Installing
Plug in the connector.
Install the radio or navigation system Rep. Gr.91.
Tightening torques

Component

Nm

Hazard warning switch -E3- to centre air vents

Centre air vents to dash panel

1
Small radio slot

1.8

Large radio slot

How to Install a Remote Starter in a Car

Two Parts:Planning the InstallationWiring the Remote Starter

Ideally, remote starters should be installed by a qualified technician because improper installation can
damage expensive vehicle control electronics. However, for someone familiar with electronics and
vehicle repair knowing how to install a remote starter in a car can save money on installation costs
and eliminate the frustration of finding a qualified installer. While this article provides some general
.instructions for wiring a remote starter, it varies by vehicle and remote starter model

Part 1 of 2: Planning the Installation

1.

1
Make sure the starter you choose is compatible with your vehicle make and model. Read the box or
contact the remote starter manufacturer to determine if it is compatible with your vehicle. You will want a starter
that is compatible with your antitheft system and secure.

If it is not compatible with your antitheft system, you will have to buy additional costly anti-theft

bypass modules.
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Read the installation instructions carefully. Installation instructions vary according to different brands and
models of remote starters. It is important to carefully read the installation instructions and find the wiring
diagrams for your particular starter.

If you choose a used unit or one that does not include directions, check out online instructions
before making a purchase. Make sure the website is easy to use and has complete, printable directions and
wiring diagrams that clearly show how to install a remote starter in a car.

3
Read the owners manual and repair guides for your vehicle. Become familiar with the wires in your
vehicle by looking over the manual and repair guides. Some standard wire connections include the starter,
ignition, power and accessory controls like heat and air conditioning, security or alarm system, radio and power
locks.

4
Gather all the tools and equipment you will need. Consult your manuals to determine which tools you will
need for your particular starter and vehicle. You may require a utility knife, wire cutters, wire strippers,
soldering iron and solder, electrical tape, digital multimeter, wrenches and/or screwdrivers. A digital multimeter
is recommended for testing during and after installation.

Some remote starters will come with all the necessary tools so check your box. For example,
many systems come with an LED circuit tester to find the necessary wires for installation.

It is recommended that you solder all your wires together to form better connections. If you
choose to solder you will need a soldering iron and safety glasses.

5
Decide where to put the main module and open the area. It must be in a secure, hidden location that wont
require extending the supplied wires. The usual position is inside the lower dash underneath the steering
wheel. This way you can connect directly to the ignition wiring.

Dont place it in the engine compartment or any area where it will be exposed to extreme
vibration or heat.

Possible alternative locations include spaces above the radio or glove compartment, the center
console and above the dashboard fuse box.

6
Go over the car to make sure everything is working properly prior to installation. Check the battery,
switches, lights and other systems. If any electrical systems are not working correctly then you should fix them
prior to beginning your installation.

7
Remove the seat where the control module will be installed if possible.Removing the seat will give you
more room to work while installing the system. If you cannot remove the seat then slide the chair all the way
backwards.

Disconnect the battery. When working on the electrical system of your vehicle it is safer to disconnect the
battery to prevent any shocks. To test the wires you will need to have the battery connected but disconnect it
while you are soldering wires together to be safe.
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Part 2 of 2: Wiring the Remote Starter

1. 1
Remove the panel covering under the steering wheel. Use a screwdriver to remove the panel covering the
underside of the steering column. This is where you will access the wires to connect the starter.
o

If the panel is not attached with screws then you might require a socket set to remove nuts
securing the panel.

Depending on your vehicle you may also need to remove the lower steering column cover to
access the ignition switch harness. If your vehicle has an anti theft system, it is likely that you will need to
remove this cover.

If you choose to connect your remote starter to other functions such as the door locks and
overhead lights then you will need to remove the kick panel as well. This is located on the lower left-hand
corner of the drivers foot box.

2
Connect all your wires properly. It is very important that you securely connect all your wires. Loose wires
can cause injury or major property damage. It is best to solder all your connections to ensure that they are
strong.

To connect wires first strip away about 1/2-1 inch (1-2.5 cm) of the coating around the wire. If

there are two wires then split them and insert the attaching wire between them. Wrap the attaching wire around
the stripped wire and solder them together using the soldering iron. Once they are securely attached, wrap
electrical tape around the connection and use ties to hold them in place. Lightly tug on the wires to make sure
they do not become loose.

Connect the ground wire. The ground wire will be part of the starter and is often black. Connect this by
screwing through the ring terminal into a clean, unpainted metal surface in the kick panel area. This wire is
very important for the proper functioning of your vehicle.

Because it is so important it is better to connect the ground wire to a location in the kick panel

as opposed to being close to the ignition switch in the dash.

4
Locate the 12V constant wire on the vehicle and attach the power wire of your system to it. The 12V
constant wire is the one attached to the battery and is usually found in the bundle of wires attached to the
ignition switch. You can locate this wire by reading the vehicles manual and repair guides or testing with the
multimeter.

If you see any yellow or otherwise noticeable wires, do not touch them! These are the airbag
wires and must not be tampered with or unplugged.

To test using the multimeter attach it to the wire when the car is off and the key is out of the

ignition. It should read around 12V constantly.

Some vehicles will have more than one 12V constant wire. In this case identify which is fused at

a higher number of amps and attach your primary power wire to this one. If your starter has two power wires,
attach the second power wire on the starter to the additional 12V constant wire.
Use a soldering iron to connect all wires. This keeps them from falling apart and potentially

damaging your vehicle. Add further protection by taping them completely.

5
Find and attach the accessory wire. The accessory wire supplies power to heat and air conditioning controls
and supplies 12V when the key is in the first (accessory) position. Attach the accessory wire on the starter to
the accessory wire on the vehicle.

To find this wire attach the multimeter while the key is in the off position. The voltage should be
zero in this position. Turn the key into the first position but no farther. If you have found your accessory wire,
the voltage will now read around 12V (11.5-14V). Check that the voltage goes to zero while you are cranking
the engine (it will read 12V before and after cranking).[1]

Some vehicles might have more than one accessory wire to control all the functions. In this

case use a relay to connect additional wires.

6
Locate and connect the ignition wire. The ignition wire supplies power to the fuel pump and ignition system
and will be attached to the ignition switch under the steering wheel. The vehicle manual or repair guides should
tell you which color this wire should be. Connect the ignition output wire on the remote starter to

Once you have located this wire you can confirm its identity using the multimeter. Attach

the multimeter to the wire while it is connected to a good ground wire and it should show no voltage. Turn the
key to the first position and the voltage should still read zero. In the second position, before starting the car,
there should be a voltage displayed on your multimeter. If there is, then you have identified the correct wire, if
not then you must try again to locate your ignition wire.
Some vehicles have more than one ignition wire. If so, use a relay to connect all additional

ignition wires.

7
Find and attach the starter wire. This will only show a voltage while the vehicle is being cranked, or turned
on. It supplies power to the starter solenoid when turning your vehicle on. Connect the starter wire output on
your remote starter to this wire by soldering the wires together.

Locate a potential starter wire to test with the multimeter. The voltage should be zero when the
key is in all positions except while cranking the engine. If you think you have found the wire, start with the key
in position two and then crank the engine. The voltage should read zero while the key is in position two, show
12V while cranking and then go back to zero if you release the key before the engine turns over.[2]

8
Connect the parking light and brake wires. The brake wire is usually found at the switch harness above the
brake pedal but can also be found along with the parking light wires in the kick panel on the way to the rear of
the vehicle. Connect these wires to the parking light and brake output wires on the remote starter.

To find the brake wire press the brake pedal down while the car is on and use the multimeter to
test the wire. The multimeter should read between 11.5-14V while the brake is pressed down.

The brake wires in particular are important to connect because they prevent someone from
driving off in your car while it is running from the remote starter.

9
Locate and connect the tachometer wire to the tachometer output wire on the remote sensor. This is
required by the remote starter so that it disengages the starter once the car has started. It can usually be found
in the engine distributor or coil pack.

To locate the tachometer wire look for the engine distributor by following the spark plug wires to
where they junction at a distributor and find a small wire harness which should have a tachometer reference.
Alternatively see the owners manual to determine the recommended tachometer wires location.

10
Connect any security, anti-theft and other optional components. Some systems might have additional
steps for connecting to the door locks of the vehicle. Others might need a special system for getting around the
anti-theft system that exists in your car. As always consult the manual or manufacturer of your remote sensor to
find out which extra features your system has and where you should connect them.

To connect to the door locks you can locate the wires in the drivers side door. You may need an
external relay, of which there are many different kinds. However the four most common include positive trigger,
negative trigger, reverse polarity and multiplex door lock systems. Consult your vehicle manual or repair guides
to determine which system your vehicle uses.

11
Use a relay to connect additional wires if there is more than one wire for power, accessory or the
starter. A relay allows multiple wires to be connected together. There are many different designs, shapes and
sizes but they all perform the same basic function. Connect the wires to the relay by wrapping them around the
pins.

12
Secure wires with tie wraps or screws to keep them away from moving parts. This will protect the wires
and make the installation look tidy and neat.

13
Connect the batter and test to see that all the functions work. Test your remote start and keyless entry
systems as well as your brakes and brake lights to make sure everything has been connected properly and is
working. If something fails to work, go back and check all the wires you have connected to see what went
wrong.

14
Replace the kick panel and the panel covering the ignition switch. Push the remote sensor and the wiring
into the compartment and cover with the panel. Screw (or ratchet) the panel into place.