when i remote start my car sometime all i get is a click. but i can put the key in the ignition and the car starts or if i bump start it the car starts. I have a viper 560. I have checked all my grounds. the problem happens intermitinly. can anyone help? also i have thought it was a batt issue, so i got a new batt and i still have the issue. lmk

 

When it makes this click sound, does it try to restart about 10 seconds later and all you get is a click again? Or is it a one time deal then it will start again.

 

MM&Y of car please???
Does this ever happen when you use the key to start the car?
When you say "bump start" the car, does that mean that after trying to start the car with the remote start, it will not start with the key sometimes and you have to "bump start" it?
Can you tell if the "click" is comming from the engine bay, [starter solenoid] or the pass. cabin, [OEM starter relay or remote starts starter relay] ?
When you try and remote start the car, and it only "clicks", does the instrument cluster still light up like it does when the remote start works?
And as asked, will the remote start try and start the car 3 times? 94

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jesseman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">When it makes this click sound, does it try to restart about 10 seconds later and all you get is a click again? Or is it a one time deal then it will start again. </TD></TR></TABLE>
the car trys to restart a few seconds later then and nothing but clicks

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fcm &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">MM&Y of car please???
Does this ever happen when you use the key to start the car?
When you say "bump start" the car, does that mean that after trying to start the car with the remote start, it will not start with the key sometimes and you have to "bump start" it?
Can you tell if the "click" is comming from the engine bay, [starter solenoid] or the pass. cabin, [OEM starter relay or remote starts starter relay] ?
When you try and remote start the car, and it only "clicks", does the instrument cluster still light up like it does when the remote start works?
And as asked, will the remote start try and start the car 3 times? 94</TD></TR></TABLE>

when i put the key in the ignition the car will start, the clicking does come from the engine bay, i thought it might be the starter but the car starts when i put the key in the ignition. everything lights up like its gonna start, then nothing. sometimes my key doesnt work due to when my car was stolen. if i drive around for a bit like 20-30 minutes it remote starts jus fine....so confused. btw it 93 dx civic ls swap. after 3x the car doesnt try to start again.

 

If the "click" comes from the engine bay it is the starter solenoid "clicking" as it engages, indicating that it may be a starter problem, a short or a connection problem.

When it will not start with the key, [due to when my car was stolen] do you still hear the click from the engine bay?
When it will not start with the key, how do you get it to start?

Try this, in the morning when the remote start will not start the car, open a door so the dome light is on, keep your eye on the dome light and try and remote start the car, what happens to the dome light?
1- Nothing.
2- It dims a little.
3- It dims a lot.
4- It goes out.

Do you know how the remote start connections were made, are they soldered connections?

You say you have replaced the batt. and checked all the grounds, have you checked the pos.(+) connections?
Check the power connections from the batt. to the under hood fuse box, check to batt. to starter motor connection. 94

 

My guess is a poor power source to your XSR (if the 560 has one) or your high current alarm or relay input.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fcm &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If the "click" comes from the engine bay it is the starter solenoid "clicking" as it engages, indicating that it may be a starter problem, a short or a connection problem.

When it will not start with the key, [due to when my car was stolen] do you still hear the click from the engine bay?
When it will not start with the key, how do you get it to start?

Try this, in the morning when the remote start will not start the car, open a door so the dome light is on, keep your eye on the dome light and try and remote start the car, what happens to the dome light?
1- Nothing.
2- It dims a little.
3- It dims a lot.
4- It goes out.

Do you know how the remote start connections were made, are they soldered connections?

You say you have replaced the batt. and checked all the grounds, have you checked the pos.(+) connections?
Check the power connections from the batt. to the under hood fuse box, check to batt. to starter motor connection. 94
</TD></TR></TABLE>
i check the dome lite and it dims a bit. what does that mean

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by lshatch916 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
i check the dome lite and it dims a bit. what does that mean</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thats normal if you do not have a relay for it. FCM probably knows something I don't so I would wait till he chimes in.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by White Smoke &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Thats normal if you do not have a relay for it. FCM probably knows something I don't so I would wait till he chimes in.</TD></TR></TABLE>

He's probably heading towards a low battery/bad terminal connection/faulty charging system diagnosis. Basically, it sounds like when the remote start goes to crank, the voltage level in the car drops enough that the remote start unit will not function (i.e. it just shuts off) but often when the voltage levels are not enough to keep the unit functioning.....the car will still crank via the key. Make sure your battery terminals are tight and clean. Make sure that your two main grounds are in good shape and that your alternator is charging properly. What I have done in the past to verify that this is what is happening.....When the unit is acting up, I hood a battery charger up and retry the unit.

It is also possible that the main power connection for the unit is somewhat intermittant. It could be good enough to make the alarm function somewhat normally, but when the current demand goes up during the remote start process, it "fails" to an extent.

OR he may be heading in a whole different direction with his diagnosis

 

A little dimming is normal when starting the car, with key or remote start.
A lot of dimming would indicate a short.
Going out compleatly would indicate a dead short or a poor connection at the batt., [pos.(+) or neg.(-) terminal].

I can't help if you do not answer all the questions I ask. 94

 

sorry guys....been busy wit school and stuff. Dimming happens with key and with remote start....

update:

got fed up, took it in to a local shop. they said i had some loose connections bs and did some programing, said that the car was remote starting fine, got there to pick it up and car didnt start.

i have replaced that batt over the summer, i checked batt connection they are tight. i havent checked altenator connections will check on monday any other hints

 

Car starting, [not starting] is not an alt. problem.

I would put money on it being the starter or starter solenoid, assuming you have checked all the power and, [high current] connections....

Pos.(+) and neg.(-) batt. terminals.
Motor/transmission ground.
Batt. power connection to starter motor, [thicker of the two leads going to starter motor/solenoid.

Because this is an intermittent problem, I still think you are going to find a problem with the starter motor, more then likely the solenoid.

You can try this, either with the key or the remote start, when it does not start, [just a click from solenoid] give the solenoid/starter motor a good sharp "tap" with a hammer or other heavy metal item, as soon as you hear the click.

I also asked you when it does not start with the key, how do you get it started?
Does repeatedly turning the key to start, start the engine? 94

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fcm &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Car starting, [not starting] is not an alt. problem.

I would put money on it being the starter or starter solenoid, assuming you have checked all the power and, [high current] connections....

Pos.(+) and neg.(-) batt. terminals.
Motor/transmission ground.
Batt. power connection to starter motor, [thicker of the two leads going to starter motor/solenoid.

Because this is an intermittent problem, I still think you are going to find a problem with the starter motor, more then likely the solenoid.

You can try this, either with the key or the remote start, when it does not start, [just a click from solenoid] give the solenoid/starter motor a good sharp "tap" with a hammer or other heavy metal item, as soon as you hear the click.

I also asked you when it does not start with the key, how do you get it started?
Does repeatedly turning the key to start, start the engine? 94</TD></TR></TABLE>


roll start it

 

Have you tried switching from run to start [back and forth] a bunch of times to see if the starter kicks in?

I ran into a problem a few years back where sometimes the engine would not turn over, but I could hear the solenoid click, when it happened I would rapidly switch between run and start until the stater motor would catch, this got progressively worse, turns out it was the main power stud sticking out of the stater motor, it had been turned, [whole stud] a little when the nut, that holds the batt. cable, was tightened down, I was doing some testing, [metering, hitting the solenoid and checking the connections while a friend was holding the key to start, when I went to undo the nut, [real tight] the nut and stud moved just a tiny bit and the engine turned over and started, haven't had a problem since, [4 years and counting.

Turns out when I last tightened the nut I had cranked so hard that I ended up turning the stud, maligning the high current contact in the starter motor.

Have run into this a couple of other times since then with friends cars. 94