So, here's our dilemma. Hoping someone can help us! We had a remote start installed at Best Buy a few winters ago on our 2004 Honda Pilot. I am suspicious that the wiring was done incorrectly because when I use the remote start, that's when the problem occurs-- the VTM light comes on and will engage. In addition, the VTM will randomly engage even when I start the car with the ignition key. The starter was installed a few winters ago and since then, every fall/winter the problem occurs. Our local Honda service guys can't seem to figure it out. So, does anyone have experience with a remote starter interfering with the VTM? Secondly, can anyone advise how to disable the remote starter myself (thinking if I do this and the VTM problem goes away, I've at least diagnosed the problem). Thanks for any help!

 

The first thing anyone wants to assume is that the aftermarket equipment causes failure to oem equipment. I can tell you, that in no way does your aftermarket remote start system interface with your vtm system. Yes, it is easy to disable the r/s, but I can tell you that doing so, Im fairly confident that it will not make your problem go away. I would not advise doing this yourself, I'd take it bact to the bestbuy that did your install, and have them disable the r/s, bc they have a lifetime workmanship warranty that you will void if you tamper with the r/s yourself. It doesn't hurt to disable the r/s and take it back to the dealership, bc atleast they won't assume the failure was caused by the r/s. Do you remember if you had to give bestbuy a spare key for your r/s?

 

I don't remember having to give Best Buy an extra key...I couldn't find my Best Buy paperwork unfortunately, but guess it is worth a call to see if they can look it up by VIN. Any ideas as to what might cause this problem?

 

best buy typically only does warranty work with paperwork in hand. they don't track VIN. so the problem has been there since day one but ONLY occurs in the fall/winter??

 

Yeah, they don't keep your records for longer than 6 months in the store for your installations. Its a customer privacy concern. That paperwork has your name, phone #, and vehicle info. You def need to track down that paperwork to get the warranty work if possible...

Well, not having to give them a spare key does seem that it could be possible for the r/s to do something with the VTM, indirectly. If you didn't have to give up a spare key, bestbuy interfaced with your Pilot's canbus system for your transponder bypass. That canbus system communicates with all the little computers in your pilot, so, it could be communicating with the computer that controls your VTM.

EDIT: The pilot does not have a canbus data transfer system. I apologize if this confused anyone!

Did this problem occur IMMEDIATELY after the r/s was installed?
So, from what I understand, this problem is not consistent? Only during fall/winter? Not during warm weather? Do you use your 4-wheel drive more during the cold weather or something?

Ive never seen a r/s interfere with VTM, to answer your question, I've seen a r/s cause serveral other types of problems, but you know it immediately, and its a constant problem, not intermittent.

 

NVMD... The module for transponder bypass in that car doesn't communicate with anything through canbus, so I can't figure out how the r/s could be triggering your VTM system...

 

only thing i can figure is if the installer made a jumper to the second accessory wire run off an ign circuit or visa versa, something getting power when it shouldn't, or not getting power when it needs it. but then again...it only happens when it's cold?!?

 

I called Best Buy and they were able to look up the purchase/install by credit card. (not sure about you, but I was impressed by this!) and so now I have an appointment to take the car back to the installation bay tomorrow for them to look at it. The installation guy said something like "if the tack wire wasn't connected it could be causing the problem"

Now that I'm thinking about it more- I use the starter in the summer and the VTM problem doesn't happen. hoping this whole thing gets resolved. thanks for your replies.

 

also- our pilot doesn't have 4 wheel drive and yes, the problem is sporadic, and only when it's cold. I don't remember it happening right away after the r/s was installed, and only after going through 2 winters did we start getting suspicious that it was the starter that might be causing the problem.

 

well i knew they could look up the purchase, but most techs won't work on the car without the paperwork that says they did the install. keep looking for the paperwork, even though you can get a copy of the receipt. the physical install paperwork that you signed is the warranty, not the receipt.

 

Jenniferb, i wish you luck... I know you say you found the purchase receipt, however as cobb2819 said, its different than the install receipt. The install receipt is what they made you sign after the install was done, on a big yellow piece of paper. cobb2819 and I both have experience working as installers for bestbuy, at one point in our lives or another, and I can tell you, per company policy, the installer is not supposed to work on your car for warranty work without that yellow piece of paper that you signed. So, if he refuses your car for warranty work, don't be upset, he isn't picking on you. He can still disable the r/s for you, but he would have to charge you.

As far as the problem occuring during cold weather vs warm weather, that leads me to believe that the problem is not related to the r/s. I honestly think you should be looking elsewhere for diagnostics... What I ultimately believe will happen is that Honda will replace whatever computer controls the VTM system, and charge prob near $1K, and blame it on "probing wires" during the install of the R/S. I've seen the "probing wires" reasoning literally about 5 times in the last 6 months. Thats the excuse they use when they can't find the actual problem, but need to give a reason for replacing expensive modules and computers.

Good luck, and please post the outcome for us!

 

I am willing to bet egr valve is sticking in the cold. Try to pull the code when the light pops up. The tach issue with the alarm has no control over this and only tells the remote start that the car is running so the car does not over crank.

 

***update*** I took the car to Best Buy, installer worked on it about an hour+, and I am so excited that the problem seems to be solved! (am knocking on wood as I type) Notes on the paperwork show "ran new tach wire, check out 556vw and plug in the bitwriter to see if all was ok". as a side note, the installer worked on the car with just the duplicate receipt. couldn't find the signed paperwork from original install. must have been my lucky day!!

 

Thats good news Jenniferb, we'll keep our fingers crossed for you. Im glad you had a good experience, and the tech spending an hour plus tells us that he had a genuine interest in helping you. If anything changes, let us know!