Wondering if any body had remote start?. Is one brand better than another? Also can you use the same keyfob we have with these trucks on the remote start? Any imput would be appreciated. Thanks. Bob.

 

I have the Viper 550ESP in mine but it uses a different keyfobe. It is the best thing that I have done to the truck, Living in Mich I use it every morning in the winter and then some times in the summer to cool the truck down before I go out.

Chainsaw13 had the dealer install his and I believe that his uses the stock keyfob.

 

There are many types of remote starts that will work with your truck, my opinion is , I would use a DEI brand (Viper, Python, Sidewinder or Valet), this ia a very dependable innovative company,

I have sold and installed 500+ of their remote start/alarm products, and had maybe 3 of them come back for something product related. Very, Very low failure rate, and very high if not the highest customer satisfaction rate in the industry.

You can purchase remote starts that can be installed in conjunction with your OEM keyfob, however, you will SUFFER from limited range, you will only be able to start your truck from as far as you can unlock/lock the doors. I would recommend using a stand alone remote start/keyless entry unit such ast the DEI Valet 552t or the DEI Viper 150HF, both of these will take care of your needs, however if you need more security and protection of your truck and its contents, you will be a candidate for the DEI Viper 550HF (full blown alarm with keyless entry and remote start). You will also need a DEI 555f, which is the Ford PATS bypass module, needed to make the truck "THINK" that the key is in the ignition when you activate the remote start.

The DEI 552t retails for about 179.00 installed ......plus may need addtitional parts and labor.

The DEI Viper 150 goes for about 225.00 ........" "

The DEI Viper 550HF 399.00-450.00 " "

and the PATS bypass module will be about 30.00 plus installation fees. another 25-30 dollars.

I would try your local Circuit City they usually have fair prices and carry lifetime installation warranties and are over 500- stores nationwide.

I used to manage on of their "Roadshops" (installation facilities and sales floor) for about 3 years.

GOOD LUCK .......hope this helps.

 

Got mine from ford when I got the truck. Works great.(at least 200 feet away) I have three vehicles and they all have remote starters. The other two are aftermarket, and they all work fine. Only suggestion is when having one installed make sure you know what you want. Ex: the one on the explorer works with the lock button(you press the botton 3 times and it starts) but with that vehicle the second and third time you hit the lock button the horn sounds.(annoying). I have the one in the L to make no noise and no light (freaks people out standing next to it).I can here the L start from inside the house.The good thing about the dealer install is not voiding any electrical warranties.

 

Your protected by the Magnuson/Moss act, no matter of you install it, it is will NOT void your FORD warranty.

Also the another down side to using the OEM keyfob, is that you will not have the "Rolling Code Technology and the Antii-Scanning Technology" that most aftermarket alarms have.

The range on the 150hf's and the 550hf's are said to be a 1/4 mile in most conditions, otherwise the 552T is around 750FT plus, GREAT for the office.

And the 150's and the 550's have a LIFETIME WARRANTY, if you get them installed a CIRCUIT CITY, they have a LIFETIME WARRANTY on their labor, and will remove it from the car in case you trade it in, however you'll pay for re-installation.

FORD makes outstanding vehicles!

 

I have a clifford cyber 4 security system with remote start and windows. The cool thing about clifford (now owned by DEI) is the computer interface. I can plug my laptop into my alarm and program all aspects of the security, remote start, and window controls. Starter crank time, engine run time, automatic cool down, glow plug warm-up for diesels. Sure beats the heck out of programming with dip switches or the remote. I highly recommend it!

 

right on with what husker said,

i went to circuit city and had the full blown viper done, alarm, keyless entry, and remote start and had it all programmed on one remote.

I had to go back to have them increase the crank time, because it would only start half the time. These engines need a bit more time when cold.

I love remote starts, been running them since early 97.

Even though we have a garage now, it's still worth it even if i only get 60 seconds of warm up time before punching it. Much better on the engine wear imo

 

I want to thank everybody for helping me out. Especially HuskerF 150 for all the information he provided. I am going to go with the Viper 150HF, remote start. I just have to decide if I want Circuit City to do the work. Last time I had some work done I was not to impressed with there installers. Thanks again. Bob

 

i would rather manually start my truck than have some monkey installing stuff. Best Buy installed a radio in my buddies couger and friend the wiring harness throughout the car. Took two years to settle for measily 2 grand and the car is still sitting in his driveway. We were going to strip a haress from the junk yard and install it, but we were pipe dreaming!!! I'm terrified to let anyone touch my vehicles, nevermind places like Circuit City. I had friends that worked there............last place to touch my truck. There are a couple custom auto electronics places but i would want to sit there and watch them do it. Call me paranoid.

 

When I managed a Circuit City, I was very fortunate to have credible installers, one who were trainable and listened to my, as well as the customers needs. However, I realized I was lucky, as I had to take care of a few shops, on different ocassions, the other shops installers were not all that good. They didn't care for the customers care as they really should have.

I would try Circuit City, again, make sure that you tell them your concerns, "Hey I drive a limited production late model Muscle Truck, and want what is deserved to me". Tell them that you have mechanics and others, who look after your L from time to time, and that your going to install a bunch of gauges , like Beefcakes "L" and when you get in there to do the install you don't want to see all of the alarm guts and wires just hangin out.

When I ran across customers like you, I would "Pamper" them. I just didn't want the customer to feel uncomfortable about leaving there "Pride" in my hands. Not all Circuit City's are that way, ours was a little different, I had a Impala SS, and a Stang, and my installer all had a wide variety of "NICE" cars, everything from a Expedition to a 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner, that helped us earn the trust of alot of customers when we did work on their "Hot Rods" & "StreetRods". Again, our shop was different, we use to do alot of guages and other installs that were more performance related, for just the labor money, maybe thats why I had a installer that drove a Expy, and had a 4 bedroom house, on installer pay, they busted their A$$es to make budgets and get their bonuses.

Sorry for the bable, to make the long story short, "YOU" the "CUSMOTER" deserve the product to be installed correctly. I can assure you that the manufacture of the product feels the same way about this, they want their products to perform well and last a long time. I always said, "It's only as good as its installed"

P>S BEEFCAKE - I know in your Supplement store your customers expect you to follow through, well I would go back to Circuit City and tell them you don't want your truck to be started by using the "Crank Time" mode, this means they didn't hook up a "Tach" monitoring signal, they took the easy way out, instead of monitoring the tach, It works alot better if its hooked up to the tach, once the Viper senses any RPM at all it shut the crank off.

 

You would have to be NUTS to trust some guy at Circuit City to install ANYTHING. Think about it, if they were any good would they be working at CC?

 

husker,

the guy was having a lot of trouble said he couldn't find a "tach" signal, said he talked to his "super tech" or something like that plus 3 other stores.

He told me though, he had to go to another store to find a piece of equip. to find it. when i took it back to have the crank time lengthened, he said he had to go pick the piece up again, guess i'll call him and ask.

i do know these trucks need to crank a little longer, i myself have went to start it and then let off because i thought it was going to run and then it cuts off.

 

Beefcake, tell your installer to take the tach wire on the remote start and tap in to one of the fuel injector wires, and to do a tach learn with it, it a feature on the Vipers ( & DEI) that the module will actually learn the signal of of the fuel injector. The tach learn feature is: just start the truck manually and hold down the Valet button until the L.E.D. comes on.

MarkY.....gee any good, have some respect, does it sound like I know WTF I'm doing, I have been in this industry in excess of 13yrs, and am just trying to lend a helping hand. HAVE YOU READ THE WHOLE POST , obviously not, you would heard me say that I was very fortunate to have credible installers, or at least ones who were willing to learn and do as they were told, and that not all shops were like that, This is a forum, designed for Q&A, to help F series owners, but I guess you must know something we don't. I recommended Circuit City, because It is nationally with over 500 shops, that has standards, my installers have gone on to become the custom installers elsewhere, but even at "Custom shops" those installers do two things, (1) they put there pants on just like Circuit City installers, and (2) They install remote starts just like most installers, but hey I must not no *****!. I've installed remote starts since 1990. Just like when go to work and make French Fries at ol Mc D's, they make em the same way at Burger King! Try being a little more supportive, before I get Beefcake to put you in a headlock!
That would be NUTS!

 

Hey Huckster, taking things a little personal aren't you?

I never said ANYTHING against you. I never said ALL CC installers do poor work. There are probably many good ones, but many more poor ones. Try reading comprehension.

You've actually proved my point, and I thank you for that. When allowing the people at CC to do work on your car, your taking a gamble. I'm not taking that chance, I don't care if they have 5 million stores.

You stated that many custom installers got their start at CC. Didn't I say that if the CC installers were any good, they wouldn't be working there? So I guess the "rookies" get their "training" at CC, and then move on to custom shops. Well they're not getting their "training" on my vehicle.

Have a great day.

 

Anyways, I was simply trying to help someone out, I'm sorry, I must have missed out on my "ReAdInG cOmPrEhEnSiOn" years ago, "HUCKSTER" give me a break, stick the post topic slim!