Anyone self-installed an Excalibur Remote Start?

[Rngrs3910]

Was goofing around on amazon, stumbled on the Omega Excalibur RS-130-DP remote start with the keyless bypass module for $99. Says it works with the factory key fob.

Considering buying it, and trying to self install. Has anyone on here done either?

 

[edwx]

Self-installing a decent remote start is quite a job. I do most of my own repairs, but I left the job of installing my remote start to a professional, and it came with a 3 year warranty. I can start my vehicle from 1/4 mile away. I've had it for 4 years now and love it.

 

[aaronajb1981]

^^^ what he said.

The problem with installing an aftermarket unit in an this gen ex is if its not installed correctly it will cause a slight drain on the battery (there is actually a tsb for this). after a few days of your vehicle sitting ilde you will have a dead battery.

a remote start is NOT like installing a radio. you need a dmm to be able to test wires, you need wire to many different areas under the dash/ hood. you need to make sure you have the correct PATS bypass module or else you can crap out the BCM.

get it done at a shop. that way if they screw up your car they pay for it. if you screw it up then you pay for it. a new BCM can cost up to $1000. you hit an airbag wire--- boom there it goes.. you get the idea.

 

[2008explorer4x4]

Remote start

I agree with the others who say, leave this to the professional installers.

These vehicles like many others, have a very complicated electrical system.

Just have a reputable installer do the job and then they will do it correctly

and warranty their work. I recently had a Viper Responder 4103V two way

installed with a Lifetime warranty for $346.00. This is a great remote starter

that will start the vehicle from a long distance, when it starts I see a green

light on the remote to indicate the vehicle received the command to start.

There are other systems that are good also for less money.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Ornery]

Download and read the instructions for the installation and programming of your remote start. If that doesn't convince you to leave it to the "experts", nothing will. I'm not saying you wouldn't be able to do it, just that what they charge is well worth it.

I had the Viper 5301 installed by an installer who has been in business forever. They installed a couple for me 10 years ago that are still working fine, and will still tweak them for me anytime I want for free.

As good as they are, they still needed two returns for the last install because I asked them to have the seat heaters start with the remote start. That's something two other installers wouldn't even try to do. ( I still get competitive quotes no matter what.) I'd hate to even imagine trying to fight with that myself.

My two way remote is awesome, but the one way remote was flaky. So, they upgraded my one way to a two way for only $30.00 more. Great deal!

Take a look at the workmanship of the various shops you get quotes from. Take a look at the work from Bestbuy's installers for comparison. It's worth a few extra bucks to have it done right.

 

[aaronajb1981]

Take a look at the work from Bestbuy's installers for comparison. It's worth a few extra bucks to have it done right.

do you mean this is a good way or bad??

i know that alot of "stereo" people dis-like bb and theink they have "shady" installers. every shop has their fair share of "good and bad" installers. i have worked in both the big box stores and the ma-pa shops. and both had their ups and downs with installers. in some of the small shopw you have to deal with installers that may be paid a commission so they want to do it as quickly as possible. at a big box you may get a inexpirenced installer.

any good shop will warranty their work.

for an ex this year i would say you would pay about $300 (remote start/ bypass module with install)

 

[PEAR0119]

I just got my Viper 4707v installed by professionals, no not BestBuy! There are so many different things going on in a remote start system that as everyone else said that if not done right will cause many headaches down the road.

BestBuy wanted to use the spare key and tape it to the steering column to bypass the PATS system. I do everything myself when it comes to my vehicles but this was one thing that I gladly leave up to the people that install these things on a daily basis.

 

[aaronajb1981]

BestBuy wanted to use the spare key and tape it to the steering column to bypass the PATS system. I do everything myself when it comes to my vehicles but this was one thing that I gladly leave up to the people that install these things on a daily basis.

Technically its not just taped to the column.. its actually hidden in a "coffin" box as they are called in the industry then that is hidden under the dash so its not found. Most shops will give you the choice as to how they will install in the vehicle lose a key or not.. if not then it will cost more.

back in my shops there are trick of the trade that can be done to program an uncut key. before the bypass modules were around this is what we would do with fords. that way the owner doenst give up any keys and the bypass is good.

 

[PEAR0119]

Technically its not just taped to the column.. its actually hidden in a "coffin" box as they are called in the industry then that is hidden under the dash so its not found. Most shops will give you the choice as to how they will install in the vehicle lose a key or not.. if not then it will cost more.

back in my shops there are trick of the trade that can be done to program an uncut key. before the bypass modules were around this is what we would do with fords. that way the owner doenst give up any keys and the bypass is good.

I was just not all that interested in buying another Key from Ford as they want half a kidney for them.

Not to thread jack or anything but does anyone know if one can wire the heated seats to the "aux" button on the remote starter? or is it just not possible?

 

[Ornery]

I had Best Buy install a remote start in our '88 E150. Price was great, but the details of the install were poor. Just sloppy all the way around. Most likely, they're not given enough time to do a good job because of the thin profit margins.

I don't know the details of what is involved in the heated seats add-on, but I'll tell you of one problem ours had. After it was installed, it didn't always start the seats. We were told the ambient temperature determined whether they would come on or not. So, we had a switch added, so I could override it. Worked fine for a while, but a couple weeks later my wife smelled a burnt odor, and shortly after, the driver seat wouldn't come on with the remote start. After it was repaired at the installer, who said a diode had fried, the seats go off when the truck is put in gear after a remote start. Not a problem, just different than how it was wired in the first place. They obviously found a better method to do it, but I have no ideas of the details.

So Rngrs3910, these guys had this unit apart twice after the initial install, with no extra cost to me. Any trouble in the future will be handled the same way. Honestly, they didn't make that much of a profit when you figure in all the extra work.

 

[TowingExplorer]

I installed a "factory" remote start in my 2011 Fusion without any issues. The explorer is no more difficult and in fact probably a bit simpler due to the interior being physically larger. The factory unit has factory sized harnesses so it is nearly plug & play with the exception of horn, lock and brake pedal signals which are all easily accessible for tapping.

Aftermarket units are more of a splice job and I would leave to professionals. Ironically, the cost of a splice job installed by a professional is probably more than the cost of a "factory" unit which you could install yourself.

 

[aaronajb1981]

I installed a "factory" remote start in my 2011 Fusion without any issues. The explorer is no more difficult and in fact probably a bit simpler due to the interior being physically larger. The factory unit has factory sized harnesses so it is nearly plug & play with the exception of horn, lock and brake pedal signals which are all easily accessible for tapping.

Aftermarket units are more of a splice job and I would leave to professionals. Ironically, the cost of a splice job installed by a professional is probably more than the cost of a "factory" unit which you could install yourself.

however you will never get the range and the ability to do other functions that you can with a "factory" unit. you may be happy with the range, but i wouldnt be. Hell i can start mine without even getting up from my desk at work. i can also control mine via an app on a smartphone.

the one i put in my edge, i can turn on each seat heater independently and adjust the temp, i can turn on the rear defrost. open the hatch. the factory ones you cant do this. I have searched before and have never been able to find a t-harness for a ex 2006-2010.

 

[TowingExplorer]

however you will never get the range and the ability to do other functions that you can with a "factory" unit. you may be happy with the range, but i wouldnt be. Hell i can start mine without even getting up from my desk at work. i can also control mine via an app on a smartphone.

the one i put in my edge, i can turn on each seat heater independently and adjust the temp, i can turn on the rear defrost. open the hatch. the factory ones you cant do this. I have searched before and have never been able to find a t-harness for a ex 2006-2010.

That's absolutely true. If you want to be able to open the rear glass from your remote start or turn on the seat heaters or do it all from a smart phone, you definitely need to go aftermarket. No argument there.

My comment is for a "remote start" that just does remote start and a handful of other non-fantastic things (varies by vehicle). As I've never had those other features, I don't miss them.

Being in different offices, you and I, I can also start my car from my desk.

 

[xjsport95]

however you will never get the range and the ability to do other functions that you can with a "factory" unit. you may be happy with the range, but i wouldnt be. Hell i can start mine without even getting up from my desk at work. i can also control mine via an app on a smartphone.

the one i put in my edge, i can turn on each seat heater independently and adjust the temp, i can turn on the rear defrost. open the hatch. the factory ones you cant do this. I have searched before and have never been able to find a t-harness for a ex 2006-2010.

what alarm do you have??? sounds cool

 

[aaronajb1981]

I have an autopage rs-915. however any one can do it that has expandable channels. its just a different combo of buttons you press on the remote. you just have to get creative with what you want. and find an installer that is willing to take the time and test for all these other circuits

 

[xjsport95]

The seat heaters is cool but I think the cell link is the best lol