viper 160xvl and best buy, problems

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jmatteau

Member - Posts: 24

Joined: December 02, 2007

Location: Connecticut, United States

Posted: December 02, 2007 at 3:02 PM / IP Logged

I bought and had Best Buy install a Viper 160XVL Remote Starter in my 2003 Jeep Liberty this week. First off, let me say I am very dissapointed, not with the starter, but with Best Buy.

They never hooked up the antigring or valet takeover, using the excuse that they do not hook them up unless requested because if something happens to the RS, you will not be able to start the car even with the key. I let them know how unhappy I am, and have an appointment to get these hooked up with them.

Now, this morning, I start my Jeep when I get up, and by the time I get outsdie about ten minutes later I see that my Jeep is NOT running, but the lights are on confirming it is running, as well as my blower on. When I got to work I looked up the install guide and found that they must not have hooked up the Engine Check, Tach wire/Voltage Sense, Voltage Check, etc.

Now the range issue, this thing is supposed to have a mile range, I am having a hard time getting it to start from 50 yards away, in line of site.

Like I said, I have another appointment with BB, and I am going to bring the rest of these issues to light then. But I am now considering having them take it out, getting my money back, and going to another shop and getting an Autostart. What do you all think, any opinions or suggestions?? Thanks for letting a first time poster vent.

Silvrefox

Copper - Posts: 126

Joined: August 11, 2005

Location: Oklahoma, United States

Posted: December 02, 2007 at 5:02 PM / IP Logged

Absolutely right. You should go back and have them fix it. Make sure that you let the GM know what exactly is going on in that bay. I am a senior installer at Best Buy and hate to hear stories like this. Plain and simple, you got shorted on service. The 160XV is a good unit and as a basic Remote Start/Keyless unit does it's job well. The range on these is actually about 1/4 mile, but is easily limited by things like window tint or treated glass. Antenna position if placed correctly is at the top of the glass with the excess cord in the headliner. If any other way, say goodbye to the range.

As far as the antigrind, valet takeover and tach issues, make sure you clearly state you want those items to work. Sometimes installers get in the habit of doing what they would want without asking the customer what they want.

As before, sorry you had a bad experience but give'em a chance to right the wrong before you write us all off.

boosh!!

techman93

Silver - Posts: 591

Joined: October 28, 2006

Location: Pennsylvania, United States

Posted: December 02, 2007 at 5:12 PM / IP Logged

Anti grind is a great feature and when programed properly, the car will start with it hooked up. The security features have to be turned off in programming.

Some vehicles are harder to find or hook up to tach wire and voltage sensing is usually fine. On older vehicles a tach wire should be used but on newer ones voltage sense is good.

as far as the lights staying on but vehicle not starting, it may be the anti theft not allowing proper starting because of bypass method or technique that was used. Did they use a transponder bypass module with one of your keys? The receiver near ignition might not get the keys transponder code properly and not allow start but ignition stays activated.

Range issue can be caused from a couple issues.

The antenna is placed in a manner that isn't allowing proper signal transfer such as located too close to roof and in the tinted part of windshield. That along with rest of antenna wire bing wound too tightly to itself under dash may cause interference. The proper way to wind excess antenna wire is to coil it in a 3 to 4 inch circle with no sharp bends and tape it so it stays that way. The place should be in the area near the rear view mirror centered and below the tinted part of windshield.

So these should be checked and fixed by them.

As far as the unit Viper 160xvl...it does get 1 mile range but there is a 160xv which is 1/4 mile.

http://www.viper.com/Products/Product.aspx?Productid=115

http://www.viper.com/Products/Product.aspx?Productid=116

The wire I'm test'n isn't doin' what it's supposed to be doin'... I am so glad I printed that tech sheet, with the wrong info.

Do it right the first time... or I might have to fix it for ya

another-kelly

Silver - Posts: 618

Joined: July 11, 2004

Location: United States

Posted: December 02, 2007 at 5:25 PM / IP Logged

so as a senior installer at best buy you should know that the NEW viper 160 claims upto a one mile range. and why get the GM involved straight of the get go? keep everything at the lowest level. maybe the senior wasn't aware that the installer cuts corners. IF the install senior doesn't seem very helpful then ask for his manager (which is the Services Manager). they know a bit more about whats going on then others.

as for the install itself. . . antigrind most likely wasn't hooked up because the jeep liberty should have OEM antigrind. every liberty i've done has been this way. with OEM antigrind the only benefit of the viper antigrind is a starterkill with the security features which is only triggered when the viper sees ignition when it's locked. because of that, that's prolly why the vehicle is also on voltage sense instead of tach. just set the crank time to something such as 1.5 seconds or 2 seconds. they might not have adjusted the crank time and turned engine checking off. so the truck tried to start but didn't crank long enough and the viper isn't checking to "see" if the vehicle had started. or a bypass issue and the viper again isn't checking to see if the vehicle started. valet takeover? you mean didn't install the valet switch or you can't do key takeover? explain. lastly for the range, it may be because the installer balled up the antenna cable slack or it may be the unit. we had an issue last week of a suburban with a viper 771 that had great range until the relay pack saw the ignition on. then you were lucky if it responded within a few feet of the antenna. we swapped the 771 antenna, cable, brain, relay pack, ribbon harness. same problem. only guess was something in the vehicle that came on with the ignition interfered with the reception. worked out a price deal with him and upgraded him to a viper 791 (SST instead) and all was well.

jmatteau

Member - Posts: 24

Joined: December 02, 2007

Location: Connecticut, United States

Posted: December 02, 2007 at 6:27 PM / IP Logged

Thanks for the replies. I called back this afternoon and they could not get me a sooner appointment, next week at the earliest. So I did call back and talked to the manager and they are going to *fix* it tomorrow night.

To answer a couple of your questions:

It does not have the module for a transponder key, I have the black key, no chip.

Valet take over - when your in your unning vehicle and want to take the keys out to run in the store. You hit the remote start button, take your keys out of the ignition and it stays running.

There also is no valet switch, that I can see, they may have buried it way up under the dash.

Again, thanks for the replies, please keep any suggestions coming before I see them tomorrow.

Jmatteau

another-kelly

Silver - Posts: 618

Joined: July 11, 2004

Location: United States

Posted: December 02, 2007 at 8:36 PM / IP Logged

your valet take over is built into the unit, nothing extra to add on or connect. when the vehicle is running, simply hit the asterisk button twice. wait a few seconds then pull out your key. if you have the parking/headlights off with the switch then the parking lights lights should come on or start flashing (depending on what they programmed it pt do) when the remote start takes over.

jmatteau

Member - Posts: 24

Joined: December 02, 2007

Location: Connecticut, United States

Posted: December 03, 2007 at 6:06 AM / IP Logged

another-kelly wrote:

It does not work. when I talked to the tech on the phone, he said he never hooks that up "because if the remote starter were to go bad, you would not be able to start your car even with the key."

So, they are supposedly going to hook this up when I bring it in tonight and address the rest of the problems.

Another issue I am having now is the range of the remote. Like I said, I can barely get it to work from about 50 yards away, in direct line of sight. That is really bugging me, but I don't want to rant all day. Thanks again for the replies.

another-kelly

Silver - Posts: 618

Joined: July 11, 2004

Location: United States

Posted: December 03, 2007 at 8:01 AM / IP Logged

jmatteau wrote:

It does not work. when I talked to the tech on the phone, he said he never hooks that up "because if the remote starter were to go bad, you would not be able to start your car even with the key."

that's the starter kill/anti-grind. remote start take over is nothing extra to hook up. kindalike how when you buy a tv, your remote just works with it. nothing extra to do (other than batteries of course)

jmatteau

Member - Posts: 24

Joined: December 02, 2007

Location: Connecticut, United States

Posted: December 03, 2007 at 8:44 AM / IP Logged

another-kelly wrote:

jmatteau wrote:

It does not work. when I talked to the tech on the phone, he said he never hooks that up "because if the remote starter were to go bad, you would not be able to start your car even with the key."

That's interesting, kinda has me wondering if I got a bad unit. For any of you that sell these, how does it come boxed? My box did look like it could have been opened at one point. There was no tape holding it closed, just a little white paper sticker holding it closed. I opened it and the brain was in plastic, the remotes were not, but I did not look close enough to see if the plastic was sealed or anything.

jmatteau

Member - Posts: 24

Joined: December 02, 2007

Location: Connecticut, United States

Posted: December 03, 2007 at 9:03 AM / IP Logged

I just went out tried again for haha's. the Valet take over did work this time. That makes me feel a little better about that.

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