Remote Start in 88 GMC Pickup (neutral safety)

adunph · 12-09-2007, 06:10 PM

So I've been installing remote starters in later model cars until the other day. I had an 88 GMC 1500 pickup come in. The install was a walk in the park, but Im hesitant to return the vehicle to the owner since while going down my safety checklist, I noticed it starts in any gear.

The truck has a manual Neutral safety switch which means the key is physically stopped from going into "crank" while in any other gear besides "P"ark or "N"eutral. Thats all fun and good, but there is no way (that I can find) to electronically handle park/neutral saftey.

I know you can use a "key-in" wiring solution, but that will mean that the moment a key is inserted into the barel, the truck will shut down (super annoying).

Does anyone know if there is a wire on the ECM that monitors neutral safety?

jaggerwild · 12-10-2007, 11:34 PM

Hey adunph,
And welcome to the forum!
So basically, they bypassed the N/S switch with a wire cause it was bad. Make them sign a waver, that it's being installed on the pretenses that they MUST replace this or the WARRANTY is null and void. And that you will not be held responsible for any damages that may result from a misplaced gear shift lever.
There is nothing in an 88 to monitor N/S switch that I know of. Alternative pin switch hooked in so that the truck must be in park to depress the pin so as to allow the truck to start other whys it will not if in any other position.

adunph · 12-11-2007, 05:19 PM

Thanks Jaggerwild. I appreciate the input. Since I did the post I realized there is a switch way down on the column that seems to be a sort of a gear position sensor. I need to get in and probe the wires and then figure out a way to create a circuit that will do positive or negative shut down.

I'll post again if I find it, if not, thanks again for the response and lets make it a great day!

adunph · 12-18-2007, 10:05 AM

I forgot to update this post last week...

I got to looking on the steering column down near the floor and there is a white switch connected to the column. When the gear selector is moved, this switche moves with it. That said, I probed it with my metere to find that its +12V in any other position than Park and 0V in park. I wired this to an optional positive inhibit wire on the starter unit and it works like a charm!

If anyone needs the wiring info, let me know. I know it would have saved me some time

jaggerwild · 01-31-2008, 11:45 PM

Glad you got it worked out, also you could have used a pin switch on the E-brake so it has to be depressed to remote start the auto then if the brake isn't on it will not start.
Keep posting the good info also!!!

12-09-2007, 06:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
adunph Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3 OS: XP Pro	Remote Start in 88 GMC Pickup (neutral safety) So I've been installing remote starters in later model cars until the other day. I had an 88 GMC 1500 pickup come in. The install was a walk in the park, but Im hesitant to return the vehicle to the owner since while going down my safety checklist, I noticed it starts in any gear. The truck has a manual Neutral safety switch which means the key is physically stopped from going into "crank" while in any other gear besides "P"ark or "N"eutral. Thats all fun and good, but there is no way (that I can find) to electronically handle park/neutral saftey. I know you can use a "key-in" wiring solution, but that will mean that the moment a key is inserted into the barel, the truck will shut down (super annoying). Does anyone know if there is a wire on the ECM that monitors neutral safety?

12-10-2007, 11:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
jaggerwild Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Location: NY Posts: 480 OS: Windows XP My System	Re: Remote Start in 88 GMC Pickup (neutral safety) Hey adunph, And welcome to the forum! So basically, they bypassed the N/S switch with a wire cause it was bad. Make them sign a waver, that it's being installed on the pretenses that they MUST replace this or the WARRANTY is null and void. And that you will not be held responsible for any damages that may result from a misplaced gear shift lever. There is nothing in an 88 to monitor N/S switch that I know of. Alternative pin switch hooked in so that the truck must be in park to depress the pin so as to allow the truck to start other whys it will not if in any other position. __________________ JAGGERWILD

12-11-2007, 05:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
adunph Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3 OS: XP Pro	Re: Remote Start in 88 GMC Pickup (neutral safety) Thanks Jaggerwild. I appreciate the input. Since I did the post I realized there is a switch way down on the column that seems to be a sort of a gear position sensor. I need to get in and probe the wires and then figure out a way to create a circuit that will do positive or negative shut down. I'll post again if I find it, if not, thanks again for the response and lets make it a great day!

12-18-2007, 10:05 AM	#4 (permalink)
adunph Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3 OS: XP Pro	Re: Remote Start in 88 GMC Pickup (neutral safety) I forgot to update this post last week... I got to looking on the steering column down near the floor and there is a white switch connected to the column. When the gear selector is moved, this switche moves with it. That said, I probed it with my metere to find that its +12V in any other position than Park and 0V in park. I wired this to an optional positive inhibit wire on the starter unit and it works like a charm! If anyone needs the wiring info, let me know. I know it would have saved me some time

01-31-2008, 11:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
jaggerwild Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Location: NY Posts: 480 OS: Windows XP My System	Re: Remote Start in 88 GMC Pickup (neutral safety) Glad you got it worked out, also you could have used a pin switch on the E-brake so it has to be depressed to remote start the auto then if the brake isn't on it will not start. Keep posting the good info also!!! __________________ JAGGERWILD