Yes, to add a remote starter to these cars, you will need to get a GM Passkey bypass module. DEI sells a good one, it'* the "DEI 555L" module and it can be had for around $15 plus shipping. You tap into the two Passkey wires behind the dash to the module and the module is hooked up to the remote starter. Every time you turn the key in the iginiton, the module learns the resistance value so it will never malfunction. Also, it doesn't compromise the Passkey system unlike wiring in resistors to the passkey harness. (Resistors can also wear out and leave you stranded somewhere...) The passkey system will still be fully functional with normal key starting.

All of your other wiring for the remote starter is typical. Bulldog security has the wiring diagrams specific to your car with the wire'* location and color.

All of the remote starters I install are Avital (DEI) AviStart 4103'*. They are cheap (about $50 - New on eBay) and offer many features such as VirtualTach which senses the main voltage to tell when the engine has turned over, eliminating the need for hooking up a tachometer wire. They also have a 1000ft range and give you keyless entry along with power trunk release...

Nick

I worked for a dealer in the mid 90'* and used to install over the counter systems. The last one I did was on a 95 Cutlass a few years ago. It had factory remotes and a few more options that you could add or modify than came factory. I haven't checked for availability since then (about 4 years) but I would suspect you can still get one from the dealer.

Nice, nice. $50 is even cheaper than I thought.

Now, I've been doing my homework on the remote keyless entry. Since I don't have a pin 8, I'm going to guess that I didn't have it from the factory. However, can I just find an RFA (Remote Function Actuator, a receiver unit), connect it to the BCM, and have someone with a GM Tech 2 "initialize" it, and then just pair transmitters?

(Things I think of after a junkyard visit…)

In theory, it seems like that method would work fine. There might be QUITE a load of wiring to do, but it should be possible if you're after an OEM setup. If you did the install, you would also gain Retained Accessory Power (RAP), which is also controlled by the RFA.

Hopefully, you have the RFA connector hanging under the passenger side of the dash. If the connector is there, but Pin 8 on the DLC is empty, you will just have to wire it in for transmitter programming later on...

I PDF'd all of the info pertaining to the keyless entry system and ZIP'd it up for you. Included are the connector pinouts, wiring diagrams, module locations, transmitter programming instructions, RFA reprogramming info, Symptom-related diagnostic info for the keyless entry system, etc.


Nick

My SE did not come with remotes or the module. (no RPO for it) but it does have the RAP system. So he may already have RAP.

I don't have RAP, unfortunately.

RAPs, I wouldn't miss it if I had to remove it. Anyone around here have a 97 FSM?

At least on the 97, the option package which includes Remote Keyless Entry also includes retained accessory power. In order to have one, you have to have the other. In this case, the RFA is actually what provides the ground path for the accessories when you turn the ignition off. When the built-in timer goes off (~10 minutes), the RFA closes the ground path.

You might not have any transmitters, but if your car hasn't been modified, you need to have the RFA in order to get RAP... You might have the RPO number for the option package, and not the individual systems it contains.

Well, I have neither RFA nor RAP.

I know the RFA is a drop-in upgrade, but then has to be programmed with a GM Tech 1/2, according to the 1998 service manual. Is the RAP module the same way? The SM on this site didn't mention it at all.

OK. If the wiring is all there, you will need to get the right RFA, connect it all up, and program it with the GM bi-directional tool. The programming is done to enable features that your car supports.

For example, the same RFA is used in the Lesabre, Eighty-Eight and Bonneville (among others), but only the Lesabre has "Proximity Lighting" (the headlights/taillights come on for a while when you unlock the doors to light the way). Your Bonneville or my Eighty-Eight doesn't have the capability for that function, so it needs to be disabled...

There is no RAP module. The RAP functions are entirely controlled by the RFA. When you install the RFA, you will gain RAP functionality automatically.

Nick