Remote car starter issue

Hello, I have a '97 Toyota Corolla with a remote car starter....

I'm not sure of the model starter I have, but my remote has the name Clifford on it.

My problem is that it works to unlock my car, but it doesn't want to start the car anymore. And when I put my headlights on, my third brake light comes on...it gets brighter when I press on the brake, but doesn't shut off. This issue started 2 weeks ago after I used my car to jump start my Suburban. Since then, I could remotely unlock my car , but not remotely start my car...when I press the remote it dings but doesn't start.

Not sure if it's a simple solution or a more involved electrical problem....

Any help would be appreciated...I am not a car repair guru and very novice to car repairs other than fixing basic things on them.

Reply to
rickchenel
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Please verify the part about the 3rd brake light illuminating with headlights on:

Are you sure that the 4 other brake/tail bulbs are in the less bright "tail" mode when this happens? -or- is it possible that all 4 of those bulbs are as bright as they can get? This would be easy to check at night with a helper on the controls.

I'm not convinced the two problems are related yet.

Toyota MDT in MO

Reply to
Comboverfish

The hood switch is broken. When you try to use the remote to start the car, the controller thinks that the hood is open.

As for the brake light. I REALLY doubt that it's related. Check the brake pedal switch. Looking at a wiring diagram for you car should point out where it could have failed.

Reply to
Noozer

Thanks guys for the suggestions...I will check the hood switch. As for the brake light, it could be total coincidence and have nothing to do with it. Also I hadn't checked all my tail lights just yet...my first thought was maybe a bulb was out on one side of the third brake light...a car I had a number of years ago had two bulbs but if one burnt out it just didn't turn on that side...oh well thanks again and if I get this solved I'll let you know.

Reply to
rickchenel

You only have one bulb (bulb #921 I think) in the high stop light housing. Give complete and exact details of what the lights are doing wrong and I will tell you what the problem(s) is/are.

Toyota MDT in MO

Reply to
Comboverfish

Okay, so my wife took my car to run an errand and it wouldn't come out of park...arrgh! Well we figured you can temporarily over-ride this by removing a cap by the shift and pressing the release button and it will allow you to put it into gear...did some more searching online and came across a posting from someone who had the same issue and said to replace the tail light fuse...okay I'll try anything at this point. Well wouldn't you know it, the fuse was blown and was the wrong amp anyway. Replaced it and haven't had the problem since.

As for the remote starter, for giggles I replaced all the the lower rear brakes lights...they all seemed in tact (the filaments that is) but put in all new bulbs anyways. Again to my surprise, the remote starter began to work again and it only cost me about $3 in bulbs. Hope this info helps someone else. Thanks again for your input.

Reply to
rickchenel

It's likely that one of the 4 tail/brake bulbs in the combination housings was shorting a broken brake filiment to the bulb shell. Less likely given the circumstances but still needing to be checked is the socket contacts. Take all 4 bulbs out again and look at the round metal "buttons" in the spring loaded plastic base of each bulb socket. Look for any that are disfigured or any signs of melted plastic/ sunken contacts. Replace the harness(es) if any of the sockets are bad. You've already replaced and probably discarded the old bulbs, but I would have instructed you to look at their base contacts for signs of displacement or melting also.

If this is related (I don't remember the symptoms off hand) then it had to do with that circuit being open (blown fuse). The remote module is tapped into the brake light circuit to kill the engine if the brake pedal is pressed while the engine is running (if started with the remote). Unless of course the remote module is blowing the fuse...

Toyota MDT in MO

Reply to
Comboverfish

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