Neutral Safety Switch Interface - Clarion SR1000 Installation Manual

neutral safety switch interface

Some vehicles do not have an electrical neutral safety switch. Instead, a mechanical neutral safety
switch that physically interrupts the starter wire is used when the vehicle is in any drive gear. If the
remote start is interfaced before this switch, it will provide protection from starting in gear. However,
some vehicles combine the column shift mechanism and the mechanical neutral safety switch into one
mechanical part. In these vehicles, it is impossible to interface the remote start system before the neu-
tral safety switch. With this type of vehicle, if the car is left in a drive gear and the remote start sys-
tem is activated, the vehicle will move and may cause damage to persons or property.
According to available information, the only vehicles currently manufactured this way are most
General Motors trucks, sport utility vehicles and column shifting passenger cars. Available informa-
tion also indicates that pre-1996 Dodge Dakota pickups with 2.5 liter motors are manufactured this
way as well.
GM vehicles that have the neutral safety switch built into the column shifter can usually be identified
by a purple starter wire. Typically, vehicles that use an outboard mechanical switch use a yellow wire
from the ignition switch to the mechanical switch and a purple wire from the mechanical switch to
the starter itself. Remember, this is only a rule of thumb and is not intended as a substitute for prop-
er testing.
We suggest the following procedure to test for vehicles manufactured in this way.
N N O O T T E E : : You must complete the remote start system installation before doing the following test. Ensure that the
remote start system is functioning normally. This includes connecting to the brake as a shut-down.
Figure A Figure B