By accident the other day I discovered that I have a remote start system on my 2004 Grand Cherokee Overland.

I pushed the button on the driver's door to lock the Jeep, and I didn't hear the locks actuate. I thought I had hit the rear window button above it on the door console. I hit the lock button to unlock, then lock twice to make sure. I then shut the door and was walking away, when the engine started. There I stood with the keys in my hand! I opened the door, which wasn't locked and got in and put the key in the ignition, turned it on and then off. The engine kept running until I stepped on the brake. I did not have a remote start button on my remote, and nothing was mentioned in my owner's manual about a remote start system.

By playing around with the remote, I was able to find the sequence that will start the car every time - hit lock, unlock, lock, lock, unlock. The instrument panel lights all come on, then the engine starts and then the parking lights come on. The system works the same using just the lock button on the door also.

I am assuming that I stumbled on some maintenance procedure to operate the remote system for troubleshooting purposes, I guess, Anyway, it works.

Its got to be after market...no way would Chrysler (or any other manufacturer) place a remote start on a vehicle and not let anyone know; too much liability for one thing.
Not to mention people pay a lot of money to have them installed.

You'd like to think so - but there is no aftermarket equipment installed at all. I'm gonna check with the Jeep stealer's service department to see if it is in fact a maintenance thing or not.

Great, let us know what they say. My guess is you will get some funny looks. Starting in year model 2005, there is remote start option I believe, but that was a major redesign year. Maybe the BCM from a '05 got installed somehow.
Tried the "lock-unlock" sequence on my '01 and it worked as expected... locked, unlocked, locked, locked again, and unlocked the doors.
Hope they have some answers for you - I'm really curious about this myself.

Checked with two dealers, they seem to think it was a dealer installed option, or something put on aftermarket. I was told to go to any Jeep dealer and give them the VIN and they can look on Chrysler.com and see what options the Jeep came with originally, and if any dealer options were installed. I will have to do that.

You should also request a "build sheet", a document of detailed information from Chryslers records about how your Jeep was built, including all options that were installed at the factory. If it's a factory item, it should be listed.
You can ask for it here via web email and they will send it in .pdf format.
http://www.jeep.com

After seeing your post I went out and tried this on my '04 Laredo with no luck. It would've been though.

Trust me. I own a remote start shop and I have yet to see a Cherokee in ANY trim level have RS installed from the factory. What it sounds like is that someone installed a piggyback system that uses the vehicle's lock sequence to activate the system. In the systems I sell, it's usually pressing the lock botton 2 or 3 times. I don't know of any that require you to unlock it first but then again, who knows what you have in there or how it was installed.

If it works as you stated, you should get it to work with the OEM remotes too.

Anymore info on this?

Anymore info on this?
Such as what? No, if your car is indeed an '04 it can't have a '05 BCM because the newer Jeeps are set up on the CANBUS electrical systems while the '04 and older ones are not.

As far as the Jeep having OEM remote starter, there's no way. I see that Jeep offers the remote start as an option for the 2007 but I don't know if it's a build option or a dealer added option. I know the local dealers don't like those systems or having a tech waste a complete day to install one so they call me to install the ones I carry instead.

Such as what? No, if your car is indeed an '04 it can't have a '05 BCM because the newer Jeeps are set up on the CANBUS electrical systems while the '04 and older ones are not.

As far as the Jeep having OEM remote starter, there's no way. I see that Jeep offers the remote start as an option for the 2007 but I don't know if it's a build option or a dealer added option. I know the local dealers don't like those systems or having a tech waste a complete day to install one so they call me to install the ones I carry instead.
Hey pal, if you read my previous posts I think I pretty much stated that it couldn't be OEM.
I'm not an alarm installer, so I wouldn't know about CANBUS non CANBUS electrical systems.

My question was intended for the original poster, such as, how did it get there? What type of remote start is it? etc.

hello,something similar happen to me the other day,I park mt 02 overland at the market and walk away,and I press the lock button on my oem remote,but din't hear the honking noise,so I press the lock button again,this time I hear it,and I walk away and go into the market.when I was there somebody says on the market speakers that "is a grnd cherokke on the p lot with the ligts on",sin't think was mine,but when I comeback the wj was running?.I look to mi side triyng to understand what happen,cause I was thinking that somebody tried to steal my baby,but the wj was locked and with the engine runing,and the hazzard ligts on!!.so I open it,insert the key and tried to stop it,but nothing happen,so I start thinking what I did diferent last time,cause either there was something wrong o was something that I did!.so I drive back to my house,and before leaving the wj I look the doors twice with the remote(again,is a oem,not aftermarket0,and voila! the wj start by himself!!,I also tried with the dor look before leaving the vehicle,and that also works!! sequence is:look doors twice,nothing happen for a second,ligts on instruments come on,and vehicle start!.if you open the door but dont put the key in ignition,soon as y push the brake the car stops!!.I think this is factory installed,but is a litlle secret,cause nobody nows anything about it!!.sorry for making this so long.look like this only works on some overlands cause a friend of mine has one too and this works in his too!!(he was really surprised and happy about this!).

I have done some checking with my local dealer and I also got the original build sheet from Chrysler. There was no dealer installed factory option for this remote system.

But - I did find out that the vehicle was delivered in New York. The Jeep dealer in Port Jefferson had the remote system installed by a local stereo/alarm installer outlet, Grand Prix Stereo. That dealer has stated that Grand Prix does install a system that will work with the OEM key fob remote. My Jeep was modified by Grand Prix. I don't know how the system is tied into or interfaces with the Jeep door lock system, but I plan on calling Grand Prix Stereo to ask them about the system and where to go if I ever need maintenance on it.

I will post here any info I find out.

Mark and Ron. Yes, there are many remote starters out on the market that can be a "slave" unit which means that they do not have to have their own remote in order to work. They simply have an input (usually a neg or ground pulse) to be activated. You simply hook them up to the lock output of the car's doorlocks then set up the remote start to activate on how many number of pulses you want it to.

BTW, your Jeeps should also start if you sit inside the vehicle and tap the lock on the door 2x. To drive away, you need to put in your key and turn it to the run position and the brakes turn off the remote start. If it's a remote start from Directed Electronics, you should be able to press the lock 2x before you shut the car off and when you take your key out, it should stay running. Then you can get out and shut the door and lock it. That's nice if you are just running into a store for a minute or so and don't want to shut it off.

"BTW, your Jeeps should also start if you sit inside the vehicle and tap the lock on the door 2x. To drive away, you need to put in your key and turn it to the run position and the brakes turn off the remote start. If it's a remote start from Directed Electronics, you should be able to press the lock 2x before you shut the car off and when you take your key out, it should stay running. Then you can get out and shut the door and lock it. That's nice if you are just running into a store for a minute or so and don't want to shut it off" that's how my sistem works,and even when I live in miami,my wj was originally purchased in new york!!!.. short question,and I now doesn't belong here,but my jeep is binding the front tires really bad,gets better when is wan up,do I have a bad gerorotor o something?,I love this jeep and don't want to ged rid of it if I have a solution.(I read about a lot of horror tales about quadradrive) thanks

no problem