Car won't start - Alarm system at fault?

[brendaj]

I guess I should start with saying I'm completely automobile illiterate.

So sorry if I waste anyones time in asking anything.

Alright so, I bought a 1998 Plymouth Neon used, so I'm not the original owner. It was running just fine for the few weeks I've had it, until one day I had an ADT security system installed in my home.

I was given one of those little remote things to arm and disarm the home security system, and on that same day my car would no longer start. Not an irk from it when the ignition was turned and some alarm system I didn't know about began sounding.

A neighbor snipped some wire to stop the alarm, which at the time I didn't think was causing the car not starting, just an odd coincindence in the presence of another failure.

So a week later, today, I've replaced the battery, corroded battery ends, the starter, still no go (don't worry, was able to return a lot of what it didn't turn out I needed. My neighbor helped me.)

So my question is, is it possible the previous owner of this car (who I have no way of contacting) had an alarm system installed and by some freak chance the alarm remote for my house managed to arm it?

Everyone keeps telling me the alarm was equipped by the manufacturer that way, which is mainly why I'm posting here to ask if that's true, and that it's not some third-party issue.

Any insight would be helpful, even if the only suggestion is to go ahead and get it towed to some shop for them to figure it out. I'd go with that consensus if that's all that could help. Thanks for reading!

[ponchonutty]

'98 Neons don't have an OEM alarm so if your buddy snipped some wires then indeed you have an alarm. Take the bottom part of the dash off under where the steering column is. Look for the thick yellow wire that comes down the column goes. If it looks like it's been spliced and it goes to a relay, you need to take that out or jumper it.

[brendaj]

By 'take that out', do you mean the yellow wire or the 'relay'?

I assume the relay that you meant is some part of the alarm system preventing the car from starting as normal?

[brendaj]

I had my father come over and remove the panel beneath the steering wheel column for me, and there is some device labelled:

----------------------------
Directed Electronics, Inc
P/N 610t 40/30A
C9712
----------------------------

Besides those numbers, theres some kind of diagram printed on it.

Would anyone know if that's indeed the "starter kill" device? I tried googling, but so far I've only come up with some article on headlight dimming or something? Is that all this particular device does?


EDIT: It's this to be precise: http://www.directedstore.com/cgi-bin...archResult.asp

[das2123]

Thats a relay, but it isn't stock.

If your car does indeed have an alarm and it was activated and cycled through, the car won't start unless disarmed. Do you see a little buton anywhere underneath the dash? There should be one somewhere to turn off the alarm.

[brendaj]

Originally Posted by das2123

Thats a relay, but it isn't stock.

If your car does indeed have an alarm and it was activated and cycled through, the car won't start unless disarmed. Do you see a little buton anywhere underneath the dash? There should be one somewhere to turn off the alarm.

Beneath the dash...I see this over to the left: http://www.theclans.net/images/Dsci0076.jpg

Or is that red button something that came with the car? I didn't see it in the owner's manual, sorry if it's a stupid question.

Besides that one, I don't see anything. I have the panel off right now though because of that earlier advice. I'll keep searching.

[das2123]

That should be it. Put the key in the ignition and turn the ignition key to on, don't attempt to start the car, and hold the button down for about 3 to 4 seconds and see if you hear the alarm turn off.

[ponchonutty]

That 610t is a relay. Is it in a row of a bunch of them like this? http://cgi.ebay.com/DEI-610T-12VDC-4...QQcmdZViewItem

Anyway, if it's just one, you should have maybe a small yellow and a small orange wire off of it then two bigger wires maybe green and purple? Those bigger ones are where you want to jumper across. You can pull that relay out and put a jumper in it. Or, you could follow where those wires go to the brain and unplug the brain.

Not sure what that red switch is. DEI alarms aka Viper, Python, Clifford and the like use a very small black push button normally but maybe the previous owner swapped it out?