spo0k

Hello, I am a former 12volt installer and owner of a '97 LS400 Coach Edition. I have begun installing a Viper 5901 remote start / alarm with PKALL bypass. My first issue is that although I thought I had all my wiring mapped out before I got into the car (via the12volt.com's wire diagram for 1995-96 LS), I am finding that at least half of the wire colors given are not actually in the vehicle. The diagram I found for this car on the12volt does not show the 97 body style. It is skipped. They show 95-96 then 98-01. I tried looking at both and neither is completely correct for the 97. So, I've started going the old route of testing wires to find the basics.

Next, as I started to connect wires for the PKALL bypass, I have been unable to find the wires needed to tap into. Their installation guide says it works for 97-01, but when you jump to the page for installation it only shows 98-01. The wires I'm needing do not seem to be in the vehicle, at least not at the ignition cylinder.

Is the 97 actually totally different in terms of wiring from 95-96's and 98-01's? Has anyone successfully installed a remote start into their '97? My biggest concern now is to find the immobilizer to connect the bypass. Any help or a useful wire diagram would be greatly appreciated.

timmy0tool

iTrader: (7)

it was the model year 97 where they introduced the immobilizer so it does make sense the differences you are seeing.
what is PKALL? is that to bypass the immobilizer? these cars' immobilizer is linked directly to the ECU so it's not as easy a bypass as you may think.

I've never tried to run a remote start on these cars. I feel you will really need to go old school and physically hide a spare key somewhere in the ignition to disable the immobilizer.
i worked on an IS300 in the past and when I removed all the aftermarket alarm wiring found a spare key in a box tucked under the dash with a pigtail wire wrapped around the ignition column!

Bylan

I too have a 1997, and it is the only model year with a separate ECU-immobilizer that talks to the ECU. I once lost my car keys and it was an insane nightmare to make a new set from scratch. You unfortunately have the most secure LS400 lol, I wish you luck but you'll likely have to trick the ecu-immobilizer (located right next to the CD-changer above the glovebox). Please share if you have success because Id love to have remote start for these Chicago winters!

spo0k

PKALL is a bypass made by Xpresskit. I've used it on plenty of vehicles as it is widely universal. It basically takes care of bypassing the immobilizer without having to leave a spare key - which I do not currently have - in the dash near the ignition.
Honestly, the main reason I wanted to install this whole deal was to have keyless entry. I was never given the factory key fob.and have never had keyless since I've owned the car. Is anyone able to tell me if there is a simpler way to get to the door locks than through the passenger door?

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

Are you an authorized dealer? If not how are you going to flash the PKALL? I have a DBALL in my 460 but wanted to add a long range RF and found out you can no longer flash these things unless your an authorized dealer. I have a Python 9857P that I can't do anything with now.

spo0k

I was able to flash it from the Directechs website. Just to be sure that it worked, I took it to Best Buy and offered to pay them just to flash the module, but they told me it had already been flashed. I, too, thought you had to have a login as an authorized to dealer to do this. Not the case any more apparently.

You do have to have an XKLOADER to connect the bypass module to a computer via usb.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

How long ago did you flash it? I don't think you can do this anymore unless you have a dealer code. At least that's the info that I was getting when I recently tried to go the DIY route recently.

spo0k

I did this less than a year ago. I believe I went to the Xpresskit website (which I did notice they have recently changed), selected the PKALL bypass then selected my vehicle. If I remember right, it then gave me a link to flash it. I was surprised myself. When I was still an installer we had to be logged in to our account to be able to do this. I flashed a separate module for my girlfriend's Lincoln Navigator at the same time and it worked as it should also.

I wonder if maybe having the loader plugged into the computer allowed it somehow recognize that I was able to flash and thus allowed me to? Not sure.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

Well I don't think that still applies today.