What does this switch do under my dash?

[BNJ-KJ]

Newbie here. Just picked my Liberty up last week. I was messing around in the jeep tonight and found a switch under the driver side dash. Got me curious so I took off the bottom cover and saw what looked to be a lot of non factory wire splicing and a black box with no writing on it. Just wondering if anybody knows what it is. I'm thinking it may be an aftermarket security system, but I have no remotes or anything. The car was a salvage off a local lot so I didn't buy from the previous owner so I can't ask them. Any ideas?

THE SWITCH

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BLACK BOX

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THE GRAY WIRE GOES TO A HOOD OPERATED SWITCH AND THE PURPLE WIRE TAPS INTO ONE OF THE IGNITION COILS. I'M PARTIALLY COLORBLIND BUT TO ME IT LOOKS LIKE A PURPLE AND A GRAY WIRE.

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WIRE THAT TAPS INTO COIL

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HOOD OPERATED SWITCH

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[gramifications]

That there looks like some off brand alarm with a ignition kill switch and hood tamper trigger. Good luck finding a remote to go with it unless you can find a company marking on it...

 

[Corwyyn]

Some kind of kill switch? I know a lot of the TJ/YJ people around here install switches inline on the ignition so that it's harder for soemone to drive off with their Jeeps, maybe the previous owner lived in a less-than-desirable location?

And yeah, the wires are gray and purple.

 

[Griemster1]

It's a remote start system and that is a safty switch so when you working under the hood your supposed to turn the switch off so the system doesn't accidently try to start.

 

[AbsoluteRenegade]

If you cut it out, leave the wires in the grommet so you can pull other aftermarket wires through for wiring up things yourself

 

[Vtolds]

My friends dad had a switch under his dash but it was hooked up to disconnect his speedometer so he would rack up any miles. he could get on the interstate set his cruise, flick the switch and he would not get any miles on his truck. Illegal, I know but I am just saying.

 

[Atrus]

I can't see the pics here, but sounds like a remote starter.

I'll check the pics out better later on, but from the wire colors you decribe I think it's a DEI (directed electronics) unit. If you can figure out the model, you could get a remote off ebay and see if it works! Fairly easy to program additional remotes to it.

Edit: usually, they are numbered with 3 numbers and a letter. For example, I have a 562T. They also have a 561R.

 

[JeepINgeek]

if it weren't for the switch under the hood i would say it was some kind of lo-jack.

 

[BNJ-KJ]

wow. thanks for all the responses. OK so I've either got a security or remote start. Because of that hood switch i would think it is a remote start also. In that case there were a few numbers on the case. I'm going to do some digging see what i can find out about it. I'd love to have a remote start.

I just tried starting it with the little switch in the off position and it still started so its not any kind of a kill switch.

 

[Atrus]

I think (again, can't see pics here) the switch is a kill switch for the starter, not for the vehicle. Is it a 16-18 gauge black wire or a 20ish gauge black w/white stripe wire?

The hood pin switch kills the starter if you pop the hood. The purple/black wire senses the tach signal so the starter will know if the vehicle is running. I'd be willing to bet that if you pop open the panel under the steering column and look at the brake switch, you'll see a wire (can't recall the color) attached to the white w/tan striped wire.

Look by your review mirror. Do you have an antenna mounted on the windshield up there?

P.S. - if you can find out what model it is (betting is a DEI), the12volt.com is a GREAT forum for help on starters and alarms. Lots of remotes on ebay all the time too. In fact, a lot of them have it set up that you can wire the starter to the door locks....you can set it so if you lock the vehicle a set number of times with the stock fob, it'll fire up. For example, a sequence of locking the door three times within 10 seconds would set off the starter.

 

[Griemster1]

The kill switch only disables the remote starter it will not disable your key from starting the car. The hod swicth is another safety feature that if the car is running under the remote starter and not the key, when open the hood the car will shut off. the purple wire under you hood attaches to your tach signal wire and that tells the remote starter when the vehicle is running so the remote starter doesnt just keep cranking over after the vehicle is running.

 

[BNJ-KJ]

Took the box back out again and found a model #, ran it on google and I have an audiovox prestige remote starter nana.gif I found manuals and install instructions off the audiovox website. It can be used with the factory keyless remote. Now I just need my remote to come in so I can test this puppy out. When i bought the jeep it didn't have the keyless remote so I ordered one off ebay.

 

[JeepINgeek]

sweet deal!