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The Car Care Clinic

Remote Starter Switches

by Bob DeP.
AskBob@stretcher.com



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Bob,
My mother broke down this year and bought her first new car in 15 years. She lives in northern New York (along the Canadian border, really north) and wanted to have a remote starter kit installed for the winter months. She's been told by two mechanics that it can't be done. Is this true? Is there something unique with the Cavalier that you can't install a remote starter kit.

Distant Son

DS,
Does the car have a manual transmission? If so, then most remote starter manufactures and installers will not touch the car for 2 reasons. First, there is usually a clutch safely switch so the starter will not engage when the clutch is not depressed. This can easily be overcome with electronics. However, the second most important problem is that most people wrongly leave their car parked in gear (this is what the emergency brake is for not the transmission). So, if it is in gear, and you engage the starter, then your car is gonna take off on you! And just imagine if the car actually starts! No one will take on that liability.
Good Luck!
Drive Safely
Bob, The Auto Answer Man






If you have a question for Bob send it to: AskBob@stretcher.com. He's able to answer many of them personally and we'll include the best questions in future issues of The Dollar Stretcher.

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