I decided I would install my remote starter today and everything was going fine untill I had to connect to the 'parking lights' what the hell are the parking lights, do they mean the interior lights?? or do they mean the running lights, or is there some other type of lights. Also the only wire I'm a bit stuck on it the coil -ive, I'm working in the dark but I'm not seeing a coil, there's no dizzy either, I'm assuming there is an equivalent coming from the HT block on top of the rocker cover, the Van is a 91 XLT AWD. Any light shone would be appreciated.

 

I've always called the marker lights parking lights. It's what comes on when you push your light switch half way. Everything outside but the headlights.

 

Marker lights, speak english please,(well british) do you mean indicators or just plain old side lights, I'm getting more and more confused. the Vans N.American (Canadian to the rest of the world and has the lights on automatically when you put the key in, are those the ones you mean???

 

Ah, Canadian. That explains it.

Down here in the States, nothing comes on automatically in the Aerostars. The light switch on the 91 is a three position rocker switch. First position is all off. Second or middle, all outside lights except the headlights (high and low beam) comes on. Third is full on. All light outside are on.

On the older cars the parking would be tail lights and front marker/turn lights would come on steady. They flash with the turn signals.

I hope that helps. Basically it the little colored light on the side of the van. Everything but the main lights.

 

Life was easier in the Uk, I think I have it, on mine the side marker lights do not come on when running, they are exclusively for indication L&R turn signals, the headlights have 3 fillaments, small bulb always on (I guess this is the same as having the turn signals on all the time on earlier models) Side lights on the first position of the rocker, and low beam on the second position, the only difference it seems is there's an additional light (very low wattage) while the ignition is on, I'm going to use this as the 'parking lights' as even the manual refers to two different lights as the parking ones, also the remote start manual say to make sure this doesn't dimm (I wonder if there talking about the interior lights???) anyhow I'm going for the small lights in the headlights that come on when the key is in the ignition, this seems the most logical unless someone says otherwise.

 

Same thing. In some countries they are marker lights indicating front rear and sides of car (henceforth known as FRS lights). In other countries they are known as parking lights to indicate FRS. I'm not sure what country requires these to be on when parking on a street at night but I'm sure there is one out there. I think A motorcycle I had once came from that country as there was a third position on the keyswitch that said "Park" and it turned the back light on. If you move there, you better put an extra battery in the trunk for morning startup, or run a dropcord from the porch.
Finally in some countries they are known as running lights, also to indicate FRS of vehicle maybe for when you are running from something, or someone, or possible when you are "running" the vehicle down the road, like when you run out out of gas 2 blocks from the station at night and jump out to help make it with the last of your forward momentum. The FSR Lights help to alert other motorists of your plight so they can avoid and possibly assist you. Most will avoid you as the Aero looks as heavy as it is.
All three can also help identify FRS during normal night driving as well, and are required almost everywhere, and to be in good working order, regardless of what they are called. If this is not so, another car with Blue marker lights on top will remind you with a written notice.

Careful though, in many countries, like NC (wait, that's a state...i think) it simply depends on who you are talking with and where THEY are from what they are called.

I really hope This clear and precice post helps out some. Time for another Bud.

regards,
Dave

 

err, not really, here in Canada a blue flashing light means get out of the way as your about to be hit by a snowplough, red and white flashing ones are the ones I worry about. 1st time in the snow I was drifting sideways around the streets in my Porsche and I saw a blue flashing light, my heart stopped and I was searching for a plausable excuse for driving like a maniac, the the wave of snow/slush hit me and I realized they do things differently here. I have never heard of marker lights either so I'm assuming it's the (to use a UK expression) side lights. i also get the same feeling with boot/bonnet-hood/trunk, wing's-fenders, gas-petrol and chips/crisps. I'm slowly getting to grips with it but old habbits die hard. So the small lights that come on inside the headlamps with the ignition on it is then. Thanks for the quick edumication lesson.

 

Actually I think you are talking about what we call Daytime Running Lights or DRL. They come on automatically whenever you start the van/car. The newer cars over here have them.

The parking lights are the side marker light and tail lights and the front amber colored ones.

Of course I don't know why you need to connect to this as I've not installed a remote starter. Does the starter turn on these lights for you when it starts the engine?

 

It's part of the system, it also locks and unlocks doors and boot, has an alarm and other stuff so it flashes the lights depending on the status of the system, as it goes to the +ive side I was not sure if this wasn't a sensing wire once the key is in the ignition. So now I'm connecting it to the indicator lights not the DRL, there's only 1 wire so I'm not sure it's going to work unless I tap to the hazard output, time to pull the manual out. Just to clarify, my amber lights do not illuminate constantly, they are only indicators, the constant light is the front one's inside the headlights. i might just connect this up to a 12v bulb and see if it works, I only want the start and unlock function.

 

I just installed a remote start on my 95 and it was one of the easiest things I've done to it. I got my wiring from www.bulldogsecurity.com

 

forget the bloody lights and remote starter and go back to england you will be much better off, I would go back tomorrow if it was not for the really crap exchange rate right now

 

Hmm, I'd rather DIE. I'm a Nurse and as such in the UK I'd be treated like CRap, all for the equivalent of $35,000CAD a year at the top og my profession (Charge nurse looking after a 20 bedded ICU) where here I work less hours for $65000 a year, the cost of living is about half, Tax is less, Fuel is 96 pence a liter at home, thats over $2. I have only been away for 18 months but every time I go back I realise why I left, there's no way I would be packing up, especiallyas I sold my 2 bedroomed town house, paid off the mortgage and brough my new house (4200 sq/ft on 25 acres) and had enough change in the bank to consider a new Cayenne S. However each to there own, I'll be staying here even though I can't use one of my cars (apparantly it's to fast and scary for N.America), and the bike (streetfighter GSXR1215 Nos turbo'd) will never be permissable as an import. I'll be staying put in my little castle for the foreseeable.

 

yes I can see some people would rather stay, my wife is a nurse (well now she is an icu and e/r nurse manager). But I really miss england, so bad I think I could just pack up and leave if she wont come back with me, I don't know maybe it is just florida it really is too hot and it is full of rednecks and old people. Oh and back to the van I had some really bad gear changing in the tranny thought it was on it's way out, but just topped up the fluid and it run's fine again. Also if you are that well off what the hell are you doing with a aerostar for gods sake.

 

It's better than a GMC, heh heh, Actually i hated the Aerostar at first but as time has gome on I can't fault it, it has problems but it has NEVER ;et us down, even when the trans seal went it had the deciency to do it to us pulling onto our drive after a 300 mile run, not at the other end of the journey. We got it before we sold out house in the UK so it was a choice between a Caravan or an Aerostar, now we have a few pennies tucked away I can't bear to part with it, it also moved all our belongings from the customs yard to our house, towed the race cars and we were ablr to fit the snowmobile inside. it's also great for family when they visit, and going snowboarding as it can double up as a changing room, all in all it was a practical choice and a fgood one at that, the Porsche on the other hand.........thats another story.

 

well my wife must earn as much as you (if not more)and I earn I little from my maintenance job in the same hospital and we could not afford a porsche, (or maybe she is not telling me the full storey). By the way which hospital did you work at in england, we both worked at the luton & dunstable hospital, a 670 bed unit with 8 theaters, accident & emergency and a maternity unit. The wife was a sister in charge of the a/e unit, I think she earn't about 25thou pounds a year. Oh and one other thing I had to leave (well sell my 996 ducati) before we came over here and now I have terrible back problems and can no longer ride sports bikes and I will not ride those truck like cruisers all the bone heads over here ride, so there.