How To Install Viper Alarm on a Jeep Wrangler YJ

This tutorial on how to install an alarm on a Jeep Wrangler should be used as a guide only. Please follow your alarm manufacturer’s instructions.

Your Jeep is dirty, manly, and tough; but that doesn’t mean you can’t add some luxury to the old beast. An alarm install on the Jeep with power door locks were one of the first projects I wanted to tackle. Security was not my main concern and a keyless entry system would have worked just fine, but I was able to find a great deal on a Viper 5701 alarm unit. The Viper 5701 Car Alarm also includes remote start capabilities, but I had no plans to actually install that option. I wanted a nice simple alarm with a nice remote fob that could control both driver and passenger doors while scaring off the honest thieves.  We all know how easy it is to break into a Jeep, an alarm is just a deterrent and an a small inconvenience.

Alongside the Viper 5701, I also got my hands on two Power Door Lock Actuators as well as a universal power windows kit (The power windows kit will be installed at a later time). My 1992 Jeep Wrangler YJ has pretty simple wiring when it came to this project. A quick google search of a Wrangler YJ wiring diagram revealed which wires I actually had to tap/cut into. As always, double check the wires with a Digital Multimeter before cutting into them. I will go over which wires are needed further down the page. My preferred method of connecting wires was by way of soldering.  This method requires a lot more time and patience but will provide a more solid connection between wires. I have nothing against crimping wires together and did utilize that option a few times during this install.

Lets get started!

First step I did was find a mounting location for the alarm siren:

I found a nice location on the passenger side wheel well.  I chose this location because there was a lot of room and because it is located on the same side as the battery. The Viper Alarm manual suggested that you route the siren wires back into the Jeep where it will connect to both the power and the ground wires.

You can see where I routed the wires into the Jeep’s cabin. I utilized a pre-existing hole that the previous owner had used except I drilled it out slightly larger with a 3/8 bit and place a rubber grommet to protect my new wires.

You will need to find a nice spot to put all your ground wires. The alarm manual suggested the driver side kick panel but my E-brake consume most of that area. I decided to mount my ground wires to the center of my firewall. I will eventually place a Ground Block for all my ground connections.

You need to decide where you would like to place your alarm “brain”.  The most common place is under the driver side dash. This, however, is also the most common place an intruder would look. Choose your location wisely.  Once you know where the alarm brain will go, we can now start tearing into your Jeep’s wiring.  Removal of the dash is not necessary but will make the wiring connections much easier.

The 3 main wires you want to look for is in the Ignition Switch:

Red ———- 12 Volt Constant (will always have a positive charge)
Yellow ——-12 Volt Switched (only turns on with the key in ‘ON” position)
Green ——–Starter wire (this is for killing the starter when alarm is armed)

These wires will control the main functions of the Viper Alarm.  The red wire (12 volt constant) and the yellow wire (12 volt switched) will need to be tapped into.  While the green (starter) wire will actually need to be cut completely.  Look on your alarm installation guide to find which alarm wire corresponds to which ignition wire. The red power wire on the alarm unit will almost always have an inline fuse hooked to it. You will also want to hook up the siren output wire to the siren wires you routed inside the cabin.

The next step is to hook up your parking lights and door triggers:

Parking Light ——Blue/Pink (Light Switch)
Door Trigger ——  Black/White (Door Pin)

The parking light wire can be easily found in your light switch. This wire will flash your parking lights whenever you arm or disarm the alarm. Once you remove a few screws for the lights switch, you will be able to pull the whole switch out of the dash.  Look on the back of the switch for a blue and pink wire. You will want to tap into that wire with the parking light output wire on your alarm.

You can easily find the door trigger wires when you open the door. It is the Black/White wire behind the door pins.  There are two of these wires on the driver side and one on the passenger side.  The driver side has two because these wires control the dome lights (when the doors are open) and also the “key in ignition warning” buzzer (also when the door is open). This buzzer function on my 1992 Jeep Wrangler YJ was non-existent.  I assume the previous owner was annoyed with this option and many Jeepers disable the buzzer according to what I have read on the forums.

*Note*

You will want to remove the corresponding fuse whenever you take the doors off your Jeep. Look in your manual for the correct fuse to pull.

You are almost done with the alarm install!

The final steps for the alarm install is to hook up the alarm shock sensor and alarm L.E.D. light.  On my Viper Alarm Unit, the shock sensor is built into the brain. You may have a separate shock sensor depending on which alarm you are installing.  My alarm’s L.E.D. light is also built into what Viper calls the “Control Center”. Basically this Control Center has the antenna, valet switch, and L.E.D. light all built into one. I placed mine on top of my dash directly in the center. Once again, your install may be different depending on which alarm you choose.

          

Thats it! You’re done! Congratulations!

You have officially completed your alarm install. You may, however, notice a blue and green wire poking out of your alarm brain.  These wires control the Power Door Locks that your Jeep does not have…yet.

Stay tuned if you would like to see how I added power door locks to my Jeep YJ!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW POWER DOOR LOCK INSTALLATION