Clutch Bypass | Manual Transmission Clutch Bypass Tips

When installing a remote starter in a manual transmission vehicle, you will need to bypass the clutch safety switch that all newer vehicles have. The clutch safety switch prevents the engine from starting without depressing the clutch, obviously a remote starter cannot depress the clutch, hence why the bypass is required.

*NOTE* Some older vehicles (many European vehicles) will not have a clutch safety switch (you can start the car without pushing the clutch) so these tips will not apply.*

There are generally 2 different types of clutch switches. These are:

1. Normally Open Clutch Switch
2. Normally Closed Clutch Switch

We have attached a pdf file outlining the common schematic for interfacing with either switch type.

As for trigger outputs to use from the remote starter, the most common circuit to use from the remote starter is the negative starter output, however not all remote starters will have this output. If yours does not have this output, you can use a negative ignition output, or a GWR (ground when running) output. 

NOTE: If using a GWR output for clutch bypass, you must be very careful to diode isolate it from any other devices being triggered by the GWR output, such as immobilizer bypass module. Failure to diode isolate can lead to feedback and vehicle malfunction, or even damage, so be careful when using one output to trigger multiple devices.