Engine Start Button

 

 

Parts Needed:

  • 1 Genuine Honda S2000 starter button
  • a good crimping tool and wire cutters
  • a few colors (green, black) 18 gauge copper core wire
  • several 18 gauge vampire taps or or 3M T-Tap Quick Disconnect Terminal and insulated spade style crimp connectors
  • electrical tape
  • Phillips Screwdriver
  • Other misc. tools

Overview:

This mod replaces the dash mounted factory power outlet and cover with a functional Engine Start button.  The car will not be able to start unless the key is in the ignition and turned to on.  Also, the transmission must be in park or neutral, or if you have a stick, the clutch must be fully depresses.

There are several buttons to choose from ranging in price from about $20 to $150, but they all do the same thing and none is really better then the other.

The S2000 starter button is fairly inexpensive, its available at $45 from your local Honda dealer or about $35 shipped to your door from HandA-accessories.com.  If you’d prefer a ford part, the engine start button from the Ford GT is available form your ford dealer.  The part number is 4G7Z 11572 AA  and the Suggested Retail price  is $208.42.

. Installation: 

  • During this procedure, do not cut any wires.  Use Vampire taps or strip the insulation from the wires and wrap the new connections around the exposed wire.  This will allow you to operate the ignition key as normal and will allow you to undo the starter button in the future if you so desire.
  • Remove the center dash.  Start by opening the center console compartment. Remove the 2 Phillips screws on the top by the hinge. Apply the parking brake up and then pull up the console from the back after pulling the side pieces of the console away from the lower part of the console. There are clips there that hold the console tight. Maneuver the console around the parking brake handle and put it aside. Next, remove the 2 side pieces on each side of the radio and controls by prying them forward CAREFULLY!!! There are clips that hold them in place.   Next, remove the center instrument panel finish panel by removing the 6 mounting screws and disconnecting the 3 connectors.  Finally, you will need to remove the Lower Steering Column Cover.  It is just held on with 3 screws.
  • Remove the Cigarette lighter. From the Center Dash finish panel.  This is where the Start button will mount.
  • Tap into the starter wire, it's located at the rear of the ignition cylinder, under the steering column. The starter is the darker solid green wire as shown in the picture.  The green wire is covered in electrical tape; you need to remove the tape to find the wire.  Use a vampire tap or 3M T-Tap Quick Disconnect Terminal to splice a piece of green stranded copper wire to this connection.  Feed the wire through dash near the cigarette lighter connector. 

  • Next, the switch needs power.  A convenient  source is the hot lead from the cigarette lighter connector.  This is the blue wire w/ stripe.  Tap into this wire and attach the red 3 amp fused lead to this wire.   The only problem with using this source is that the light on th button will always be on.  It does not draw a lot of power so there is no need to worry about it draining the battery.  The good thing about using this source is that if you forget your keys, you can provide accessory power to the car for about 10-15 minutes.  This will allow you to put the windows/top uo or down, listen to music, use your wipers, etc.  Overall, I think the advantages of using this source far outweighs the inconvenience of having the light on all the time.
  • Finally, attach a black wire to ground.


  • Now you need to make the connections.  Get a 5 pin computer floppy drive power connector and attach pin 1 to the green starter wire, pin 2 to the red power wire and pin3 to the black ground wire.  The other pins are not used.  Connect plug to the switch and test it. if you need to purchase a power cable, you can get one here for about $5/pair.

 

  • Disconnect the switch and install it on the Center panel.  You will need to open the hole up with a Dremel tool or small file and cut small slots for the ribs on the button. Remove as little material as possible for a tight fit.  

 

 

 

 

  • Replace the center dash panel, center console and steering column cover by reversing the procedure above.

 

 

 

 

I did not take pictures while I was doing this mod.  The idea and some of the pictures for this came from the starter button thread on the Mustang Source forum.