There is a small black box right below the hood release in my 1998 Rodeo. The box has a red light on it that blinks sometimes, but not always. Wiring comes out of the bottom side of the box, then goes up under the dash. When I sit in the driver's seat, the box is located near my left shin.

I ask this because my truck has an intermittent no-start problem that I have been unable to diagnose. This week, when I got in the truck to go to work, it would not start. I bumped the wiring, though, while turning the key and it started right up. Again, later in the week, when the truck would not start for a second time, I intentionally grabbed the wiring and moved it while holding the key on. The engine caught and fired immediately.

My thinking is that the black box with the occasionally-blinking light has something to do with the alarm/keyless entry system. Does anyone know for sure what it actually does?

On what may be a related note, my keyless entry also works intermittently. Occasionally, the alarm goes off for no reason, so the lights flash and the horn honks until I turn it off. Unfortunately, the interior lights will not go out when this happens, nor will the alarm/keyless work. My only recourse has been to pull the fuse that runs the keyless/alarm system. Of course, that fuse also allows the rear wiper and stereo to operate, so I'd like to determine what the problem is.

All of this has caused my wife to begin to make noises about getting rid of my truck. Any advice you can offer would be welcomed and may help me keep my truck instead of buying a used Honda Civic. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

That sounds like the alarm control unit. You can verify this by going to http://www.myisuzuparts.com/ and entering "alarm" in the keyword search option after you select your year and model.

I'm not sure that's it. The illustrations on that site show that part being inside the dash.

That part in my truck is on the outside of the dash, right under the hood release.

I wonder if I can get a picture of it.

EDIT: By the way, thanks for listing that site. It gave me some additional information regarding my EGR. I need to clean that out tomorrow in hopes that it will make my CEL go away. I guess I could replace the whole thing if I need to do so, but I'd rather clean the old one and see if that works.

Does this help?

Is there a "key" in there? It looks a lot like some anti-theft device. I've seen ones were you plug a flat key with copper contacts into it before it will let you start the car.

If there is a "key", pull it, clean the contacts and put it back in. Maybe it is crudded up.

Or...just follow the wires and pull the thing. It can't be that complicated.

Michael

I bought the truck used three years ago. If there's a key for that slot, I never got it.

As for pulling it... hmm. Considering my mechanical skills, that may cause more and bigger trouble than I already have.

Can anyone with a similar vehicle chime in on this? Is it a factory part or aftermarket installation?

Looks aftermarket to me.

Ya, looks after market... unscrew it from the dash and see if there is a company name on it. Looks like it's missing a key to slide in there.

Also, note the wiring colors... then look around the firewall under the hood for those colored wires to possibly come out somewhere... it MIGHT lead you to an after market alarm.

Van <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Well, new shocks, an oil change, and an EGR cleaning are all on the agenda for today. Might as well add this to the list.

Thanks for the input, guys.

Does the light come on with the brakes?

Just a wild guess, but... trailer brake control?