can anyone in the know post a diagram showing how i might wire up a push start button into my felicle pickup (1999) please?????????

Well, here's how the ignition switch is wired.

Terminal 30 (red) is the live connection to the battery, and is switched to the other terminals in the different positions like so:

terminal     Lock  0    I    II
--------------------------------
p (?)         1    0    0    0
15 (black)    0    0    1    1
50 (yellow)   0    0    0    1
16 (white)    0    0    0    1

so for a start button you'd need a DPST push-to-make switch with red on one side of both poles and white and yellow on the other ends respectively. And if you're looking to replace the ignition switch entirely, you'll also need another switch between black and red to turn power on/off (I don't know if anything is actually connected to the park terminal, but if there is you may also need to switch that correspondingly). However if you did that there's still the issue of the immobiliser, so you'd need to keep the key or at least the transponder from it near the immobiliser reader coil for the engine to run.

Edited 20 November, 201015 yr by RobinSLXi

Now whether the technology has improved the transponder ranges or not ,I know not - but recently I hired a Mondideo with keyless ignition .Only stipulation was that key ( with transponder) should be in vehicle .I kept key in my pocket and used press start/stop .

On a purely theoretical level, it should be possible to emulate the same effect , if an output from the transponder seeing a key could be made to power up the vehicle ,and some sort of electronic toggle control the start/stop functions( via power relays). Main problem would be getting a smooth spike free supply to the electronics , especially in a petrol car .I've had decent results over the past three years ,but in a diesel car with a double regulated supply for remote control .Be interesting to see how it stood up to the noise on a petrol environment .

Related to #3 - How do keyless ignitions operate the steering lock?

Also, a keyed system uses a 4-position switch:-

0) All off except permanent live items.

1) Accessories on; engine ignition off.

2) Ignition on. Depending on vehicle, this may be the only time the brake light circuit is live. Position (1) items stay live.

3) Starter motor on. When this is operated, it's usual to break power to pretty much everythign except permanent live items.

If you want to completely replace the ignition switch and key, you'll need to replicate all this functionality, so you need a 3-way switch offering positions 0, 1 and 2 to replace the existing switch, and a DPST push to make as already discussed for the starter button (replacing position (3).

You'll need to check the current rating you need for these switches, but expect them to be substantial!

Related to #3 - How do keyless ignitions operate the steering lock?

Solenoid, presumably, much like a central locking actuator. If indeed they still have a mechanical steering lock.

You'll need to check the current rating you need for these switches, but expect them to be substantial!

i.e. moreso than the original Felicia one, which does seem to break too easily!

Solenoid, presumably, much like a central locking actuator. If indeed they still have a mechanical steering lock.

i.e. moreso than the original Felicia one, which does seem to break too easily!

Which is why I suggested the more messy option of power relays ( i.e. 40 A car ones -they're mostly available as single pole , but not too dear,( and at an average of 75 ohm is less than .2A operating ,and possibly a lot less holding current ).

The place you really need the heavy duty feed is on the starter surely? Most of the heavy-duty stuff on the "ignition on" position is relay-fed already, or else would benefit from being relay-fed.

The high-current feed to the starter is permanently live, only the solenoid is controlled by the ignition switch (on position 3).

If you approach it that way, all circuits are permanently live up to the switch/relay (except when disabled by the use of the starter).

You surely realise that I was talking about where you should have a need to handle a device power draw rather than a switching current for a relay (and the solonoid acts as a relay [but a very heavy duty electro-mechanical relay] on the starter circuit).