TIPM Bypass Cable (Simple) for Mini-Blade Fuse Slots

1) How fast do you ship?  My vehicle will not start.

Answer: 99% of all orders will ship the same day if the order is received before 2PM ET.  Further details are available on our Shipping and Deliveries information page.

2) How long can I drive with the cable? Is it a permanent solution?

Answer: Many people have used our cables for extended periods of time (3-4 years) without issue, but they're still considered temporary solutions.  Unlike our patented long term solutions such as TIPM Plug-In Relay Systems, TIPM cables are temporary due to the construction of the add-a-circuit cables on each end and the tight fit.  While our TIPM cables are custom made at the factory per our specifications, we can't change some aspects of the design such as the terminal pin thickness in order to permit them to last a lifetime.  No matter what fix you decide to use, a TIPM cable is an inexpensive tool to diagnose problems with your vehicle and bypass a fuel relay problem, likely making it one of the most cost-effective fixes to solve fuel relay problems.  Tens of thousands of people around the world are currently driving with our TIPM cables and they will last for many years.

3) Will your cable provide 12 VDC to the fuel pump when the vehicle is off?

Answer: No. When using our bypass cable, power is only delivered to the fuel pump when in the run position or while the vehicle is starting/running. Your fuel pump will not be powered on when the vehicle is turned off.  If you want to listen to your radio in the accessories key position, the fuel pump will not be powered on.

4) What percentage of people have a no start condition with their fuel pump relay compared to those who have their fuel pump stuck on when the vehicle is off?

Answer: Based on the thousands of phone calls we've received since August 2014, we would guess that 65% have a fuel pump relay that won't engage (crank no start), 20% have a fuel pump relay that is stuck on (draining their battery), and 10% have a combination of both. 5% experience stalling while driving.  It's not uncommon for relay failures to switch from one failure mode to another.

5) My battery keeps draining. How can I temporarily fix my fuel pump relay "stuck on" situation without using your TIPM cable?

Answer:  The proper term for this situation is "parasitic draw".  Turn the vehicle off, go the rear of the vehicle near the fuel tank, and listen for pumping noises to see if fuel pump is still on. If so, remove fuse M25 (labeled "fuel pump") only when your vehicle is off, which will prevent power being delivered to the fuel pump. You can also install any of our products to prevent battery drainage due to stuck on fuel pump relays.

6) Is the TIPM bypass cable still effective if the external fuel pump relay recall has been added by my dealer?

Answer: No.  Our TIPM test/bypass cable will not work in this scenario (nor will it normally be needed) because the faulty fuel pump relay and fuel pump fuse (M25) have been permanently removed from the fuel pump circuit. The new external relay has its own inline fuse. The recall for 2011-2013 Dodge Durangos and Jeep Grand Cherokees only involves cutting numerous fuel pump wires leading in/out of the TIPM, thereby disconnecting the existing fuel pump relay circuit from the fuel pump. If you continue to have problems with your new external fuel pump relay or want to identify if you have one, read more here. 

7) Are any safety mechanisms affected by faulty fuel pump relays or bypass cables?

Answer: No.  If using the new M37 to M25 connection method, no safety mechanisms are affected by using a TIPM cable. 

8) When using the older M7 left slot to M25 bypass mode connection, my car only starts on the second attempt or won't start in cold weather. Is this normal?

Answer: It's rare, but some TIPMs won't power on the M7 circuit during the starting process. We've performed some testing/research to determine that it's likely attributable to the TIPM cutting off all unnecessary power draw during the starting process in cold weather or with lower battery voltages. Please use the newer configuration that is described in your instructions for bypass mode, which will resolve this problem.

With no power to M7 left slots, the TIPM cable can't deliver power to the fuel pump via the M25 fuse slot. There are some workarounds: (1) Cycle your key or start button to ACC and RUN mode, then start the vehicle; (2) In extreme cold weather, move the TIPM cable from the left slots of M7 to the right slots. Start the vehicle and then move the cable back to the left slots of M7. Keep in mind that plugging into the right slots of M7 forces the fuel pump to remain on all the time, so you'll need to return it to the left slots while the vehicle is running or after driving. This isn't an issue with our cable, rather it's how the TIPM handles cold weather starting.  

Low battery voltages may be due to your faulty relay being "stuck on", which powers your fuel pump when the vehicle is off until it partially or completely drains your battery. It's complicated, but some faulty fuel relays fail in different ways. They may fail early on by simply not allowing power to pass through the M25 fuse and to the fuel pump. Then they can switch to being "stuck on", which keeps your fuel pump running when the vehicle is off. You'll need to remove the lower yellow 20 amp fuse on the M25 end of our cable to completely disconnect the faulty relay from the fuel pump circuit and prevent battery drainage. The next time you try to start it and it fails, hook up the alligator clip to ground and watch the green light if you have the LED version of our cable. If the green light comes on when you turn the key to ACC, but then goes out only during the starter cranking process, your battery voltage is likely low. Charge your battery and/or make sure the lower fuse on the M25 end of our cable is removed. If your fuel pump is receiving power during the starting process but still fails to start, you might: (1) Have a faulty fuel pump (please use our cable to test your fuel pump), (2) Have no gas in the vehicle, or (3) Have a faulty crankshaft sensor or other problem that is outside of our knowledge base. Keep in mind that our TIPM cables have always been advertised as temporary solutions. Permanent solutions are available through us and we offer great discounts to those who've purchased our TIPM cables.

9) With the cable using excess power from an alternate fuse slot, will this affect other items in my vehicle?

Answer: No.  The new power source connection we use consumes less than 10 amps out of the 35 available amps provided via your existing grey Omron plug-in relay.  Since fuel pumps consume less than 10 amps, you're only using a total of 20 of the 35 available amps on the relay.  If you study the inside of a TIPM and the six circuit boards, you'll notice the new fuse slot connection permits the full 35 amp load to be distributed to the first leg of the fuse slot where it then divides, providing power to the TIPM cable and all items downstream of the fuse.  In order to protect the 10 amp circuitry downstream of the fuse slot, we require you to remove one of your fuses and insert it into the TIPM cable (see hard copy instructions for complete details).

10) Why won't your cable work on my 2007-2010 Ram truck, Chrysler 200/300, Dodge Charger, or Dodge Avenger? What does the typical fuel pump circuit look like that permits the bypass/test cable to work?

Answer: Most vehicles will allow our TIPM bypass/test cable to work, but please note that we have not been able to test every vehicle.  For a TIPM cable to work properly, the following must be true:

The order of components in the fuel pump circuit must be: +12 VDC ---> Fuel Pump Relay ---> Fuse Slot ---> Fuel Pump.  You can easily test for this arrangement using a test light or multimeter by detecting the absence of 12 VDC on the fuel pump fuse slot when the vehicle is off.  As long as your fuel pump relay is not "stuck on", detecting 12 VDC on the fuel pump fuse means a TIPM cable will not work.  To summarize, you must not detect 12 VDC on your fuel pump fuse for a TIPM cable to work and your relay must come before the fuse slot when power flows through the circuit to the fuel pump.  If a fuel pump relay is downstream of the fuse slot, you can't easily test the relay and you can't inject power to feed the pump.  Many 2010 and older Dodge Ram trucks cannot utilize a TIPM cable because the fuel pump relay comes after the fuse and you'll detect 12 VDC on the fuel pump fuse when the vehicle is off.  Since a fuel pump relay failure often means no power at the fuse or pump when the vehicle is starting or running, the arrangement of the circuit shown below benefits us since we can inject +12 VDC power via a TIPM test/bypass cable into the 20 amp fuse slot to power the fuel pump.  For details, see our wiring diagrams section.

Any alternate power source for the cable (ie. cigarette lighter, run/start relay, etc.) must ideally provide 12 VDC only when the vehicle is starting or running.

If you own a 2007-2010 Ram truck, we can only recommend a used TIPM at this time since none of our products will work and a TIPM repair is very difficult due to surface mount relays that are very close to each other.   The same used TIPM recommendation likely applies to Chrysler 200/300, Dodge Charger, and Dodge Avengers.  We have heard of some success with a 2009 Dodge Challenger.

11)  Will my remote start and safety mechanisms be affected by this device?

Answer:  Users will maintain full functionality of their remote start.  Cold weather or low temperatures will not affect this system.   Please visit our Safety page for details on how this part works during a crash.

12) My 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan is having problems starting - sometimes a grinding sound and sometimes it starts fine. Would the fuel pump relay cause this issue?

Answer: Yes, it's possible.  Fuel pump relays often fail by clicking on and off very fast. Sometimes they click on fast enough to stay running and sometimes not. When your vehicle detects that is has "started", it disengages the starter solenoid. If the fuel relay is still clicking on/off just enough to keep it running, but not fast enough for to detect the vehicle is running, the solenoid can stay engaged in the flywheel, creating the grinding sound. It sounds like this because it is indeed slowly grinding the teeth off your flywheel and solenoid.

13) My car still won't start with the TIPM test/bypass cable installed. What might cause this?

Answer: The following are possible causes for this situation while using our cable:

1. TIPM test/bypass cable isn't hooked up to the proper fuse slots. It must be connected between M37 and M25. 
2. Check TIPM test/bypass cable fuses. Some people accidentally touch our cable to ground while plugged in to the TIPM, which may blow a fuse.
3. Make sure the top yellow 20A fuses on each end of our TIPM test/bypass cable are installed. Top fuses permit power to flow from one end of the cable (M37) to the other (M25). Bottom fuses allow the original fuse slot to function properly.
4. Have you checked your fuel pump using the TIPM test/bypass cable to see if it's working? A fuel pump pressure test is something else to keep in mind if all else fails.
5. Do you have gas in the vehicle? Is your fuel gauge working properly?
6. Make sure you don't already have an external relay installed. If you do, change the external relay.
7. Check/replace your camshaft and/or crankshaft sensors. There are dozens of things that can prevent a vehicle from starting, beyond the fuel pump relay issue that our cable was designed to solve.

14) My vehicle is experiencing problems since installing the cable. Is the cable at fault?

Answer: No. With tens of thousands of cables in use worldwide, we know exactly how our cables interact with TIPMs. Our TIPM bypass/test cables are nothing more than jumper cables that permit electricity to move between two points. Instead of using the electricity flowing through a faulty fuel pump relay to power your fuel pump, we use electricity from another source (the M37 run/start fuse slot). Your faulty fuel pump relay and the run/start fuse slot both use the same 12 VDC source inside the TIPM. When using the cable, your run/start fuse slot doesn't know or care that it's actually powering the fuel pump.  Our TIPM bypass/test cables won't cause any warning lights, check engine lights, alternator, starter, or air conditioning problems. Dodge, Chrysler, Ram, Jeep, and VW vehicles and their TIPMs are well known for electrical problems in each of these items.  Note that a faulty fuel pump relay will never trigger any codes as they are no sensors to detect a fuel pump relay failure or lack of power to the fuel pump.

If you do get a "check engine" warning light, we always suggest you obtain an OBDII scanner and plug into your OBDII port to identify the particular code. This will tell you what the problem is. Or you can often take your vehicle to a local auto parts store where many of them will read the code for free.

15) Why couldn't my dealer or mechanic figure out that the fuel pump relay was faulty?

Answer: It's VERY common for dealers or mechanics to improperly diagnose fuel pump relay problems. The most common misdiagnosis is a faulty fuel pump, which will cost you around $600-$1000. Reasons for improperly diagnosing fuel pump relay problems include:

• Relay failures are often intermittent
• Selling you a TIPM at $1500+ is more profitable
• Faulty relays won't normally result in vehicle faults/codes
• Many people don't understand vehicle electrical systems
• TIPMs are not a user or dealer serviceable part (i.e. they're not allowed to work on the parts inside)
• They don't know how to properly test fuel pump relays

Fortunately, fuel pump relays are our specialty and we can often diagnose problems over the phone or via email.

16) Nothing happens when I turn the key.  Is the cable at fault?

Answer:  If you're turning the key and nothing happens, then you likely have a starter issue, dead battery, bad alternator, or wiring problem.  This type of problem is not related to the fuel pump relay, nor does it have anything to with our cable or the entire fuel pump circuit.  Our cable simply delivers power to the fuel pump.  If your vehicle is unable to power the starter to rotate the flywheel, which must happen prior to the delivery of fuel, then you'll want to focus on the solutions listed below.

Corroded battery terminals can cause the inability for the battery to deliver 12 VDC to the starter.  A faulty alternator can prevent the battery from being charged properly, resulting in a dead battery.  Note that many 2011 vehicles were recalled for bad alternators.  You may want to check to see if yours was on the recall list. Check your starter plug-in relay that is located next to your fuses on top of the TIPM. Starters, which have become extremely difficult to change on your own, are known to fail (often resulting in an intermittent clicking sound).  Also, modern TIPMs control the ability of the alternator to deliver current to charge the battery when driving.  Some of our customers had to replace their TIPM with a used TIPM.

17) Will the TIPM cable still work if my vehicle doesn't have a rear cigarette lighter?

Answer:  Yes.  Regardless of the presence of a rear cigarette lighter (power adapter) for the M7 circuit used by the cable, the infrastructure in the TIPM-7 fuse box is still there to accommodate fuel pump testing with our cable.  This situation mainly applies to 2011-2012 Dodge Ram owners.  The cable still works perfectly on these vehicles with the M7 slot providing either full-time or key-on power, as desired, depending on the cable configuration you desire.  Note that we only use the M7 fuse slot to test your fuel pump.

18) When is power provided to the fuel pump when using the TIPM cable?

Answer: TIPM cables will provide power to your fuel pump in a nearly identical manner as the original fuel pump relay.  Your fuel pump will only be powered on in the run position and during staring/running of the vehicle.  Once you turn off the key, the fuel pump will shut off. The only difference is the original fuel pump relay will temporarily turn on the fuel pump (prime for 2 seconds) while a TIPM cable will continuously power the pump if you cycle your start button or key to the run position. 

19) My factory remote start isn't working or the vehicle shuts down after a few seconds when using remote start. What causes this?

Answer: Our TIPM cables work perfectly with the factory remote start and we often find that these types of problems are the result of the vehicle disabling remote start capabilities before or after the starting process. Most vehicles will disable remote start if any of the following conditions are not met:

1. Check engine light not illuminated
2. Shift lever in PARK
3. Doors closed
4. Hood closed
5. HAZARD switch off
6. BRAKE switch inactive (brake pedal not pressed)
7. Ignition key removed from ignition switch
8. Battery at an acceptable charge level
9. Remote keyless entry PANIC button not pressed
10. Fuel meets minimum requirement

The engine can be started two consecutive times (two 15-minute cycles) with the remote keyless entry transmitter. However, the ignition switch must be cycled to the ON/RUN position before you can repeat the start sequence for a third cycle. With a TIPM cable in place, remote start problems are normally attributable to one or more of the items listed above if you can start your vehicle with a key or pushbutton, but not with the keyfob.

20) One end of my TIPM cable has melted. What causes this?

Answer: Your fuse slot was likely damaged prior to installing the cable.  We've seen this before where customers insert fuse taps or widen the fuse terminals in their TIPM due to repeated use. This creates a hot spot due to the fuse terminals not touching the TIPM cable with enough surface area. The 9 amps flowing to your fuel pump requires a fuse or TIPM cable to be tight and secure. The solution is to remove all fuses/relays and the top of your TIPM, then crimp the terminals back together.  Read more on our Fuse Slot Hot Spot page.

21) After turning the key off, my vehicle continues to run.  Why?

Answer:  In short, you forgot to remove the lower 20 amp yellow fuse on the M25 end of your cable, per the color hard copy instructions included with your product.  You also missed the FAQ question on the last page of your instructions that addresses this exact scenario.  In this particular situation, you likely have a fuel pump relay that is stuck-on, draining your battery.  By failing to configure your cable properly, the stuck-on relay is backfeeding the cable power source circuit with 12 VDC, keeping the vehicle running when you turn it off.  Please refer to the instructions supplied with your part or contact us.

Hard copy color instructions are sent with each cable purchase

Although we have since updated the bypass mode fuse slot connections in our written instructions, many aspects of this video still apply to our TIPM cables: