Keyless Ignition Conversion: What It Costs, How It's Done, and Which Kit to Buy

Most articles on this topic give you a range so wide it's useless — "expect to pay $300 to $3,000."

This one gives you actual line items: every kit price, every accessory price, real labor hours, and three complete worked budgets you can take to your builder.

Part 1: What the kit costs

Digital Guard Dawg's full ignition system range, verified July 2026. Every one of these includes a premium billet start button and wiring harness — the price is the price.

System	Price	Buy this if
DGD-M1	$149	You want the immobilizer only, keep your key
DGD-I-24	$199	24V military — M998, M1097, M151, M151A1
AT-1	$229	Theft protection only, any 12V vehicle
KIM series	$269	Motorcycle, plug-and-play by model
PBS-MX	$299	ATV / UTV
GC12V	$299	Golf cart, 12–48V
PBS-X	$443	You already own an aftermarket alarm or remote start
PBS-M	$469	Boat, 12V gas or diesel, non-CANbus
PBS-I	$589	Pre-1998 classic, ignition only
PBS-II	$665	Pre-1998 classic with power accessories
iKey Premier	$783	Full keyless-go: PKE + alarm + immobilizer + push start

Reference point: DGD's FAQ puts a dealer retrofit of a factory push button start system at $1,500–3,000+. The most expensive system on this list is roughly half the cheapest dealer quote — and includes an alarm and immobilizer the dealer won't give you at any price.

Part 2: What the labor costs

Automotive: 2–4 hours for an experienced installer, per DGD's FAQ.

Why it's that fast: the system connects to your existing ACC, IGN and START circuits using an included 36-inch plug-in harness. No cutting or splicing factory wiring. The module is compact — roughly 4.5" × 3.5" × 1" — and mounts under the dash or in the center console.

At typical independent shop rates of $100–150/hour, that's $200–600.

Motorcycle: about $100–200, per DGD's FAQ, if you don't DIY. Plug-and-play KIM systems are faster still because the harness is model-specific.

Military 24V: the DGD-I-24 is described as plug-and-play with no wires to cut or splice — swap the existing ignition switch wire onto the I-24 harness, attach the ground wire, done.

DIY? Entirely reasonable if you're competent with automotive wiring and a multimeter. DGD publishes full install manuals and interactive troubleshooting flowcharts free, before you buy, at digitalguarddawg.com/support. Read the manual for your system before ordering — it tells you exactly what you're signing up for.

One caution from the manual, worth reading twice: all +12V power and ground connections must land directly on the battery terminals, with no additional fuses, and the module must be grounded before it's powered up. Powering an ungrounded module can cause serious damage to internal components. This is the single most common way a DIY install goes wrong.

Part 3: The accessories that belong in the budget

Start button upgrade. Every system includes a billet button, but there are 50+ options if you want a specific look:

Button	Price
Billet — stainless or black anodized, 4 LED colors (included)	$50
Slim Line SL-OEM	$77
Ford Raptor · Honda Civic	$159
Toyota · Lexus LX · Nissan SS-style	$199
Cadillac Escalade	$212
Corvette C7	$229
Honda S2000	$344
Aston Martin black	$705

Power accessories — needed for full PKE if your classic doesn't have them:

Item	Price
Power door lock kit — 2 door	$85
Power door lock kit — 4 door	$159
Power trunk release kit	$44
2-window roll up/down module	$49
Door lock module	$77

Situational:

Item	Price	When you need it
Bypass module	$113	Vehicle has a factory transponder immobilizer
Clutch control switch	$25	Manual transmission
Start button extension harness	$25	Button mounts more than 36" from the module
Mini siren	$20	Alarm systems
Glass break sensor	$34	Extra alarm coverage
Microwave sensor	$43	Extra alarm coverage
Spare fob	$42–79	Always buy one
Emergency bypass card	$15	Spare for the glovebox

GPS tracking — Guard Dawg 4G Tracker, $314 with two years of activation included. Updates every 2 minutes, IP67, backup battery, theft/tow/geo-fence/speed alerts, optional starter lockout from the app. Renewals as low as $26.95/year on a prepaid 5-year plan.

Part 4: Three complete worked budgets

Build A — Pre-1998 classic, ignition only

1969 Camaro, manual transmission, no power accessories

Line item	Cost
PBS-I system (button included)	$589
Clutch control switch	$25
Spare PBS fob	$65
Spare emergency bypass card	$15
Installation, 3 hrs @ $125	$375
Total	$1,069

Build B — Resto-mod with power accessories

1967 Mustang, shaved doors, power windows

Line item	Cost
PBS-II system, 5 output channels	$665
Power door lock kit, 2-door	$85
Power trunk release kit	$44
2-window roll up/down module	$49
Corvette C7 start button upgrade	$229
Spare fob + bypass card	$80
Installation, 5 hrs @ $125	$625
Total	$1,777

Build C — Full keyless-go, modern or classic

LS-swapped C10, the complete luxury experience

Line item	Cost
iKey Premier — PKE + alarm + immobilizer + push start	$783
Power door lock kit, 2-door	$85
Mini siren	$20
Guard Dawg 4G GPS, 2 yrs activation included	$314
Spare iKey fob + bypass card	$94
Installation, 6 hrs @ $125	$750
Total	$2,046

All three come in at or under a dealer's starting quote for a factory push button retrofit — and every one of them includes an RFID immobilizer, an emergency bypass card, and a choice of 50+ buttons the dealer doesn't offer.

Part 5: The process, step by step

1. Confirm fitment. The published boundaries: iKey Premier fits almost any vehicle except 2012 and newer Mercedes-Benz. PBS-I and PBS-II are for pre-1998 vehicles — PBS-I without accessory channels, PBS-II with. PBS-M is non-CANbus marine. PBS-X requires an existing aftermarket alarm or remote start. When in doubt, call 1-877-246-5395.

2. Check for a factory transponder immobilizer. If your vehicle has one, you'll need a bypass/data module — the same one a normal remote start install would require. DGD's manual notes all major brand bypass and data modules typically work fine. Budget $113.

3. Set dip switches and jumpers first. Configure before installation — PKE on for power locks, off for shaved doors, plus alarm options. Always power the module off before changing a switch position.

4. Ground the module, then power it. In that order. Both power and ground land directly on the battery terminals, and both are redundant on the iKey — two +12V inputs and two grounds.

5. Connect the harnesses. The iKey Premier uses five:

Harness	Pins	Gauge
Power	8-pin	14 ga
Primary accessory	10-pin	14–16 ga
Accessory output	9-pin	20 ga
Accessory input	7-pin	22 ga
Negative ignition output	3-pin	20 ga

Most wires are in the driver's kick panel and under-dash area. Verify polarity with a multimeter before connecting. (Running ISIS or Infinitybox? That 3-pin negative harness provides 500mA ACC/IGN/START outputs specifically for those systems.)

6. Mount the start button. 22mm or 25mm hole — the face is 3mm larger. Measure before drilling. Pre-wired 36" plug-in harness.

7. Program fobs and test. Then confirm the sequence: one tap = accessory; two taps = ignition + accessory; brake + tap = start; brake + tap = shut down.

Part 6: Which kit — the 30-second version

· Pre-1998, no power accessories → PBS-I, $589

· Pre-1998, power locks/windows/shaved doors → PBS-II, $665

· Already own a Viper, CompuStar or similar → PBS-X, $443

· Want doors that unlock as you approach + alarm → iKey Premier, $783

· Keep the key, add theft protection only → DGD-M1, $149

· Motorcycle → KIM series, $269

· Boat → PBS-M, $469

· ATV / UTV → PBS-MX, $299

· Golf cart → GC12V, $299

Two things that make the buying decision easy: every DGD product page carries "We match any advertised price," and every order is backed by a 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee — unconditional money back with an RMA within 7 days of purchase.

Digital Guard Dawg has been designing and manufacturing these systems in the USA as a California corporation since 2006. Call 1-877-246-5395, M–F 7am–5pm Pacific — and read the manual for your system before you order. It's free.

Sources

· Digital Guard Dawg — FAQ (2–4 hour install time, module dimensions, 36" harness, no cut/splice, motorcycle install $100–200, dealer retrofit $1,500–3,000+, kit price ranges)

· Digital Guard Dawg — iKey Premier and install manual (harness pinouts and gauges, ground-before-power warning, direct-to-battery requirement, dip switch configuration, bypass module guidance, ISIS/Infinitybox outputs)

· Digital Guard Dawg — PBS-I (ignition sequence, included billet button)

· Digital Guard Dawg — PBS-II

· Digital Guard Dawg — DGD-I-24 (plug-and-play, no cut or splice)

· Digital Guard Dawg — Guard Dawg 4G Tracker

· Digital Guard Dawg — Support: manuals and flowcharts

· Digital Guard Dawg — 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee

All pricing verified on live product pages 28 July 2026. Labor rates are illustrative — get a quote from your installer. Prices change; confirm before ordering.