Voiding warranty??

The short answer - he's wrong. The longer, more complicated answer is... he's right ONLY if the remote starter is proved to cause damage to the car - and then only the warranty on the electrical system.

 

If you install an aftermarket part or mod, and it can be linked as a cause for a factory part failing, you'll have a warranty issue. But if you install the part you want, and later a suspension part fails, for example, it won't be an issue, since the mod didn't cause the part to fail.

Given how complex the electronics are on this car, I personally would have the factory remote starter installed by a dealer if you really want it.

 

I don't understand why anyone needs a remote starter on a Prius... What's the benefit?

 

In some parts of the world it gets very cold or very hot. With a remote start you prestart your car so it can either heat up for cool down. When you enter the car is at a comfortable level.

 

But surely that would entail having the smart key located in the car and I don't know about the US but over here in the UK, if the car gets stolen with the key in it the insurance company doesn't pay out.

Also isn't pre-warming/cooling the car going to use more fuel and create more pollution, hence defeating the object of buying a Prius.

 

I've found the Prius warms quickly in winter and cools quickly in the summer. To me, it's a total waste of gas to start the car to warm/cool it when a few minutes of driving will accomplish the same thing.

 

Key in the car? What are you talking about???

You don't leave the key in the car....

 

I was born and raised in Maine. I know what cold weather is!!!

 

At least it's a damp cold!!!

 

No. it's a dry cold in Maine. It's a damp cold here in PA.

 

Cold Winter Mornings getting into a warm car instead of the Frozen Food Locker, and the engine oil is also warm, which is better for the motor especially if you didn't install 100% synthetic oil.

 

Actually starting the engine when cold and idling is about the worst thing you can do for the engine. Much better to start up and drive gently immediately, brings the engine up to an operating temperature much more quickly than idling. If you want the motor protected what you need is an engine block heater.

To the OP, using a remote start is nice for your own comfort, but it will destroy your fuel economy. We're not talking about 1-2MPG...we're talking about 10MPG probably. Your economy will be down already because of the winter...but I bet if you let the car idle and warm up every morning you will get economy in the range of 27-30MPG in the winter. Not making a judgement there...its just something you should be aware of before installing and using a remote start.

 

Sounds like you encoutered the Dealers "Inflated Self Important Pseudo-Expert" who's more interested in showing you his 'Authority' than the facts you need. I awoke to a dead battery in my 2010 Prius a few weeks ago. The Toyota dealer said that I could recharge the battery with a charge below 4 amps, I used a charger set on 2 amps. A battery minder is about 1 amp or less and Can be wired to the battery in the trunk easily for a quick connect. It will have No Effect whatsoever on your cars warranty. The small maintenance charge by these devices, that look like a transformer on the power cord to a table radio, only charge when the charge is called for, and then at charge levels so small I use them for my 2 cylinder lawn mower all winter. I installed one for times when the Prius will be in the garage for an extended period, like when I'm away on a trip for 2 weeks. No more dead battery for me.

Your owners manual actually has this charge amperage explained in it but it took some effort to find because toyota did a lousy job of not adding 'battery charging' to the OM index, the way they should have.

Find a better Toyota Dealer in the future, one who tries to help its customers by having a service manager who knows what they are talking about, and doesn't need to exercise his misinformed tiny bit of expertise.

 

That may apply to conventional cars, but the Prius is a different animal. Ken of Japan recommends waiting it out until the engine first shuts off (as the Prius would run on battery power during this time, unless you do a jackrabbit start), but most people, including me, don't have the time for this.

 

I know exactly what you mean when getting into a cold (no, freezing is the right word) car. If voiding warranty is a concern, how about installing an afermarket heated seats instead of the remote starter. It warms you up quicker, save a few drop of gas, and the enviro-lovers also love you more.

 

My dealer does not fill from cans...they dispense from a computerized machine that will not overfill the Prius...They let me go into the bay and watch them punch in the settings for the car and then dispense the oil which was precisely metered...Don't all Toyota dealers use this system? My dealership is very large and very new...

 

Hybrid or not, the gas engine is still the same gas engine with the same inefficiencies and potential for additional wear damage when cold...I don't see how there is really a difference...

 

The point is the Prius will run on battery power until Stage S1b, so there's no advantage to driving around during this period of time in terms of bring the engine up to operating temperature.

Also, the battery spins up the motor before ignition so that's even less wear during cold starts compared to non-hybrids.