Remote Start

Getting it installed at dealer after Thanksgiving. From what I can tell, the Prius "remembers" the HVAC settings so if you leave it on "Defrost" for the front windshield, it should start then when you hit the remote. It looks like the "Defrost" for rear and mirrors does not "remember" but having the car warm will help the rear window defrost. The mirrors work quickly, as does the rear window, since the are direct electric.

 

I didn't think remote start is a feature available on the Prius c.

 

Remote starters are environmentally unconscionable. If you want to go some where, get in the car and go. Don't have the thing sit around with the engine running spewing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere so your buns don't get cold.

 

Actually a safety feature as you can't drive until you have defrost capability. So you are going to run the engine enough to get heat to defrost. Whether you are in the car or not makes no difference.

 

i wouldn t install a aftermarket car starter to a complex car it is asking for problems plus the car will still burn the the same fuel, drive while the cars warming up

 

This is why ice scrapers exist. It is also not good for the engine to idle unnecessarily. It is best for the longevity of an engine to drive lightly rather than let it sit and warm up.

 

This is why remote starts exist.

But doesn't hurt it to run necessarily to defrost the windows, a major safety factor in winter driving.

Only if you can see out the wind shield, rear window and mirrors due to good defrosting.

Safety first.

 

Rather irrelevant since there is no remote start in the C.

 

I had a remote start installed in my Prius C. I don't recommend it. The problem with it being a hybrid is you don't know when it's on and also the way it has to be installed is weird and when you open the door it shuts off. It's the only way it works in the hybrid. Luckily I didn't pay for it, it was a Christmas gift.

 

Man, when I was a kid, we sat in the cold car while dad scraped the windows and the carbed engine took forever to give heat, all with the smell of unburned gas floating around (fumes may be the reason why I have such a big grin in my avatar lol). What is wrong with you people? Boohoo, can't scrape your windows? oh, is the seat too cold? Who cares? It gets freakin cold here and I don't start my car 30 mins. before I go, its a waste of time and money. I fire it up, scrape the windows and go. You call yourselves men? Pfft, suck it up princess, it'll only make you stronger. Oh yeah, wear a jacket and gloves, it helps!.

I HATE REMOTE STARTERS! They should rename them wuss warmers.

Phew, rant over. lol

 

cover your front window...... a block heater on a timer works great.... I jump in and drive away

 

Go easy on me, guys,

2 things : first of all, it doesn't matter if you take the time to scrape the frost off the outside of your windshield. If you just start the car & drive right away (with no warmup), it's likely you won't be able to see outside the glass in short order. As you breathe, the moisture in your breath will fog up the glass on the inside real quickly without any warmed air to direct onto the glass. Therefore, I do recommend a short warmup before jumping into the car to drive off.

Secondly, although I don't own a Prius c (& this gripe may not be pertinent to the c), no matter what settings I leave my '05 pkg 4 climate control on before I shut the car down for the night (usually re-circulate, whether summer or winter), the car automatically changes over to the fresh air vent setting upon start-up (I NEVER use the "Auto" setting & the blower motor was shut off too). So, if I jump in & drive off (no frost formed on windshield overnight) in 8 degree temps (like today), I get a blast of frigid air blowing in my face until I have time to hit the touch screen to get to the climate control (A/C) page & change BACK to re-circulate AGAIN (NOT wanting to experience that cold blast is why I left the setting in re-circulate the night before in the first place). But, having the setting on re-circulate will quickly fog up the inside of the glass, so you will need to switch over to he fresh air setting to defog (& this will again blast you with frigid outside air if you haven't taken the time to warmup). So again, I recommend a warmup.

EDIT : the next 2 paragraphs (sorry).
Regarding block heaters : I never owned a car with a block heater. However, I did use a coolant warmer (known as a "hose heater") that got spliced into one of the radiator hoses (real easy install that a 5 year old kid could do). It warmed the coolant nicely, but I've been told that it may have been the reason that I wound up with 3 cracked blocks (all in the winter) in my VW Rabbit (any opinions on the validity of that suggestion?). I had to junk the car after 3 years of use & only 45,000 miles because the repairs were costing me more than I paid for the car new & I couldn't find any more diesel engine blocks in my area (many other diesel owners were experiencing cracked blocks too).

I have also been told that a lot of the cracked blocks were due to VW taking a 1.5L engine, boring it out to 1.6L (thus weakening it some), then "dieselizing" it [which increased the compression ratio from about 8:1 (for gas) to around 24:1 (for the diesel), putting about 3 times more stress on the block & head (without any additional head bolts---only 10). So the diesels were either blowing head gaskets (the cheaper repair if you were lucky---although some blocks were cracking when the mechanics were torquing the head after a head gasket replacement) or just outright cracking the block at a head bolt location (my 3 situations).

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

 

Jeez Louise, annada reason i'm so glad i never bought a vw diesel

AFTER you unplugged the heater, of course? Have you ever forgotten?

 

Viper makes a remote starter that works with Prius C

 

i have the viper 5902 on my rav4 and with the great range, i can start the car and by the time i get to it, its slightly warmer. it of course helps. but i think if you read the manual in most books, it says not to warm up the car while standing still because the heat will cause the cat. converter to get damaged.

 

Wow so judgmental.

 

He is on a prius forum... what he doesn't realize is that not all cars can just go after start up... some still require the warm up cycle.

 

what's even less environmentally friendly is the manufacturing process of the hybrid car batteries

 

Over #95 percent are recycled. That has allowed the cost of replacing the battery to come down.
What is comes down to is the car is a very good family car that can easy it over 50 miles per gallon.


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