Remote start and charging?

Report to the dealer that the remote starter does not perform as expected for your application. Perhaps they will give you a partial refund or remove for a complete refund.
It's worth a try, at least. They need to know you are unhappy.

 

Thanks for your update. That was exactly what we were predicting. While it is nice to be able to start engine remotely to warm up the cabin before getting in the car in morning, if one has to go out to the car to remove the charger cable, it defeat the purpose of having remote for someone who does overnight charging... like me. Let us know how your car warms up with your remote starter. During this morning sub-zero weather commute, my Prime warmed up only up to 45F in 30 min of commute with engine on all the way. I have to wonder how well it heats up in 10 min while parked.

 

Mine does not heat up very well but every little bit helps. I just wish the hold time was shorter for the remote AC start (10 seconds seems like a bit much).

 

seems like the toyota software should have had a work around for the remote starter to start the engine, without allowing the car to be put into drive.

 

It sounds like the Remote Start vendor should have had a a work around or not sold the product as being compatible with the Prius Prime.
It is not Toyota's responsibility to customize their vehicles for third party products.

 

whoops, i thought it was dealer installed, never mind.

 

Yes, OP said it is dealer installed, but it is not Toyota product. Its compustar. See comment on #3.

 

thanks, i guess the dealer should know better. would have to see compustar's literature.

 

I wonder if anyone has died (carbon monoxide) from remote gas engine starting in their attached garage?

 

unlikely, the levels are extremely low.

 

I don't know but we had an Alaskan user here where the dealer had incorrectly installed the Engine Block Heater with the power cord through the active shutters. The user rerouted it after shutter errors. A while later, it caught fire and the source pointed toward the EBH power cable. I guess it may have been internally damaged.

Dealers do not always make the best decisions.

 

My understanding is that that in all modern cars that have a gasoline engine (in the US, anyway), the CO emissions are very low, likely too low to kill someone. Part of those pesky emissions controls that the current administration finds so onerous.

 

..then I guess you got your money's worth if it does no harm to the car long-term.
For me, since it does not work as expected, I would likely want it removed, also for free.

 

When you press remote A/C on your fob, the car will respond by locking all the doors, beep, and flash lights. If it is still connected to charger cable, then the blue charging lights on front dash will come on to indicate replenishing charging of the battery. You will hear some weeling noise from engine compartment which I think is from some fans and pump for heat pump. That's it. Engine will not come on. And as I have tested on mine, if it is below 14F ambient temperature, remote A/C will not do anything to warm up the cabin temp. Heat pump is not effective in heating at low temperature.

 

Same here, and if you want the heat/AC to kick on you remain holding it down for around 10 second and all of the blue lights (I think all but it could be just 3) come on.

 

It takes some getting used to for folks new to the Prius, that pretty much nothing it does other than traveling significant distances requires that the gasoline engine start. The air conditioning, heating (for the most part), power steering, power brakes, even initial movement, are all electric. All the START button does is power up the various control systems, making it READY to go. This is different from conventional gasoline powered cars, where START means to start the gasoline engine.