Install remote start to warm car up

I now use an electric space heater sitting in the cargo area, 1,500 watts controlled by a smart plug. Back seats are folded down, and there are no combustibles close to the front of the heater.

 

It's always puzzled me why Toyota dropped the ball on that one. All the tech is there to do remote start, just didn't program the feature in.

 

engine won't start while it's plugged in, keep that in mind.

you could install a block heater

 

Or turn on the heated seats. I think I'd have really liked heated seats when I lived in NW Iowa. I remember -30F. Or even Ohio where we had some mornings below -20.

 

I figured it was brand culture. They've done so much to make it harder for you to burn gas... a feature that exists only to burn gas without going anywhere would be incongruent.

 

My son's 2015 Prius v 5 was ordered from factory with remote start.
(I know this is a PiP thread, but they are both Gen 3 HSD)

Factory remote start was actually cheaper than having it port installed. He travels with his dogs to some agility trials that are outdoors. Many people have their car hatches open with shades & battery powered fans to cool their dogs. My son can leave the AC on in his Prius v to keep his pets comfortable. His car was a special order through a salesman that does fleet sales too.

 

I don't know which Amazon $170 kit you are thinking of, but you might want to check this thread for installation:
DIY install of Toyota Remote Engine Starter Kit | PriusChat

Good luck.

 

Starting the car and idling it is the worst and slowest way to warm up the car. It's bad for the engine to sit and idle. Just get in and drive. It'll warm up in a minute.

 

i think we lost the o/p

 

You realize the Prius engine never idles, right? When first started it runs at the optimum speed to warm up to minimize pollution. Low emissions is the Prius primary goal. Fuel efficiency is just a nice byproduct.

 

true, but remote starting to warm the cabin would be wasteful

 

True, but I was replying to the Leaf troll about the engine idling lie.

 

Although pre-heating cabin by starting an engine is wasteful, everyone's comfort levels are different. I can tolerate setting our house temp down to 50F, but my wife would not let me.

 

yup, its all relatives

 

The car actually generates energy while warming up, it does generate most of the warming up cycle if the car isnt moving until the last minute or so while the engine slows down and then turns off, so toyota could of just simple allow remote start and use the warming up to generate power so there wouldnt be much waste, not sure if the advance model does this or not.

 

I just bought a battery operated coat. It runs on a lithium ion battery pack and has three setting.
We have had a warm December so I can't say how well it works in really cold weather but when I tried it out it heats up really fast and I had to turn it off.


http://www.amazon.com/Cordless-Electric-Heating-Clothing-Thermal/dp/B015Q5TCB6/ref=sr_1_1?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1545629539&sr=1-1&nodeID=7147441011&psd=1&keywords=Mens+smarkey

 

I think it was just special order but my son’s 2015 Prius v has remote start. The salesman found it was cheaper from factory than as a port installed option.

I think the car was ordered as a fleet of 1 car. He only uses remote start during the summer at outdoor dog agility trials so he can keep the air conditioner running for his dogs.

I do not know if that is available for Gen 4 Prius.

 

When it's cold and you start the car and don't move, it will sit and idle until it warms up, then it will auto stop.

I'm not a troll. I'm looking at replacing my Leaf with a Prius so I'm here to learn about the Prius. Your post was incorrect so how was my information a lie?

I can drive my Leaf without the heater on until I'm shivering or can't see out the windows but my wife would kill me if I tried to do that with her or the kids in the car.

I think comfort is a poor excuse for being wasteful but that's never stopped anyone before... Neither have the laws against idling or the reminders that cars are stolen all the time because someone left it idling in the driveway.

 

You can add a block heater to the Prius. Then you plug it in at night, and the engine is already warmed up the next time you go to drive. Instant heat, net reduction in fuel use, minor grid electric expense.

It's cheap to install, cheap to use, and your Prius would get maximum fuel economy from the moment you started driving, as a side benefit.

It would be a TPHEV (thermal) now that everyone gets to create their own category & acronym.