Remote start unacceptable -modifiable?

I can't comment for the limitations of the software but you should have the remote start on the key fob as well.
Press lock three or four times on the remote, on the last attempt you hold it for a few seconds and it'll remote start the car.

Was your battery fully charged? Mine won't do it if the battery is low but I've never tried remote starting multiple times.

 

Who told you that?

The LE has it and on post #18, someone with an XLE reports it also works. It could be you need to try it again. The range does suck on the remote.
Remote start with fob (no app on phone needed) | PriusChat

 

You probably do have remote start on your key fob, but it has the same limitations as the app(only two cycles permitted and both the app and fob count to the same total - no double dipping allowed). There's also no confirmation from the remote if you succeeded or not. I only use it if I can see the car. To use it, press the lock button three times and hold it on the third press. The presses need to be less than a second apart. If you succeed, the hazard lights will flash three times. I'm only successful on about 1 out of 3 attempts so I rarely use it.

I don't believe there's any way around the two cycle limitation. If there is, it would have to be at a Toyota dealership with access to the full TechStream software.

Tips for extreme cold weather:
1. Make sure you leave the heated steering wheel on, the heated seats to max, the cabin temp set fairly high, and the vent controls set to floor+defrost when you shut off the car. Those settings are retained during remote start.
2. Go into the climate settings on the app(tap 'Remote & Sharing' for the expanded menu) and make sure Custom Climate Setting is turned to off. I like the option to adjust the temp and get the rear defroster going but using the custom settings also cancels the heated seats function and I find warm seats more important when it's really cold. (but I also have the digital rearview mirror, so your milage may vary on that decision)
3. Make sure the car doesn't cool down between or after the remote starts. Running the first 10min cycle, then letting it sit for 3 minutes, running the 2nd cycle, then letting it sit 4 minutes before eventually getting in is just a waste of everything. If it's really cold(like below -10C), run the first cycle, keep an eye on the timer(it counts down on the app), start the second cycle within a minute of the first cycle finishing, then make sure you're getting into the car just before the second cycle finishes. If it's above -5C, one cycle should do it if you wait until the last minute or so before getting in.

I'm not saying the inside of the car will be at full cabin temp, but your back will be warm, your hands will be warm, and the vents will be blowing warm air(35-45C).

Only other solution for the crazy cold weather you're getting right now would be a block heater.

 

Although I don't expect I'll have any actual need for remote start since I live in Florida, I've tried it from my key fob numerous times and I've never been able to get it to work. I'm always right next to the car and I've tried holding on the third push and the fourth but nothing happens.

Perhaps I'm not pushing the lock button fast enough?

Also, I only signed up for the Safety Connect. Do you have to sign up for the Drive Connect trial before it will work? I assume that would be necessary to remote start using the phone app. I do have the Toyota app on my cell but I rarely use my cell, it's usually turned off and stored in the car's console.

I'm also curious what you mean by "two cycles". Does that mean you can only make two attempts to start the car within a certain period of time or ???

 

All USA Priuses should be able to use the keyfob remote start for 1 year, and all Canadian Priuses should be able to do it for 3 years. All you needed to do was accept the free Remote Connect trial. Once the RC trial is over, you will need to pay for one of the other subscriptions to keep it working. Others on here are confusing Drive Connect and Remote Connect. The Drive Connect free trial only comes on Priuses with 12.3" screens, but the Remote Connect free trial comes on all Priuses.

Go into your Toyota app and tap on your car's VIN or nickname at the top of the screen. Then tap Subscriptions and see if Remote Connect is one of them. If it's not, tap Add Service and see if the free trial is still available to start.

BTW, the doors have to be locked for any of the remote starts to work. That gets me every once in awhile.


In the context of my earlier post, a cycle meant using either the app or fob to start the car and let it run for 10min until it shuts itself off. There's a built-in limit of only doing that twice(for a total of 20min) before you have to get into the car and start it normally. You can do two app starts, two key fob starts, or one of each, but you can't do 2+2 or try to alternate attempts or anything. 20 minutes is the max without getting into the car.

 

Other solution? My 2 cents, that's the best solution. Frozen cold starts are the most punishing time for an engine. Remote start doesn't change that a bit Block heater partially negates that, and is better for the environment, and your mpg.

Another good one: if there's a garage full of "stuff" in the equation, clear it out enough to park the car inside.

 

Wait a minute, is the remote start on the FOB linked to the Remote Connect subscription? I thought those were independent things. The FOB will work after the subscription expires and the subscription only works for remote start in the app. The subscription is for smart devices.

Was this also confirmed for the 12.3" in the US being the only one with a Drive Connect free trial? There's the other thread with the woman looking to get her TJA started that claimed she has her free Drive Connect trial and has the smaller screen.

 

My XSE with the smaller screen has a 1-yr Drive Connect trial. Dealer couldn't get app to work, and referred me to Toyota. Toyota called several times and finally got it to work after a week or so

 

Dammit. Now I've added to the misinformation floating around(wish I could edit old posts). There was a short time when the two were completely linked(they're still a teeny bit linked - see below), but Toyota backtracked. There were lots of articles about the first part, but very few about the second. As of the backtrack, key fob remote start should work for all Priuses for 10 years as long as any subscription(trial or otherwise) is active.

As for the Drive Connect trial, it's connected to the 12.3" screen in the HEV Priuses, but all USA Primes get the 1-year trial. It looks like the Canadian Prime SE doesn't get a Drive Connect trial, but the XSE and Limited get a 3-year trial.


Nitty gritty details:

The fob is linked to Remote Connect in the sense that they both use the car's data communications module(DCM) to approve engine start requests. The fob sends the engine start request to the keyless entry system. The request is passed to the DCM. The DCM checks to see if the user has a valid subscription. If they do, the DCM passes the request to the ECM to start the car.

If an owner declines all subscriptions upon taking delivery of the vehicle, the DCM is turned off semi-permanently. Without an active DCM, the engine start request can't be approved. It's possible to reactivate the DCM, but it takes a whole lot of work on the phone. You generally have to go to the dealer, the dealer calls Toyota, Toyota calls its connected services division, that division calls AT&T. Depending on how fast or busy everyone in the chain is, the whole process can take a few days to a couple weeks.

According to the articles and message board posts around the same time, apparently Toyota had pre-programmed the DCM that a Remote Connect subscription was needed for any remote start. Owners started discovering this after their 1-year Remote Connect trials started expiring. The Drive heard about this and contacted Toyota. Toyota initially confirmed that this was intended. The Drive ran an article about the whole thing. A bunch of other auto publications ran stories based on The Drive's story. Toyota started receiving a bunch of backlash, so they backtracked and said it was a mistake. There must have been a silent software update to the DCM, because owners' key fobs began starting their cars again.

Toyota Made Its Key Fob Remote Start Into a Subscription Service
Toyota 'Reviewing' Key Fob Remote Start Subscription Plan After Massive Blowback

 

Report it, spec'ing old text, and the edit? And note it's erroneous, misleading info as-is. @Tideland Prius will come through.

 

Need to be less than 20 feet away awful!

 

You're welcome!

 

Works on mine. (4 and hold on 4th)

 

So... To recap. The FOB works for how long? It looks like definitely a year. What constitutes (and gets) a 10-year trial in the Prius family?

I found this for at least the Prime on the Toyota site, so I assume that counts as an active subscription in the vein of having FOB-based remote start?

"Each Prius Prime also offers a Safety Connect and Service Connect* trial. The Safety Connect trial includes an Emergency Assistance Button (SOS), 24/7 Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Automatic Collision Notification and Stolen Vehicle Locator with up to a 10-year trial period. The Service Connect trial gives drivers the ability to receive Vehicle Health Reports, Maintenance Alerts and reminders, also with up to a 10-year trial."

 

We don't know yet for certain. The very first gen5 Priuses sold in the US are just hitting the 1-year mark now. So we should start getting reports over the next month or two about whether we get 1 year of free keyfob autostart or 10 years.

I'm expecting 10 years according to statements made by Toyota from a few years ago, but it wouldn't completely shock me if it's now 1 year. Policies can change over time.

I was an early June purchase, so I've got a few months left before I can do any testing myself.

 

I have a Canadian 2024 SE, 4 taps and hold on 4th does nothing, but locks the doors four times.
What's the trick?