Remote start with fob (no app on phone needed)

Just as an FYI, the Toyota Avalon comes with a fob button that does exactly that. I realize that this doesn't exactly answer your question, it does demonstrate that it is technically and mechanically possible

 

I posted this like a month ago in the owners thread but it got buried by ppl arguing about license plate mounts.

 

I had my doubts on my Le, but son of a gun it worked!

 

Are you saying the smart key fob can remotely start your LE?

 

absolutely, positively this morning. I was surprised myself, being a doubting thomas

 

Thanks. Wow…going from having to put foot on break in order start car to this is pretty amazing.

 

Is that a default feature or an add on? My 2013, I had to pay for the module to be installed.

 

So what's the benefit of paying for the digital key/remote start then, you can use your phone to remote start from further away if your fob is out of range?

 

unlimited range for start/stop and lock/unlock
remote control of climate system
remote control of lights(inc. hazard lights)
remote control of horn
remote control of charging on Prime(inc. scheduled charging)
remote status updates(inc. odometer, fuel level, location)
guest driver status and updates(inc. warnings about speed, time, distance driven, etc.)
integration with Google Assistant(allowing voice commands from anywhere with your smartphone/smartwatch)

Now of course some of these are probably useless to you, but others might be very valuable(or not).

Personally, I like the remote climate controls and voice commands with Google Assistant. I also find myself checking the fuel status on my second vehicle that has a similar function. I don't use it often, but if I'm planning a long drive the next morning that's time-dependent, I'll pull up the fuel status the night before to double check if I have to allow time for a fuel stop. In a similar way, it will be nice on a very cold morning to use a voice command from the shower or as I'm getting dressed to start the car and warm it up(I have Google Home speakers throughout my house). But that's just my situation.

Though I have absolutely no need for them, I could see the guest driver alerts being very useful to parents or those that lend their vehicle out. Once you activate it, you can set the car to send you alerts if the car's speed exceeds a certain amount, if the car is driven over a certain amount in a day or outside of certain times, if the car leaves a preset region, or even if it's just turned on. If Ferris Bueller(or rather if Cameron's dad) had had Remote Connect set up on the Ferrari, they would have known when it was used without permission by the parking attendants(or by the terrible trio in the first place).

 

I want no features that you have to keep paying for once you buy the car. Yeah satellite radio, but you’re paying for the subscription, not for the antenna to turn on. For what cars cost, the feature should be supported for the lifetime of the car.

 

New Jersey had a bill that would ban subscriptions for car features. Had an exception for thing like satellite radio and remote connection with a phone that would have an on going cost.

 

Yeah there was a firestorm because BMW wanted to charge customers for turning on their heated seats, which is just madness. You shouldn't be charged a subscription for hardware features that can be activated without a remote connection!

 

This doesn’t seem to be working on my 2023 Prius LTD. I tried both pushing the lock button twice and holding a third push for 3 seconds and pushing it once and holding the second push for 3 seconds (actually held it longer to be sure). No starting.
I also couldn’t find this in the manual. Any idea what I might be missing?
Thanks, Dan

 

My understanding is that this no longer works on the new Toyota vehicles. Toyota switched to including the remote start within their subscription services. I would love to hear this isn’t true.

 

Just tried this on my 2023 LE and it works.

 

So you're saying it's been quietly removed from the 5G Prius during the production run?

I guess they can do that if it was never officially documented...

 

Just confirmed on my XLE, press lock three times and hold down on the third time. Lite it up.
Gots to try it to get things warmed up in the morning.

 

Remove phone from protective case, purse, or pocket. Sign into phone. Open Toyota App.

or

Take out fob and press 2 times and hold.

That would be why I would prefer the fob IF I had the desire to start the car from across the yard.

 

Remove phone from protective case, purse, or pocket. Sign into phone. Open Toyota App.

or

Take out fob and press 2 times and hold.

That would be why I would prefer the fob IF I had the desire to start the car from across the yard.