Viper SmartStart & 2010 Prius?

any particular reason why? im thinking with the smart key, installing an aftermarket system might remove that, which to me is unacceptable.

if you want to climate control your car before you get in, then there's always the factory remote a/c

 

I would go with the Toyota Remote - it is completely integrated, and the electronics on the Prius don't like competition. It was mentioned elsewhere that if you want remote A/C, you can get it installed. This is only true with the factory installed solar sun-roof option. With the Toyota remote, you can also have remote A/C by just leaving the climate control in auto and when you remote start the car it will go on.

 

i got a remote starter installed aftermarket idk the brand it was a cheaper model....love it best thing i ever did works great on the prius and sks still works fine

 

I, too, would like to know about SmartStart on my V. I'm seriously considering going the Toyota route but, if no complications have surfaced, the opportunity to start the vehicle via my Android phone is very temptping.

Most remote starts live or die by the installer. I have an installer I trust implicitly, so the quality of the work is not a concern to me. However, the interaction between the Viper and the Prius is.

 

Bump to keep topic current. Have same interest as original poster. Anybody? Anybody!

 

I did some research when I first purchased the car on remote starts.

I have the Toyota remote start on my current Prius. The rules are if you start the car it will run for 10 minutes and shut down. After that you can start the car again using the remote start and it will run for another 10 minutes. After that you cannot start the car using the remote start. Any settings in the car will remain the same when you start the car. There is no feedback to the key fob to determine if the car is running. Distance is about 1,500 feet.

When you install a third party security system like the Viper you have to use a black box that bridges the function of the Toyota car to the third party unit. I found there were two dominate vendors that make these. I called them both.

They both claimed there is no way around the car turning off after 10 minutes or only starting twice. You will get longer distance and feedback when the car is running.

The only way to keep the car running is install an old style remote start that emulates pressing the brake and the push to start. This requires a permanent Toyota OEM key fob in the car.

 

Reading the Toyota remote start posts, it sounds like the Viper SmartStart is the best aftermarket remote starter for the Prius since you have unlimited range and don't need to carry another fob, just your smartphone you would have anyway. I heard it costs $29 per year for the wireless service to communicate to the starter via your mobile phone.

Summer is ending, so I could wait until next year and get an improved 2012 model next year, but it could have some use in winter also.
On a very hot day, it would be great to walk to a car that had the a/c running long enough to have cooled the interior. With the Toyota remote start, you have to be too close to the car for it to be convenient (if you work deep inside an office building or are inside a mall and want the car to be cooling for several minutes before you walk out to the parking lot etc.).

What are people paying for the fully installed price and has it been working as expected?

Looks fast here:

Looks so slow here:

I wish it was faster, but if you are using it cool the interior several minutes before you need to be at the car, the lag doesn't matter much.
On a Prius, you don't need to use it to unlock doors due to the SKS.

 

I had a Viper Smart Start installed last year.

The relationship has been a rocky one. I would frequently get "busy" responses back and then, after the last Android update, I would receive error messages stating that the phone wasn't able to connect to the internet.

A strongly worded letter to Viper received a response assuring me the network busy concern was handled back in early spring of this year and a bug in the Android upgrade was causing the internet error.

Since then, I've updated the App again and the internet errors have disappeared. Time will tell if the system busy errors (usually occurring during peak usage, say 7am on a weekday when it's snowing) have been eradicated as well.

 

I read some reviews that said Viper's servers are often either too busy to respond or down for maintenance, so you can't rely on it working.
Maybe a better solution would just be a very long range remote that doesn't need to go through the internet and servers.
The Toyota OEM remote start is not satisfactory because I need to be able to start the car from a long enough distance away that it would take a few minutes to walk to the car (and a/c has time to work cooling a hot interior) or it will be pointless to get the remote start.

 

When I first had the Viper unit installed they did have issues with Smart Start. I called and talked to a tech at Viper. He did a firmware upgrade of my unit over the air and since then I have had zero issues. It works 100% of the time.

If you use the FOB to remote start the car the range is 1 mile. This is the best on the market.

I am very happy with the entire Viper system. I personally installed auto head lights. I had the Viper install tech disable the head lights when I remote start the car. I do not want to bring attention to my car that is running. I also had the tech connect one of the AUX to the rear window defroster. I can turn it on remotely.

 

1 mile range? I wonder how far the range is through an on office building or department store to a car parked outside?
If it is even 1/4 mile I would take that and skip the $49 per year fee and reliance on third party servers.

 

I have not tested it in buildings to see how far it will go. I had the OEM remote start and that only went about 20 feet. I can start the car from in a mall with the Viper unit.

It is a two way radio so you know it started. The Toyota OEM is one way. You do not know the car is running.

It is not really $49 a year. It is around $30 for the first two years then $20 plus each year after that. It is a cool feature to have.

 

So I'm reading and understanding that even with the Viper SmartStart system the Prius still only runs for 10 minutes at a time, maximum two concurrent remote starts?

 

The Viper timeouts are configurable by the installation tech with a programming tool, but 10 or15 minutes should be long enough to cool or warm the interior and I think there are some state laws limiting cars to idling 15 minutes or less.
If there was no limit, you could get side tracked, forget the car is running and let the run the car out of gas.

 

This is not correct. You can set the max run time 60 minutes and you can restart the car as many times as you would like.

Another great feature is the pit stop mode. While the car is running you can press a button to keep the car running. When you get out off the car it keeps running and you can lock the doors with the keyfob. This will also run for a max of 60 minutes. When you get back in the the car it beeps to tell you the pit stop mode is off but the car never stops runnig.

The pit stop mode is good if you need to run into a store for 2 minutes. The Prius will not have to go through the warm up cycle.

 

The remote start police have not busted me for having it set for the max of 60 minutes.

You do not need a special took for this. You can program it yourself.

 

Nevada

Maximum Idling Time - 15 minutes
Fines: Not <$100 nor >$500 - 1st; Not <$500 nor >$1,000 - 2nd;
Not <$1,000 nor >$1,500 - 3rd; Not <$1,500 nor >$2,500 - 4th and subsequent; offense(s) over a 3-year period (NAC445B.727)
Exemptions
• Variance has been issued
• Emergency vehicles
• Snow removal equipment
• Repair or maintain other vehicles
• Traffic congestion
• Maintenance at repair facility
• Emission contained & treated per Commission
• To perform specific task
NV Administrative Code Ch. 445B.576.
Nevada Division of Environmental Protection; Bureau of Air Pollution Control
(775) 687-9350, www.ndep.nv.gov/bapc
Clark County, Nevada (including Las Vegas)
Maximum Idling Time - 15 minutes
Fines: Not >$10,000 (CCAQR §09)
Exemptions
• Variance has been issued
• Emergency vehicles
• Repair or maintain other vehicles
• Traffic congestion
• Emission contained & treated per Control Officer
• To perform a specific task
• Maintenance at repair facility
Clark Co. Air Quality Regs. §45.
Clark County Department of Air Quality Management (702) 455-5942, www.accessclarkcounty.com/depts/daqem/aq/
Washoe County, Nevada (including Reno)
Maximum Idling Time - 15 minutes
Fines: Not >$250 - 1st offense; Not <$250 nor >$500 - 2nd and subsequent offenses (WCDBHR §020.040(E))
Exemptions
• Emergency vehicles
• Snow removal equipment
• Repair or maintain other vehicles
• Traveling on public right-of-way
• To perform specific task
• Maintenance at repair facility
Washoe Co. District Board of Health Regs. §040.200.
Washoe County District Health Department, Air Quality Management (775) 784-7200,
www.co.washoe.nv.us/health
Return to top ^


New York

Maximum Idling Time - 5 minutes
Fines: Not <$375 nor >$15,000 - 1st offense; Not >$22,500 - 2nd offense & subsequent offenses (NYSCL Ch. 43-B, §71,2103(1))
Exemptions
• Traffic conditions
• Comply with passenger comfort laws
• Auxiliary power or maintenance
• Emergency vehicles
• Within mines or quarries
• Parked for more than 2 hrs. & less than 25° F
• State Inspections
• Recharging hybrid electric vehicles
• Farm vehicles
• Electric vehicles
New York Code of Rules & Regulations Title 6, Ch. 3 Part 2173.2.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; Division of Air Resources (518) 402-8292, www.dec.state.ny.gov
New York City, New York
Maximum Idling Time - 3 minutes
Fines: Not <$50 nor >$500 and/or imprisonment for 20 days - 1st;
Not <$100 nor >$1,000 and/or imprisonment for not >30 days - 2nd offense;
Not <$400 nor >$5,000 and/or imprisonment for not >4 months - 3rd & subsequent offenses. (NYCAC 24190(g))
Exemptions
• Emergency vehicles
• Operate loading, unloading or processing device
New York City Administrative Code Title 24-163.
New York City Department of Environmental Protection (212) 639-9675, www.nvc.gov/dep
New Rochelle, New York
Maximum Idling Time - 5 minutes
Fines: Not more than $50 and/or 15 days imprisonment - 1st offense;
Not more than $100 and/or 45 days imprisonment - 2nd offense within 18 months;
Not more than $250 and/or 90 days imprisonment - 3rd & subsequent offenses within 18 months. (CCNR §312-68)
Exemptions
• Traffic conditions
• Comply with passenger comfort laws
• Auxiliary power or maintenance
• Emergency vehicles
• Within mines or quarries
• Parked for more than 2 hrs. & less than 25° F
• State inspections
• Recharging hybrid electric vehicles
• Farm vehicles
• Electric vehicles
Code of the City of New Rochelle, Part II, Ch. 312, Art. II, §312-33.
City of New Rochelle, Code Enforcement/Abatement (914) 654-2051, www.newrochelleny.com
Rockland County, New York
Maximum Idling Time - 3 consecutive minutes
Fines: Not >$250 and/or 15 days imprisonment for 1st; Not >$1,000 and/or 15 days imprisonment for 2nd & subsequent offenses (LL #4, § 4)
Exemptions
• Traffic conditions
• Comply with passenger comfort laws
• Power for auxiliary purposes
• Maintenance
• Performing emergency services
Laws of Rockland Co. Part II, Ch. 377.
Rockland County Department of Health (845) 364-2512, www.co.rockland.ny.us/health/


California

Maximum Idling Time - 5 minutes
Fines: Minimum $300 Subsequent penalties can range from $1,000 to $10,000
Exemptions
• Bus passengers are onboard or 10 minutes prior to boarding
• Traffic conditions
• Queuing beyond 100 ft. of residential
• Adverse weather conditions or mechanical difficulties
• Vehicle safety inspection
• Service or repair
• Power takeoff involving cargo or work functions
• Prevent safety or health emergency
• Emergency vehicles
CA Code of Regs, Title 13, Div. 3, Art. 1, Ch. 10, §2485.
California Air Resources Board (800) 242-4450, www.arb.ca.gov
City of Sacramento, California
Maximum Idling Time - 5 minutes (prohibits refrigeration unit operation within 100 ft. of residential or school unless loading/unloading)
Fines: Not <$100 nor >$25,000 per violation (Title 1, Ch. 1.28.010)
Exemptions
• Traffic conditions/control
• Traffic conditions
• Vehicle safety inspection
• Service or repair
• Conform to manufacturer's specifications
• Power takeoffs involving cargo or work functions
• Prevent safety or health emergency
• Hours of service compliance at truck/rest stop
• To recharge hybrid electric vehicles
Sacramento City Code, Title 8, Ch. 8.116.
City of Sacramento Department of Transportation (916) 264-5011, www.cityofsacramento.org/transportation
Placer County, California
Maximum Idling Time - 5 minutes(prohibits refrigeration unit operation within 1,000 ft. of residential or school unless loading/unloading)
Fines: $50 Minimum
Exemptions
• Traffic conditions/control
• Traffic conditions
• Vehicle safety inspection
• Service or repair
• Conform to manufacturer's specifications
• Power takeoffs involving cargo or work functions
• Prevent safety or health emergency
• Hours of service compliance at truck/rest stop
• To recharge hybrid electric vehicles
• Operate intermittent equipment
• Alternatively fueled vehicles
• Attainment areas
Placer County Code, Article 10.14
Placer County Air Pollution Control District (530) 745-2330 www.placer.ca.gov/airpollution/airpolut.htm
Return to top ^

 

I belive there are laws. I doubt they are enforced. I will take the risk.

 

Has anyone else installed this and/or tested it out more? I'm considering buying one soon.