Want to Remote-Start Your Toyota With a Fob? That'll be $8 Per Month

[Kennywood]

You'll eventually need to pay to use the remote start??

Want to Remote-Start Your Toyota With a Fob? That'll be $8 Per Month
by Chance Townsend

The convenience of remotely starting your car with a fob will cost a cool $8 per month for Toyota owners with 2018 models or newer, according to The Drive.

In addition to the usual hardware extras car makers pile on when you buy a car, Toyota offers a Connected Services package with things like Wi-Fi access, emergency assistance, and vehicle health reports. It also includes Remote Connect, which supports smartphone-based remote start.

However, Toyota will now charge $8 per month or $80 per year to remotely start cars with a key fob—the first car maker to do so, The Drive suggests—even though fobs use radio waves to communicate with vehicles, not Toyota servers.

New Toyota buyers get a free trial of Connected Services; the length of those trials depends on what car you buy, as this PDF outlines. If your car was built before Nov. 12, 2018, you're in the clear, as those cars "no longer require an active Remote Connect subscription for the key fob to perform remote start functionality," according to Toyota—something The Drive attributes to 3G network shutdowns.

News of the charge first cropped up on the r/cars subreddit. It was later labeled "Potentially Misleading," but The Drive says Toyota confirmed its authenticity. Toyota did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Source: www.pcmag.com

 

[ronandannette]

I'm confused. My DH drives a hybrid Camry he got new in July. It has a remote start (very standard feature here in our cold climate) and it operates off the key-fob. There was no mention of any fee for the service and it doesn't depend on wifi.

 

[Kennywood]

New Toyota buyers get a free trial of Connected Services; the length of those trials depends on what car you buy, as this PDF outlines. If your car was built before Nov. 12, 2018, you're in the clear, as those cars "no longer require an active Remote Connect subscription for the key fob to perform remote start functionality," according to Toyota—something The Drive attributes to 3G network shutdowns

 

[Brett Wyman]

I'm confused. My DH drives a hybrid Camry he got new in July. It has a remote start (very standard feature here in our cold climate) and it operates off the key-fob. There was no mention of any fee for the service and it doesn't depend on wifi.

Sounds like you are in the free grace period still. And it doesn't use wifi for that feature, it uses a 4g cell chip thats embedded in the car. The Wifi the article mention is another feature of the "Connected Services package" not a requirement of it.

 

[JimMIA]

This is confusing, and it could be a deal-breaker for a lot of customers.

Are they saying key-fob ONLY remote starting will no longer work? Or that the smartphone remote start will require a subscription?

 

[tvguy]

I'm confused. My DH drives a hybrid Camry he got new in July. It has a remote start (very standard feature here in our cold climate) and it operates off the key-fob. There was no mention of any fee for the service and it doesn't depend on wifi.

Not sure why you need remote start with a Camry Hybrid. They don't use the engine coolant to run the heater, so no need for the engine to be warm to get heat. There is a built in electric heater and instantly provides heat and runs the defroster. My wife has a 2020 Camry LE Hybrid. She loves that feature.

 

[cvjw]

Oops. Misread. Thought the OP was talking about paying to remote start with an app.

I read the article. Seems Toyota is wanting to catch up with Honda. I pay $100 a year for the Honda link connect feature on the app. It allows you to remote start, lock and unlock from your phone. I do not have to pay extra to remote start my Honda Pilot from the key fob though.

 

[mom2rtk]

Damn. I’m so sick of everyone wanting a monthly fee.

 

[sam_gordon]

Not sure why you need remote start with a Camry Hybrid. They don't use the engine coolant to run the heater, so no need for the engine to be warm to get heat. There is a built in electric heater and instantly provides heat and runs the defroster. My wife has a 2020 Camry LE Hybrid. She loves that feature.

I'm pretty sure most people don't use the remote start to warm up the engine, but for the interior of the car to BE warm when they get in. Not get in the car and wait for it to warm up (I don't care how quick the heat comes on, it will still take time to warm up the space.

According to The Drive (where the PC Mag quoted)...

A Toyota spokesperson confirmed to The Drive that if a 2018 or later Toyota is equipped with Toyota's Remote Connect functions, the vehicle must be enrolled in a valid subscription in order for the key fob to start the car remotely.

IMO, I don't think it's "fair" that someone who purchased a car as much as 3-4 years ago now needs to pay a monthly fee to use a feature that has been included. My guess is that will go to court.
FWIW, I have a remote start on my car (that I got in July 2019). It's a 2015 Camry. I used the remote start ONCE just to see if I can do it. I'm too impatient to start the car and wait 5 minutes for it to get warm.

 

[MillauFr]

I don't live in a cold climate, so I see no need to heat up the car. I just turn on the car and drive away.

 

[Kennywood]

Anyone who's spent a few winters around the Great Lakes area knows that "Awwwwwww...." feeling of getting into a pre-heated car.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Thank God, my car still starts with a key...

 

[Christine]

I didn't think this was new. I have a 2018 Toyota Camry. For one year, I got the "free" remote start (along with other features) as part of the Connected service. After one year, that expired and I had to pay $8 per month to continue, which I passed on.

 

[brockash]

I don't live in a cold climate, so I see no need to heat up the car. I just turn on the car and drive away.

Well then this thread doesn't seem to apply to you.

 

[ronandannette]

Not sure why you need remote start with a Camry Hybrid. They don't use the engine coolant to run the heater, so no need for the engine to be warm to get heat. There is a built in electric heater and instantly provides heat and runs the defroster. My wife has a 2020 Camry LE Hybrid. She loves that feature.

Your wife doesn't live in a climate where -35C is not uncommon. When your vehicle has been sitting out at that temperature all day, you want it warm when you get in to drive away.

 

[Kennywood]

Don't confuse remote start via the key fob with remote start via an app (satellite).

Toyota now wants to charge for remote start with the key fob. That's ridiculous. All that means is that local auto shops will get a LOT more business for remote starters.

 

[ronandannette]

Oops. Misread. Thought the OP was talking about paying to remote start with an app.

I read the article. Seems Toyota is wanting to catch up with Honda. I pay $100 a year for the Honda link connect feature on the app. It allows you to remote start, lock and unlock from your phone. I do not have to pay extra to remote start my Honda Pilot from the key fob though.

Ah, OK. I read it the same way you did. No, we don't need to use an app to start the car, thankyouverymuch!

 

[Christine]

Don't confuse remote start via the key fob with remote start via an app (satellite).

Toyota now wants to charge for remote start with the key fob. That's ridiculous. All that means is that local auto shops will get a LOT more business for remote starters.

But it's not "now." They've been charging this for 3 years after your new contract expires.

 

[sam_gordon]

Don't confuse remote start via the key fob with remote start via an app (satellite).

Toyota now wants to charge for remote start with the key fob. That's ridiculous. All that means is that local auto shops will get a LOT more business for remote starters.

I disagree with the bolded. I think a lot more people will just forego the remote start. I would.

 

[MillauFr]

Well then this thread doesn't seem to apply to you.

I guess I don't understand why you need to warm up the car before driving it? When I lived in Minneapolis, I just turned the key and drove away even when it was 25 degrees F below zero. I was more concerned about wasting gas then I was getting into a warm car.