Thread: Toyota Remote start

I have to say its a pretty big let down having just had it installed I wish I went with an aftermarket remote starter


PS. I think the Toyota remote start is about as bad as could be I mean it sucks I am almost embarrassed to have it.

I asked for the remote starter and my dealer refused to sell it to me. I was told it had limited range and stopped working if the temperature got below -25C. Given that a Winnipeg winter will get below -40C frequently this starter would be completely useless. I was given a credit to use at a local electronics store to purchase and install an after-market starter. I was annoyed at the time as I had ordered the car with the Toyota starter and expected it to be installed on pick up. It would have been nice if the limitations had been explained by the salesman earlier in the process. On the the hand the dealer let me pick out the top of the line after market starter which offered a lot more than the Toyota starter and it cost more by the time it was installed. In hindsight I don't think the salesman knew exactly why they would not install them. Most folks are put off by the limited range. Since I am disabled, I am never far from the car so range wasn't a huge concern.

Sorry to hear that. I heard people are going elsewhere for remote start. I think Best Buys installed the Viper - 5901 Responder LC3 SST Security/Remote Start System (Basic Install Included) for $500. I think I will be looking into that.
Paul

I am planning to have the Toyota one removed and go with something else its just terrible, I am sort of angry with the parts folks for not being up front with me when I asked how it compared to an aftermarket one.

Sorry to hear this and glad I didn't fall into the dealer's sale speech to install it immediately with them.
Will check with Best Buy
Thanks!!!

i have 2011 Venza. i was told it voids the warranty if I install an aftermarket remote start. I was told at my local custom stereo store they have no problems installing in the venza. They compare it to the camry or 4runner with keyless entry. I'm just concerned if I ever have to bring it in for service they'll give me a hard time.

As I said above my dealer refused to sell me the Toyota starter as it fails to work in our frigid climate (our overnight low last night was -31.7°C and it stops working past -25°C). They arranged for me to have an aftermarket starter installed at a local audio dealer and it is what they do for all their clients looking for a remote starter. Since they are a well established dealership and have been in business for a very long time I hardly think they would make this arrangement if it voided the warranty with Toyota. They have serviced it twice for free (as it was part of the sales promotion at the time I purchased it) and did the brake override all the time knowing I have the starter as the extra controller is on my key ring. No issues at all. In fact I got a bonus oil change as the first service took a little longer than promised and I was patiently waiting for them to complete it. I also have an invoice from the audio outfit showing the installation in my Venza and direct billing to the dealership.

I asked for the Toyota starter to be installed for pick up, my sales rep requested it to be installed and his boss refused to allow it to happen because it will not work in very cold climates and it has a very limited range when compared to other aftermarket options. It seems like the Toyota starter is not in the same league as the aftermarket options. If you compare the Toyota cost to what is out there in the aftermarket for the same amount of money you can get a far superior starter.

FWIW my previous car (not a Toyota) also had an aftermarket starter and I no problems with getting warranty issues dealt with. I had 3 different issues corrected under warranty and a recall and they looked after everything.

My boss also has a Toyota (Rav 4) (bought from the same dealership) and has the same aftermarket starter installed by the same audio outfit and has no issues with his Rav 4.

The Toyota brand and installed remote start is worthless, I am actually so disappointed with it that it may be a factor in if I buy another Toyota or not its just that bad, we have been having some cold nights here in NJ and it doesn't work 100% total waste of money.

Just bringing this up and seeing this has me irate at my dealer

I will admit when I went to pick mine up and it wasn't installed and I wasn't forewarned I was livid. It was my first experience with Toyota and I was really questioning the whole purchase. In hindsight it was almost the best thing they did. A heads up would have been nice, but waiting for an aftermarket to be installed is better than being sold something that doesn't perform. My guess is that for the larger North American market (read most of the US),it does just fine. For us hardy types in Canada and Northern US, it's a dud. I am sorry you were not forewarned Scott. What has the dealer said?

I've decided I'm definitely going with aftermarket remote start. Partly from what I've read from other Venza owners and partly because of cost. I checked with my local audio installer and he can do it for about $200 less than Toyota dealer.