This might seem like an odd thing to post since this site (and YouTube channel) is catered to tech, technically a car remote start is technology based. Another reason for posting this is due to how a number of people I chatted with that have a Toyota don’t know if their vehicle has a remote starter.
The most obvious thing is to check your car manual. If for reason you don’t have it or can’t find it on the internet then I’ll explain how to test it below. In the second part of this article, I’ll explain a limitation with Toyota remote starters and how I get around it.
Testing Remote Starter
Testing if your Toyota has a remote starter is incredibly easy. You basically need to:
-Press the lock button on your key fob 3 times in a row (each press a second apart, not longer than that).
-On the third press, hold the lock button until the hazard lights flash. Once they start to flash, let go.
-Wait a few seconds and your car should start. If you have a hybrid (like me), you might not hear the engine actually start since it’ll most likely start in battery mode. If it doesn’t start then you probably didn’t press the lock button fast enough in the sequence or your car doesn’t support remote start.
Remote Starter Limitation
This limitation will vary depending on where you live, the model and trim of your Toyota. My Highlander XLE 2020 hybrid has this limitation along with many other year and models from what I read on forums.
When you remote start your Toyota, you would think it would automatically turn on hot air in the vents and in the defroster. This seems like a no-brainer, even a while back my father’s Chevy Impala 2004 would automatically blast hot air from all vents, and the windshield defroster, this works great in the winter. Toyota vehicles do not activate any air from vents automatically.
Basically, with all the technology available in Toyotas (especially in hybrids and higher trims like my vehicle), you would expect the car to gauge the temperature (since they have a thermometer) and activate hot air in the vents in the winter and cold air in really hot summer days but nope.
To get around the above issue, before you turn off your vehicle turn on your vents to windshield defrost, hot temperature, and medium fan level in the winters. In the summer before turning off your car, turn on the AC and turn the fan level to medium. This way, the next time you remote start your car, it’ll turn on the air with the temperature and fan level you turned it off with.
This workaround shouldn’t be required but alas it is, at least in North American models and as of this posting.
