remote start in new cars

[Gumby]

This must be a new thing. For as long as I have been driving, the clutch has had an interlock switch that prevents electricity from going to the starter unless the clutch pedal is fully depressed.

 

[jazz4cash]

Anyone ever had their vehicle start because they accidentally touched the button? I've triggered the panic button several times and fear starting it the same way in the garage.

The panic alarm is intended to be activated easily which makes sense if it’s an emergency. The remote start activation requires a sequence and duration. Nope, never done that accidentally.

 

[audreyh1]

No start for me. But I can set climate remotely or schedule precondition for a certain time which sets climate as well as battery temperature.

 

[Koolau]

I see no need for butt heat. However, the young wife insisted on it when we bought her new car in 2019. I told her that her butt was already hot enough. But no luck with that.

Heh, heh, sounds like TMI to me, but still charming.

Only thing I now insist upon is AC. One thing I no longer need (in the Islands) is cruise control. No where to use it (except on Big Island.)

I can't see having a subscription for AC but, who knows. If there's a dollar to be made...

 

[srblanco7]

I am a fan of remote start, heated seats, and heated steering wheel as I live in a northern climate. That being said, no way I'll sign up for it as a subscription service. Hopefully, there will be a car manufacturer or two who don't get onboard and they will get my business.

 

[ls99]

Harrumpphh!

My first car had a manual choke, for those who even know what that is. Both DW and I learned on stick shift cars. You mean there were others then?

They can keep their dang subscriptions for stuff I didn't even know I was supposed to want.

I had a couple of those, did not need a screwdriver to prop the choke open. Just don't forget to to open it Unlike with the new improved with automatic chokes. Which had the flooding feature if took more than a couple of cranks to start on a really cold day.

As I wrote earlier I cancelled a Genesis G90 for their app based remote feature. Did make a suggestion to the dealer about performing an impossible act with the car.

 

[CRLLS]

Anyone ever had their vehicle start because they accidentally touched the button? I've triggered the panic button several times and fear starting it the same way in the garage.

I have hit the panic button numerous times. I have also hit the rear hatch opening button many more times. I have never had the car start accidentally. (That I know of. It runs for only 10 minutes before shutting off) As has already been said, it takes a series of buttons to press in order to start and only one touch for the panic alarm.

 

[Koolau]

I'm not usually a big fan of gummint intrusion into such things and I believe a company has a right to do things it thinks make it money while keeping customers loyal. That can be a delicate balancing act.

Here's what I would like to see regulated. Let's say a company sells you something (lets, say a car) which needs feed back occasionally though a phone or in-car system. If they do not charge you for that service and do not tell you at time of purchase that they may some day charge you for that service, then they should never be allowed to charge for that service.

Now, if a car company wants to charge you later, they should make it clear up front that "there is a charge for this service but for now that charge is zero. Later, we may increase that charge and here are the parameters within which that cost can vary." I can live with that - though I'd probably avoid anything which requires such a service. YMMV

 

[CardsFan]

DW's 2020 Lexus and my new 2023 Mazda both have apps to allow monitoring and remote start. The subscription is free for 3 years so DW's is due in a few months. We will see what they do.

FWIW we never remote start the cars, so have only used it a few times to see if it works.

I doubt we will pay for it. We both have Apple CarPlay, so even if they turn off her Nav system, it won't matter.

Well, we just got an email from Lexus. Here is what they want:

SAFETY CONNECT (Kind of like OnStar)
$8 per month

REMOTE
$8 per month

DESTINATION ASSIST (Real time Live assistance via phone while driving)
$8 per month

DYNAMIC NAVIGATION
$8 per month

So, $32/month if you want all 4.

The only one we have ever used is Navigation. But DW has started using Apple CarPlay recently, in anticipation of this, and likes it.

So, they won't get our money.

At least they were upfront about this and we knew it was coming.

But almost $400/year? That is crazy.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

This must be a new thing. For as long as I have been driving, the clutch has had an interlock switch that prevents electricity from going to the starter unless the clutch pedal is fully depressed.

That is certainly true on many cars, but not all. My '62 VW certainly lacked this.

I typically start my car by turning on the ignition, and then pushing the clutch to be the starter switch. But this habit runs me into trouble on the minority of cars that lack the interlock you cite.

 

[frank]

Well, we just got an email from Lexus. Here is what they want:

SAFETY CONNECT (Kind of like OnStar)
$8 per month

REMOTE
$8 per month

DESTINATION ASSIST (Real time Live assistance via phone while driving)
$8 per month

DYNAMIC NAVIGATION
$8 per month

So, $32/month if you want all 4.

The only one we have ever used is Navigation. But DW has started using Apple CarPlay recently, in anticipation of this, and likes it.

So, they won't get our money.

At least they were upfront about this and we knew it was coming.

But almost $400/year? That is crazy.

does apple car play take the place of these options or do the same things?

 

[CardsFan]

does apple car play take the place of these options or do the same things?

With CarPlay you can access navigation on your phone, with voice commands, and it displays on the screen in the car.

As far as the other options, No. But we never use them anyway,

 

[teetee]

I installed my own remote start system in two of my cars and had them for over 20 years combined. The car I drive now does not have the remote start and I don't plan to install it. Yes it is nice to be able to start the car in the dead winter morning but the new cars are so efficient that unless you have the EV with the heat pump and plugged in, the car will just sit there with the engine idling consuming gas for 20 minutes and the blue cold engine light remains on the instrument panel.

I have not found the remote start feature to be critical from where I live (it may have its merit in extremely hot or cold climate though). It was fun setting everything up. A good weekend project for sure. I would not subscribe to it.

 

[frank]

it just seems to me that if you buy a car with specific accessories that you should not have to pay to use the accessories. corporate greed at its finest.

 

[Koolau]

That is certainly true on many cars, but not all. My '62 VW certainly lacked this.

I typically start my car by turning on the ignition, and then pushing the clutch to be the starter switch. But this habit runs me into trouble on the minority of cars that lack the interlock you cite.

Ah yes, I remember when all the safety interlocks - were in your head. You had to remember to depress the clutch or the car would leap forward when you engaged the starter.

I was able to get my '56 Chevy out of an intersection (when the fuel line came loose) by engaging the starter without depressing the clutch. It was the first EV I ever drove. Lots of fun back in the day. I like today better. YMMV

 

[jazz4cash]

My 1974 manual shift car had no interlock but my 1981 model did. By '81 I think the clutch interlock was standard on all manual shift cars.