Do all 2021 TRD Pro models come with remote start standard? My dealer says no.

Bought a 2021 TRD Pro, had the dealer put in remote start after 2 of them said that it wasn't included. Cool, at least I get remote start.

Wandering around the forum, I hear from another user that ALL 2020/2021 TRD Pro units have remote start standard but needs to be activated via the app once first. I enable the app, all that stuff, able to lock/unlock my doors via the app. Remote start says "All preconditions must be met" and nothing happens. The three button press/hold does not start my vehicle either.

Go to dealer, remove the aftermarket remote start, same issue. Dealer says that my vehicle does not have remote start. Call Toyota via the SOS button, they confirm that remote start should work and that I need to have my dealer look into why it doesn't.

Contact my dealer who says that's simply not true and my vehicle does not have factory remote start.

So where do I even go here? Is there an easy way that I can pop off a panel and say "Yup, there's the wiring for the factory remote start" and tell my dealer to shove it? Or do I have to contact Toyota and have them enable something? Or is it entirely possible that there really are models that do not have remote start? I find this one odd as I can't see anyone paying $8/mo just to lock/unlock their doors. With remote start, I'd consider keeping that service.

Annoyed.

 

I'm thinking your dealer is shoveling you a line of BS. Waiting for others to chime in though.

 

I got a 2021 Lunar Rock PRO and it has remote start (push the lock twice, then hold on the third push until it starts). There are no additional/optional packages on the PRO trim so I would assume all are the same. My truck only had bed liner and tailgate insert letters added as a dealer option so I assume all of them have it.

also, you should have been given a year of connected services (at least that's what I was told when I got mine)- which you can remote start the truck on the app (as well as lock, unlock and look at trips and open doors).

not sure where you are located but maybe try a different dealership? It should be covered under warranty.

 

Very hard to believe the dealer doesn't know what they're talking about. Toyota is most likely lying because they have the most to gain by shoveling you BS.

/sarcasm

For real though, I'd call Toyota up right in front of your dealer, then hand the phone to the dealer.

 

Most dealers, and especially salesman, don't know shit about the vehicles that they sell. It's fun to ask them a question that you know the answer to. Hell, some of them don't know the horsepower rating of the 5.7 or even what TRD stands for.

 

No, no, no! Speakerphone is way more fun!

 

I just bought new one and I have the same thing. Poor guy got hustled

 

I wouldn't say hustled, I think my dealer is just not as up on his vehicles. He's a good guy, I've bought all of my vehicles from him. But this time I believe he is just wrong. I even have an email from Toyota that I forwarded to him. Still sticking to his guns.

 

Salespeople are CONSTANTLY trained on features of a vehicle and how the tech works.

Now they may not remember this when trying to upsell you an accessory or might not want to get into a conversation they feel will not go well like “what’s the payload” when knowing you are looking at a competitor with higher numbers - or may just not take you seriously….but they have been trained on specs up and down.

And yes - a 2021 Pro will have remote start standard - just not as feature laden as a remote start aftermarket kit will - but it is technically remote start nonetheless.

 

My bad, I didn't mean to offend you. A dealer wouldn't make that kind of mistake. It's common knowledge. By the way its the worse auto starter ever lol. I don't bother using mine.

 

My Toyota sales guy said I could only use the dumb app to remote start. When I got home I looked through this forum and saw the triple lock method which works on my sport. I’m pretty sure the pro should have remote start standard

 

The factory remote start works great, I use it all the time. It doesn’t bother me that it shuts off when I open the door because it’s really not hard to put my foot on the brake and push the start button.

 

My 2021 is an SR5 (with smart key) and has remote start, both triple lock method through the key fob and through the Toyota app.

 

Agreed. Worst Auto-start everrrr. As soon as you open the door, it turns off and you've got to start the truck again.

 

From what I understand this is a Toyota thing and not the factory remote start? My wife has an aftermarket and it behaves the exact same way.

I'd be interested in paying for the app but not without remote start.

 

The remote can be tricky to get it to auto start. But if it’s not working on the app, that’s their issue that needs to be fixed.

 

So today I had a great conversation with Toyota support. They walked me through a few steps, pulled my VIN and said absolutely the vehicle has remote start. The dealer is wrong. They had me check the DCM signal (now I know what that DCM thing is that flashes) and also if I had a green light on the SOS (I don't). Without that green light, something is wrong and my dealer needs to figure out and fix it under warranty.

One party state, I recorded the call to play back for my dealer.

 

Your truck came with remote start. Remote start will work as long as you have the Toyota Services package. It is free for the first year. When the service expires, even the FOB won’t work.

At least that’s how it normally works. There have been multiple discussions on the forum about remote start and a few guys appear to have their fob still working after the services expire.

I think your dealership honked something up when they installed the aftermarket system. Or maybe the Connected Services needs a reflash.

 

Not to make a general assumption must most car salesmen are very greasy.

 

I know we've already discussed this, but I really wouldn't be surprised if they pulled out the Remote Start module when they installed the aftermarket one, and now they don't want to admit it. I wouldn't even say it's the salespersons fault (though they should be educated on the vehicles features), I'd blame the service department. I bet some service tech was laughing their ass off while they removed the Toyota one, and installed the aftermarket one. I'd contact Toyota Corporate and see what they can do for you, cause at this point the dealership is of absolutely no help.

 

I'm one of those who has the fob working after services expire. If I'm not mistaken, 2018 and on should work because someone got honked off and the end result was that they changed firmware such that it did not require a Toyota Services package current/up to date to work. Those whose remote start via fob does not work "should" be able to go to the dealership and have them flash firmware to allow the truck to remote start via the fob. (I say "should" because of the aforementioned comments about greasy salesman, and possibly greasier dealerships. LOL)

 

Go here. Enter your vin and see if it mentions remote start. If it does, print it out and take it to the dealer.

https://www.toyota.com/owners/my-vehicle/vehicle-specification

 

That's the problem, it says "Remote Connect" but not specifically "Start". Toyota says that yes, this should work. My dealer points to the build sheet and says "doesn't say start". I'll be talking to them later this afternoon armed with my recorded call from Toyota.

 

Its a limitation of the push to start, atleast on the Toyota implementation. For example, those who have installed aftermarket on tundras with a physical key dont have it turn off when they get in the truck whereas aftermarkets on Tundras iirc have the same limitation you mentioned.

 

This says if you have remote connect, then you have remote start. I think lime someone else said, they pulled the stock one and don’t want to admit it now.

https://www.toyota.com/connected-services/remoteconnect/

 

That website doesnt list "start" on my truck either, but it lists remote connect. I do have remote start. Your dealer doesnt know what they are talking about. My monroney sticker did not mention start anywhere.

 

So it's really dumb, but even for the Remote Start fob to work - you have to be subscribed to one of Toyota's Connected Services. Because of that, once everyone's trial ran out - the key fob was deactivated too. The problem is, that with the higher end models, you get ten years free of, I believe it's the destination assist - which is one of the connected services, and because of that Toyota realized the key fob should keep working for at least ten years without having to pay of a subscription. It was a mess at the end of last year, beginning of this year when it all went down - there was a thread about it.

 

On my 20, with the yr subscription expired, my key fob still works with the 3 press lock to auto start.
I Don’t use it much, its sensitive and seems like it has to be in very close range to work. The app is nice but not worth paying for.

 

That's the thing - I'm not subscribed to squat. About 2 months after I bought the truck I said "Meh" and manually unsubscribed to all of it...and my remote start via fob works just ducky.

I *thought* the 10 free years was for the service connect. I think.

 

All the TRD Pro models now
get this standard, cannot be removed. I would recommend using the SOS again to see if they can help any further and then contacting Toyota corporate or another local dealer if there are any