Share
The brand-new 2022 Toyota Tundra has a remote start feature, but you’ll eventually have to pay for it.
These days, the majority of automakers offer applications for their vehicles, and Toyota is no exception. The 2022 Tundra app can link your vehicle to your smartphone so you can view information like maintenance reminders, truck status, and more. You can also remotely start the truck and wirelessly lock the doors.
But here’s the thing: these functions are part of a group of connected services that also includes advanced navigational aid and a crash-related SOS functionality. The cost of this suite after a three-year trial is $8 per month or $80 per year.
However, you can wonder if the key fob has remote start and if it’s not free. Okay, sort of, and no.
In This Article...
Remote start with the key fob
There is another option to remotely start the truck if you don’t want to use the app, but you won’t find it in the owner’s guide.
Simply push the lock button on the key fob twice, then hold the button down until the truck turns on. The truck may not start right away, but it does operate after about 5 seconds. Before automatically shutting off, Remote Start runs for ten minutes.
To be clear: There is no remote start button on the key fob by itself to simplify this procedure. It is also important to note that the truck will turn off instantly if you use the remote start and unlock the door.
The quick answer to our question about whether this key fob ruse will function without a membership is no, according to Toyota.
the extended response we received from a spokesperson:
“Any Connected Servicetrial or paid membership will be operational with remote start via key fob…. The key fob start function will be available for the full duration of the Service Connect trial, which is three years. We do not actively sell remote start by key fob, and there is no associated initial fee, as we transition to more digital and remote operations.
The bottom line on 2022 Toyota Tundra remote start
There is a lot of misunderstanding around what was new and what previously functioned with the majority of new autos. In this instance, it’s good to find that a dated method still works on other Toyotas. However, it would be nice to hear more from Toyota about this feature (and to see it included in the owner’s guide).
Our main concern is that remote start isn’t cost-free. This represents a significant paradigm change and the first time we’ve heard of an automaker making this a feature that requires a membership fee. We don’t like it, and judging on the comments on the video up there, neither do you. Please feel free to leave a comment here or visit the video to do so. Should remote start continue to be free, or are you okay with ultimately having to pay to play?
Do all Toyotas made in 2022 have remote starts?
Toyota has removed the remote start buttons from its physical key fobs, so owners who wish to start their cars remotely will have to pay. The feature will no longer be part of the actual car key as the automaker transitions to digital services and a subscription-based approach, the manufacturer informed Roadshow on Wednesday.
Here is how it works. The remote start technology will operate for three years during a “trial period” for automobiles made in 2018 to 2020 that have it on the key fob. The button is present on the owner’s fob, however after three years it will no longer operate. Owners must search the brand’s Connected Services for Remote Connect in order to regain the remote start feature. The cost, which also includes a plethora of additional digital features accessible through the Toyota smartphone app, is $80 per year or $8 per month.
The remote start functionality on a key fob won’t be available on any new Toyota vehicles. Key fob remote start is not a function we actively market as we transition to more digital interactions through the Toyota app, the business stated. Owners of specific automobiles from the 2020 model year and newer enjoy a 10-year trial for connected services. In other words, since owners receive more than a decade of free use, there’s a strong chance they won’t need to fork over the cash to use remote start. However, it will eventually become permanently invalid and call for a Remote Connect subscription.
Toyota stated, “We routinely incorporate feedback from customers to ensure we’re giving features that are beneficial and enrich their ownership experiences,” despite the fact that it is a controversial move in an era where manufacturers continue to seek revenue streams via subscriptions.
The Toyota Tundra has remote starting, right?
One of the most useful features of contemporary vehicles is remote starting. For many drivers, being able to start their car’s engine remotely using a key fob or other small gadget is a game-changer. Toyota is one of the manufacturers whose fleet of automobiles are equipped with remote starters.
From 2018 to 2020, Toyota Tundra TRD Pro owners have access to remote start as a standard feature. Toyota has, however, significantly altered its remote start feature, which we’ll talk about later.
For today’s post, we’ll discuss the Toyota Tundra remote start. We’ll examine its accessibility and the methods through which you can use the functionality. Let’s start now.
What is a Toyota Tundra Remote Start and How Does it Work?
With the push of a button, you may quickly turn on and off the engine of your automobile thanks to a remote starter, which is made up of many hardware components. A Toyota Tundra Remote Start is mostly used to cool or preheat the interior so that it is comfortable before the passengers enter.
Other features such as keyless entry, locking and unlocking the trunk and doors, opening the sunroofs, and others may be available with a remote starting. You can start your engine from up to a mile away, or even three times that distance, depending on the hardware and remote starter kit you employ. More advanced systems enable you to remotely start a vehicle from any location using your smartphone.
When a driver turns on the automobile using the key, the remote starter mimics the engine starting process. It goes without saying that the remote start system does this without a real, live key in the ignition.
Once everything is assembled properly, a remote transmitter can be used to transmit frequencies to the main module. The remote control system is instructed by the signal or frequency to lock or unlock the doors, start the engine, etc.
You can always be sure that you got the greatest value possible since CoPilot scans your neighborhood and notifies you if there is a better deal on a comparable vehicle nearby. The best approach to purchase a car is through the CoPilot app.
Typical Hardware of a Remote Starter System
The typical parts of a remote starting system are listed below:
- Control module: The hardware that handles all remote start functions often resembles a black box. It is interconnected with the vehicle’s parts and other remote start system components.
- Modern vehicles require the installation of a bypass module to ensure that the remote start does not interfere with or disable the factory security system.
- Wires: A network of cables that link various parts of the car to the remote starter system.
- Remote transmitter: For the majority of owners, this customized key fob or remote is the only part they see, and it manages all system operations.
Please be aware that depending on the kit you use and the make/model of the car in which it will be fitted, these are general components and may vary.
Toyota Tundra Remote Start Availability
A key fob with remote capabilities was previously available from Toyota, including for the Tundra pickup. Toyota, however, declared in December 2021 that it will eliminate the physical remote start option and make the functionality only available through its Connected Services.
Whether or whether they are Toyota owners, the announcement has undoubtedly whipped up a frenzy among consumers. Many opponents worried that automakers might now pinch and dime customers by putting some functions behind a paywall (subscription plans) when it used to be a one-and-done transaction alleged that Toyota is setting a bad precedent.
The last time we heard, Toyota was “reviewing its Key Fob Remote Start Subscription Plan” after receiving a lot of backlash for this news.
As a result, the handy key fob with remote functions is no longer available if you want a remote start for your Toyota Tundra. Either sign up for Toyota’s Connected Services (we’ll talk more about this later) or look at aftermarket options.
These are the ideal vehicles for college students since they can transport you, your friends, and your belongings everywhere you need to go, whether you need to squeeze into a small campus parking space or transport ten loads of laundry home.
Remote Start Via Connected Services
Toyota’s Connected Services are a collection of features that address every aspect of connectivity, convenience, maintenance, and safety. It’s a membership service for Toyota owners who want access to more sophisticated features for their cars. Subscribers get access to the Toyota Tundra Remote Start capability through the Remote Connect subfeature.
You can use features like Guest Driver, Vehicle Status Alert, Last Parked Location, Door Lock/Unlock, and of course Remote Start thanks to the Remote Connect subfeature.
Toyota published official documentation about the remote key fob features, which you can access here. Here is a brief summary:
- Key fobs are compatible with Toyota automobiles equipped with Remote Connect.
- You must register with Connected Features in order to access the full range of Remote Connect services.
- Only the SR5 TRD Sport and SR5 TRD Off-Road trims are eligible for the 3-year Connected Services free trial offered by the optional Audio Plus package.
- Up to 10 years of a free trial are available on a certain 2020 models that offer Remote Connect.
- A free 10-year trial is also offered for the high-end Premium Audio bundle that is available.
- A current Remote Connect subscription is no longer required for vehicles with remote starts that were manufactured prior to 11/12/2018.
Toyota appears to have reversed course on its stance that all remote start features require an active Connected Services membership, most likely as a result of the criticism.
You might not be particularly knowledgeable about your car’s brakes unless you’re a mechanic or a super-committed auto enthusiast. How much time do they usually last? How frequently should brakes be replaced? We have solutions.
Toyota Tundra Remote Start: Rounding Up Your Options
You probably won’t have to pay a monthly fee to utilize Remote Connect if your Tundra is a 2020 model or newer. However, keep in mind that only few truck trims offer it. A generous 10-year trial is included with the Premium Audio package if you have a 20182020 model, but only with models that support the feature.
You can still use the key fob capability on Tundra vehicles produced prior to 11/12/18 without signing up for any services. Key fob remote start usage:
- Your key fob remote’s LOCK button should be pressed.
- Within one second, press the LOCK button a second time.
- Once more, hold down the LOCK button for three seconds.
- If all goes well, the engine will start.
The key fob remote functions for vehicles manufactured after 11/12/18 that support Remote Connect will not function without a Connected Services subscription. Following your trial period, the subscription will run you $80 annually, or $8 monthly. Otherwise, the aftermarket is your only real choice.
Get a Curated List of the Best Used Cars Near You
The simplest way to purchase a car is using the CoPilot auto shopping app. You may create a customized list of the top car listings in your area by telling us what you’re looking for, and we’ll search the inventories of every dealership in your area.
Just seeking for more recent models? The search engine for virtually new vehicles is CoPilot Compare. only observe recentfive years or lessautos with little mileage. The greatest place to look for off-lease, early trade-in, and CPO vehicles is CoPilot Compare.
What’s best? We have more information on each vehicle than our rivals since CoPilot was developed using the same technologies that dealerships use to acquire and sell their inventories. Since CoPilot doesn’t partner with automakers, there aren’t any sponsored posts or other dubious tacticsjust the most information about the best vehicles. To learn more about CoPilot’s operation, see our About Us page.