Toyota’s Entune audio display system had a three-year grace period before owners had to start paying a membership fee when it was first introduced. So what is the price of Entune? As of right now, Entune is free to use unless you want to add a satellite radio plan.
The fact that Entune is free and useful in so many circumstances increases the value of all Toyota automobiles that make use of the program. Here are some of the highlights of Toyota’s Entune system for people who are not yet familiar.
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Does Toyota Connected Services need payment?
Except for Wi-Fi Connect trials, all Connected Services trials are free of charge and start on the day the new car was first purchased or leased. Each trial term will end, and access to the services will then require enrollment in a paid membership. Applying terms and conditions
How much does the Toyota app membership cost?
Recently, we’ve written a lot about subscription services for the automotive industry. It all began when Publisher Tim Esterdahl became upset that his new 2022 Toyota Tundra’s remote start wasn’t actually free. You see, Toyota has changed its business strategies (i.e. profiting) to incorporate Toyota Connected Service, as have many other manufacturers.
When you consider everything that’s included, Toyota Connected Service may seem like a good addition for individuals who purchase a Toyota vehicle, but keep in mind that it costs $8 per month or $80 per year. Although it may seem like insignificant compensation that you won’t notice, the techniques used to smuggle this in on a “trial basis” appeared dubious to us.
In light of this, we decided to outline the components of the Toyota Connected Service, which is a pay-to-play service.
Remote Start: Not free for Toyota
This was the catalyst for everything for us. Esterdahl went crazy over certain key fob problems and even implicated Toyota’s engineers in the debacle. All of it was captured in this fantastic video.
However, remote start is mentioned under Remote Connect and costs $8/month or $80/year as part of Toyota’s Connected Service (i.e., a subscription). Therefore, even if you do a remote start using your key fob after the subscription expires, it will not function.
Other useful services that are also included in a subscription are available with Remote Connect, which is run through an app on your phone. They consist of:
- visitor driver Receive notifications when the primary account owner has exceeded the set speed, curfew, or mileage limits.
Is Toyota’s navigation free?
The advantages of systems like Toyota’s in-car voice navigation system for the best hands-free driving experience are numerous.
You can find places without ever taking your eyes off the road thanks to built-in navigation systems that offer a voice recognition capability when you’re on the road. Additionally, you can use this approach to navigate beyond the fundamentals. You can look for interesting places to stop along the way. When you arrive at your desired location, you might discover other things of interest.
There may be certain additional safety safeguards built into the functionality of the system, depending on what it is. To keep you concentrated on the road, some Toyota GPS car systems may offer features that cannot be utilized while driving.
For instance, while you are driving, the lights on various navigational functions, such as the screen buttons, may be darkened. This built-in feature helps you avoid being distracted by a screen that is too bright, making using technology while driving safe. To help reduce distractions, certain other navigational features are designed to be fully unusable while driving.
Is Toyota Entune something I need?
Remote Connect: This clever app enables you to keep an eye on and control your Toyota from any location. Locking and unlocking the doors, finding your car, starting the engine, and running engine diagnostics are all options. Dynamic Navigation: The EntuneTM 3.0 Premium Audio package is included with this navigation system.
How can I access the free Toyota Connected service?
On all new Toyotas, depending on the model, buyers receive a free trial of Toyota Remote Connect that lasts somewhere between three and ten years. The service has an after-trial price of either $8 per month or $80 per year. Other features of Toyota Remote Connect make the cost of purchasing it worthwhile.
How can I cancel my Toyota Connected Services subscription?
(a) Termination. Call us at (800) 331-4331 and inform a customer service representative that you wish to discontinue your Service Plan at any time to cancel your trial subscription or paid Service Plan.
Will Toyota charge you to start the vehicle?
Toyota charges customers for the convenience of remote vehicle starting with their key fobs. The Drive reported that a subscription will be required for the key fob to provide remote start features on Toyota cars that are 2018 or newer.
When buying a new Toyota, buyers have a variety of Connected Services to select from, and one of those servicescalled Remote Connectjust so happens to include the ability to start your car remotely using your key fob.
The car’s audio system is required for the remote start feature of the key fob.
Customers are given a free trial of Remote Connect, although the duration of the trial is based on the vehicle’s audio package. Even more perplexingly, only a select few Toyota models are compatible with the Audio Plus or Premium Audio packages that are included with the free trial, as you can see for yourself in this PDF.
In other words, the remote start capability of the key fob is dependent upon the vehicle’s factory-installed audio system. This first appeared in a Reddit post, where the author provided a link to Toyota’s Remote Connect promotional materials (PDF). Since then, the post has been marked as “Though possibly deceptive, Toyota told The Drive that after the free trial, users will actually have to pay for remote start.
The remote start function of the key fob is described in the brochure that is referenced in the post, along with how it relates to the Audio Plus and Premium Audio packages. A car bought with Premium Audio offers free remote start for 10 years, while one with Audio Plus offers owners the luxury of free remote start using a key fob for three years. The entire Remote Connect service, which includes the key fob remote start feature, will then cost drivers $8 per month or $80 per year.
It’s not fully apparent from Toyota’s Remote Connect page whether the plan covers the remote start feature of the key fob. There is no mention of using the key fob for remote starts; instead, it claims that users can use the Remote Connect service to start their cars using a smartwatch, smart home device, or smartphone.
Furthermore, as The Drive notes, it appears that some users have been aware of this for a long time. Users on the Toyota Nation site discuss the key fob’s remote start capability in a topic that was started in 2019. However, the majority of users in this thread own a Toyota that is 2018 or newer, so they may still be covered by the free trial. Some customers report that their key fob may still start their car remotely.
These paywalled features are typically exclusive to luxury automakers. In addition to the $300 it costs to install Apple Car Play, BMW in 2018 required users to pay an annual subscription fee. Nearly two years after making its decision, the German automaker reversed course.
However, BMW still accepts payments for “In-car microtransactions are a method to access additional functions for your vehicle. Similar technology exists in the all-electric Porsche Taycan, known as Functions On-Demand, which enables owners to add new, add-on functions to their Porsche, such as Active Lane Keeping or Dynamic Light System Plus. Cadillac’s hands-free driving mode, Super Cruise, which has since been temporarily stopped in newer Escalades owing to the chip shortage, now costs consumers $25 per month after the expiration of the free trial.
Do Toyota vehicles all have remote starting?
Only automobiles equipped with the Smart Key system integrated can be started remotely. For Remote Start to work on vehicles without an alarm system, an additional hood switch is needed. Only auto-transmission automobiles have remote starting capabilities.
How can I get a free update for my Toyota Entune navigation?
Receive the most recent Toyota EntuneTM updates:
- Open the EntuneTM app, then establish a Bluetooth or USB connection with your car.
- You will be given the option to update “NOW” or “LATER” in a menu that will display on the screen.
- By choosing now, all of your updates will be handled instantly and automatically.
Which Toyota cars are Entune-equipped?
- Toyota 4Runner, 2022.
- Toyota Avalon 2022.
- Toyota Camry, 2022.
- Toyota Camry Hybrid 2022.
- The Hatchback 2022 Toyota Corolla.
- Toyota Corolla Hybrid 2022.
- Toyota GR86 in 2022.
- Toyota GR Supra 2022.