A Toyota salesperson documented issues with the brand’s remote start functionality in a viral TikTok. Adam (@adamoftoyota) accrued over 2.5 million views with his video that appeared to resonate with numerous Toyota owners.
Some speculated that an inactive subscription to Toyota’s Remote Connect subscription may be the culprit.
Although, there were a myriad of reports from other Toyota owners who claim the brand’s OEM remote start functionality is fundamentally bad.
Toyota driver lists remote start woes
“Perfect weather for remote start. Watch this,” Adam says as he holds up a car key fob to the camera. Next, he aims the fob at a vehicle in a snow-covered parking lot and presses it three times. However, the vehicle fails to start up. “One, two, three. Ahh,” he says in disappointment.
Afterwards, the video quickly cuts to him speaking to the camera. “Sorry it doesn’t work through glass, I got it.” The TikToker then walks towards the door of the dealership and cracks it open. Now standing in the open door, he aims the fob again at the vehicle. “All right one, two, three,” he says, pressing the button on the device three times. The pickup truck’s lights blink and then die out.
The camera cuts back to Adam’s frustrated face, and he attempts the remote start protocol again. “One, two, three,” he says, counting as he clicks the fob button. The truck’s lights blink twice again, but shut off. This prompts Adam to move closer to the vehicle as he tries out the remote start feature again. It yields the same result.
Following this, he moves himself even closer to the vehicle and tries to start it remotely yet again. But it fails to register. In the last portion of the video, he bends over, getting eye level with the pickup truck’s right headlight. Predictably, the remote start fails again, causing him to hang his head down in defeat.
TikTokers can relate
In a caption for his video, Adam asked if anyone else has also encountered similar problems with their Toyota. And judging by the replies, it seems like several people have. One commenter penned, “Toyota has the worst remote start.”
Another also shared their gripes with the Japanese auto manufacturer’s remote ignition functionality. “And then you finally get it and it shuts off as soon as you open the door and let all the cold air in.”
Someone else wrote, “Toyota’s remote start is pointless; as soon as you unlock it it shuts off.”
One commenter also wasn’t a fan of their remote start’s time frame. “Why does the remote start only last 10 minutes. In three degrees that does nothing.”
Whereas others were happy with their respective manufacturer’s remote control capabilities. “My Chrysler, which was parked down the street, would start from my room in the basement,” one said.
Another remarked, “My Chevy’s remote start goes through cinder block.”
And there was this TikToker who had affinity for their car’s mobile application. “I just start my Explorer through my phone, while still in bed, and then start getting ready and dressed.”
Is it a subscription issue?
One comment highlighted a potential reason as to why Adam’s remote start wasn’t working. “Did you forget to pay your subscription?”
This issue was echoed by another user, who wrote, “That’ll be $80 a year.”
According to Toyota’s website, its remote start capabilities are indeed locked behind a subscription paywall. Drivers must have an active account with the manufacturer’s Toyota Remote Connect application. But newer car purchases come with a free trial of Remote Connect, which varies from vehicle to vehicle.
And this is where things get tricky. According to Toyota’s pressroom, 2023 and newer models receive a 10-year free trial period of Service Connect. This also includes the 2022 Tundra. Furthermore, the following 2023, 2024, and 2025 models purportedly come with this remote connect package.
- bZ4X
- Corolla
- Corolla Hatchback
- Corolla Cross
- Crown
- GR Corolla
- Highlander
- RAV4
- Sequoia
- Tundra
- Venza
Differing opinions
Performance Toyota also listed the 2023 and newer Toyota models that are outfitted with OEM remote start functionality. Note: Not all of these models necessarily come with a free 10-year-trial of Toyota’s Remote Connect.
- bZ4X
- Corolla
- Corolla Hatchback
- Corolla Cross
- Crown
- GR Corolla
- Highlander
- Mirai
- Prius
- Prius Prime
- Camry
- RAV4
- RAV4 Prime
- Sequoia
- Sienna
- 4Runner
- Tundra
- Tacoma
- GR86
- GR86 Supra
- Venza
Is remote start included as part of this 10-year Remote Connect free trial with a new Toyota purchase? YouTuber ToyotaJeffReviews broke down the length of remote start functionality by Toyota model year.
Select 2018 models, Jeff notes, came with six months free of remote start. In all instances, Jeff states that key fob remote start functionality will cease to work upon account expiration. So you will have to pay either $8 per month, or $80 for the year to use this feature. 2019’s remote start offerings expanded, but this six-month trial period persisted.
In 2020, free remote connect usage on new Toyota’s still lasted six months, but only for specific models. Owners of Avalon, Corolla, Land Cruiser, Mirai, Prius, and Sienna have to pay after half a year. But other models, like the 4Runner, C-HR, Camry, Corolla Hatchback, and Highlander get free remote start for a year.
More changes
In 2021, Jeff details that the standard free remote start trial was bumped up to one year for pretty much all models. The 2021 Prius and Prius Prime, however enjoyed three years of complimentary remote start. The 2022 models continued the one-year free remote start trend across the board for all vehicles outfitted with this functionality.
Things get even murkier when you look at personal anecdotes from Toyota owners online. One poster on the Toyota Nation forum writes that their car came with a 10-year free Safety Connect trial. The services associated with this package differs from Remote Connect, which offers remote start functionality. According to the user, they reached out to Toyota and were told their key fob was good for 10 years of remote starting their vehicle.
They even copied and pasted the response from Toyota, which they included in the forum post. The message states that their Toyota Highlander only came with a one-year free Remote Connect subscription. However, it went on to state that the key fob would continue to provide remote start functionality for an additional nine years after that. Once those 10 years were up, they’d have to pony up for a monthly subscription to Toyota’s Remote Connect.
Remote start issues
Numerous Toyota drivers, even those with active Remote Connect subscriptions have complained online about the feature. In another Toyota Nation post, several folks mentioned that remote start only works sporadically. One user said that when they contacted Toyota about the issue, they were told it was a “bug.”
Reddit users in the r/ToyotaTacoma sub also expressed that remote start with the Toyota mobile application “fails frequently.” The original poster of this gripe said it happens “just about every day.” Another commenter wrote it was such a persistent problem, they opted not to pay for the service after the trial’s end.
And a 2021 Sienna driver also sparked a litany of head nods from other Toyota owners. They, too, said that their vehicle’s remote start failed to work “consistently.”
@adamoftoyota Who can relate? 😂#carbuying #carsalesman #dealershiplife #toyota #sales ♬ original sound – AdamOfToyota
The Daily Dot has reached out to Toyota via email and Adam via TikTok comment for further information.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
