remote start?////????

[fred]

i m sure someone of our great forum has explored remote start possiblities. this may be a question for doc efusco, danny and a few other of the resident geeks (meant in a complimentary way of course) what were the results iwonder

[efusco]

The easy answer is...forget it. I believe I heard someone found some means of accomplishing it, it was no easy task and less than ideal.

[RobH]

There don't seem to be any remote start devices that are designed for the Prius. I've spent quite a bit of time trying to adapt a standard remote start, and expect to eventually succeed.

There are two areas that trip up a conventional install. The first is the keyfob system instead of an ordinary key. There are all sorts of worries and theories about how to get past the keyfob system. The simple answer is that there are multiple security systems in the keyfob, and the transponder one is identical to numerous other systems. A standard immobilizer bypass can be used with a transponder that has been removed from a used (cheap) Prius keyfob. Just have the car programmed for the keyfob transponder before removing the transponder from the keyfob.

The second problem area is that conventional remote start systems are designed to manage an ignition switch, starter, and an engine that starts within a few seconds of activating the starter. The conventional remote start bypasses the ignition switch, and applies power to the ignition circuits when it decides to start the car. This sort of theory may work on the Prius, but I doubt it. What is required is adaptive logic to emulate the actions of a person starting/stopping the car.

All of the remote start installations that I've been able to learn about used relays for additional logic. I designed a relay logic system with 6 DPDT relays, and was still not happy that I'd covered enough of the logic. I've abandoned the relay logic design, and decided to use a PIC microcontroller to handle the logic conversions. This is a task for an electronics designer, or at least an electronics hobbyist. The typical car electronics installer generally doesn't have the skills, and certainly doesn't have the time for a custom designed system like this.

[fred]

great responces. thanks very much

[SparrowHawk60]

The only way I can think of installing a remote starter in the Prius would be to isolate the ICE from the Motor. Thus the Prius would only have the ICE running, which defeats the whole purpose of the Prius! ? A redundant system would have to then be installed to return the car to it's intended operational mode.
It could be done, put would this not confuse the ECU? Would a secondary ECU be a fix if it could be programmed to except input from the remote starter and then transfer all information to the primary ECU when returning to 'normal' mode?
Technology has transformed us into a society of very lazy people. While the nicety of such things as remote door locks, power windows, hands free operations, and a gambit of other such things is a wonder; "we" ask for so much more than we can reasonably expect.

[Doc Willie]

Remote start was included as one of the dealer option packages when I bought mine last year, so something must be available that works. The remote start was listed as $950 or so retail.

[hill]

That's right ... pricy.
You'd do better to give $500 or $600 to someone to come over & just start it for you

[lplate]

The Toyota remote start has a limited range, something like 50-75 feet which makes it a little impractical - having to be so close for it to work. After-market remote starters have a much longer range. An additional module is needed if you have the Smart Key system ($80) and the R. starters run from $250 on up. $300 gets a 1500' range.

[hobbit]

Why would you have to isolate anything? If a remote start has
a couple of dry-contact relay outputs, it would be easy enough
to simulate the fob-insertion switch, and then a start button
press. The only nit is that you'd have to have the RFID guts
of a valid fob mounted in close enough to the reader in the key-
slot assembly to get read, but I'll bet lashing it to the top
of the reader assembly would suffice. With smartkey, you'd only
have to leave a fob someplace inside the cabin but that carries
the risk that someone could find it and just use it to start up.
.
Note that by doing any of this, you'd be lowering your immobilization
security to that of the remote start system, as opposed to the
stock key system. A close look at how good the remote start
system is would be prudent.
.
Also consider that better fuel economy comes from firing up the
system and then almost immediately driving away, gently, to
keep battery currents reasonable until 1st stage warmup happens.
At that point you might as well get in and then start the car.
.
_H*

[lplate]

Aside from all the good comments out there on this topic, ranging back several years with answers anywhere from "It can't be done" to other more complex responses, I have a Clifford in mine and it works just fine. Yes, couple hoops to jump through but can be done in the Chicago area for $300 and up, depending on the range needed.
L.