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Remote start options for 2020 Prime XLE?

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by Cdgreg, Dec 23, 2019.

  1. Cdgreg

    Cdgreg Member

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    Hi everyone, proud owner of a brand new 2020 Prime XLE. While setting all the tech up, I installed/connected:
    Entune 3.0 - Check, all set (seems pretty worthless)
    Apple Carplay - Plugged in, Check, all set
    Safety Connect - Check, all set

    Tried to setup Remote Connect and NOTHING. Dealership verified Prime (XLE) does not support Remote Connect. I checked the Toyota's features page thinking I made a huge mistake and should have bought the Limited so I can remote start, monitor charging, adjust temperate all from my phone. I see nothing mentioned in any of the trim levels for the 2020 Prime referencing RemoteConnect and from a search here it appears no one has this option, yet it was available in the 17-19 highest trim.

    I called the dealership asking them how much to install a Toyota remote starter on the 2020 Prime XLE and they said there is no option through Toyota at this time.

    Are there any options for Remote Start on the 2020 Prime, ideally through the OEM Keyfob so I do not need two fobs? My stock fob looks like this one.

    This is crushing my excitement, help!
     
  2. Tha_Ape

    Tha_Ape Active Member

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    A/c is remote start.

    For most people the point of remote start is to get your car warm (or cool). That's what that button does.

    Bonus: you can use it while your car is in the garage and not worry about carbon monoxide poisoning.

    It is sad, but true. Remote climate went away in 2020. That was basically the "A/C" button (with the option to turn on defrosters) with unlimited range. But you did gain carplay and a 5th seat
     
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  3. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

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    On the earlier Advanced trim models of the Plug-In-Prius (2012-2015) or Prime(2017-present), there has never been a remote start function. There were other remote functions on the Advanced, such as remote charge management, remote climate control, and vehicle locator, but not remote start. We are talking here about things that operate over the cellular system at an arbitrary distance from the car under the control of a smartphone app, not the functions from the key fob, which are limited to 100 feet or so. As far as I know, you have the ability to start the climate control with the key fob on all of the trims, as long as you are in the range of the fob.
     
    #3 CharlesH, Dec 23, 2019
    Last edited: Dec 23, 2019
  4. Cdgreg

    Cdgreg Member

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    Oh, you may have just made my day, will the AC button work as the "remote start" climate control even if the EV battery is not charged? I am not really planning to plug it in on a nightly basis until Spring time when I can have an exterior house plug installed closer to where I park.
     
  5. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

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    Unless they have changed this, the remote A/C uses the EV battery. It will never start the gasoline engine.
     
  6. Cdgreg

    Cdgreg Member

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    Eh, as I think this through further, this would be fine for at home while plugged in (although I do not have a garage), but really doesn't help at all to start it from my office to not only warm the car up, but to begin the windshield defrosting process. Hmm! I can accept the paradigm shift, but need to think through the limitations!
     
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    won't the engine start if you leave the front defrost on?
     
  8. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Sorry, the remote climate control requires you have an adequate traction battery charge left. If you do not have enough, it will not work.

    I don't know what you mean, but for one thing, AFAIK you can't keep the front defrost on. As soon as you shut off the car, the front defrost is turned off. Apparently, for 2017-2019 Advanced model with PRIME App, the remote climate control did have a front defrost setting which is slightly different from the front defrost switch in that it runs A/C to the window with a high fan but will not start the ICE.
     
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  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that's what i meant, thanks!

    i wonder if you turned the heat to max...
     
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  10. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I don't know for sure what it would do in that case, but I'm 99.99% sure it won't start the engine. That's too contrary to the car's focus on near zero emissions. The only thing I can find in the manual about the defoggers is that they both (front & back) turn off automatically after a period of time that isn't specified. I haven't tested it, but I think both front and back defrosters turn off when you turn off the car and stay off when you start back up.
     
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  11. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    That's correct. You can not keep the front and rear defrost switch on. The best you can do with a fob to defrost windshield remotely is to keep the fan to high and direction to the window on manual mode. You can keep the temp to whatever is usually kept, in my case 70F. With this setting, if the ambient temp is above 14F, you can get some defrosting. However, temp below 14 F, it has almost no effect, and it would be just wasting battery charge. During cold winter morning, I get out of my house to unplug the cord, then start the car, tune it on HV, gas engine starts immediately, then I run climate control with AUTO off, AC off, fan high, air to the window. This setting uses a minimum amount of charge from the battery but still as effective as the Defrost button.
     
    #11 Salamander_King, Dec 23, 2019
    Last edited: Dec 23, 2019
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  12. drash

    drash Senior Member

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    Yup. The front defrost is similar to manually adjusting the air flow to windshield and feet. Doesn’t make the car as toasty as leaving it off, but it does help with icy rain, wet snow turning to ice and frost. Instead scraping it’s down to just brushing off the snow.


    iPad ? Pro
     
  13. Cdgreg

    Cdgreg Member

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    2020 Prius Prime XLE

    Hi everyone, bumping my own thread from roughly 11 months ago. I live in western NY with no garage so during the winter months it's typical to be 0 degrees with a couple inches of snow and ice. Therefore, the "Hold A/C" function really doesn't help to defrost and soften the ice to scrape easier. I also don't want to go out and start the car before I am ready to leave. So, revisiting my original question:

    Is anyone aware of an aftermarket Remote Starter that will allow me to:
    1. Remote Start and heat the car with no EV battery charged (typical after drive to work)
    2. Remote start at 0 degrees with the car plugged in so the ICE comes on and defrosts

    Thanks!
     
  14. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    You can use a vinegar mixture to prevent frost from forming on the glass. 3:1 vinegar:water, and spray it on the windows.
    2:1, rubbing alcohol:water can be used to melt ice already on the glass.

    There are also commercial products, which may work better, but cost more.

    Another option is to get a windshield cover that goes on the outside. Had one, and it did cut down on actual ice on the glass.
     
  15. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    1. Yes. From what I read in the other thread, the aftermarket remote engine start kit like Viper can start the engine if the car is not plugged in and no SoC is left in the traction battery, or if the SoC is left then with an auxiliary module to remotely emulate EV/HV switch.
    2. No. I am not aware of any engine starter that can start the engine remotely if the charge cord is plugged in.

    There was a guy working on software logic to override this safety feature to allow the aftermarket remote starter to start the engine even if the charge cord is plugged in and the traction battery is fully charged, but I have not heard an update on his project.
     
    #15 Salamander_King, Nov 2, 2020
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2020
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  16. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

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    Yes, they worked VERY hard to make sure that the car cannot be put "into gear" if the charging cord is plugged in. It's a pretty fundamental safety feature.

    And it is a pretty safe bet that anything done to override this feature would totally void the warranty on the hybrid system.
     
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  17. Cdgreg

    Cdgreg Member

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    Yeah, I appreciate the efforts, but am not willing to risk the warranty with it.

    I will look into the Viper though. On those couple dozen winter mornings where we are expecting extensive snowfall I just won't plug it in for the night. Really, the 20ish EV miles it gets in sub-zero weather is more for the spirit of EV than game changing since my commute is 60m round trip with no charging option at work. I will say though, I averaged 93mpg over the course of the summer on the country commute with about 50/50 EV and hybrid gas.
     
  18. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

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    OOPs, sloppy writing on my part. The "They" I was referring to was Toyota, not the maker of the remote starter, being very careful about preventing the car from moving with the charging cord plugged in. I don't know anything about these gadgets or the people who build them, and cannot speak to the quality of their work, one way or the other.
     
  19. kc5dlo

    kc5dlo Active Member

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    12volt solutions has a remote start that works with the OEM fob. i have it on my Gen 3 and will likely use them when I get a gen 4 in the next months. Mine was plug and play and I think the gen 4 model requires 1 wire to be spliced in.
     
  20. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    It may work on regular Gen4, but it probably won't work on Prius Prime without some other modification. AND no engine starter will work on Prius Prime if the charge cord is plugged in.