Remote start with FOB no longer working

Hey All.

I'm new around here, but it's a little bittersweet...
I've inherited my Uncle's 2021 Tacoma TRD Sport with 7,000 miles. He passed away in November from cancer. Diagnosis to death in 20 days. This is my obligatory "pay attention to what your body is telling you!" message to all of you.

Anyways, I've owned the truck for about 2 weeks now. I've been enjoying the benefits of the remote start on the FOB- 3/4 clicks of the lock button, holding on the last one, truck starts up. I tried getting cute, and using the Toyota app....thinking that it would unlock some cool features for me. After entering the VIN and realizing that I would have to pay, I removed it from my account and deleted the app. Now, my remote start doesn't work. Did I just screw myself over? Is this Toyota's way of saying, "Oh look, here's this guy that doesn't want to pay. Let's flip the switch to disable until he does pay."?

 

Do you have another key fob to try to eliminate it being a bad battery in the key?

 

Yes, sorry. I forgot to include that. I did attempt another key fob, and got the same result. Thank you.

 

It very well could be pay to play , I heard it was coming but not sure what years/features are affected , I’m sure someone on here will know

 

It might be time to take a look in the owners manual. I can't say much on the remote starts because I don't have it and I have a key and not a fob.

 

I heard it was going pay to play from someone that has the remote start. He deleted the Toyota app so the truck wouldn’t transmit any info. His is a 21 also. Don’t know if this is how it works but his still works.
BMW charges to use Apple car play. Shit before we know it you’ll have to pay to roll windows down. Ummm wait let’s not give them any ideas.

 

Yep just looked it up. It’s called Toyota remote connect service and remote start is in there.

 

When my remote connect trial expired , my fob still worked . But I didn’t delete anything . As long as the permissions for remote access between owner and Toyota haven’t been canceled by logging out or signing out of the app, the RS will still work.

If you cancelled the permissions by killing the app, then theres your problem. But you do not need to pay anything to have the RS working via keyfob, or by just having the app . Make sure the truck is still registered with Toyota as far as remote connectivity. Dont cancel anything, but don’t renew either.

PS Sorry to hear about your Uncle. My Mom healthy as can be just got same news in December. Some fast acting super rare bullshit with no cure. Ill be amazed if she sees the Spring. Fkn sucks.

 

I have a 21 and the remote connect trial expired after a year. I since got a new phone and didn’t download the Toyota app. Everything still works with the key fob remote start.
Maybe you turned off some permissions in the app?

Edit - I also wiped my old phone and remote start still works.

 

To be honest, I think the remote start via the fob and app sucks in comparison to other vehicle brands. My fob has a range of about 50 ft max if there's no more than maybe a small child between you and the truck. And you have to time the presses perfectly or it won't start. You can get maybe 10 more feet out of it by holding the fob to your head when pressing buttons (yes, that really does work). Starting with the app is hit or miss. In comparison, my wife's Murano can be remotely started with the fob from like 300 yards while inside the house or even inside a store if you're fairly close to the parking lot side of the building.

If or when my remote starts quits working as a result of some subscription I won't pay for, I'll go aftermarket and get one that works as well as it should.

I should add that I don't believe the app has anything to do with starting with the fob. Mine started with the fob before I ever signed up and got the app.

 

This is really interesting to me because I had no remote start issues with the app. My only pet peeve was that it would log me out of the app constantly.
I was even able to remote start when I was several blocks away (going back to my truck with the work vehicle).
It even works from inside the house. I’m able to remote start with the key fob while I’m still getting ready to leave.
Needless to say I haven’t had transmitter issues.

 

Mine still works and I have a 2020 Sport. Although some days it doesnt want to work, not sure if its because its cold out or what. Lol

 

Permissions have to be given to Toyota for the Remote Connect features to communicate with each specific VIN including the remote start feature.The way it was explained to be by a Toyota tech is while the keyfob access to lock/unlock doesn’t require permissions , the keyfob remote start feature still has to be initiated during that process. No permissions=no remote connect. It’s possible yours was done during dealer PPI if new, or if yours was used it has already been done. If you didn’t have the free 12month remote connect trial then it was already activated so it stays activated. All depends on how the dealer set it up when new.

 

Lol. The button sequence can be maddening. Some days I can get it on the first try, other days it takes me so long I just give up and start it myself.

I hit Lock 3x and hold the third press until lights flash but if I go too fast or too slow it does nothing

 

Exact same here. Just when I think I have it down, it doesn't work. I'm very much starting to think it has something to do with what underwear I have on at the time.

 

Got the truck new a few months ago and while they offered to set up the app for me I turned down them down. I did later do the app just out of curiosity, but to my knowledge, Toyota knew nothing about me other than what the dealer knew for financing. I'm not saying the app doesn't work, but in my case sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't for starting. It always works for locking and unlocking. Interestingly, I called the dealer when I got home after picking the truck up and asked about remote start with the fob. They told me it could not be done and I had to use the app. Go figure.