2023 tacoma key fob remote start and Toyota app now working to start the vehicle.

Better get a coffee, beer or hard drink for this long and frustrating post. Sorry for any grammatical errors. So I bought a 2023 toyota tacoma trd sport from a gentleman this summer. Vehicle has 2300 miles on it. Awesome shape and I love it. The problem I am having is that when using the Toyota app. I was able to start the car remotely. Life was good. I went to the local Toyota dealership and asked if my key fob had the remote start. I was told by 2 different service advisors. "All I have to do is to press the lock button 3 times and the vehicle will start if it has the capabilities". I now know this is false. Press 3 times and hold on the 3rd press and it will start if it has this option. Well being the fob didn't work I bought a aftermarket remote start using the factory fob from Tacoma Lifestyles. I have bought a few items from them and have been happy. Well, I bought a Black Friday deal for $149.00 I thought this was a good deal. When the remote start arrived it stated for a 2016-2019. I was a little puzzled but figured I should call the company and ask if this is ok to use. I talked to a gentleman, and he stated that it would work for my year. Sweet, I installed it. Basically, plug and play. Wait for the lights to flash and I was good to go. The aftermarket remote start worked awesome. Now for the fun part. My Toyota app remote start now didn't work. I could lock the doors and unlock them. Everything on the app was good except the remote start. It stated "Request could not be completed. Please contact your dealer for assistance". I was like WTF. So I drive over to the dealer and I was able to see one of there Computer techs. The lady stated " I was lucky this guy was here today. He is the guy that can troubleshoot all this stuff and read the codes and let me know the problem". Great I thought. I told him the issue and he stated" I couldn't have to remote starts plugged in and working on the vehicle at the same time". I was like huh. I said that my key fob didn't do a remote start. I only had the remote start on the Toyota app. He stated that " if I am able to start the vehicle using the Toyota app then my key fob is able to also start the vehicle". I was like but I asked 2 different service advisors over the course of a week and was told that my vehicle didn't have that option if my fob wouldn't start the vehicle after 3 pushes on the fob. Great so now I take the aftermarket remote start off the truck and figured that the remote start using the key fob should work if I push the lock button 3 times and hold on the 3rd. time. Nope it doesn't work. So now the only way to start the vehicle is by sitting in it and pushing the button. "Fudge". (my curse word). So, Toyota after charging me almost $300.00 can't figure out the problem. I took it to a Car stereo, remote start and alarm install company and they were unable to figure out the problem. Does anyone have any advice, guidance or anything that might help me. I'm at a loss. I guess the most frustrating this is that the service people have no freaking clue about some of the most basic things that I would think they should know about the vehicle the company sells. I also realize I should have went to this sight and tried to get some information first. Hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years. Whoever can help me figure out the problem we can get together for a cold beer. My treat. Lol. Lord knows I've had a few trying to figure out my dilemma. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

My sales dude at Groove Toyota was like, no this thing doesn’t have a remote start on the fob, you have to install that. Then I clicked the button three times and it started. Then he said “oh wow”. That doesn’t help you but what I realized was not all the sales dudes at the dealership are experts. I hope you figure it out.

 

To be honest the only service advisors I've found helpful and had knowledge about a car that was being serviced in last 20 years was jeep with my wrangler. Honda, Subaru, bmw and toyota advisors all have salesman attitude/approach with zero knowledge of the vehicles. Just trying to make a buck of you.