Fob ONLY works with remote connect

Ok guys, here’s the deal. Our year of remote connect expired a couple of days ago. Once it did I could no longer remote start the vehicle with the key fob. I understand that the app allows you to start the truck from your phone but I would think the fob would work regardless of monthly app subscription. Am I wrong?
2020 TRDOR.

 

Here she is.

 

It should still work

 

Can't really help ya but gawt damn that's a good lookin truck

 

That’s what I thought. Funny thing is that my wife’s 2020 Rav4 has the same thing going on. Our remote connect expired the same day and now neither will work off the key fob. I just paid for another month of service and like magic, the fob works again. For as much as I like my Tacoma, this is so damn disappointing.

 

Thanks bro, now if I could just warm it up via key fob on these cold Colorado mornings. haha

 

I guess we know now. It wasn't an advertised feature. I would assume they will say it is a backup feature of remote connect, if one or the other doesn't have wireless service.

 

How much is it per month?

 

Such a scam IMO.

 

It’s only $8 dollars a month. Not a lot of money but the principle of the whole thing is aggravating.

 

I totally agree.

 

I have a 2020 Off-Road and while I was still at the dealership they had me sign up for the Remote Connect and showed me how to use Remote Start on the app and key fob. When I got home, I read more about the service and decided to cancel it. Ten minutes after cancelling it I tested the app and the key fob for remote start. I fully expected the app not to work but I thought the key fob would still work, but it didn't. Fast forward to last week and I decided to try the key fob again and remote start now works. I used it yesterday. I do not have the remote connect service. My SOS light is solid red all the time. I don't know what changed. I did take my truck in to the dealer for its first 6 month/5,000 service the week prior. Sure would like to know what changed.

 

Maybe @N2DesignsInc knows

 

That’s weird that it started working again. I would love to know if I’m missing something. Maybe there’s a setting somewhere in the apps that will allow the key fob to work regardless of the remote connect?

 

That's a negative. They're hand in hand which is the dumbest thing ever to charge folks for radio waves which are free. Data/App, I get.

Remote connect on the new Toyotas is great, with one caveat (which is why folks WITH Remote Connect still put our kits on their vehicles) – the Toyota setup (if OEM Remote Connect which it is if using their app) gives you the ability to also use your fob, BUT, if you don’t renew the $96/year app portion, they render your fob useless by sending a command over the air to disconnect it. Anyone who tells you otherwise is likely a salesman that isn’t knowledgeable. We get paying for the phone app portion since it’s a data device, but taking away someone’s ability to use their fob or implement a subscription on it is like saying if you don’t pay your cable TV service bill, they’ll not only disconnect the service, but will render your volume up/down buttons on YOUR TV remote useless…who does that? That’s free airwaves via IR (just like your fob is RF and that’s between you and your device), no one should get in between that. What a weasel thing to do. Frankly, it should be illegal.


The other reason why folks put our stuff on whether they have the OEM version or not is because to use the OEM version, means you waive your right to privacy. It uses the DCM (Digital Control Module) which controls the SOS and mic in your car for handsfree, but also allows them to listen in on your conversations (like Alexa Home) with the premise of “safety”. This also allows them to track analytics for their own research and marketing use such as how much you drive, your exact miles being recorded, service like oil changes, when they’re done…or not done in time, and everything else you can think of. So what folks do is call and request the SOS service disabled in order to stop this and mic eavesdropping (speculated/potential) for peace of mind.


Those are the biggest difference. The other thing is, our fob portion of remote start doesn’t have a subscription and if you want to add the smart phone module now or later, you can. They are independent which means that if you don’t want to continue the smart module add on option subscription after the first year, then it’s ok, you'll have a paper weight but at least we don't take away your ability (right to what you paid for) away via fob control...who does that?.....Oh yea...Toyota as it now seems.

 

Wow, that is like the pettiest, weirdest thing I think I’ve ever experienced with a vehicle. It honestly makes me so aggravated. I should get rid of the truck and go back to Ford just on principle. The worst part is that my wife’s vehicle (rav4) is in the same boat. That’s nearly $90k we’ve doled out to Toyota for vehicles and they can’t even let us keep the fob start option?! That’s just so lame.

Anyways, thanks @N2DesignsInc for the explanation. I will be looking to get one of your kits ASAP. That is if I don’t go burn my Tacoma on the front lawn of Larry Miller’s dealership out of protest first.

 

In Canada it is 9.94+tx per month=11.44/month=137.31/year. I probably only use the fob remote start four months of the yr,so that would be $34/month,or over $1/day for fob remote start.

 

This is a total bullshit move on Toyota's part.

 

Wow, that is bad! I agree with @N2DesignsInc, I can see having to pay for the mobile app services, but to go back and deliberately disable an older tech that's already been built in to the vehicle therefore already paid for by the customer? Turrbal

 

I hadn’t thought about it like that. I only use it during the winter months as well. Such a rip off.