CCJ22

iTrader: (26)

I wanted to make this thread for all those thinking about getting the smart start feature installed in their car or for those that have it and have questions about it.
Keep in mind that I never use the 5901 key fob. I only use the smart start app from the phone. The key fob stays at home.
I recently got a 5901 and smart start transferred out of my 350z and into my IS250. Now I was weary about it as I had heard and read horror stories about getting a smart start to play nice with a vehicle that has a push button start.

All is well except for the following:

-I can't just remote start the car and get in. It's complicated. If I remote start it with smart start phone and get in and place foot on brake the car dies. If I lock the car, then remote start, then unlock the car and do the same thing all is well.... Weird right? Anyone know how to fix?

-If I pop the trunk from smart start app while car is armed the alarm goes off. My 350z never did that.

-My installer told me we couldn't mount the valet/antenna box in the rear window as the wire was too short. Does anyone know of a way to length the wire?

-After a successful remote start my installer warned me that once I get in the car and shut the door I have 45 seconds to put my foot on the brake or the car would shut off. Anyone else have that issue?

-Unlike my 350z I cannot have the car on, stop at a fuel station, get out to grab some things, & lock the car while it's on. Anyone know how I can get that feature back?

-After I lock the car another pulse locks the car yet again... When I unlock the car I get two back to back pulses to unlock for a total of 3 unlocks... Anyone know what that's about? Same thing if I move the shifter from park to reverse (as I have it set to lock the car when shifting out of park) I get two pulses lock. Then when I put car in park I get the 3 pulses for unlock.

All in all a very clean install from what I can see. No crazy wires all over the place. The guy was very nice and helpful during the whole time I was there. There was a piece of my dash missing after the install but I think the shop is going to fix it. Time will tell. All in all I'm happy with the install.

DunWkg

First, I haven't personally installed a SmartStart. I have paid someone to do it for me. I've had it in three cars, two successfully and one a complete failure.

Second, Viper's customer service was at one time the worst on the planet for remote start systems. Often no responses. Their cel service, again at one time, was the worst. Frequent failures. At one time you could read about their failures on their Facebook page. I think it has improved and someone from support actually acknowledges you on the Facebook page now.

The two successes were both Nissan Maximas. The latest is a keyless 2010. Works fine, when the Viper cel services work.

The failure was an RX450h. For testing, I parked the RX next to the Maxima and using the same and/or different phone the RX would not start and the Max would.

Most cars with remote starts have some sort of built in safety feature upon entering the car. With the RX just unlocking the car stops the engine. In the Maxima you can keep the car running by not touching the brake and pushing the start button twice. Each manufacture has different safety procedures.

On the Maxima nothing sets off the alarm using either the Viper fob or SmartStart to lock, unlock or open trunk. The first Maxima needed an adjustment, if you locked the door using the button on the door, closed the door then used the SmartStart open the door the alarm would go off.

The RX was so screwed up the car's lights would flash but no horn when the alarm was triggered.

Having a knowledgable installer is key. My RX was so screwed up and Viper service so poor, I had the SmartStart removed. The RX was so screwed up even after having the SmartStart removed, Lexus dealership had to rewire the factory remote start and fix some airbag components.

Your system maybe working as good as it's gonna get.

CCJ22

iTrader: (26)

Thanks David for the response!

Shibumi1

reason for the car shutting off after 45secs is to prevent someone from stealing your car.. if someone opened the door an the car didnt shut off they could just drive off with car. the way the oem system works is once its started it will run............. until u turn it off.. key or no key.. so viper put this protection in the software... (your actually lucky u get 45secs.. on my LS its shuts off everytime i open any door on the car while its in remote start) so there is no fix for it.. bcuz to do so u'd have to disconnect all the door triggers in the car..

2nd if u cut an extend the antenna/valet/led wire it "may" change the signal strength of ur reception an cause programming issues. viper gives u a certain length for a reason.. in all reality you could possibly unplug the antenna all together since u only use ur smart start.. but then u wont have a valet override switch in case of an emergency..

3rd trunk pop issue.. sounds like a setting change issue.. i didnt change all of your previous settings ( i only check an changed the basics: passive arm,run time etc) may need to link disarm w trunk release output no biggie..

4th again idle mode has been forgone in ur lexus bcuz of the smart key issue.. if the car is running an someone gets in they can drive off....( i do have this feature in my LS but i also add 6!!! layers of theft protection to cover that event..)

5th the lock pulses maybe another programming issue if u had a nissan before.. they(an lexus too) typically need double pulse lock or unlocking.. but because the car has an oem security system u get the extra 3rd pulse of the oem system arming an disarming as well.. i can put single pulse but that may only unlock drivers door.. i usually program double pulse (which u need because u use ur smart start u cant pulse ur remote twice to do dual stage unlock due to the time delay in transmission an receipt of the signal)

lastly.. u never sent the pic of the dash to show me the piece thats missing

(remember we take pics of all cars that come in before we work on them an save them on a hard drive.. so we can compare to alleged damage after.. i see "chunks" of foam missing around the radio where it had been removed before, gashes in the leather on the glove box lid,)

i actually spoke to you TODAY.. an u never mentioned it.... but u blog about it..

funny..

"if" i damaged it "i" fix it.. 100% of the time.. fyi we jus picked up Ferrari of Orl.. so that says a lil something 23yrs of professional installing which is why i told u, u have a lifetime warranty on my labor...

i'll be in Singer Island sometime next week.. i'll let u know when so i can chk ur system out..

CCJ22

iTrader: (26)

What up D!
Yea I blogged first cause I didn't want to sound uneducated about the pulses, ect... before asking you about it when I saw you again soon for the wheel well led install and train horn install. I was going to ask you then.
Anywho, yea I also left your name and the shops name out of the post too cause I by no means wanted it to come across as a "bashing" blog.
See my most recent post here about the dash https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...-easily-2.html

It seems like it's a common issue. (Pieces of dash coming off on 2IS's) I should have warned before hand about the dash. I am going to call Lexus consumer affairs about it as my dealership told me to go take a hike about the issue

I tried sending you the pics to your cell but it keeps telling me it's an invalid number to send pics too. I guess I'll just PM you the pics on CL.

SOooo, I found out a work around for the smart start remote starting from phone. If I do not have it armed and I remote start THEN hit unlock all is well. The car doesn't shut off. If I don't have it armed, remote start, and do nothing but walk to the car and get in it will shut off as soon as I touch the brakes.
An even more interesting thing I found (software related I can imagine) I left my key in the car. got out. Attempted to arm. No go. Attempted to remote start. No go. Seems that it knows the key is in the car. Pretty cool.
Even neater feature. I arm the car. Walk up to it. The doors unlock (detects my key in pocket) if I open the door the alarm goes off. I love that!

2nd item you mentioned. So that antenna is ONLY for the 5901 remote/when I decide to valet? The antenna for the smart start phone app is actually with the module (I'm guessing you put in the dash) Yea if that's the case I'll probably just pay ya to move the antenna to under the dash somewhere or in it next time I come see ya for the train horn/wheel well kit.

3rd item. No worries. I kinda like the fact that the trunk sounds the siren unless I first disarm the system.

Pulse item. Yea that may be my fault. I changed the lexus setting from the default to custom. SO that when I unlock it unlocks all doors on one touch of the handle/or one press of the keyfob unlock. Default was ONLY driver door then press again for all doors. It actually locks the door after I press the brake. I am use to it locking the doors when I move out of park and into reverse. I'm sure it's a settings u know how to change.


Lookin forward to the features coming! Remote control of the train horns and the wheel well kit (possibly even the emergency LED bar we cooked) is going to be awesome. I'm still trying to figure it all out in my head.

Shibumi1

no problem.. glad to hear.. if u have any questions lemme know... i'll let u know as soon as i do on my travel plans..

CCJ22

iTrader: (26)

Sweet! Thanks D for coming to west palm! Lookin forward to tweaking the smart start

CCJ22

iTrader: (26)

For future owners... I found a pdf doc that answered the questions about the double locking and unlocking of the system.

On page 41 of this pdf doc http://www.directeddealers.com/manua...2008_08web.pdf

It teaches you how to toggle the settings. Of course easier if you had the bitwriter but for those that don't want to keep pestering there installer this pdf is a good tool.

The owner of my old IS250 had asked me how to fix it... I was about to tell him he's going to have to go to my installer but since I plan on getting the viper smart start on my next vehicle I was curious to find the answer myself.

Hope this helps newbs like me.

linus73

wow people! issues with a smartstart on a push to start? really...... must be using the wrong bypass module in my opinion. i have installed a python 5902p with the idatalink ads-al-ca and NO issues at all. STOP USING ALL OF THE OTHER BYPASS MODULES, like fortin, expresskit and etc... the idatalink will learn the keyfob code and will arm and disarm the factory security as well. complete control of the car through the new unit with no issues is what you will get when you use the idatalink bypass modules. just make sure you hardwire it and program it accordingly. i have even taken out complete units from other customers lexus vehicles because of issues, like car not staying on when attempting safe takeover. once i did the reinstall using the idatalink and hardwiring it as opposed to d2d mode IT WORKS FLAWLESSLY. sounds like you dont have the proper bypass installed or you would not be having issues , unless installer error of course. p.s i have been installing since 1993 (but what do i know )

RobinMills

Thanks for the response!



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gnm313

I am thinking about adding this to my 2013 ES. It seems to me that the modes above work as I would expect. I really only want the Remote Start and perhaps the alarm piece of this conversation is what is confusing me as I am not sure how dependent you are on the viper fob / iphone app.

Question 1: If all I want is remote start, can I just use my factory fob for everything except when I remote start? I don't want to have to pull out my iPhone to lock and unlock doors. I would expect to have to use the iPhone to unlock the doors when the car is running in Parking Lot Mode.

Question 2: In Garage Mode above, can I hit some button before entering the car (e.g. door unlock on iphone to avoid shutoff when I hit the brake pedal? On my 2007 ES, i can hit unlock on the remote start fob to avoid it dying. Not a huge deal, but it would be nice.

Alarm piece is attractive, but not at the expense of having to enter my 8 character iphone password every time I have to unlock the car.