Well, pre-Covid my family and I would go out frequently and to be able to use the app remote start option when walking back from the mall, restaurant, or movie theater is a feature I value very much. No connectivity issues here in Cali and only having to pay $80 for that option is a bargain.

 

I find it very annoying that the car shuts off when you unlock/open the door. My Chevy Tahoe (4 years older, too) will keep the engine running when you unlock. You simply turn the ignition on once getting in the car and can drive off. This has made me not value the remote start feature on our 2020 ES350, either by using the app or the key fob.

Is there a way to keep the engine running when you unlock/open the door?

 

I agree but it's a safety feature to ensure Granpa doesn't go flying

 

No, all Toyota products shut off when you open the door or even open the trunk... Really poor engineering and really annoying...

 

Sounds more like a legal mandate to institute this feature from HQ than an engineering problem.

 

Can't be legal as many other cars (i.e. GM) do not do this. Sounds like an ultra-conservative mentality on safety.

 

Could still impact the price the manufacturer has to pay for liability insurance on each car. According to an old business law professor, who was a sitting judge at the time, liability insurance is the single biggest cost that goes into a new vehicle (at least at that time - circa 1989). If they can reduce the price for liability insurance it may be worth it, even though it loses them a bit of customer satisfaction. Can only speculate on the real reason of course...

 

Meanwhile we have Tesla's self driving to the front of shopping centers to pick up their owners. I don't think auto companies are insuring each vehicle for liability insurance as they come off the line - moreover having a general liability insurance policy against legal settlements. But I could be wrong.

 

Even Hyundais have some feature now where the car pulls up to the driver.

 

Just wanted to comment on Enform subscriptions and key fob remote start.

The key fob will remote start the car as long as some form of the telematics system is active, whether it be just Safety Connect or Service Connect. Lexus made this change a while back. It used to be that the key fob would only remote start the car if you also had an Enform Remote subscription.
In cars with 10 year Safety Connect/Service Connect trials, the key fob will work that whole time. Those cars only came with 1 year of Enform Remote.
In cars with 3 year Safety/Service/Remote trials, the key fob will work for 10 years as all 2018 and new models come with 10 years of Service Connect.

 

Can anyone please confirm that if I subscribe to Enform then cancel, will I have access to local auto start via key fob? I had this in my Honda and would suck if I have to pay monthly for this feature. Thanks!

 

I've read that the fob continues functioning after an enform sub is cancelled. Cant verify though as I still subscribe.

 

Door lock on the fob:

Press > release > Press > release > Press/Hold

The car still shuts off when you go and unlock the door, requiring a restart.

 

After one year the free RS was canceled on my 2019 - I had to subscribe to get both online and key fob remote start. Then, on this forum, it was stated that if you don't resubscribe you'll still have the key fob only RS. I called Lexus and spoke to one of their agents who stated that no, if you don't pay the subscription plan you won't have any RS service. So in December I'll find out which is correct when my current subscription expires. My belief is that if you don't pay the freight you won't have RS either way...

 

I seem to recall reading a thread here on CL that talked about Lexus and Toyota changing its policy, about a year ago and now allowing for key fob remote starting even without a paid subscription, which is still required for starting with the smart phone app.

I have no idea, though, whether that applies just to the 2021 (and, perhaps, 2020) model year cars or whether it also includes cars from earlier model years. I know that the key fob still doesn't work to start my 2017 ES without a subscription.