I bought a 2015 GS 350 F sport about 8 months ago and it’s been running great! I’ve read many forums about aftermarket remote start options and it seems like most people have a good experience. I want to install one but I’m reluctant because of a bad experience I had when initially buying the GS.

My first purchase was a 2013 GS350 F sport from carmax. The car had an issue with parasitic battery drain. I had to return it after about a week because the car went through two batteries in that time. The alternator was even changed with no improvement. Carmax was great and I ended up exchanging that car for the current 2015 GS350 F sport model that I have now.

After returning the car and looking at the carfax again it seems like the car had been to a Lexus dealership many times for “service” in the months prior to being sold to carmax. I initially thought that meant it was well taken care of but in retrospect I think it was a cover for the parasitic drain issue that even the lexus dealership could not figure out.

My personal mechanic and the mechanics at carmax and my who worked on the car seemed to think that the battery drain may have been due to installation of an after market remote start unit. There was no aftermarket remote start unit on the car when I had it but they were saying in their experience this stuff usually happens when you try to cut wires and mess with the car’s electronics. Maybe the previous owner tried to install remote start they removed it when the battery drain started? Maybe they sold it because no one could figure out how to fix the problem even after the unit was removed?

I figured if I could have an aftermarket unit installed without cutting wires the risks of electronic issues would be lower. Also it would probably be easier to uninstall if there was an issue. Has anyone had or heard of a similar issue with remote starters and parasitic battery drain?

TLDR: Is aftermarket remote start associated with parasitic battery drain?

 

There have been quite a few owners that have experienced the parasitic battery drain. Some GS's had a bad ECU in mostly 2013/14 models - replacing it with this part #: 89100-30181. The 2013 you returned to CarMax likely had a draw on the battery from a bad ECU or possibly another source (unlikely a battery issue). Aftermarket equipment like remote starters, engine immobilizers, dash cams, etc have also been the culprit.

If you aren't experiencing any issues with power to startup, you get an aftermarket remote starter and then begin having an issue, at least you know exactly where to start the investigation. However, I don't think you should be concerned about installing a remote starter. I've had one (aftermarket, installed by dealership) on my 2013 for the last 8yrs without any battery related issues.

Just be sure its installed by a reputable shop!