I recently bought a 2016 ls 460 but cannot remote start it. when calling Lexus they told me the car doesn't have Lexus enform in it and to contact a dealership to have a remote starter installed. I called 2 dealerships and 3 local shops and all of them tell me that Lexus doesn't make a remote starter for the 2016 and I can't find one on the internet. is there anything I can do to start the car remotely?

 

If you go back through these pages, there's a remote starter mentioned/discussed in the past few weeks.

 

the only mention of a remote starter i found was for a 2011 and unfortunately the remote starter used for this one does not work for the 2016 model year only 2007 trough 2015.

 

Welcome to the forum and the differences between model years and the lack of aftermarket products for this relatively low production luxury model.

 

I have 2016 and you need to get updates from Lexus dealer before you can use remote start app aka Lexus Enform. Lexus charges $16 per month and you can remote start it from the app until the end of this year since they phase out 3G. I really like all the features of the Lexus Enform especially status of the doors, remote start.

 

Welcome. The Enform system relies on a telematics unit that uses 3G cellular (up to model year 2017 I think?). Toyota/Lexus has already announced that this system is going to stop working soon. I think in October. So, I wouldn't spend any money updating the car. If the dealer will do it for free it would be worth it for ten months.

Of course, there's always the possibility that the phone company (AT&T I believe) doesn't switch it off on the planned date and maybe the service continues to be offered on a month by month basis past the deadline.

I love Enform, and will miss it dearly. However, I only used the remote start a couple times. It bothered me that engine turns off when you open the doors, and you have to restart the car to drive away.

 

Understood. so I guess my best bet is to hope someone starts producing an aftermarket starter after Lexus enform is phased out.

 

After thinking about it some more, I think the updates that GS300ken talks about might be free, or maybe they're only free under warranty. I remember it didn't work on my 2015 when I bought it (in 2019) and they did an update that was either a factory recall or under warranty. Heck, if you get 10 months, that's as long as the rest of us have left with Enform as well!

 

It's a free update from the dealer and took them like 3 hours.