Recently, there’s been some chatter online, even labeled as “fake news,” suggesting that your car key fob itself might be a subscription service. Let’s clarify this right away: your key fob is not a subscription. What’s actually being discussed is likely related to connected services like Toyota’s “Remote Connect,” which includes features like remote engine start.
It’s true that certain modern vehicles, particularly Toyotas with Entune 3.0 Audio Plus or Premium Audio, offer a suite of features under the “Remote Connect” umbrella. This package typically comes with a trial period, often a year, and includes not just remote engine start, but also remote lock/unlock, vehicle health reports, driver monitoring (speed limits, curfew alerts), a car finder, driving efficiency scores, and trip summaries. After the trial, continuing the “Remote Connect” service usually involves an annual subscription fee.
Most users with active “Remote Connect” subscriptions utilize smartphone apps or smartwatch interfaces to access these functionalities. However, a lesser-known method for remote starting your Toyota, even without the app, exists directly through your standard key fob. This involves pressing the lock button twice, then pressing and holding it a third time. It’s important to note that original Toyota key fobs don’t have a dedicated remote start button.
Crucially, the basic lock and unlock functions on your key fob are not part of the “Remote Connect” subscription and will continue to work without it. These essential key fob operations are independent of any subscription service.
This system has been in place since the introduction of Entune 3.0 in 2017. Therefore, the idea of a “Fake Key Fob” being a subscription is a misunderstanding of how connected car services operate alongside traditional key fob functions.
