Keyfob remote start working after expiration of Remote Services

This issue has come up in several threads so instead of trying to post on all of them I thought I'd start a new one. Hopefully that will also make the topic easier to search.

Today I remote started my engine using the three click method on the keyfob, even though my trial period of Remote Services ended more than a week ago.

I'd posted before on threads regarding Toyota's various Connected Services (privacy concerns and hacking risks) that keyfob remote start had stopped working for me. Others have said the same thing happened to them after the expiration of their Remote Services. It never made much sense logically why this would be the case, since the keyfob isn't connecting to the truck over the Internet the way the Toyota smartphone app is. But it seemed to be a common experience. Others have noted that the keyfob system just seems finicky regardless.

Anyway, FYI that today it worked for me, I just had to hold down the lock button for a good 5 seconds on my third click. I don't think I'd held it that long when it hadn't work in the past.

Related or not I don't know, but also of possible interest: While the app no longer allows me to remote start -- or lock or unlock the truck, or to see it's location, or to tell me estimated miles to empty -- it will still refresh to show current miles on the ODO and the amount of gas in the tank. Plus the last recorded tire pressures. That all seems strange to me, but I'll take it until I can figure out the best way to fully disconnect my truck from the Internet.

 

Just an update on this. I've successfully used remote start from my keyfob several times in recent weeks, long past the expiration of my Remote Connect service that enabled remote start from the Toyota smartphone app. For whatever reason, it seems to work more consistently from a decent distance -- e.g. from inside my office overlooking my truck in the parking lot roughly 40 feet away. It's seemed less reliable if I'm right next to the truck.

 

The keyfob remote start works for 3 years not paying for the app after that it'll get shut off

 

Weird. Is that disclosed somewhere? It’s hard to understand why this would be the case.

 

https://www.toyota.com/content/connectedservices/marketing/PDF/Remote_Connect_CFA.pdf

Little bit too much information but it's in there. Even looks like some vehicles have it for 10 years