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Well I am late to this thread but did not want to start a new one. Tonight I decided to try Remote Start and see how far way it worked and managed quite a distance. However, got in the car and thought I busted something because it would not drive. Turned engine off and back on and everything OK. So I went and read the manual in more detail and am still wondering why you cannot just get in and drive:
1. The doors remain locked during remote start so its not about thieves.
2. The scenario of someone (child) being in the car, knowing it started, climbing over the wall of A/C and putting the car in gear just seems completely unlikely.
3. The car can sense if there is someone in the drivers seat so a person cannot reach over and pull the drive control. Or at least the car could stop that the same as "buckle to drive" setting. I cannot think of any reasons why not remote star, approach thee car to
So I cannot think of why the car cannot just go after remote start, approach the car to unlock doors, get in, pull the drive control. Maybe seat exit memory but that should sense someone sitting before activation.
As posted before, remote start, unlock, get in, STEP ON THE BRAKE, push start button, all good to go without re-starting.
Well I am late to this thread but did not want to start a new one. Tonight I decided to try Remote Start and see how far way it worked and managed quite a distance. However, got in the car and thought I busted something because it would not drive. Turned engine off and back on and everything OK. So I went and read the manual in more detail and am still wondering why you cannot just get in and drive:
1. The doors remain locked during remote start so its not about thieves. A thief could easily smash a window and drive off with your car if nothing more was needed.
2. The scenario of someone (child) being in the car, knowing it started, climbing over the wall of A/C and putting the car in gear just seems completely unlikely. "Unlikely" doesn't cut it when it comes to safety in this day and age. It's unlikely someone will trap themselves in the frunk either, but there is a safety mechanism for that (by law).
3. The car can sense if there is someone in the drivers seat so a person cannot reach over and pull the drive control. Or at least the car could stop that the same as "buckle to drive" setting. I cannot think of any reasons why not remote star, approach thee car to
So I cannot think of why the car cannot just go after remote start, approach the car to unlock doors, get in, pull the drive control. Maybe seat exit memory but that should sense someone sitting before activation.
The car absolutely needs to verify that the key is with the driver and the driver intends to drive the car. The point already was made thought that the car should be able to sense the key inside the vehicle and that along with using the brake to shift out of park should be enough. Not sure why it isn't but as a guess, it may be due to GM's original program when we had keys. You could remote start the vehicle (actually you just remote start the engine and certain functions like heat/AC) but then still had to enter and turn the key to use the vehicle. Same thing now, but instead of turning the key, you push the button. Perhaps it was just easy to use existing programming....
Not to get us too far off topic, but what is really stupid is Mercedes They haven't figured out the remote start thing properly, so 1) you can only do it from the app and subscription (not key fob) and as soon as you open the door, the engine shuts off and then you start it regularly again. Like it was a total after thought and the easiest thing they could do was just make it an app only thing not integrated with the key or anything at all. You actually have to start the vehicle again. I believe at least some Toyota/Lexus and maybe others also shut off on opening a door. It's a good anti-theft/safety mechanism but is the very lazy way of doing it.
Living in a cold weather state I use OnStar remote start frequently. All the GM vehicles I have owned have the same remote start sequence as my C8. Enter the vehicle foot on brake press start button older models turn ignition key on.
Sidebar yesterday checked on my C8 in winter storage connected to a battery tender. Disconnected the tender left Frunk not fully latched . Started the car going to move forward
reposition tires from flat spotting. DCT would not shift into Drive my first thought oh crap transmission issue, second thought Frunk not completely latched closed. Climbed out of car completely closed the Frunk entered car,
DCT shifted into Drive. Thought this car is really smart!
After you remote start, when you get in press/hold the brake pedal while you push the start button
it won’t shut the engine off. It then allows you to shift to REV or DRIVE
Same procedure as if you hadn’t remote started in the first place
Thank you. This is something I probably wouldn’t realize when I get the car.
As posted before, remote start, unlock, get in, STEP ON THE BRAKE, push start button, all good to go without re-starting.
Originally Posted by snarkesor61
It's almost ridiculous...how many times does the EASY process need to be posted....
Perhaps my post was not clear: after trying the remote start, I reviewed the manual and understand how to use remote start, even though the procedure is not intuitive. My question is even though the car is running, and you have approached with a fob to unlock and you sat down, and you put your foot on the brake to shift into gear, the system wants you to Press the START button. and I cannot understand why "Press the Start" button is needed. Sure its simple but so would be buttons for lights, radio, A/C, etc and those are not needed.
So, to me Press the Start button on a running engine is not only non-intuitive, with many vehicles, trying to start a running engine is damaging.
Another reason for the "dummy start" is that, if you use easy out, depressing the starter button commands the seat to move to the correct driving position. For me, getting in the car with the car in the driving position is a pain in the butt.
"I will say upfront that I have not checked the owners manual on this question"
This Forum would be a quarter its size if people actually read the owners manual.
What kind of delivery did you have ...salesman should have shown you how the car operates.
Spend a plie of dough on a car with more technology then a space shuttle and don't bother to read the manual....Damn!
All of the reasons you stated are valid reasons. Someone could break the window and get in and drive away. Cars get stolen while people are warming them up so often that most cold weather states have made it illegal to do so unless the car has interlocks like GM's. And a child could climb into the driver's seat and get the car to move.
Seriously, how hard is it to step on the brake and push the start button once before driving away. There are important things to worry about in this world. This isn't one of them.
Last edited by Red Mist Rulz; Feb 10, 2022 at 03:26 PM.
Actually, yes. The electronics on the space shuttle date from the 1970s. Incredibly primitive. So much so, that in later years they velcro'd commercial laptops to the thing and used those to calculate maneuvers instead of the built in computers. Your smartphone is more powerful than the computers on the space shuttle.
On top of that, modern cars have larger code bases than almost anything else. Even most fighter planes. (The F35 probably surpasses them.)
And this chart is from 2017. Cars are getting more complex every year. It is estimated that by 2030 the many cars will contain 300 million lines of code.
Perhaps my post was not clear: after trying the remote start, I reviewed the manual and understand how to use remote start, even though the procedure is not intuitive. My question is even though the car is running, and you have approached with a fob to unlock and you sat down, and you put your foot on the brake to shift into gear, the system wants you to Press the START button. and I cannot understand why "Press the Start" button is needed. Sure its simple but so would be buttons for lights, radio, A/C, etc and those are not needed.
So, to me Press the Start button on a running engine is not only non-intuitive, with many vehicles, trying to start a running engine is damaging.
Had the same concern with my 2012 Buick Enclave inserting key into ignition turning key to start.
First year I would insert key turn key to off because of this concern.
Finally a friend enlightened me to read directions in Owners manual and learned the correct procedure.
That is why it is amazing the technology advancement with C8 running from remote start
pressing the start button does NOT engage the starter!
My C8 has started accidently twice this week in the garage while I was upstairs. Apparently the fob hit something in my pocket and activated it. This is dangerous. Is there a way to disable remote start?
My C8 has started accidently twice this week in the garage while I was upstairs. Apparently the fob hit something in my pocket and activated it. This is dangerous. Is there a way to disable remote start?
I searched the menu this morning, and I did not find a way to disable it.
My C8 has started accidently twice this week in the garage while I was upstairs. Apparently the fob hit something in my pocket and activated it. This is dangerous. Is there a way to disable remote start?
Originally Posted by Andybump
I searched the menu this morning, and I did not find a way to disable it.
I haven't had my fob apart but you should be able to put a small piece of electrical tape BETWEEN the remote start button and the electrical contact it activates. This will isolate it and not allow the car to start.
The only time I even use the remote start is when someone wants to look at the Game Changer. No need to prechill or preheat. The only time to idle is in traffic.
My C8 has started accidently twice this week in the garage while I was upstairs. Apparently the fob hit something in my pocket and activated it. This is dangerous. Is there a way to disable remote start?
I've had it happen once--that I know about. Never thought it would happen to me. Fortunately I have a detached garage and the car will shut-off after 10 minutes with a remote start.
I use the remote start to check the oil without getting in and out of the car on the HTC. The procedure is not described in the 2021 manual. From outside the car, with the top already up (closed), and the engine off, lock the car with the remote. Start the car with the remote. Hit the lock button again (maybe twice). Then push and hold the top open button on the fob. The tonneau will open to the service position. The engine will still be running. Check the oil. Push the lock button again (not sure you have to ). Then push and hold the top button down. The engine will stop and the tonneau will close. I do this often. As far as I know it has worked for everyone that tried it.
Last edited by Andybump; Jun 7, 2022 at 10:38 PM.
Reason: this is for HTC only
Btw, no need to keep the fob in your pocket anymore. As most, not me, are apparently tied with a chain to their phone, the my chevy ap does everything that you can do with your fob and more. Much less chance of doing anything accidentally. I still use my fob, but I leave it and the phone inside on the counter and only pick both up as I am leaving.
