Toyota Remote Connect is $8 per month now

[Nodak]

it really surprises me how many people complain that at a hardware level that this should be free and they should maintain the backend for indefinite for free.

yeah like toyota maintains all those cell towers so you can use that remote connect app to connect to, to send data to a server to remote start you vehicle.

toyota already maintains the server for free. you are paying for the connection to LTE.

dont like the price to connect to LTE, then toyota says you can use your fob. but dont expect a button battery to push a signal 1000/1500 ft vs those 3rd party remotes with those over sized batteries.


edit: that like asking verizon or att to let you add your LTE smart watch connect to the network for free since you already paid for your cellphone to connect.

at least they let you add the smartwatch for $10 month vs a complete cellphone plan at 40-90 dollars a month.

Sponsored

 

[Dead Horse]

it really surprises me how many people complain that at a hardware level that this should be free and they should maintain the backend for indefinite for free.

yeah like toyota maintains all those cell towers so you can use that remote connect app to connect to, to send data to a server to remote start you vehicle.

toyota already maintains the server for free. you are paying for the connection to LTE.

dont like the price to connect to LTE, then toyota says you can use your fob. but dont expect a button battery to push a signal 1000/1500 ft vs those 3rd party remotes with those over sized batteries.


edit: that like asking verizon or att to let you add your LTE smart watch connect to the network for free since you already paid for your cellphone to connect.

at least they let you add the smartwatch for $10 month vs a complete cellphone plan at 40-90 dollars a month.

I think this should be how it works.

After all, I pay Cox one price for the 11,000 devices in my home to connect to their network. Why the hell does Verizon get to throttle me to one?

Fartin in the wind, I know, but it irks me.

As for hardware/backend stuff. I'm reasonably certain that Toyota is doing that network traffic anyway, regardless of what you and I want (or pay for).

 

[C/G]

Received this email on Plan Update the other day..

 

[josiahg52]

I'd pay up front for it. I disagree entirely with the subscription in perpetuity.

 

[Nodak]

I think this should be how it works.

After all, I pay Cox one price for the 11,000 devices in my home to connect to their network. Why the hell does Verizon get to throttle me to one?

Fartin in the wind, I know, but it irks me.

As for hardware/backend stuff. I'm reasonably certain that Toyota is doing that network traffic anyway, regardless of what you and I want (or pay for).

the only fault is how we percieve the value of the product. for internet, the commodity is speed and not the amount of devices, for cellphone its access to the network per device since data is the finite resource (due to how many towers you have).

running cable from head end to a house is cheap since its a 1 time cost but you make money off a sub or different tiers of speed (the head end is the on going cost to keep up with demand not the house)

for cellphones its access. if you have more towers you get more areas with access and better signal quality. and its not easy to add more towers vs running a new line underground or along right of way overhead lines.

and the more rural you are the more it costs. look at starlink, access anywhere but you pay for data. still follows your criteria of adding anything you want but the problem comes down to data consumption.

in bigger cities the cost is spread across thousands of not 10's/k or 100's/k of people for the amount of data consumed. even then verizon still throttles you if you go over a certain amount.

customer load and data load are two distinct metrics for cellphone access.

for normal internet access, customer load can easily be increase by upgrading the head end vs just adding a new tower.

the head end for my subdivision is a box about 10x5 in size vs a tower for a cellphones.

a typical optical node can service between 40-450 homes and a head end really has no limit outside of the housing. so you can replace the housing easier than a tower.

typical urban cell towers towers can carry around 150-200 phone calls and 1000-2000 data connections at the same time.

but you can see the overall gist of where the value of each product is.

sorry i went off the rails there

 

[RaulP]

I liked getting the unlock status and being able to lock remotely - and remote start was useful a couple times. But one of my favorite and most-used set of features was to check the odometer, gas tank levels and tire pressure. And all three of those are still available without any subscription:

Only caveat is that the app shows only the % fuel remaining, not the Miles to Empty calculation. I kind of like the % fuel value. (Strangely, the web site Vehicle Dashboard still shows the MTE - and the % fuel showing for me is different than on the app (and wrong). And I cannot find tire pressure).

I might consider the additional features for $8/month - its tempting. But even at that low price I'm not sure its worth it since I pretty habitually tap the handle to lock the vehicle and rarely need remote start. But am glad for the change - Now that everyone's 2025 6G4R trials have expired Toyota has realized the subscriptions were overpriced.

I liked getting the unlock status and being able to lock remotely - and remote start was useful a couple times. But one of my favorite and most-used set of features was to check the odometer, gas tank levels and tire pressure. And all three of those are still available without any subscription:

Only caveat is that the app shows only the % fuel remaining, not the Miles to Empty calculation. I kind of like the % fuel value. (Strangely, the web site Vehicle Dashboard still shows the MTE - and the % fuel showing for me is different than on the app (and wrong). And I cannot find tire pressure).

I might consider the additional features for $8/month - its tempting. But even at that low price I'm not sure its worth it since I pretty habitually tap the handle to lock the vehicle and rarely need remote start. But am glad for the change - Now that everyone's 2025 6G4R trials have expired Toyota has realized the subscriptions were overpriced.

We shouldn’t have to be in the habit of tapping the handle to lock the vehicle. Most every manufacturer out there has the auto lock feature with the option to turn it off if you choose to. Not adding that feature is Toyota’s way of fleecing their customers.

 

[Nodak]

and i dont see how toyota is fleecing customers by not having it. i guess if they did what bmw did for having the feature but charing extra to turn it on, i could understand that. but not having it period ??? im confused how you got to that state.

i mean if you are that lazy you need that feature i guess, but walk away lock has its pro's and con's.

i personally dont like some of the con's myself so i like the way toyota does the locking of the vehicle.

i do like some of the pro's, but (imo) the con's out weigh the pro's.

 

[josiahg52]

I really cannot fathom the issue with touching the vehicle. I mean, come on. I. think it's because all of my vehicles for the past 25 years have been old and basic.

 

[GreiWlf]

Is this the same thing as digital key? Mine came with “Digital Key” as an option for an additional $250 or so. Not sure what it is other than something related to my smartphones. I haven’t set it up. Will I pay $8/month to use something that I already paid $250 for?

 

[Overland Toy]

I have both a 26 4Runner and a 21 Ford bronco and all those features that they charge for with Toyota is completely free with the Ford pass, I can check everything on my phone fuel level, tire, pressure health of the battery. Everything remote start all of it for free lifetime ,so I believe Toyota could do the same.

 

[Nodak]

oh i am pretty sure the cost is already sunk into the base price of the vehicle.

not one profit making business is not going to pass along sunk costs to the customer.

just like how businesses have now passed along the 3% visa surcharge to customers that use a CC to pay for stuff now.

when profits go down, a business will find ways to re-invigorate profits not matter the industry to stay competitive with others or to stay alive during the tough times.

 

[jordan57]

Does anyone know whether Remote Connect requires cell service to open your 4Runner or could it work if you need it in the middle of nowhere with no cell service?

thanks very much
Jordan

 

[Nodak]

Does anyone know whether Remote Connect requires cell service to open your 4Runner or could it work if you need it in the middle of nowhere with no cell service?

thanks very much
Jordan

need cell service as it has to route thru the toyota servers to verify you have an active sub.

also when servers are down or not accessible, it also doesnt work.

 

[Joestac]

Is this the same thing as digital key? Mine came with “Digital Key” as an option for an additional $250 or so. Not sure what it is other than something related to my smartphones. I haven’t set it up. Will I pay $8/month to use something that I already paid $250 for?

Manual says the Remote Connect subscription is required for Digital Key. Basically, you download the key to your phone and you can leave your fob behind. I never used it though because for it to work on an Android phone you cannot have Developer Option enabled and those are a must for me. Also, I don't know that I would ever fully trust that enough to leave the fob behind, so then, seems pointless.

Sponsored