Toyota remote start SNAFU: Why Tundra, Tacoma differ

We’ve seen a lot of discussion about the Toyota remote start on the new Tundra and the fact the engine shuts off as you unlock the doors. The internet forums will tell you it’s a safety thing, so that thieves can’t steal your truck while remote start is active.

[Related content: 2022 Toyota Tundra connected services extended, remote start update]

Well, it’s not, and not all Toyota vehicles operate like that — take the new 2024 Toyota Tacoma, for example.

Toyota remote start is different?

What do I mean? How could two Toyota trucks have different remote start systems? Shouldn’t every Toyota vehicle work the same way? Those were our questions as well. It turns out the answer is not what you might expect, and it isn’t safety-related at all — especially since all vehicles that have remote start require the fob to be inside the vehicle before it can be geared into Drive.

Before I get to the explanation, if you aren’t familiar with the differences, when you use the Toyota remote start on the Tundra, the vehicle’s engine turns off if you unlock the door with the key fob or put your hand on the door handle to open it manually.

Toyota is now changing how this works.

“An update came with the latest electronics platform, starting for the 2023 model year in TNGA-K and TNGA-C platform vehicles,” said Jacob Brown, communications manager for Toyota Connected N.A. “For instance, my C-platform 2023 Prius has the latest version of remote start where the vehicle will stay on.”

The TNGA-C platform includes: Corolla, Corolla Cross, GR Corolla, C-HR and Lexus UX.

The TNGA-K platform includes vehicles: Avalon, Camry, Crown Crossover, Highlander, Grand Highlander, RAV4, Sienna, Lexus NX and Lexus RX.

[Related content: Toyota Connected Service: Breaking down what $8 to $32 per month gets you]

Tundra and Tacoma remote start weirdness

What about the Tundra and the new Tacoma? Aren’t they both built on the same TNGA-F truck platform? So, why don’t they operate the same?

Sources within Toyota told us the third-generation Toyota Tundra was supposed to stay on upon entry, yet it doesn’t.

“The 2024 Toyota Tundra is on an electronics platform that launched with the F platform, so it will continue with the remote-start function as you experienced it,” Brown said. “That said, the 2024 Toyota Tacoma has incorporated some changes with a later version of the electronics platform, so it is integrating remote start that stays on with the vehicle (door open).”

He added this will only work on Tacoma trucks that have an active remote-start subscription, an automatic transmission and smart-key capabilities. In other words:  It still has to be properly optioned to do so.

Yup, that’s right. You can’t get Toyota remote start as a separate standalone feature anymore, you have to pay the monthly subscription to use it. The Toyota connected services run from $8-32 a month, and you can read more about how the pricing breaks down here.

The bottom line

It is pretty amazing Toyota could take something so simple, like remote start, and make it complex with different vehicles operating differently. Then, you toss in the monthly subscription, and it gets even more frustrating. Hopefully the aftermarket comes up with a reasonable solution.