Remote Starter - a CAUTIONARY tale

So I wanted to put this out here because I truly "didn't know", and ignorance is blissful but painful.

I installed my StartX remote starter in 2019 and have loved it's functionality. Use it ALL the time, especially when it's cold/hot outside. Another factor in this story may be the 3WLiners Window Control Module - but not 100% sure.

Fast forward to last weekend. Helping my son and his 2 small kids move. It's semi-cold outside. So while inside prepping, I remote start the truck to keep it warm.

The kids/grandkids are impatient and want to get in the truck (while we load up the back). I unlock the truck, we buckle the kids in their car seats. We put the windows down (just in case, you know) about 1/2 way. We close the doors to the truck and start loading. I quickly get warm and take my jacket off and toss it (through the open drivers window) on to my seat. We continue to load the back of the truck.

About 5 minutes later, the remote start timer (10 minutes) expires. The vehicle shuts off. No biggie, right. I'll just go restart it once I put this box down. As I walk around the side of the truck, I notice that ALL windows are now up. I pull on the door handle... it's locked.

So - yeah - I just locked my grandkids in the truck, and they are secured in their car seats. My keys... are in the jacket laying in the driver's seat. So is my phone (not that it mattered for this emergency).

Either the StartX or 3WLiners or combo of them - execute the safety "feature" of locking the doors and rolling up all the windows when a remote start session times out.

I'm 10 seconds from grabbing a rock to break open a window, but the po-po were luckily just around the corner. They wedged the door open and managed to get it unlocked in about 2 minutes. Kids were never in danger (wasn't hot outside), but man was I a phukin wreck...my nerves were shot. The son understood but he wasn't happy, for sure.

The happy (but frustrating) ending to this story is... I had, three weeks earlier, purchased the

$123 ASCL6 Remote Start Cellular Interface Module Allows You to Start Your car from Your Phone 1 Year Included

ASCL6 cellular module for my StartX. I just hadn't had time to install it (stupid WORK and work-related travel). But I did later that evening.

And because it has an Apple Watch app that goes along with the app on the phone... should I ever-ever-ever be that STUPID again, I can unlock my truck with my Apple Watch.

 

Glad things worked out, but why don't you have a spare key stashed on the truck?

 

If that ever happens to me, I'll ring up my fiance on a borrowed phone, and the truck can be unlocked anywhere in the world using that same Carlink module you have on your StartX came with my model from AccessoRides. It's definitely handy. I don't do the watch thing (can't stand stuff on my wrists/hands) but my fiance does, I'll pass that along as something to install!

 

Lesson learned, thank you for sharing..

Even though I have the Drone Mobile app with my remote start/alarm, I've thought about @seydou suggestion of a spare key hidden somewhere.
Just a regular key that wouldn't start the truck.

 

Glad things went the best possible way given the circumstances.

I have the 12v solution with the app unlocking/locking door function, so I always make sure I either have my keys or phone with me all the time when I leave the truck running. Just my 2 cents.

 

Ahhh man. Sometimes they need to think things through a little better with these "safety features". Thanks for sharing.

 

And please know, I don't mind the "hindsight is 20/20" comments or suggestions, they're appreciated. I do have my spare available, just not "on the truck'. I like the idea, for sure, especially one that can open the door but not start the vehicle (although - does that exist for our models?).

 

Good to know. I have a StartX waiting to put in my wife's Rav4. No small kids, but we do have a dog. I don't leave my dog in the truck with the car running, so no worries there and we have a spare key in the house at all times.

I'm guessing the safety feature is for when you forget, so your car isn't sitting unattended with the windows down and someone can climb right in or steal off the backseat etc.

On a side note, how was the install on the StartX? Any issues or problems with it, besides locking the grandkids in the car. If it goes well and she likes it, we can add the App Module down the road.

 

The StartX install was one of the simplest mods I've ever done. It's well documented, plug-n-play if I recall (didn't need to add an additional 12v tap or line to it). Hardest part was the dismantling and uncliping of some tie downs (and re-securing them) in the tight space behind/below the steering wheel.

And yeah, got a spare key, just sitting there at at the house, waiting for me to be dumb again (good chance of that happening). But with the cellular module, not worried anymore. I'm really digging it so far, it's superfast... like, clicking on lock from my watch, and within 2 seconds (or less) the doors lock. Same goes for the starting... wicked fast reaction.

 

Awesome.

Thanks @JoelThor26

 

Glad it all worked out!

Keep one of those locksmith air bladder kits in the garage if you can't get to the spare key for whatever reason

 

There’s actually a run timer on the watch and app itself.

 

Yep - another great feature of the app & watch. And I thought that time was configurable as well. The default with just the StartX is 10 minutes, but the addition of the

$123 ASCL6 Remote Start Cellular Interface Module Allows You to Start Your car from Your Phone 1 Year Included

ASCL6 changes that to 15. Or maybe, it's 10 minutes if I triple-lock start, and 15 if I app/watch start it.

 

Gotta link?

 

Good warning. I think this issue would be specific to those with the 3W module and a remote starter with a certain setup. What almost surely happened is that with the remote start timeout it is set to lock the doors (the idea being that if your remote start and never make it out to the truck it should lock itself back up). The 3W module saw this lock pulse and pulled the windows up. I see two solutions. 1. set the remote starter to send a double lock pulse to relock truck. The double lock pulse won't trigger the 3W. The second option is to not send any lock pulse at the remote start timeout.

These settings are adjustable. I know because when I installed my 12volt.solutions remote start we had to modify some settings to change the locking pulse from a double to a single so my 3W model would continue to work with the new fob.

 

$25 Gorilla Box - Hide A Key Outside with Our magnetic key box for under car - magnetic box key holder under car with 2 strong neodymium magnets

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YWKM7YV?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

How was did the installation of the

$123 ASCL6 Remote Start Cellular Interface Module Allows You to Start Your car from Your Phone 1 Year Included

ASCL6 go? Was it straight forward and easy or did it require a 6-pack?

I have the Start-X system ready to buy and now I am going to place the ASCL6 in the same shopping cart...and I am trying to figure out what my level of adventure is going to be

 

I’ve got a short write up on it in my build thread, but in a nutshell, running the hotwire through the firewall was the hardest part. Honestly you’re doing it right, by doing both at the same time. And you can save the 6 pack for your victory at the end.

 

Awesome - thanks for the quick reply!

 

@JoelThor26 glad it all worked out. Appreciate the post, helps a lot of people for the future. And as usually happens when I am on this site, I

 

We installed a Start-X in our 2020 Rav4 Push Start today.

Took the kid and I about 45 min. No issues. Programed the module via instructions, tested, works like a charm. The Rav4 is right to get hands in there to plug and unplug connectors. That was most of the time.

 

I guess it’s a good idea to leave a spare key on the truck somewhere, just don’t leave it under the hood… ha ha