Toyota Connected Services - features do you find useful?

My 21 Limited tundra came with a trial subscription to Connected Services which will expire in about 6 months (3 years for Dynamic Nav). At this point I don't think I'll continue the subscription when it expires, but maybe I'm missing key features that make it worthwhile? Also thinking about uninstalling the Toyota app now, since I rarely use it, and it frequently pops up notifications (yes, I know the doors are unlocked...).

Features that may have limited use for me - remote start, lock or unlock; knowing mileage, range and door lock status; last parked location;

Features that probably won't get any use at all - Guest driver settings; Recent Trip; Drive Pulse; Roadside Assistance (prefer AAA); Vehicle Health report (info available online, but this may be good for maintenance reminders?); manuals/warranties (available online); Collision assistance.

Am I missing anything here?

I'm guessing that all of the above will end once the subscription expires, even if the app remains on my phone? Also guessing that even without subscription/app, the truck will still send data to the mother ship?

thx, Dave

 

I'm on the trial version with my '21 as well. I'm going to let it expire. The only sort of nice thing is being able to look the doors from anywhere I have cell signal (assuming the truck has cell signal), but I've survived my whole life so far without it...I'm good.

Also the doors unlocked notifications....yeah. I normally have the truck locked anyway, but those notifications do get annoying. There's been many times where I've had the doors unlocked, then locked them before I left the truck. I'd get the unlocked notification on my phone before I locked them, and that notification doesn't go away by locking them. So then later I spot the notification, and I start wondering, "are the doors really unlocked or did that notification just come through before I locked them..". It's pretty much, if not always, the latter.

 

My 2021 came with trials for Safety Connect, Destination Assistant, Dynamic Navigation and Wifi Connect. I opted out and cancelled all of them. I'm not into the mass amount in of data collection and tracking of my driving habits you agree to in the fine print. I have no plan on paying for yearly subscriptions. If I want to update the maps some day just buy the update. My phone does everything these services do. Also no need for the Toyota app for me. When I hit mileage, service it. Any codes or warnings are right on the truck screen. I'm old school and never had a connected vehicle, no need now. My 2010 4Runner doesn't have any of this stuff, don't see the need.

 

I continued the option with the app controlled remote door lock and the features that come with that option. I don't use it daily, but I do use it weekly. And when I go on a hike I can easily find my way back to the truck, even taking totally different trails, or even cutting through the woods. I don't miss $80/yr and find those features to be helpful. I don't do the others, including Roadside Assistance or help with navigation.

 

You don't need to spend $80/yr to find your way back to your truck when hiking. That'll almost pay for a cheap outdoor GPS that will be more useful for that purpose.

 

My trail version ends tomorrow 01/19/22
IMO if it was free it's not worth it, damn sure isn't worth the 80$yr
Disabled all the tracking BS today!

 

I concur^

 

Thanks for the replies, sounds like I'm not missing any great "can't live without" features.

Does the truck notify you when service is required with Connected services turned off and/or subscription expired?

Or just drop a pin in google maps on our phones.

There is so much capability via mobile phones these days, like realtime navigation, spotify (though SXM will keep you entertained when no cell service is available), it is hard to pay for these toyota services. Still learning to use Android Auto (never had that before) but it is amazing how integrated the phone becomes with the truck.

 

I know, but my point was that the $80 gets a lot more than remote lock/unlock/start. Not the best example I know.

 

The remote start is the only feature that my wife and I find useful on her '22 Sequoia, and starting the vehicle from the app fails more often than it succeeds. I hope Toyota wakes up and leaves the ability to remote start from the fob active when the free year for the app expires. If not then we'll install an aftermarket remote start.

 

Make sure you update to the latest version of the Toyota app. Mine has been MUCH more reliable for the past week or so. Also, if you have an iPhone, update to iOS version 15.2.1.

 

I use mine pretty much every day, so I have no doubt I'll renew, just as I did with my GS350. It's definitely not necessary, but I find it to be pretty handy. Mostly I use the remote start from the app. I can start it up when I'm leaving my office and by the time I get out to it, it's warmed up or cooled off. For me, that's worth it.

FYI - you can turn off the notifications if you don't want them. It's a setting on the app.

 

I'm old school. I played around with that stuff right after I bought it but never use it. I turn the key to start it, and I drive it. Nav maps are handy to have on a road trip, but even then I seldom use turn by turn functionality.