OPTiK

So can you get a way with just using your iPhone and your factory FOB? Did you get tilt/glass sensors installed? Puddle lights still work? Do you just get in and go if you remote start?

Tajai7

Yes, you can get away with just having your phone and the fob. That's kind of the point of having the phone app -- so you don't need the viper remote on you unless you want to. However, you're phone needs to have 3G/Wi-Fi service to send the signal to the module (which basically is a cell phone too). If you (or your car) are located in a place where you might not have 3G/Wi-Fi service, then you would definitely need to use your remote for auto-start. Per Viper's website: "With Viper SmartStart, there is no such thing as 'too far away.' Viper SmartStart works over the 3G cellular network or over Wi-Fi, giving you virtually unlimited range anywhere in the U.S. As long as your vehicle is in range of a GSM cellular signal and your phone has a 3G or Wi-Fi signal, SmartStart will work."

As I stated before, using the app or viper remote, does not trigger the parking lights or puddle lights. I'm sure you can wire it for that but it would take extra time to run new wires (that's what I was told by my installer).

I did not install the security/alarm package yet. I will save that project for another day since it took so long to figure out how to get the auto-start feature to work properly but it is compatible to add the security system on to it.

When you trigger the remote start, you access the car and press down on the brake pedal once and let off before shifting into gear. Doing this will basically deactivate the remote start and then you're free to press the brake again and throw it into gear and drive off. If you get in right away and hold the brake pedal and shift into gear, it should just kill the ignition...although last night it never deactivated the remote start so it drove me until whatever the timer setting was set at (20 minutes) and then it beeped me that the remote start time was up, but as long as you have the key fob in the car with you, the car will still drive fine (I still need to figure this one out but I know the right way is to step on the pedal once before doing it again and shifting into gear). If you get in and try to drive off without your Lexus fob, the car will turn off in 45 seconds (haven't tried that yet but that's the installer told me -- still need to read the entire manual too).

I'm still in the first 24 hours of getting it so I'm still playing with all the features but for now I think it's pretty slick. The phone app is killer (available for iPhone, Blackberry and Adroid phones - http://www.viper.com/SmartStart/).

Tajai7

Ok it's been a solid day that I had a chance to play with the remote start and I was encountering some odd issues. I'm going to talk to my installer and see what the deal is.

Today when I started it up via remote start, got in and pressed the brake, it killed the ignition. Another time it ran off the remote start timer again. Another time I had remote started it and then turned it off manually by hitting the start button and 10 seconds later is just started back up by itself. These three instances happened while I maybe tried it about 10 seperate times today. I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong or if it it's wired goofy but I'll keep you guys posted.

Also to answer a couple of seperate questions, when I remote started and got into the car and then shifted into gear, the auto-locks did lock/unlock like the factory setting. As for when you walk up to your locked car door, you have to unlock the car with the viper remote or cell app or else unlocking with auto-sensing fob will kill the remote start. Maybe this can be fixed but for now that is not working either.

Tajai7

OK, I met with my installer last week and it was simply user error. I feel kind of dumb but the reason totally makes sense. When I was playing with the remote start, I was often sitting in my car when I was turning it on and off with the remote. Because I was inside or standing close to my car and had both the Lexus key fob in range and my viper remote on me, both were interfering with each other and the car didn't know whether to start or turn off since both remotes are essentially submitting the same key codes to the computer. I feel kind of dumb but at least things seem to working fine after figuring that out. This issue doesn't happen if you're just using the SmartStart cell phone app and obviously have the Lexus key fob with you.

smokyis350

iTrader: (21)

Nice, that smartstart has improved over the years. I have the Viper 5901 with a lot of upgraded security but no engine start. I don't think the module was available back then until recently.

How much does it cost a year to have smartstart?

TrendyTodd

iTrader: (6)

$50/yr which includes roadside assistance.

Hopefully, we'll get to install our 1st 2IS next week. Installed a Python 592 with SmartStart on my RXh and works perfectly, but I don't have smartkey.

lancelot00

I just spent a little over a grand getting the viper smart start and security system put in my 06 IS250AWD. Couple problems, when the security system is engaged the automatic door unlock when touching the handle doesn't work. so you have to disable and then it will. I have to unlock the door through my iphone, which is a pain. When locking the door it doesn't set the viper alarm unless hit lock through the iphone. Lastly and the most annoying is when I use my iphone/smartstart i get in the car after unlocking through iphone put my foot on the break and the car dies. The tech said he called dei and that's just how it is. I don't believe it, does anyone else have these problems?

MBTC

I've never had remote start, but a recent news story made me wonder how safe this feature would be? A woman died and her husband in critical condition from carbon monoxide poisoning when the car was "accidentally left running" in their garage (confirmed it was an accident and not suicide attempt, they were in their beds sleeping). I had not heard of this happening before.

What would prevent a remote-start enabled car from being accidentally started up in an attached garage? Seems potentially dangerous, I can see headline reading "toddler plays with remote, silently kills family of five".

Tajai7

The remote start automatically shuts down after idling for X minutes (assuming no other remote function was transmitted --i.e. unlock/lock doors, pop trunk, etc.). You can set the default time the remote start runs for. The default on most systems is 10 minutes but you can set it from a few minutes to 30 minutes on some systems.

Tajai7

Right, I have the same issues as far as if you execute a function with the remote, the rest of the functions need to be submitted via the Viper remote or phone app. The main issue is that the OEM key fob interfers with the Viper Remote as I stated in a previous post.

As far as just using the phone app to start my car, I now have no issues getting the car to start and remain on when I put my foot on the brake. I would suggest not trying to start the car with your cell phone within an effective range of your key fob (so I wouldn't wait to start the vehicle from inside your car --that's where I've had issues with it killing the engine).

I've had it where the command has not been received by the vehicle too via the phone app, but if I re-enter in my password every so often, it seems to work fine. Be sure to put your foot on the brake for a second and then wait a couple seconds before shifting in gear so it disables the remote start and realizes that you are ready/allowed to drive since you have the fob.

I tried getting the timing correct by just using the remote. Try it with your remote-- 1) start your car with the remote; 2) unlock car with remote; 3) Get in and put foot on brake for a second; 4) Wait a few seconds for the remote to beep at you (letting you know that remote start has been disabled); 5) You're ready to shift into geat and drive off. I now follow the same protocol when using the app. Just give this a go and let me know if it works -- key point is not doing this when your OEM key fob is in range of the vehicle so it doesn't interfer with the Viper remotes/modules.

FYI -- I've had it for a month now and about a week ago my VSC, ABS and Brake lights all came on...not sure if it's somehow related to this or what. It's going to the shop tomorrow.

MBTC

Makes perfect sense, and this was the kind of answer I was looking for.

Only thing I don't understand is why all cars would not have a carbon monoxide sensor that triggers engine shut down at certain over-the-top levels (with optional override of course for the poor chap who would like to click the "Yes please" button to the "Are you sure you want to do yourself in?" prompt on his nav or iphone or whatever.

355F1

Just got a piece of mail from my Lexus dealer.

They offer OEM remote start for select vehicles (ISx50 NOT offered)--including the Hybrid IS....WTF????

Is the starter system different on the Hybrids????

Tajai7

I had the trouble codes scanned for my Check VSC, ABS, Brake lights and it spit back two code: C1249 and C1223. C1249 is an open circuit in the stop light switch and that is triggering the C1223 error which is a ABS control fault.

I'm sure it has something to do with how the wiring for the remote start was soldered into the brake pedal wiring to start it...that would logically make sense. I talked to my installer and he thinks that there is some resistor in there that could be broke and that's causing the domino rally of errors to be triggered. The car drives fine but obviously the ABS and VSC are disabled and that's pretty important for winter driving so I hope to have my installer take another peek at it this weekend. Keep you posted...

Tajai7

Going back to the shop tomorrow. It doesn't look to be the remote start. Right now I have the remote start wires disabled on the brake so the brake pedal circuit should be fine...can't figure out where the open stop light switch circuit is. Now I think its a bad ABS sensor or a loose ABS wire. What a headache.

09lexus250

hey i was the one who contacted you awhile ago im here in minneapolis also. iv been in talks with a few shops and compustar and they told me what bypasses work best so you wont have any issues.. what bypass are you using? they told me the Fortin bypass works best.