Added wear with Remote Starter?

[jarmstrong]

My wife is getting a remote starter, alarm, etc installed in her tundra today. I'm curious to know if anyone has found increased wear after the install of a remote starter.

I am thinking about my wife showing it off, "See how far it will start from" or she starts it and lets it idle for a bit (it does have a timer) and then decides she doesn't need to go anywhere and shuts it off. or she starts it and then accidently kills it getting in, and then has to start it again (I'm sure that will happen a few times with both of use getting used to it). at least the tundra has an interlock and it won't allow us to grind the starter gear.

She knows not to let it idle to long, etc.

thanks

-Jason

 

[7TFord]

Just make sure that if you're doing any work under the hood that you have the button in your pocket or disable it if that is an option. Once at work our mechanic was servicing a vehicle and the guy remotely started it. No injuries luckily.

 

[merlin64]

Personally, I don't like remote starters for these two reasons:

1. They require mucking around with the OEM electrical system, something I have found can cause problems as the years add up.

2. They encourage needless idling, which is bad for MPG and emissions, not to mention possible extra wear.

 

[pitzel]

I concur, I believe that off-load idling of a cold engine is actually detrimental to the overall longevity of the engine. Yes, cold starts are bad, but prolonging those cold starts by extended idling causes a lot of wear, and modern engines are so efficient that they take a very long time to properly warm up without load.

Some engines (ie: diesels) will never warm up properly without load in the cold weather.

 

[Jeepster_nut]

Remote starters will not work if the hood is open. They use a pinswitch that grounds itself out when the hood is opened. That guy whos car started on the mechanic obviously had a hack install the remote starter on his car.

 

[Jim 5]

I've got one of these in my '98 Chev K1500 and one in my wife's 03 Acura 3.2 TL.

It doesn't take that long to warm up without load. Ask me how I know...I park outside at -30C and so does my wife. In about ten minutes, the vehicles are about halfway warmed up (water temp wise).

For the amount of extra wear (contributed by fuel dillution in the Acura) I think it's worth it. I'm actually working on a UOA come spring time with a winter's worth of remote starter on my wife's car....we'll see.

I can say that fuel economy drops considerably...like 100 less km's per tank or about 20% on my wife's car. However, she'll routinely let it sit warming up for 15-30 minutes.

 

[mechtech]

There are numerous laws concerning having a vehicle running without on operator present.
Two friends of mine with remote start cars have received tickets [Chicago area]. [just FYI]
Having a car that has the interior warmed [or cooled] before entering is VERY highly regarded by the female sector.

 

[texasproud]

Solution to all problems mentioned in posts # 1 -7 above:

HEATED SEATS !!

 

[Jim 5]

texasproud...

We have heated seats, it's not enough.

Something about being able to see out the windshield.

It's a minus 30 thing...I'm not sure if you get that where you are, but every little bit helps, and it's worth the extra gas.

I envy your winters! Sometimes, I'm really not sure why they put a city/country so far north...it's a long and painful winter, and I'm not looking forward to it.

mechtech..

They talked about a bylaw like that where I am, but it never went through. I'm glad..they were talking about making you shut off your car at extended red lights. You're right about the female sector....and in the winter, the magic heat pedal (the accellerator). It took a while to convince my wife that racing the engine at
-30 right after starting it is bad.

 

[Audi Junkie]

Consider the possibility of reduced sludge from extending the trip times. Start and go for a 2 mile drive verses starting 5 miniutes ahead of time and eventually reaching some sort of normal operating temp.

 

[Yuk]

quote:

---

Solution to all problems mentioned in posts # 1 -7 above:

HEATED SEATS !!

---

got to love Texans...

Man, Jim5 is so right,

quote:

---

We have heated seats, it's not enough.
Something about being able to see out the windshield.

---

To say to most Canadians "just get heated seats" is like us telling a hurricane survivor... Why didn't you get an umbrella?

 

[SPITMAN]

Right on Yuk - they reported a low of -31C last night at High Level - those southerners don't know COLD ..........

 

[texasproud]

OK guys...I forgot about the windshield part. I have spent a winter working in Calgary(working for Beaudrill/Petro Canada and 3 yrs in Wisconsin so I have seen cold weather. I was kiddin about the seats. Your winters are brutal and defy most peoples imagination. I would preheat my car as well if it were not plugged in at night.

 

[Jim 5]

The car gets plugged in as often as my wife remembers. She's not going to drive extra distances on her way to work....or otherwise.

The car is an appliance to her. It's got to work every time, and be as comfortable as possible. Engine wear be d*mbed.

The only way you'll get her to drive some extra distance is if you put a gold card in her hand and point her towards some malls. Engine wear and synthetic oil costs way less than that approach.

The acura will just have to soldier through with XD3, a block heater and an unfortunate liberal use of the car starter!

It's supposed to be a nice winter...only one snow day so far...and will be around plus 15c on saturday!!

Haven't even put the winter tires on my car yet.

 

[michaelc80]

You have to admire the tenacity of Canadians to deal with a winter that harsh, that starts early and ends late, and they still can joke about it.

 

[JHZR2]

yep, and engine should be easily and lightly LOADED as soon as possible (even before RPMs at cold idle drop any). This will minimize wear, IMO. As soon as oil pressure increases fully, then the engine should be loaded a bit.

Anything else increses wear, wasted gas, and likely causes more junk loaded into the oil.

Get a block warmer if you want something useful.

JMH

 

[jaj]

Jim 5

I used to live in a part of BC that had coldish winters - not like YYC, but still cold enough to be inconvenient. I used to put a trouble light in the car and put it on a timer. The 100w bulb would kick in around 6:00AM and by 7:30 the car was quite bearable, and the windows were clear.

The reward was good enough that it was easy to remember to put it in the car when you got home!

Cheers
JJ

 

[Jim 5]

Not a bad Idea JJ,

I've also got one of those in car heaters that I could install in her car and wire it in parallel to the block heater.

She (read "I") would have to remember to plug it into the timer outlet outside the garage.
I have a feeling the press of a button on the remote starter would still prevail for her.

I'm not overly concerned anyway, since I'm certain that engine is good for 300k miles easily, and we'll probably be trading it off on a mini van before it hits 100k.

 

[arkainzeye]

My remote start woN't start if my hood is opened.
It turns itself off after 20 mins of idling. (adjustable) If the car is started with the remote starter and someone jumps in the car and trys to take off, as soon as they touch the brake pedal to get the car out of gear the car engine shuts off. I love this feature in the winter months!

 

[Jim 5]

Mine have the same features, plus, if I press the start button twice, and hold it down the second time, it doubles the run time.

Also, I got the long range one. My wife is on the 22nd floor of her building and she parks 2 blocks away in a 3 storey enclosed parkade. She can start her car from her desk at work.