Are remote starters a harmless convenience or unnecessary device with many problems?
The ease of starting your car remotely in the morning while dressing up or taking your breakfast by just pressing a few buttons on the remote starter seems like a win-win game. However, like many good things out there, remote starter comes with its fair share of problems.
There are a few perceptions of the idea of starting your car remotely, with some saying it leads to electrical problems, some saying it drains the battery faster, and others saying it causes wear and tear on the engine. But in real sense, can remote starters cause electrical problems or any of these other issues? Read on to find out.
What Is A Remote Engine Starter?
Car owners with factory-fitted remote engine start (RES) feature will tell you it is a joy to have, especially in frigid or hot weather. It is a convenient feature that allows you to start your car from inside your office, home, drinking bar, or virtually anywhere, letting you warm up the vehicle before entering it.
Remote engine start works by sending a signal to your car’s ignition system using a radio frequency and programming. The ignition system receives and processes the signal and starts your car if it matches with the one stored in your vehicle.
This feature eliminates the need to wait for the car to warm up before driving. With it, you can start the engine while taking your bath or breakfast.
However, while this is a convenience feature from the user’s standpoint, it is a complicated technology from the mechanical view. It requires you to press one or two buttons on the key fob or the “start” command on the app to start the car. However, the key fob has to be within a certain distance of the vehicle before it can start. The vehicle will not start if the key fob is more than 400-700 feet from it, depending on the brand and vehicle.
This feature is essential in extreme weather conditions as it allows you to warm up the car remotely. Also, it helps to prolong the engine life by letting you warm up the engine remotely before driving.
While this convenient feature has several benefits, if not installed properly, it can cause parasitic battery draining, electrical system issues, and, it can also void your car’s warranty.
To avoid any of these issues, only allow professionals install it and also follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Can Remote Starter Cause Electrical Problems?
Remote starter, the king of convenience that lets you start your car from a distance has increasingly become common with most vehicle owners. However, you should note that they can cause electrical problems. So, if you are wondering, can installing a remote starter cause electrical problems? The short answer is yes.
If not correctly installed, a remote starter can cause potential electrical problems, such as electrical system issues, draining the battery life, and can even void the vehicle warranty. Fortunately, you can prevent these issues by letting a professional install it.
Draining the battery life can occasionally prevent the car from starting in the morning, cause several electrical issues, or even leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere. If you do not notice and address it on time, you may be changing the battery regularly.
Since it allows car owners to start and warm up their car from a distance, some drivers may start the vehicle before bathing and let it idle until they are ready to hit the road. While this is a good thing, it also has its negative effects.
Under perfect conditions, cars should only idle for 30-60 seconds. However, since drivers can remotely start their car while doing other things, they can leave the car idle for over 20 minutes. This will cause wear and tear to the engine, affecting its lifespan.
Is It Bad To Install A Remote Starter?
Are remote starters safe? Can remote starters cause electrical problems on Toyota or prevent cars from starting? While there are a few concerns about remote starters, the conveniences they provide are more than the problems. Nothing comes without their fair share of problems.
If you decide to install a remote starter, hire an expert to do it and follow the guidelines to the letter. In reality, remote starters do not cause any problems. It only poses a potential risk if not installed properly and when you do not follow the guidelines correctly.
Ways To Prevent Electrical Problems With Remote Starters
There are a few ways you can prevent remote starters from causing electrical issues. They are as follows:
Install only quality aftermarket remote starters.
Do proper research if your car do not come with a factory-fitted remote starter and you want to install it. Only buy from brands with Solid Gold Reputation. Check the remote starter features. See how many feet the range can cover, check if it has additional security features, and if it’s compatible with your car.
If you want to order it online, read customer’s feedback and ratings to see their experiences with the product. However, keep in mind that reviews can be manipulated, especially on the manufacturer’s website. So, if you see reviews that seem too good to be true, search the product on Amazon and see what verified buyers are saying about it.
Have a professional install it
Most remote starter problems are a result of bad installation. So, have a certified technician install it to avoid these problems.
Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines.
Read and follow the instructions on the remote starter kit. This will save you from unnecessary issues with your electrical system components.
Final words
If you have been reading to this point, you will no longer ask, Can remote starters cause electrical problems in cars?
To sum it up, a remote starter is the king of convenience and comfort. While many are afraid that it drains your battery, adds extra stress to the engine, causes electrical problems, and could void your vehicle warranty, that’s not true. It can only drain your battery, cause electrical problems, and void the vehicle warranty if it is not installed properly.
And it’ll add extra stress to the engine if you don’t follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. For instance, according to EPA, you should only idle your engine for 30-60 seconds. Constantly idling the engine for over 20 minutes will not only result to engine wear and tear but will also affect your fuel consumption.
So, to prevent aftermarket remote car starter problems, only buy from a reputable brand, have a professional install it, and keep to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
