I just got an '06 HAH, and my dealer says they can install a remote starter with security system for $549 ($499 w/o security). Has anyone installed a remote starter in either the '05 or '06 HAH? Any problems? Thanks.

I would imagine that there would be a problem installing a remote start, but may I ask why you would want to do this? I understand that it is a great feature to have to warm the car up in winter, or cool it off in the summer, but IMO the function is contradictory to the auto stop feature, which does its' best to eliminate uncecessary idling.....if you had it and used it your car would just sit there and idle.

Retired: 2/11/06

As Renato aptly stated, a remote starter on a hybrid would seem contrary to autostop and the whol eidea of reducing gas consumption. Plus, in terms of emissions, remote starters are also a thoroughly bad idea: engines warm up only very slowly when idling rather than when driven slowly under load. This increases the length of time f=to reach normal operating temperature for engine and catalytic converter, reducing the life of both. Plus, while running prior to reaching operating temperature you will produce far more emissions. On the whole, not a very green approach. But that's just my personal opinion.

I wouldn't for the simple fact that gasoline is too expensive to waste using it to melt snow and ice or to warm the interior/deriere. My neighbor has one in his Yukon. He lets it sit there and warm up for about 1/2 hr before going to work summer/winter. Must burn at least a gallon of fuel not to mention his contribution to the CO2 problem.

Put one in my 2005 for about $250. I would not own a car without one.

I would imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to install. I've installed them in various other cars in the past (previous job), but never on a hybrid.

The only major concern I've ever had is bypassing the ignition to thinking it senses the transponder in the key. That's one less theft deterrent if your car ever gets stolen.

FWIW, my HAH has several key wires tapped into under the dash. Looks like the dealership originally had a remote starter installed in it.

PS- everything we do has an opportunity cost. Meaning, in order to do one thing, the cost of doing it is what would have been the next best thing. Such as, the cost of X comfort is X money. An opportunity cost of having a warmed up/cooled down vehicle interior is a few cents worth of gasoline. For some climates, it's a small price to pay. If it's 100 degrees out, and I hit the remote start to let the car idle for <5 minutes to let the A/C cool off the car, and the gasoline (probably a lot less, but just for calculations) burned is a 16th of a gallon... then at $2.25/gal I've spent 14 cents to ensure a comfortable vehicle when I get in. At 14 cents a pop, I'd be doing it! Especially when our summers peak around 115 degrees for quite a few months. But what keeps me from doing this is the $250-500 cost of putting in an alarm with remote start capability.

Think about the other things you do in life. What's the opportunity cost of watching TV? If you weren't in front of the TV, what could you have done with that time? Maybe, work a little more? Did you do what's more beneficial? Was it to make more money or to veg-out? Or, did you buy pre-cut celery at the grocery store? Individually wrapped cheese slices? Burgers at McDonalds? The high initial cost of a hybrid car? It's kind of like this remote start thing. Maybe for some, they see it as an unnecessary cost. But for others, they see it as a convenience or benefit worth paying for.

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For the one I had installed, the valet key is actually placed in a module up under the dash.

Security issue: When the car is remotely started, it automatically locks all the doors if it was not locked when you left it. Where I live security is not a real concern.

After the installation, the car has behaved exactly as it did prior to the job. It was a concern of mine given the complexity of the engine controls, but its been great so far.

hans

That's generally how it's done these days. No more long schematics to bypass the security unit. Just place a key close enough to the sensor to make the car think the key is in the ignition switch.

Here's another concern. Maybe this will help out anyone who has ever had a problem with their vehicle randomly not wanting to start. Lots of people/families have more than one car. Mostly two. Sometimes more. Most of the modern cars come with a resisitor in the key that lets the vehicle security system know the correct key is being used and allows the car to start. Sometimes, when you have more than one key on your keychain with security resisitors, it can confuse the security sensor. You keep turning the key, but the car won't start. After playing with the key in the ignition for several minutes, the sensor may finally sense the correct code and allow the car to start. It can get quite frustrating to someone that doesn't realize what's happening. So, the next time your vehicle just won't start: try taking your key off the keyring and using it alone in the ignition. That'll help you get started (if this is indeed the problem) and allow you to keep your sanity. Especially when your mechanic tells you they tested it and found nothing wrong with your car, after you keep telling them it DOES have a problem, but you can't duplicate it.

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I've always been told that its good to warm up your car first, thats one reason why I want to get a remote start. I had the bad habit of jumping in and just driving my old car cold and I think it led to the engine going out on it.

Getting into a warm car on cold winter mornings is always a good thing for the human but letting a car just sit there and idle for 15-20 min is typically not a good thing to do. Water will accumulate in the exhaust system and cause early failure if you don't have a long highway commute. Plus, you're wasting fuel, causing more air pollution, and your mpg's will suffer.