Happen to sit by a guy on the plane who was a Volvo employee....says that remote start SW upgrade should be available for some vehicles, including my 2012 XC60 by 1 June 2012. Price $500 US. Pricey for SW only upgrade but still great news!

 

Good news

 

What do you use to start the car remotely? Does your key have a remote start button on it? Or is it a smart phone app like I have with my Hyundai via BlueLink?

 

Sounds promising. We should be in the market for an XC60 in 2-3 years.

 

has anyone use an outside company to install a remote starter system on a volvo xc60? I am wondering if I should stick to the volvo dealership or try an outside company.

 

Was at the Tempe (AZ) Volvo dealer checking on a recall notice and asked about remote start. It is now available ($500 software upgrade) for the 2012 XC60. It is activated by a specific button sequence on the existing key fob. Getting it installed tomorrow ... will see how it works. This option was apparently just added as a service option very recently.

 

My dealer installed the software upgrade for my XC60, and it works beautifully. To start the car, simply use your remote key fob and press the lock button briefly, then hold down the lighting button for two seconds. release the button and the car starts.

Safety prevents include: car must be in "park" with the doors locked. Will not start if it senses passenger movement inside car. Will stop immediately if any door is opened. will not start if fuel gets down to about 2 1/2 gallons or if battery is in a low charge state. Once started, engine will run for about 15 minutes, then shut down.

Cost - $500 - seems high for what is purely a software upgrade, but it is what it is. It does work all and it is a luxury to be able to pre-cool the interior with air conditioning on those hot Phoenix days.

 

This is my first post, and I appreciate the forum.

I am scheduled to get the dealer to install the remote start in a few days. What do you think is the approximate range for the key and start to work?

We hope it's more than the 15 feet for our last car!
Thanks.

 

I'm considering adding the remote start option but am curious about the operation. Unlike jpilger, I live up north and more interested in warming the car in the winter. If you go out from work and the car is covered in snow, is it possible to start the car remotely and then open a door to get a snow brush out to start cleaning the windows without the car stopping? Or do you need to get in and restart it the regular way to keep running/warming up, or even just to be able to drive off without having to restart (like you can do with other remote starts - ok they have keys but still - I don't see the benefits of not being able to keep it running continuously)?

Would appreciate if someone could confirm that is indeed true and if so, do you find it to be a pain or no big deal? Thank you

 

Spoke to my dealer this morning, not offered for model year 2010.

 

I spent the $580 to have remote start installed and it shuts off when you open the door. What is the point of starting the car twice? I got it because we live near Seattle and although it doesn't snow often it is cooled in the winter and we have a young child who needs help getting into her car seat. By the time I start the car with the remote, open the door (at which time the car shuts off), get our daughter in then get in myself I have to restart the car the regular way. Doesn't make sense to me at all. I have had other aftermarket remote starters before and they were slightly more expensive, included great alarms and only required you to start the vehicle once. I'm talking to volvo now and if this truly is the way it was designed I will likely have them uninstall their starter.

 

I'm guessing they make you use the key to start it again after the door is opened to prevent someone from stealing the car after you remote started it.

What did you find out ??

 

I already paid for the remote start so I am stuck with it, but have barely used it at all. I park in the garage so with the car needed restarted, even with the push button after turning off by opening a door it isn't worth it to me. Washington state is cold but rarely snows so I really only use it to warm the car up, not de-ice and by the time we put the baby n the car and restart the engine I am using more gas and the car isn't warm anymore. Parking in the garage I would say there is little to no benefits of remote start. Hope that helps. If not ask questions and I'll try to answer them.

 

Late 2011 xc60


I want to freshen up this thread.

If the dealer upgrade for remote start isn't available for my 2011 XC60, what brand, model, aftermarket kit would be recommended.

Thanks guys,

Ken

 

I cannot believe Volvo has allowed such a design flaw......a remote start that shuts off the car immediately upon opening a door. All other brands of vehicles/remote starts allow this. It is NOT a safety or theft issue - the vehicle should still NOT move unless someone is in possession of the key FOB when inside the car.

Starting it tough on a vehicle and now I'll be double starting each morning. This is really disappointing. Called the local dealership and they concurred 100%.

Has anyone identified a way around this? Where the car would remain running after being remotely started and then entered?

Thanks.

 

My firm recommendation is to have the seller install it. It's a nightmare if you buy it one place and have someone else install it as they end up pointing fingers at each other and you are stuck in the middle.

 

Hi to all in the forum!

A first newbie question!

Is the remote start option available in all XC60 2014 models worldwide?

Specifically asking about Thailand XC60 D4, 2.0 diesel, 2WD (cars are manufactured in Malaysia).

Local Volvo dealer doesn't know anything about it but as I read that it's only a 2012 software update, perhaps it's already in the 2014 software requiring only an unlock code or sequence of button presses to activate.

If it can be confirmed that it's already in the car, then I can press the local Volvo team to find the process and offer it for sale to all local Volvos.

Thanks for any input!

 

Hello. I have a 2013 S 60, and am considering the remote starter from the dealership. Did you have one installed, and what was the range ? I need about 300-350 feet, and the dealer is vague but believes the range will only be 65 feet. Supposedly, the app with satellite technology is not available for this car.
Thanks for any info you can offer on this topic.

 

I would estimate the range at 200' plus with uninterrupted line of sight.

 

Hello again,

I am having a compustar starter removed now. Had it installed a couple days ago. Never worked right if at all. Installer took it back, worked with the manufacturer, installed another of the same unit. Eventually compustar decided to pull it out and send me home. My 2011 xc60 computer simply wont work with anything compustar makes is what I am being told. Too bad, I really wanted it. Waited a long time to finally pull the trigger.

Dealer said it would never work. They weren't wrong.