Has anyone found a good remote starter that can be installed after market that integrates with the default fob? I know about the Mercedes Me app and it is very ponderous to use and I do not like it

 

are aftermarket remote starts a thing? i would imagine that'd be a huge security vulnerability...

 

For the uninitiated, can you go into more detail on how the Mercedes Me remote start is lacking? I am (was?) looking forward to this feature.

 

if i had to guess, i would bet it’s pretty unreliable. try to honk your horn with the app on your phone. i’d bet it isn’t going to work 100% of the time (app will claim communication failure with car, etc.)

now, lower that 100% expectation wager to... 70%

i’d bet it’s lower than that

which basically becomes, you have potentially less than a 50% chance of the app doing what you ask it to do to your car... why waste time with it?

i could be wrong...

 

As long as you are parked in a place the car has good cell reception it works every time. And again theft is a problem. If someone sees your car running unattended, its an invitation to steal it. Forget the fact that it will shut down if you try to open or break in. The invitation to try is very real and a problem in itself, and it doesn't matter if you used the app or an after market thing which happens to be perfect. You will have the same undesired effect.

 

It simply does not work, most of the day all of the time. App says initiating on the screen for several minutes and then then just gets stuck.

 

Tesla can make their cars fart on command from cell phones yet we cannot do simple tasks like remote lock/unlock/start reliably

 

I had no direct experience with the Mercedes remote start option as my ML was made before the option became available but all other features (purchased all 3 mbrace services) work from the MercedesMe app. However, the MercedesMe App was the most unreliable app I've ever used. It would not detect my vehicle 3/4 times, can't find a signal inside my garage or in any parking structures or under a bridge. Cancelled that service without hesitation .

 

This is the definition of not working well

 

My remote lock/unlock works reasonably well from the Me app. The few times I've done remote start it has worked OK.

My Jeep does it from the key fob and I rarely use that feature. More of a novelty here as it doesn't get that cold or hot that I feel the need to start the vehicle to warm up or cool down in advance.

 

that steal is not related to remote start feature. only keyless-go

 

Agreed re: lock/unlock these days. In my experience the current remote start works like lock/unlock did in previous versions of the app / iterations of the service. IF it works it'll be a 5 minute process to get there.

 

In the month that I've had the car, the remote start has worked every time. I find it to be a huge help here in the heat of a Houston summer.
Although I understand the need for it - it does suck to have the car turn off once you unlock it.

 

Agreed. My Jeep keeps running when you unlock the door, but kills the motor if you step on the brake before putting the key in the ignition and turning it to the run position. Depressing the brake is a required precursor to moving the transmission from park to another gear. So this is their method to make sure no one can drive off with the vehicle.

 

While we don't currently have coverage for this at present, we hope to roll out coverage for the w213 later this year or early 2020.
At present, we are working on releasing the remote starter for the new w907 sprinter chassis, followed in a few weeks by the w205 platform for C class and GLC.
Hang tight, we look forward to providing you a well-built solution for your E class!

 

Tried remote start today for the first time in quite a while. Parked my car on the upper level of our garage at work because my usual one sided spots were taken. It was a warm day today so figured I'd start it while I walked to the garage - the message was sent fine, but Mercedes sent me a rejection notice because I'l left the windows cracked 1/8th of an inch.

Apparently all windows and the sunroof must be closed all the way before it will activate remote start.

It is happy to do the remote unlock though even with the windows cracked.

 

I have a dumb idea.

If I put an OBD-II CAN data sniffer in the car, then I start the car from the app... should I see the CAN traffic that is responsible for starting the car?

Then I could replay it and start the car whenever I wanted, without the app, aka through a more reliable mechanism?

This assumes it's a CAN routine that starts the car, which is very highly unlikely. There's a chance it's controlled entirely separate.

 

it's a good idea....though i'd be surprised if the telemetry-related functionality is performed by a separate, if not proprietary system. only one way to find out!

 

Quick and dumb question: what does CAN stand for?

 

controller area network...aka CAN bus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAN_bus

 

Thanks for the 411.

 

Please direct message me. I am starting class action lawsuit with this nonsense app. 2 years of BS!!

 

lol come on man, it isn’t that bad
it’s bad
but...
it ranges from free to $15/mo
what are you really seeking in damages?...
i bet it isn’t worse than any other competitor on the market’s app

 

Please direct message me, I am having the same issue with remote start. I am starting class action lawsuit with this nonsense app. 2 years of BS!!

 

Ever happen to get a solution figured out? Just bought a 2018 E63S AMG... and come to find out... Not only is the app a pile of garbage, but I can't even use it because I wasn't the first owner of the car. I'd really like a remote state option!