'Recall' on the 2023 Corolla Icon

[sportse]

Received a letter from Toyota today about a 'recall'

Apparently the remote start function can go wrong and you end up with the hazard lights flashing for 20 minutes and you can't turn them off.

'Recall' is a bit weird, it will be done over the air... but it won't tell you when it's being done or afterwards, so you just have to assume that it has been at some point.

[SDR]

4 hours ago, sportse said:

Received a letter from Toyota today about a 'recall'

Apparently the remote start function can go wrong and you end up with the hazard lights flashing for 20 minutes and you can't turn them off.

'Recall' is a bit weird, it will be done over the air... but it won't tell you when it's being done or afterwards, so you just have to assume that it has been at some point.

I'm afraid that this, and some other posts, just helps to confirm my personal decision to avoid the app, setting up an account, etc..

One of these days I'm going to get around to writing a review on HJ, Parkers, etc., although I'm keeping my powder dry for the moment. 

My overall impression after exactly 2 months ownership is of a car that is well sorted mechanically but with questionable electronics/software.

I have confidence in the former but not much in the latter.

[sportse]

The app has worked well for me. 
 

the only issue I have is every so often I have to log into the car again on the infotainment screen. It’s not something you can do while driving, and until you do you get a message popping up regularly throughout your journey asking you to do it. It blocks the screen, so you have to cancel it to get the sat nav back. 
 

remote start was used regularly in winter, the only issues with it was that sometimes it took several tries to communicate with the car before it started up. 

[AndrueC]

14 minutes ago, SDR said:

My overall impression after exactly 2 months ownership is of a car that is well sorted mechanically but with questionable electronics/software.

Pretty typical for most modern products. The hardware gets the lion's share of resources and the software either gets very little or is farmed out to the lowest bidder which amounts to the same thing.

[SDR]

5 minutes ago, sportse said:

The app has worked well for me. 
 

the only issue I have is every so often I have to log into the car again on the infotainment screen. It’s not something you can do while driving, and until you do you get a message popping up regularly throughout your journey asking you to do it. It blocks the screen, so you have to cancel it to get the sat nav back. 
 

remote start was used regularly in winter, the only issues with it was that sometimes it took several tries to communicate with the car before it started up. 

I'm not sure that I would define that as working well 🤔 but, if you're content with it, I am pleased for you. 

I have actually thought about what benefits I might be missing in not using the app or connected services but I have struggled to come up with anything significant (for me).   I can see how remote start could be a benefit for some owners but not really for me.

[TonyHSD]

If possible to disable any connected services and black out the centre screen in any new car I will do that on day one. Good hybrid tech upgrade and digital speedos on 2023 onwards but the other unnecessary clatter just too much. Just imagine a Corolla interior without this nog screen, how nice would have been. 👌

[SDR]

2 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

If possible to disable any connected services and black out the centre screen in any new car I will do that on day one. Good hybrid tech upgrade and digital speedos on 2023 onwards but the other unnecessary clatter just too much. Just imagine a Corolla interior without this nog screen, how nice would have been. 👌

Get your point but I wouldn't want to bin the central screen.   Did over 350 miles this weekend, navigating by Waze via AA on the centre screen.   That, at least, works very well.

[TrackLink]

6 hours ago, sportse said:

Received a letter from Toyota today about a 'recall'

Apparently the remote start function can go wrong and you end up with the hazard lights flashing for 20 minutes and you can't turn them off.

'Recall' is a bit weird, it will be done over the air... but it won't tell you when it's being done or afterwards, so you just have to assume that it has been at some point.

Yes, I received the same letter this morning. I haven’t bothered to connect my car to OTA update services yet - I only have standard services and remote services activated. I’m reluctant to set my car up for online updates as I don’t want to introduce annoying issues such as being prompted to log in repeatedly or receiving unwanted additions such as activation of default audible speed alert (something my Jan 2024 car mercifully missed - just). However, I found remote climate control very useful and effective on a few frosty mornings in Jan and Feb and I’d miss being able to use this. Not sure whether it’s worth getting set up for OTA just to ensure I can continue using remoter climate though.

[SDR]

I haven't received the letter, but I don’t suppose that I will, because I haven't registered my car with Toyota or set up an account.   Mainly because I don't trust that updates would always be to my benefit (think VW and the dieselgate update).

I'll keep an eye out for 'real' recalls, i.e. DVSA safety related recalls;   if any of those appear I'll speak to a dealer.

[Corolly Poly]

Remote start!!! Is this something else on the Excel I don't get. Should have got an Icon😂

[sportse]

1 hour ago, Corolly Poly said:

Remote start!!! Is this something else on the Excel I don't get. Should have got an Icon😂

I thought it was on every facelift after 2023, so should be on yours?

It's operated from the MyToyota app on your phone, you can't do it from the key fob as they do in the US.

It's shown under the remote control section of the app - you can lock/unlock the car, set off the hazard lights if you want to find it in a car park, or start the climate control so the car is defrosted or cooled down beforehand.

[Don Mac]

6 minutes ago, sportse said:

I thought it was on every facelift after 2023, so should be on yours?

It's operated from the MyToyota app on your phone, you can't do it from the key fob as they do in the US.

It's shown under the remote control section of the app - you can lock/unlock the car, set off the hazard lights if you want to find it in a car park, or start the climate control so the car is defrosted or cooled down beforehand.

Yes, it's on all of them. I've just received a 'recall' letter about this, I think that I've had at least one other OTA 'recall' notice previously (didn't pay much attention since my car didn't have the fault they were correcting).

[Corolly Poly]

Not on mine. Strange but I only had limited climate control until I flagged it to dealer and it mysteriously appeared.  Maybe I'll get on to them again.  not sure if I've got a letter as I am away but remote start would be good to charge the 12v when I am away for long periods if you can use it to put the car in 'ready' mode.

[Parts-King]

16 hours ago, SDR said:

I haven't received the letter, but I don’t suppose that I will, because I haven't registered my car with Toyota or set up an account.   Mainly because I don't trust that updates would always be to my benefit (think VW and the dieselgate update).

Safety recalls are nothing to do with registering you car with Toyota. In a safety recall situation, Toyota inform DVLA that your car is subject to a recall and they provide the data, Toyota then send you a letter

[sportse]

1 hour ago, Corolly Poly said:

Not on mine. Strange but I only had limited climate control until I flagged it to dealer and it mysteriously appeared.  Maybe I'll get on to them again.  not sure if I've got a letter as I am away but remote start would be good to charge the 12v when I am away for long periods if you can use it to put the car in 'ready' mode.

'Start climate' is remote start, but you aren't supposed to use it if you aren't nearby. Also, strictly the car has to be off the road such as a driveway and not in a garage as the petrol engine runs. But the law hasn't really been updated to deal with all the cars that have remote start now.

You select a temperature and the car starts up and runs for 20 minutes then shuts off.

All the time the climate control is running, the car is in ready mode with the petrol engine starting up as needed so the 12V Battery will be being charged. It doesn't seem to fully charge the big Battery though, I've got into mine after 20 minutes and it's only half charged as I'd left it.

The dash and infotainment screen are on, but the car is immobilised. If someone breaks a window then the engine shuts off as well.

[bewA]

19 hours ago, sportse said:

the only issue I have is every so often I have to log into the car again on the infotainment screen. It’s not something you can do while driving, and until you do you get a message popping up regularly throughout your journey asking you to do it. It blocks the screen, so you have to cancel it to get the sat nav back. 

I had this and when i went to the dealer my car was showing as disconnected from their services on the Toyota system backend, even though all the remote functionality worked through the My Toyota app.  We had to remove the car from my account and re-add it and this resolved the issue with the annoying popup every 5 minutes, which as you say totally blocks the screen.
Since it was done 2 weeks a go i've not had a problem.

[Corolly Poly]

14 minutes ago, sportse said:

'Start climate' is remote start, but you aren't supposed to use it if you aren't nearby. Also, strictly the car has to be off the road such as a driveway and not in a garage as the petrol engine runs. But the law hasn't really been updated to deal with all the cars that have remote start now.

You select a temperature and the car starts up and runs for 20 minutes then shuts off.

All the time the climate control is running, the car is in ready mode with the petrol engine starting up as needed so the 12V battery will be being charged. It doesn't seem to fully charge the big battery though, I've got into mine after 20 minutes and it's only half charged as I'd left it.

The dash and infotainment screen are on, but the car is immobilised. If someone breaks a window then the engine shuts off as well.

Ahhh, so its not just remote start of car to put in ready mode. You just start the aircon and that starts the car and puts it in ready mode?

Thanks

[sportse]

52 minutes ago, Corolly Poly said:

Ahhh, so its not just remote start of car to put in ready mode. You just start the aircon and that starts the car and puts it in ready mode?

Thanks

Yes, heat only comes from the petrol engine rather than the aircon so it starts up straight away in winter.

In summer, the aircon can run from the big Battery for a while but over 20 minutes of cooling it would have to start the petrol engine as well to charge up the big Battery. All the time it's in ready mode for the climate control it should be charging the 12V Battery too.

 

[Extreme_One]

You sure it's 20 minutes? 

I'm pretty sure it's only 10 minutes on mine.

4 hours ago, sportse said:

Yes, heat only comes from the petrol engine rather than the aircon so it starts up straight away in winter.

In summer, the aircon can run from the big battery for a while but over 20 minutes of cooling it would have to start the petrol engine as well to charge up the big battery. All the time it's in ready mode for the climate control it should be charging the 12V battery too.

 

 

[dannyboy413]

It used to be ten minutes, but I believe all remote starts now run for twenty minutes. Although I suppose that could be model specific.

Edited June 25 by dannyboy413
added a bit

[sportse]

Yes, I much preferred the 10 minutes it was before as that was enough to clear the iced up windows without having the car run for too long. 
 

they changed the run time with an update a while ago. There’s no option to choose the time unfortunately. 
 

I’ve had to manually cancel it before the full 20 minutes had run as it wasn’t needed. 

[Corolly Poly]

Just got back from being abroad and no recall letter for me

[Parts-King]

Most recalls are "Phased", in other words, if you have 10,000 cars to recall and you send out 10,000 letters in one hit you will swamp the network with phone calls they cannot handle. In this scenario you might send out 2000 letters a month over several months. Not so bad if it is only a software update but where you need parts these also need to be ordered in over time 

[JonathanP]

I'm sure that even if you haven't activated the remote services the DCM module in the car will be active.
The BZ4X has had the same 'update' and it's simply an update to the DCM module firmware.
I'm not sure why Toyota bothered to send the letters as no action is required on our part. I can only assume it's a legal reason they have to advise you of something which by the time the letter arrives has probably already been fixed. 🙂

[RabButler]

9 hours ago, JonathanP said:

I'm sure that even if you haven't activated the remote services the DCM module in the car will be active.
The BZ4X has had the same 'update' and it's simply an update to the DCM module firmware.
I'm not sure why Toyota bothered to send the letters as no action is required on our part. I can only assume it's a legal reason they have to advise you of something which by the time the letter arrives has probably already been fixed. 🙂

I think the main point of the letter is to notify Toyota if you no longer have the car.