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Own: What happens after you buy · Cars

Cars losing connected features: fair or not?

Many cars come with built-in cellular features: automatic crash calls, remote start from an app, navigation, and vehicle location. Those features depend on a cell network and the automaker's service. When older 3G networks shut down, many cars lost them, and some owners now pay monthly to keep features working. Is it fair for features in a car you own to stop?

Is it fair for a car to lose remote start, crash help, or app features because a network shut down?

Be one of the first to vote.

What happens

Built-in car services use a modem like a phone does. US carriers shut down their 3G networks in 2022, and the FCC warned that vehicle SOS services and other connected devices could stop working. Cars with 3G-only modems lost features unless the maker offered an upgrade. Tesla, for example, offered early Model S owners an LTE modem upgrade for $200 including installation.

Other features end when a free trial runs out. In 2021, Toyota confirmed that key fob remote start on certain 2018 and newer models would need a paid connected services plan after the trial. Used-car buyers may not know which features need a subscription or will stop working.

Why many people say it’s not fair

  • Safety features like crash calling can stop working with little notice.
  • Cars last many years longer than the cell networks they were built for.
  • Owners may have to pay for a hardware upgrade or a subscription to keep features.
  • Features like remote start on the key fob feel like part of the car, not a service.
  • Used-car buyers often cannot tell which features still work.

The other side

Automakers say they do not control when carriers retire networks, and older networks are shut down to free airwaves for faster service. Connected features rely on ongoing data plans, servers, and support that cost money every year, so subscriptions or upgrades help pay for them. Some makers offered upgrades or notices ahead of the 3G shutdowns.

Toyota said its remote start trial stays with the car when it is sold, and that the feature was not something it actively marketed.

Options you may not be told about

Ask your dealer or automaker whether a modem or hardware upgrade exists for your car, as Tesla offered for early Model S owners.
Use your phone for crash help: iPhone 14 and later can call emergency services after a severe crash, as can Pixel 4a and later in the US.
Ask the automaker how long any free trial lasts and whether it transfers when the car is sold.
If remote start needs a subscription, ask whether the car's own key or a local accessory can still do it.
Check the FCC's 3G guidance and ask monitoring companies how your device connects.

What you can do

  1. Look up which connected services your car has and how they connect.
  2. Call the automaker's connected services line and ask about network changes and upgrades.
  3. Turn on crash detection or emergency features on your phone or watch.
  4. Before buying a used car, ask which connected features still work and what they cost.
  5. Report surprise feature losses to the FTC and your state attorney general.

Rules and your rights

No federal law requires automakers to keep connected car features working after a network shutdown or trial ends. The FCC urged owners of vehicle SOS services and other connected devices to plan ahead for the 3G shutdowns and contact providers about upgrades. If you think you were misled about features when you bought the car, you can report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general.

Has this happened to you? Share what happened so others know what to expect.

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Related

Common questions

Why did my car's remote start or app stop working?

Common causes are a cellular network shutdown, like the 3G shutdowns in 2022, or the end of a free connected services trial. Ask the automaker whether your car has a 3G-only modem, whether an upgrade is available, or whether the feature now needs a paid plan.

Will my car still call for help after a crash?

If its built-in system used a network that shut down, possibly not. Ask the automaker. Many phones can fill the gap: Apple says iPhone 14 and later can call emergency services after a severe crash, and Google offers car crash detection on Pixel 4a and later in the US.

Do I have to pay a subscription for features in my car?

Some automakers charge for connected features after a trial ends. Toyota confirmed in 2021 that key fob remote start on certain 2018 and newer models needs a paid plan after the trial. BMW dropped a heated-seat subscription in 2023. Ask before buying which features need a plan.

Sources: FCC: Plan ahead for phase out of 3G cellular networks and service ↗ · Tesla Support: 3G cellular network retirement ↗ · Motor1: Toyota charging subscription fee for key fob remote start (Dec. 2021) ↗ · Mezha: BMW drops heated seat subscription (Sept. 2023) ↗ · Apple: Use Crash Detection on iPhone or Apple Watch ↗ · Google: Get help in an emergency using your Pixel phone ↗ · FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov announcement ↗

General information, not legal, financial or real estate advice. Whether a practice is fair is a matter of opinion; votes and shared experiences are the views of site visitors, not AblePro, Inc. Rules and company policies change; check current terms and your state’s rules.