T8 Remote start problems

[Fortune7]

I've had the car just under a month and very pleased. My only issue is using the VOC app (Android) for remote start - I just can't get it to work without reporting the error:

"A technical error occurred and your Volvo could not be started remotely. Please try again in a few moments".

Thinking it was about 3g signal coverage, I've tried in the past weeks on dozens of occasions with the car (and phone) in different locations with no improvement. I've tried it without success from an Android tablet on a different network, so it's not the phone, tablet or network. Flashing the lights remotely works so communication seems ok. When trying Remote Start, there's the sound of a 'click' in the rear of the car (like a relay closing) but then just the error on the phone. There's no difference if the car's plugged-in or not, but in general I make sure there's a high level of charge before attempting.

I haven't found much guidance in the manual but the Remote Start part of the app has an 'About this function' link which shows a list of conditions which need to be met for success and I've checked and re-checked these. I emailed my Dealer today who will hopefully ask Volvo technical but as I wait for that (!) perhaps someone on here can help, please?

[Philip Fisher]

I didnt think that the T8 could actually remote start? In fact with the fuel burning heater why would you want to remote start it?

[Philip Fisher]

Well I just tried it and it works for me.

Still dont know why I would want to but it seems to work for me.

[Fortune7]

Originally Posted by Philip Fisher

I didnt think that the T8 could actually remote start? In fact with the fuel burning heater why would you want to remote start it?

I wanted to bring down the internal temp before driving in the hot weather. Not as useful as heating in low temps, but nevertheless I wanted it working.

Cheers, Andy

[yeoman]

I can no longer precondition from my android app for some reason, and but my remote start still works.Weird.

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by Fortune7

I wanted to bring down the internal temp before driving in the hot weather. Not as useful as heating in low temps, but nevertheless I wanted it working.

Cheers, Andy

If it is hot and you trigger pre conditioning it should cool the car down.

I must have a play with remote start. As we all know, starting a T8 is not starting the engine. It is booting up the systems and preparing the car to decide which propulsion method to use.....!

So I wonder what remote start does? Does it always start the engine or does it just turn the systems on?

Anyhow I guess you are a bit further forward. Remote start works on at least one other T8 so should work on yours. Mine prompted me for finger print or password entry. Did your app request that?

[yeoman]

Originally Posted by Fortune7

I wanted to bring down the internal temp before driving in the hot weather. Not as useful as heating in low temps, but nevertheless I wanted it working.

Cheers, Andy

Since the latest upgrade, I find that precondition no longer works if I am not plugged in, whilst remote start does not work if plugged in and vice versa. Anyone else experienced this?.

Last night I remote started the car and as I got in close the car the indicator lights flashed twice which was kind of cool. Not sure if it unlocked the car or not.

[Fortune7]

Originally Posted by Philip Fisher

If it is hot and you trigger pre conditioning it should cool the car down.

I must have a play with remote start. As we all know, starting a T8 is not starting the engine. It is booting up the systems and preparing the car to decide which propulsion method to use.....!

So I wonder what remote start does? Does it always start the engine or does it just turn the systems on?

Anyhow I guess you are a bit further forward. Remote start works on at least one other T8 so should work on yours. Mine prompted me for finger print or password entry. Did your app request that?

Yes, I'm finding the password more reliable as the fingerprint - which works fine for everything else on the phone - hardly ever works in this part of the app. After authentication, you get a caption "Your Volvo is being started" followed by a pause of maybe 10 - 20 seconds while communication is established, then the error message (see original post).

I'm finding it very difficult to get a definitive statement of what Remote Start actually does on the latest T8. There's various guidance on Remote Start(ing) on Volvo's web support site but it's all for different models, or model years.

I wouldn't expect the T8's engine to start every time for Remote Start as the A/C (and I guess heating with the fuel-fired heater but yet to find out) runs without it.

Andy

[Fortune7]

Originally Posted by yeoman

Since the latest upgrade, I find that precondition no longer works if I am not plugged in, whilst remote start does not work if plugged in and vice versa. Anyone else experienced this?.

Last night I remote started the car and as I got in close the car the indicator lights flashed twice which was kind of cool. Not sure if it unlocked the car or not.

Yep, Remote Start tells you it won't work when plugged-in. Parking Climate (preconditioning) does seem to initialise when unplugged and started by selecting 'Start' (no timer), but only runs for a minute or two. Again, there's no guidance I've yet found for the latest T8 which describes in detail what Parking Climate does, and for how long, if not using a timer. I don't think it works on a locked-car which might explain why it shuts-off quickly, but why not return an error message saying 'locked car' instead of letting you believe it's working until you select 'Stop'?

Andy

[SpaceBoy42]

I've tried to use the preconditioning timer without being plugged in during the hot weather just to see if it worked. It doesn't. However, I can get the climate system to work unplugged if I start the climate control manually from the app just before I leave work and as others have said, it only runs for a couple of minutes but that has been good enough for me so far.

Have not tried to remote start the car yet. What does it do? Does that put the air conditioning on properly (i.e. set it to a temperature you set in the car as apposed to the fixed target temperature used by the preconditioning system)? Am I right in thinking that the preconditioning system never fires up the ICE, but the remote start might if it decides it needs it?