Engine Remote Start

[woodman438]

Hi All

Ive never posted on here before, in fact I rarely post anywhere but I have just completed a modification to my 2015 V60 Polestar here in the UK that I thought maybe of interest to others, in fact most new style volvo owners who want remote start and are based outside of the USA or Canada where it is not available.

So after much research I found out that my new V60 Polestar can do remote start but the software application to enable it was only available for $500 in the USA. Even my friendly dealer in the UK tried to download it from VIDA for me but because they are connected to a UK VIDA server it was unavailable to them, and after asking Volvo - they still wouldn't release it. The reason for this is that in the UK there is a law that doesn't allow you leave an engine running on a public highway without someone in the drivers seat.

Anyhow, with the cold mornings upon us over here I made it my mission to get it working, and I am pleased to say today I got it to work! It is a bit of a mission and not particularly cheap, but I reckon still cheaper that $500 + fitting even if you managed to get your car to the USA for free!

Here are the steps, and please note that if you are not familiar with VIDA then you probably should have a google around before asking questions on this - this modification in the UK is not for the amateur!

Steps...

1. Get a volvo dice (a copy one will suffice) and make sure its running firmware 5.6.2

2. You will need a PC laptop running the official copy of VIDA 2014D (not a patched copy, and if you have a patched one you need to reformat your laptop and start again before installing the genuine Vida)

3. Do all the e-updates on 2014D

4. Purchase a 3 day subscription to volvotechinfo.com for VIDA Software downloads (approx $100) and register it to your VIDA laptop (instructions on volvotechinfo.com)

5. Note that subscriptions to volvotechinfo.com are only valid for USA/Canada residents, and they do address checks on the credit card you use. So there are 2 options here. 1, use a friends credit card whom you know from the USA or 2, bypass the address check by finding an address in america that has EXACTLY the same numerical numbers in as your own registered address. Google this if you don't know what this means.

6. Once you have VIDA working, connect to the car and read the vehicle, clearing all the DTC error codes - you must have an error free car for this to work

7. The you need to purchase the software for ERS (Engine remote start) - which is part number 30659842 at $400.

8. This wasn't available to me initially but a quick helpdesk ticket via volvotechinfo asking them to enable it and it was done within the hour

9. Purchase and download the software (again instructions on this procedure are on volvotechinfo.com)

10. SUPER IMPORTANT - you must connect a charger to the vehicle before downloading any software. This must be a FLASH REPROGRAM style charger capable of delivering 13.8v at 55a to the car. This is NOT a jump pack or regular battery charger, it has to be something like this: http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....roup_id=682779 thankfully my local garage had one and a bit of sweet talking he allowed me to use it for 10 mins!

11. Follow the procedure for downloading the software to the car - MAKE SURE YOU READ EVERY INSTRUCTION CAREFULLY, especially the bit about window recalibration at the end.

12. Test ERS... and voila it will work!

13. Sell you DICE on eBay, get the money back and you are quids in!

Im not sure how many more people have ERS outside of the USA, but i know tomorrow morning at 5.30am I'm going to be glad i have!

Hope this helps someone out

Cheers

[wimorrison]

Good job, but a couple of questions

What happens if when you take the car for a service and the Volvo systems detect the change and resets you back to the official software installation?

Perhaps more importantly though is it legal within the UK (assuming you are in UK)?

[Considered1]

...and you've possibly just invalidated your insurance!

[Gossa]

I just go outside and start it up for a few minutes while I'm finishing my coffee.

That is a lot of trouble you've gone to there fella, hats off to you if its what you want though!

[swishtony]

Not sure if this actually makes the car illegal in the UK but I'm pretty sure I read that it is illegal to leave a car running on a public highway with nobody in it. Therefore I guess it could have MOT and insurance implications?

[nidO]

Originally Posted by swishtony

Not sure if this actually makes the car illegal in the UK but I'm pretty sure I read that it is illegal to leave a car running on a public highway with nobody in it. Therefore I guess it could have MOT and insurance implications?

The law in the UK is actually even more strict than that, it's illegal to leave a car running on a public highway unnecessarily *regardless of whether there's anyone in it*.

Sources:

https://www.gov.uk/general-rules-all...cle-117-to-126 - Rule 123

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1...ation/107/made - Unattended with engine running

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1...lation/98/made - Attended with engine running

I would also very much imagine any insurer would consider activating this to be an aftermarket modification of the car which has to be declared, and that failing to do so would invalidate your insurance, even if you only ever actually use it on private land.

[MikeIOW]

Cor blimey, no wonder the fella never posts anywhere: you lot are like terriers with your warranty this and insurance that

Yup, this kind of skill clearly raises more questions than answers, but fantastic effort to get it to work!!

(I'll stick with starting mine on the driveway and peering nervously through the window to make sure no-one steals Stormy!)

[nidO]

Originally Posted by MikeIOW

Cor blimey, no wonder the fella never posts anywhere: you lot are like terriers with your warranty this and insurance that

It is something that i'm sure will be useful for future buyers at least, I didn't bother getting VOC largely because the remote start capability wasn't available, knowing that it's a fairly simple sideload might have changed my mind, although the $500 price tag for the software on top of the cost of VOC is steep.

[GMcL]

@woodman438; thanks for the info, always good to know what is possible with the vehicles.

As others have pointed out there are downsides in the UK. If your car is stolen outside your house with the engine running - insurance null and void. Worse still, if the scumbag who stole your car does a load of damage, the insurance company will settle the 3rd party bill and come after you for the balance if they can prove the engine was running at the time. Ouch !

You take a modified Volvo into a dealership and you could be handed a bunch of modified parts back in your hand when you collect your vehicle and find it no longer works in the way you dropped the vehicle off.
Think of "owning" a Volvo in the UK as licencing a piece of software rather than owning an entity.

Still, top marks for going to the effort of researching, following up and documenting. I'm sure Volvo tech services will be closing that loophole as I type.

[RoyMacDonald]

Why assume anyone is going to break the law? Cars can be started off the public highway and left unattended without breaking any laws. I'm too old to drive my tractor on the public highway but nothing to stop me doing it on my own land and I often go off and leave it running. I'm certainly not the only one who does that around here.

Volvo don't have the right to dictate when you can and cannot start your engine.