Subaru Outback Remote Start: The Full Rundown

Published April 18, 2023
in Model Info and Features

With the ability to start your car without being inside the vehicle, a remote starter is one of the recent times’ most convenient car features. On a cold morning, there’s no need to sit inside your vehicle in discomfort as you prepare your car for driving. On a hot day, you don’t have to burn your hands on a scorching hat steering wheel.

If you’re looking to buy or a current owner of a Subaru Outback, you’re probably wondering about its remote start feature.

We’ll talk about the Subaru Outback Remote Start feature for today’s post. What exactly is a remote start? How does the Subaru Outback remote start work? Is this feature available on all Outbacks? We’ll answer these questions and more.

What is Remote Start on a Car?

Remote starters are, essentially, what they sound like: a wireless, radio-controlled device that lets you start a car’s engine from a certain distance away.

You could be inside your home having breakfast or in the office preparing to leave work – as long as you’re around 500 or 1,000 feet in the proximity, you can start the engine remotely. However, some more advanced remote starters can effectively range up to a mile.

Remote starters generally come in key fobs or a small remote control with dedicated buttons for ignition and other functions. Some remote starter models enable you to lock and unlock the doors, warm up the seats, pop the liftgate or trunk, and even control things via a smartphone app.

Nowadays, remote starters may be standard or optional with modern vehicles, depending on which models you choose. Older makes and models will have to rely on aftermarket installations to have remote start capabilities.

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Subaru Outback Remote Start Availability

Fortunately, the Subaru Outback has remote start capability. Since its 2015 model, the Outback can be outfitted with remote starters with either push-start or key start mechanisms.

To be clear, remote starters don’t come as standard for the Outback. This means you need to get a genuine OEM (original equipment manufacturer) remote start kit and have it installed on your SUV.

Also, the type of remote starter you may install will depend on your Outback’s transmission type. For example, the Remote Start Long Range, Push Start (H001SAL101), only applies to models with CVT transmissions.

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Remote Start Via Subaru Starlink

For newer Subaru Outbacks, the primary method to get Remote Start is via the Subaru Starlink In-Vehicle Technology. The Subaru Starlink is the company’s suite of onboard technology that offers a wide range of safety, convenience, and entertainment features.

The Subaru Starlink suite offers many safety and security features, but the function you’re looking for is the Remote Engine Start with Climate Control. It works like your standard remote starter, but instead of having an extra key fob, you start the engine through your smartphone using the mySubaru app.

Using the mySubaru app, you can activate the Remote Engine Start with Climate Control from a specific range. Perhaps the best part of this feature is that it allows you to set the vehicle’s climate system to the temperature you desire. The Outback is warmed up or cooled down and ready to drive by the time you head out.

Subaru Outback Remote Start Limitations

However, there are certain availability restrictions.

Subaru Outback owners with manual transmission are out of luck. The Remote Engine Start is only available with push-button start models on keyless access. Also, the Remote Engine Start with Climate Control is only open on Outbacks with keyless entry with push-button start and auto-climate control.

Most importantly, Subaru Starlink is a subscription model that will cost you $9.95/month or $99.95/year (with a free 3-months trial). On top of that, you need the STARLINK Security Plus package to access the remote functionalities described earlier – this will cost you $4.95/month (with a free 6-months trial).

If you don’t want or can’t enroll in Subaru Starlink, your other option is to install an OEM push-start engine starter accessory, which may cost you around $300.

Our best advice is to talk with your Subaru dealer and inquire about your remote start options for your Outback SUV.

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Subaru Outback Remote Start: Is It Worth It?

Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of remote starters, so you can find out if it’s a worthy investment:

Pros of Remote Starters

More comfortable rides - No one likes to sit in a freezing cold or sweltering hot car in discomfort while scrambling to get the car started. With a Subaru Outback remote starter, you can heat up or cool down your vehicle, so you’re all nice and comfy by the time you enter to drive.
Huge time-saver - Since your car is ready and comfortable enough, you can simply drive right away to your destination. In cold icier months, you can remotely warm up your vehicle using the Remote Engine Start with Climate Control feature. This means you don’t have to deal with the tedium of scraping the ice off your windshield.
Easy installation - With a professional Subaru mechanic, you can install an OEM remote starter which takes less than an hour to complete.

Cons of Remote Starters

Needless pollution - The biggest downside to remote starters is the unnecessary pollution that your idling car produces. When idling your Outback for a long time, you’re burning gasoline and putting out harmful emissions to the air. Some remote starters address this issue by setting an idling time limit before it needs to be manually started. In Subaru’s case, it takes 20 minutes of idling before the engine shuts off.
Legal stipulations - If you live in parts of the country with car idling laws, getting a remote starter may get you in trouble with the law. Some states have laws and regulations that make it illegal to run your engine when you’re not driving it.
Added costs - Whether you’re subscribing to Starlink or installing an engine starter accessory, getting your Subaru Outback Remote Start means you have to spend more money. It costs good money, so think about whether or not you need this feature.

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