OEM Remote Starters | Pitfalls

Many vehicles now come from the manufacturer with a factory installed remote starter and becoming even more common, factory provided smartphone access and control of the vehicle.

We get many calls from clients who wish to either upgrade and increase the range of their factory remote starter, or want to increase the security of their vehicle by adding aftermarket security upgrades, such as a car alarm, additional sirens etc. 

Unfortunately, for the most part, upgrading, integrating, or adding-on to factory remote start and smartphone access systems is usually a losing proposition. 

Range Extension | Smartphone Controllers

It is not possible to add aftermarket key fobs, or aftermarket smartphone control to OEM remote starters.

No one makes a kit to do this, and there is no way to integrate key fobs or smartphone control directly into an OEM remote starter.

If you find the range of your factory installed remote starter is too short, you will have to replace the OEM remote starter with an aftermarket remote starter, and forgo use of the factory installed remote starter.

You may browse our selection of aftermarket remote starters via the link below:

Remote Starters  at Lockdown Security 

Security Upgrade | Adding an Alarm

We get calls and requests from clients who wish to simply upgrade or add-on more security to their vehicles, while still using and retaining the OEM remote start system.

However, in most cases this is not feasible, or not the best thing to do because of how the aftermarket alarm would react to the OEM remote starter. Meaning when the aftermarket alarm is armed, if you used the OEM remote starter the aftermarket alarm would trigger. 

We say *most cases* as there are certain vehicles where an interface module (such as the iDatalink ADS-ALCA or BLADE-AL) exists that will act as a bridge between the OEM remote starter and the aftermarket alarm, meaning you can use both seamlessly, however this is still the minority of vehicles where this applies.

The optimum/best way to add more security to your vehicle, while retaining the remote start functionality, is to go the route of adding a full aftermarket alarm with remote start system (sometimes known as a combo alarm/start).

You may browse our selection of aftermarket alarm with remote starters via the link below:

Car Alarms with Remote Start at Lockdown Security