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By RemoteStarterCheck team · Published · Updated

Most cars built since 2010 can take an aftermarket remote starter, but not all. In our data 62.4% of 1,508 configurations have a verified Fortin guide. Here's what decides yours.

Last checked: . RemoteStarterCheck methodology and source records.

Can you add remote start to any car?

Not any car, but most of them. Of the 1,508 gas, diesel and hybrid configurations from 2010 to 2026 in our database, 941 (62.4%) have a Fortin install guide we verified, and another 136 show up in Fortin's guide index. What decides your car is a short list: the exact year range, how you start it (key or push button), automatic or manual, and whether a factory system is already there.

Data source: Fortin Electronic Systems public install guides, checked 2026-10-16. We're independent and not affiliated with Fortin. Always confirm with your installer or the manufacturer.

The five things that decide it

Factor Why it matters How to check
Factory remote start already fitted You may not need anything. Ford and Toyota both sell it from the factory on many models. Look for a remote start button on the fob, or read your owner's manual.
Exact year range and ignition Install guides are written for a year range and key type, not a model name. A 2022 RAV4 sits in at least four configurations in our data: H key, hybrid H key, push-to-start and hybrid push-to-start. Find your vehicle on our vehicle index.
Transmission Ford's app remote start is automatic only. Toyota doesn't offer factory remote start on manuals. Aftermarket manual installs need a special safety mode. Your shifter. Then read our manual transmission guide.
Immobilizer Since September 1, 2007, new light vehicles sold in Canada must have one. The remote starter needs a bypass to start the engine without the key. Assume you have one. Most modern modules include the bypass.
Engine type Hybrids need a hybrid setting. Diesels need a glow plug delay. A pure EV has no engine to start. Your badge and owner's manual.

What the data says, by key type

We sorted every configuration into push-to-start or turn key.

Ignition Configurations Verified Fortin guide Verified share
Push-to-start 851 563 66.2%
Turn key (standard, H key, G key, key port) 625 371 59.4%
Not stated by the source 32 7 21.9%

Push-button cars come out ahead. Much of the gap sits in older key-start cars: of the 254 key-start configurations that begin in 2010 to 2012, 114 are listed by Fortin without a guide we could confirm.

Older vs newer cars

First model year Configurations Verified share
2010-2012 391 47.6%
2013-2015 298 68.1%
2016-2018 239 69.9%
2019-2021 259 76.8%
2022-2024 235 59.1%
2025-2026 86 54.7%

The sweet spot is 2019 to 2021. The newest years dip because Fortin often lists them in its guide index before the guide's vehicle table matches the year, so give brand new models a few months, or ask an installer what they've done on that model.

Examples from real pages

These show how much the answer depends on the exact configuration, not the model name.

When the answer is "not yet" or "no"

  • Listed only. 431 configurations are on Fortin's vehicle pages but we couldn't tie a guide to them. That means "not yet verified," not "impossible." Another brand may cover it.
  • Electric vehicles. We mark the 5 Tesla rows as not applicable. There's no engine, and Tesla's own app handles cabin preconditioning.
  • Manual transmission. Possible on some vehicles with a manual-specific setup, but factory systems from Toyota and Ford don't do it.
  • Vehicles outside our coverage. If your car isn't in our index, it's not in our coverage yet. Ask an installer to check the brands' own lookups.

What a proper install includes

Fortin's EVO-ONE installation guide lists safety parts that must go in, not nice-to-haves: a valet switch, a hood pin switch and warning labels. The hood pin stops the car from remote starting with the hood open. If a quote leaves out the hood pin, ask why.

Disclosure: RemoteStarterCheck was started by the founder of YYC AutoTech, a remote starter installer in Calgary. The data on this site is the same for every installer.

How to check your car in five minutes

  1. Look at your key fob for a remote start button. If it's there, read the owner's manual first.
  2. Note the year, model, and whether you turn a key or push a button.
  3. Find it on our vehicle index and open the matching year range.
  4. Check the status: verified, index only or listed only.
  5. Take the page (it lists the module, harness and minimum firmware where known) to an installer and ask them to confirm.

FAQ

Can you add remote start to a car that doesn't have it? Usually, yes. 941 of 1,508 configurations in our data have a verified Fortin guide. The rest need an installer to check.

Can you add remote start to a manual car? On some vehicles, with a manual transmission setup that uses a "ready mode" safety sequence. Factory systems from Toyota and Ford don't support manuals.

Does an aftermarket remote starter need the key in the car? No. The bypass part of the module handles the immobilizer so the engine can start without the key in the ignition. You still need the key to drive.

How much does it cost? It varies, ask an installer. Parts change by vehicle, and labour depends on the car and the shop.

What if my car is listed but not verified? Ask an installer to look it up in Fortin's and other brands' lookups. Our status only says what we've confirmed so far.

Sources

Always confirm with your installer or the manufacturer.

All remote start guides · Data and studies