Toyota 4Runner Driver Doesn't Want To Pay $20 Subscription To Start Car. Then She Discovers Key Fob Trick: 'The Things You Learn'

Automakers have been pushing more and more features behind paid subscriptions lately, and remote start is one of the more common ones to get locked away. This new model makes an already expensive purchase feel like you’ll never truly reach the “paid off in full” stage of car ownership that many look forward to.

This new Toyota owner found there might be a workaround for at least one of those pesky subscription features.  

New Feature Unlocked—Literally

In a viral video with more than 1.5 million views, content creator Kristen Bravo (@kristenbrvo) shared that the dealership tried to upsell her on the Toyota app, but she didn’t take the bait. 

"When we bought my 2025 4Runner, we were told that the Toyota app is like the greatest thing ever because you can start your car from the app. The remote just has, like, lock, unlock, and the alarm," she explained.

She'd held off on paying for it and seems even less inclined to sign up for the monthly fee now that she’s come across a workaround.

"I came across a TikTok that literally says you don't need the app. You don't need to pay the app, and I think it's like $20 a month—and that's why I haven't had it—but this is a life-changer," Bravo says.

She then goes out to her car and triple-presses the lock and holds on the third press. And voila, the car started right up.

"The things you learn on this app is just amazing,” she said at the end of the clip.

Are Car Subscription Fees Here To Stay?

Toyota isn't the only one implementing the subscription model. Other automakers have locked features that used to just come with the car behind a paywall—and it's taking some vehicle owners by surprise.

For example, one Mazda owner shared with AARP that it wasn’t until three years after buying his 2019 Mazda3 that he was told he needed to start paying $10 a month to keep remotely locking, unlocking, and locating his car through the app. He ultimately decided not to pay for it. 

An automotive analyst pointed out that a single $20-a-month subscription feature can cost an owner around $3,000 over the life of the vehicle. It's also a growing business for automakers with connected and subscription services projected to grow from about $6 billion in industry revenue in 2024 to roughly $15 billion by 2030.

Cars.com counted paid or subscription-based connected services across at least 26 brands or brand groups, spanning mainstream automakers to luxury brands and even EV-focused makers. 

How Much Is Toyota's Remote Connect?

Remote Connect, the feature that lets owners lock, unlock, and start their vehicle from the Toyota app, isn’t its own paid plan but rather comes standard on all of Toyota's paid plans, according to Toyota's connected services page. 

Those plans are Music Lover ($15/month, adds Apple Music and Amazon Music streaming), Go Anywhere ($15/month, adds cloud navigation and voice assistant features), and Premium ($25/month, which combines both). 

‘Subscription Monthly Stuff Has Gotten WAY Out Of Hand’

The sentiment across the board was clear—commenters feel car companies are taking things too far with the subscription model. 

“The subscription monthly stuff has gotten WAY out of hand,” a top comment read.

“The fact that the dealership didn't tell you that you had a built-in remote starter in your key fob is just rude,” a person said.

“Paying for an app to access your car? What in the capitalism?” another wrote.

“Next they’re going to do subscription windshield wipers,” a commenter added.

Motor1 reached out to Kristen Bravo (@kristenbrvo) via email and TikTok direct message for comment and to Toyota via email. We'll be sure to update this if either responds.