Remote Start Frustration (2023 CX-5 Turbo Sport)

[jofo67]

I have a 2023 CX5 Turbo Sport. I originally traded in my 2021 F150 Powerboost because it was plagued with problems. $75K and 11 trips back to the dealer for quality defects later, I had enough!
In any case I bought the CX5 because I wanted a SUV/CUV, and after a lot of research and test drives, it was down the best value out there. It checked all the boxes for me. However I never intended to keep it for the long haul. My plan was to let Ford continue to debug the new generation F150 for another year or two and then trade back in for one. In the meantime I have fallen head over heels with driving the Mazda. It won me over.

I do have on big gripe though (ok 2 with the soft paint that is anything but forgiving), the Mazda app is horrible. The remote start function works maybe half the time. The other times it just stalls and will not log me in with facial recognition. I have to wait for it to stop thinking for like 5 minutes before I can manually log in. Then when I do, it is hit or miss whether it actually communicates with the car and starts it. I would love nothing more than to have a simple start button on the fob rather than this log in with the phone BS. This is not my first vehicle that has this feature, but it is my least favorite.
I’m just wondering if others have had these issues and what they did to address them.
Thanks

 

[Martyd]

My remote start in my 2023 has been flawless. Not much to suggest except delete app and start new.
I want to add that I have the app set up so I don't have to sign in each time. Open app and hit start,

 

[GTXT23]

I have a 2023 CX5 Turbo Sport. I originally traded in my 2021 F150 Powerboost because it was plagued with problems. $75K and 11 trips back to the dealer for quality defects later, I had enough!
In any case I bought the CX5 because I wanted a SUV/CUV, and after a lot of research and test drives, it was down the best value out there. It checked all the boxes for me. However I never intended to keep it for the long haul. My plan was to let Ford continue to debug the new generation F150 for another year or two and then trade back in for one. In the meantime I have fallen head over heels with driving the Mazda. It won me over.

I do have on big gripe though (ok 2 with the soft paint that is anything but forgiving), the Mazda app is horrible. The remote start function works maybe half the time. The other times it just stalls and will not log me in with facial recognition. I have to wait for it to stop thinking for like 5 minutes before I can manually log in. Then when I do, it is hit or miss whether it actually communicates with the car and starts it. I would love nothing more than to have a simple start button on the fob rather than this log in with the phone BS. This is not my first vehicle that has this feature, but it is my least favorite.
I’m just wondering if others have had these issues and what they did to address them.
Thanks

100% agree - it should just be on the key fob ....but technology is becoming a barter with the devil - ill give you this ,if you give up that - I wont do it because im not agreeing to wavie rights etc - but hey each 2,their own - ?
It could be the weakest link - aka - the phone or your service provider ?

 

[gazelle]

The issues with CX5 remote start are all related to it being done via Internet.
That has just too many potential points of failure - cell phone connectivity may be bad (resulting in long logins and failures to send commands to the vehicle) and car connectivity may be bad as well.

Anyone tried / can recommend a remote start kit?
It's got to have its own fob - my stock CX5 fob range is less than 20 ft no matter what I do

 

[GTXT23]

The issues with CX5 remote start are all related to it being done via Internet.
That has just too many potential points of failure - cell phone connectivity may be bad (resulting in long logins and failures to send commands to the vehicle) and car connectivity may be bad as well.

Anyone tried / can recommend a remote start kit?
It's got to have its own fob - my stock CX5 fob range is less than 20 ft no matter what I do

Why do you want remote start so bad !
Dont you need to restart it once in snyway ? or it it a cold place where u live ?

 

[gazelle]

Why do you want remote start so bad !
Dont you need to restart it once in snyway ? or it it a cold place where u live ?

Skiing all the time. Yes it's cold, and often no cellphone coverage

 

[Lynn]

My remote start in my 2023 has been flawless. Not much to suggest except delete app and start new.
I want to add that I have the app set up so I don't have to sign in each time. Open app and hit start,

We have a 2023 with remote start via app on our iPhones but when we do the remote start the doors also unlock! Horribly unsafe when out and about! Only need this feature in the wintertime but also unlocking the doors is not acceptable! Our 2023 Hyundai Kona also uses remote start app (Bluelink) and the doors remain locked as they should be when we use that app to remote start that car. Tonite I remote started the CX-5 b4 leaving a restaurant and was shocked to find the mirrors out which means the doors are unlocked! Is there something I've missed as this makes no sense. Is it just me? Tks!

 

[RedBaron]

We have a 2023 with remote start via app on our iPhones but when we do the remote start the doors also unlock! Horribly unsafe when out and about! Only need this feature in the wintertime but also unlocking the doors is not acceptable! Our 2023 Hyundai Kona also uses remote start app (Bluelink) and the doors remain locked as they should be when we use that app to remote start that car. Tonite I remote started the CX-5 b4 leaving a restaurant and was shocked to find the mirrors out which means the doors are unlocked! Is there something I've missed as this makes no sense. Is it just me? Tks!

Did you actually check that the doors were unlocked? Or just base it on the mirrors opening? I very much doubt that it unlocked the doors when starting.

 

[GTEyes]

We have a 2023 with remote start via app on our iPhones but when we do the remote start the doors also unlock! Horribly unsafe when out and about! Only need this feature in the wintertime but also unlocking the doors is not acceptable! Our 2023 Hyundai Kona also uses remote start app (Bluelink) and the doors remain locked as they should be when we use that app to remote start that car. Tonite I remote started the CX-5 b4 leaving a restaurant and was shocked to find the mirrors out which means the doors are unlocked! Is there something I've missed as this makes no sense. Is it just me? Tks!

My mirrors also unfold when using the remote start from the app but the doors do not unlock

 

[cz5gt]

My mirrors dont unfold. Do you know why?

 

[dunhillmc]

We have a 2023 with remote start via app on our iPhones but when we do the remote start the doors also unlock! Horribly unsafe when out and about! Only need this feature in the wintertime but also unlocking the doors is not acceptable! Our 2023 Hyundai Kona also uses remote start app (Bluelink) and the doors remain locked as they should be when we use that app to remote start that car. Tonite I remote started the CX-5 b4 leaving a restaurant and was shocked to find the mirrors out which means the doors are unlocked! Is there something I've missed as this makes no sense. Is it just me? Tks!

No, your doors are not unlocking when you use the remote start function on the app

 

[wrbluepearl]

Yeah, I've also found the CX-5 remote start through the phone app to be super-flaky - and usually most unreliable in the situations I'd most want it to work, e.g., leaving a hockey game on a chilly December night. Stupid thing remote starts perfectly in my backyard. Probably doesn't even work 1/2 the time. Not sure why they couldn't just put it on the fob like other manufacturers.
I'd also be interested in one of the remote start kits that uses the 'lock three times on the remote' trick, if anyone has experience with those...