Remote Car Starter Stopped Working

This time of the year rarely a week goes by that we don’t get a call from someone stating that their remote car starter stopped working. Nearly every call is the result of one of the situations below and is easily solved. While most of the situations below apply to any good remote car starter, we will be specifically discussing the causes and solutions for the Compustar brand.

Remote Starter is in Valet Mode

Symptoms: Lock and unlock buttons work as normal. Pressing start does not produce any response from the vehicle.

Causes: Accidentally pressed the combination of buttons to put car into valet mode, usually when in purse or pocket.

Any good remote car starter should have some form of valet mode. This is a condition that the remote car starter can be put into to prevent the vehicle from starting remotely while allowing keyless entry and certain other functions to work. You would do this when having service done to the vehicle. Most of our remote starters are put into valet mode by pressing a combination of 2 buttons on the remote control for 1/2 second. Look on the back of your remote for the proper buttons to press to enter and exit valet mode (Usually Lock+Trunk).

When you press these buttons, the parking lights should flash 2 times. Press the start button and your car should be warm and toasty!

Please note that certain other brands will have a “kill switch” under the dash that will accomplish this also. Many times customers will accidentally bump this switch during day to day driving, causing the remote starter to go into valet mode. This is easily corrected in most cases by simply flipping the switch in the other direction.

Please refer to your owners manual for instructions on how to get your particular starter in and out of valet mode.