Key Takeaways
- The direct link: If your Check Engine Light (CEL) is on, the remote start is automatically disabled by the computer to protect the engine.
- Most common fix: It is usually a loose gas cap or an emissions leak. Tightening the cap and clearing the code often fixes it.
- The Safety Logic: Chevy disables remote start so you don't accidentally run the engine while it has a critical problem like low oil pressure or overheating.
- Other culprits: If the Check Engine Light isn't on, check your hood latch sensor or your key fob battery.
- The Solution: You must scan the error codes, fix the issue, and clear the codes before remote start will work again.
The Short Answer: Why Your Remote Start Failed
If you are frustrated because you pushed that start button and nothing happened but a blink of lights, here is the deal: Your Chevy remote start is not working because the check engine light is on.
These two things are directly connected. It's not a coincidence. General Motors programs their vehicles (whether it's a Silverado, Malibu, Equinox, or Tahoe) to completely disable the remote start feature the moment a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) is stored in the computer. Basically, the car's brain thinks, "I'm sick, so I shouldn't run unless the driver is actually sitting in the seat to monitor me."
To fix the remote start, you simply have to fix whatever triggered the check engine light. Once that light is off, your remote start will come back to life instantly.
Understanding the "Why": It's a Safety Feature
I know it feels like the car is punishing you, especially when its freezing outside and you just want a warm seat. But according to Chevy mechanics and the owner's manual, this is strictly a safety protocol.
Think about it like this. If you’re remote starting your car, you aren't inside it. You can't see the gauges. You can't smell if something is burning. You can't see if the oil pressure has dropped to zero.
If the computer let you remote start the car with a serious engine problem, you could run the engine for 10 or 20 minutes and destroy it before you even walked out the front door. So, GM took the safe route. If the system detects any fault-even a minor one-it disables the remote start to prevent potential catastrophic damage.
It's annoying, but it saves engines.
The Most Common Culprit: The Loose Gas Cap
Before you panic and think you need a new transmission, check the gas cap. Honestly, this is the issue about 50% of the time.
Modern cars have something called an EVAP system. It's designed to trap gas fumes so they don't pollute the air. The system is pressurized. If your gas cap is loose, cracked, or the rubber seal is dirty, the system loses pressure. The car detects a "leak," throws a Check Engine Light, and boom-your remote start is dead.
How to check it:
- Go to the gas tank.
- Take the cap off completely.
- Look at the rubber ring (gasket) on the inside. Is it cracked? Is there dirt on it?
- Put it back on and turn it until it clicks usually one or three times depending on the model.
Important note: Tightening the cap wont turn the light off immediately. You usually have to drive the car for a few "cycles" (turning it on, driving, turning it off) before the computer realizes the leak is gone. Or, you can manually clear the code with a scanner.
How to Troubleshoot and Fix the Issue
If you tightened the gas cap and the light is still staring at you, you need to find out exactly what the car is complaining about. You don't need to be a mechanic to do this.
Step 1: Get the Codes Scanned
You have two options here, and both are pretty easy.
- The Free Way: Go to an auto parts store like AutoZone, O'Reilly Auto Parts, or Advance Auto Parts. They will walk out to your car with a handheld scanner and plug it in for free. They'll give you a code (like P0442 or P0300).
- The DIY Way: Buy a cheap OBDII Bluetooth scanner on Amazon for like $20. You plug it into the port under your steering wheel, connect it to your phone, and it tells you exactly what's wrong.
Step 2: Interpret the Codes
Once you have the code, Google it along with your car model (e.g., "Chevy Silverado P0455 code"). Here are the most common ones that kill remote start:
- P0442 / P0455 (Evap Leaks): This is usually the gas cap or a vent valve. It's an emissions thing. It won't hurt the car to drive it, but it kills the remote start.
- P0300 (Random Misfire): This means your spark plugs or coils might be bad. The engine is "stumbling."
- P0171 / P0174 (System Too Lean): Usually a vacuum leak or a bad Mass Air Flow sensor.
- O2 Sensor Codes: The sensors in your exhaust are reading bad data.
Step 3: Clear the Codes
This is the magic step. If you fix the problem (or if it was just a loose gas cap), you need to tell the computer to reset. If you have your own scanner, hit "Clear Codes."
The moment the Check Engine Light turns off on the dashboard, try your key fob. I bet you the remote start works immediately.
Other Reasons Remote Start Fails (Even with NO Check Engine Light)
Sometimes you might be in a situation where the Check Engine Light is not on, but the remote start still refuses to work. It usually just flashes the lights at you and stays silent. This is super frustrating, but here are the usual suspects.
1. The Hood Latch Sensor
This is huge on Chevys. There is a safety switch in the hood latch mechanism. The car needs to know the hood is closed so that the engine doesn't start while someone has their hands inside the engine bay working on it.
If that sensor gets dirty, corroded, or bent, the car thinks the hood is open. If the car thinks the hood is open, remote start is disabled.
The Fix: Pop the hood and look at the latch. Clean it out with some degreaser or WD-40. Sometimes you can simply disconnect the sensor and jump the wires to test if that's the problem, but replacing the latch is usually the best bet.
2. Key Fob Battery is Weak
Sometimes the problem isn't the car, its the remote. If the battery in your fob is dying, it might have enough power to unlock the doors (which takes a quick signal) but not enough "juice" or signal strength to initiate the remote start sequence, which requires a longer hold on the button.
Most Chevy remotes use a CR2032 battery. They cost like five bucks at the grocery store. Pop the remote open and swap it. It’s cheap insurance.
3. Too Many Start Attempts
Did you know Chevy puts a limit on how many times you can remote start the car? You can only perform two remote starts between ignition cycles.
So, if you remote start it (10 minutes), let it time out, then remote start it again (another 10 minutes), and let it time out... you can't do it a third time. You actually have to go out, put the key in (or push the start button), and turn the car on manually to reset the counter.
4. Hazard Lights are On
This is a weird one, but if your hazard flashers are on, the remote start system is often disabled. I don't know why you'd leave them on, but if you did, that's your problem.
5. Coolant and Oil Pressure
Even if the Check Engine Light isn't on yet, if the car sensors detect that coolant temperatures are way too high, or oil pressure is critically low, it will prevent the start. This is the computer saving your engine from suicide.
Can I Bypass This?
A lot of people ask me, "Can I just bypass the sensor so I can remote start my truck even with the Check Engine Light on?"
The short answer is no.
The long answer is that you would need to reprogram the ECU (the car's computer) using expensive tuning software like HP Tuners. Unless you are a tuning wizard, you can't just cut a wire to bypass this. The logic is buried deep in the car's software. It is way easier (and cheaper) to just fix the code causing the light.
Detailed Troubleshooting: The "Hard Reset"
If you've checked the gas cap and you don't have a scanner, you can try a "Hard Reset" of the car's computer. This might clear the check engine light temporarily if the issue was a one-time glitch.
Warning: This will reset your radio presets and maybe your clock.
- Pop the hood.
- Use a 10mm wrench (it's always a 10mm, isn't it?) to disconnect the Negative (Black) battery terminal.
- Move the cable away from the battery post so it doesn't touch.
- Wait about 15 to 30 minutes. go grab a coffee.
- Reconnect the cable and tighten it down.
- Start the car manually.
If the Check Engine Light is gone, try to turn the car off and use the remote start. If it works, great! If the light comes back on after driving for a few miles, you have a hard part failure (like a sensor) that actually needs replacing.
When to Call a Pro
Look, I'm all for fixing things in the driveway. It feels good to save money. But there are times when you should throw in the towel.
If you scan the codes and you see things related to Transmission solenoids or Timing chain correlation, these are big jobs. Also, if you have electrical gremlins-like the dashboard flickering while you try to start it-that's usually a bad ground wire or a failing Body Control Module (BCM).
At that point, unless you have a full garage of tools, it's worth paying the diagnostic fee at a shop. But for a simple EVAP code or an O2 sensor? You can totally handle that.
Summary Checklist
So, to wrap this up, if your Chevy won't remote start, follow this order of operations:
- Look at the dash: Is the Check Engine Light on? If yes, that is 100% the problem.
- Check the Gas Cap: Tighten it.
- Scan the Codes: Get the P-code from an auto parts store.
- Fix the Issue: Replace the part or cap.
- Clear the Codes: Use the scanner to turn off the light.
- Test: Remote start should work now.
If there is NO light on the dash:
- Change the key fob battery.
- Check the hood latch sensor.
- Make sure you haven't exceeded the "2 starts" limit.
It's frustrating, I know. But your truck is just trying to look out for itself. Fix the light, and you'll get your heat back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will remote start work if the tire pressure light is on?
A: Yes. A Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) light usually does not disable remote start. It is considered a safety warning, but not an engine-critical failure. However, an open hood or trunk will disable it.
Q: Can I just disconnect the battery to clear the code?
A: Sometimes. Disconnecting the battery for 30 minutes forces the computer to reset. If the problem was a temporary glitch, the light will stay off. If there is a real broken part, the light will come back on after you drive a few miles.
Q: How much does it cost to fix an EVAP leak code?
A: If it's just the gas cap, it's about $15. If it is a vent valve solenoid (very common on Silverados and Tahoes), the part is usually around $40-$60 and takes about 20 minutes to swap out under the truck.
Q: My check engine light is flashing. Can I remote start?
A: Definitely not. A flashing check engine light means a severe engine misfire is happening right now. It is actively dumping unburnt fuel into your exhaust, which can melt your catalytic converter. Do not drive the car, and definitely don't remote start it.
Q: Does the "Check Engine" light clear itself?
A: Eventually, yes, but only if the problem is fixed. For example, if you tighten a loose gas cap, you might have to drive the car for 50-100 miles through several warm-up and cool-down cycles before the computer is satisfied and turns the light off automatically.