Did You Know it is Illegal To Use Your Remote Start in the Summer?
If you are like me and have a car that you can remote start from an app or your key fob, is it legal in Texas to remote start your vehicle due to an anti-idling law?
Texas is one of the states that has an anti-idling law on the books but it only is in effect from April through October, so during the winter months, it is OK to remote start your car to warm it up before you get in it but not during the summer months.
With temperatures hitting record highs the past few weeks, it would be great to remote start your car to cool it off before you get in or keep it cool while you run into the convenience store, but you better just roll down a window till the heat has been expelled from inside your vehicle because your car can only idle for 5 minutes during the summertime according to the anti-idling law still on the books in Texas.
But if you do drive a truck with a weight of more than 14,000 lbs. you have an exemption to the law. So if you work in construction, maintenance, or diagnostics your truck can idle for up to 30 minutes so you can do your job. Also if you are a bus driver, the vehicle can idle for up to 30 minutes for comfort or transit operations.
So be warned that you only have 5 minutes to cool off your car during the summer months even though I doubt anyone will be standing near your car with a stopwatch to see if it is idling more than 5 minutes in 100+ degree heat.