Here Why C8’s Remote Start Won’t Work When Engine Cover Is Open

The C8’s remote start system may seem a bit strange to most, but there’s a very good reason for the way it works.

New vehicles are loaded with technology, for better or worse. While we love the conveniences that modern tech provides, sometimes, it also leaves us scratching our heads trying to figure out why it works the way it does. Case in point – the C8’s remote start feature, which is undoubtedly great, will not work when the new Corvette‘s engine cover is open. And if you try to use remote start when the engine is running and the cover is open, the engine will stop. This has always seemed a bit curious to us, but now, GM Authority has discovered why the C8’s remote start functions in this manner.

“It’s just like the hood of a car,” Corvette Marketing Manager Harlan Charles explained to GM Authority. “On any car, if you open the hood, remote start will defeat or it won’t start. Imagine if someone was working on your car, and then someone started it when the person working on it isn’t ready? So it’s just for that – a safety feature. It’s a little different on the C8 because it’s your trunk, but it’s also your hood.”

It’s an interesting revelation for sure, but also one that makes perfect sense. GM simply doesn’t want anyone to be under the hood, tinkering around with their LT2, when someone else accidentally or purposefully starts the engine remotely. Think of a kid or spouse playing around with the key fob while you’re elbow-deep in the engine bay – obviously not a great situation to be in.

Regardless, it’s also worth pointing out that this feature only works on the C8 coupe, not the convertible. This is because the drop top’s engine compartment is separate from the cargo area, according to the automaker. And fret not shadetree mechanics – you can indeed keep the engine running when you open the engine cover, it just requires starting it the old fashion way – inside the car.

Photos: Chevrolet

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