There’s nothing quite as frustrating as heading to your Chevy app on a freezing morning, ready to warm up your car from the comfort of your home, only to find the remote start button has vanished. You tap around, close the app, open it again, but that familiar icon just isn’t there.
This happens more often than you’d think, and the good news is that it’s usually something you can fix yourself without calling a dealership or tech support. Your remote start feature didn’t disappear into thin air. There’s always a reason behind it, and most of the time, that reason has a simple solution.
Throughout this piece, you’ll learn exactly why your app might be hiding the remote start option and how to get it back. We’ll walk through the most common culprits and give you practical fixes that actually work.
What’s Really Going On With Your App
When your myChevrolet app stops displaying the remote start feature, it’s typically a communication breakdown between your phone, the app servers, and your vehicle. Think of it like a three-way phone call where one person suddenly can’t hear the others. Everything looks fine on the surface, but somewhere in that chain, a connection got interrupted.
The app relies on your active subscription status, your vehicle’s connectivity system, and a stable internet connection to function properly. If any one of these elements hits a snag, the app pulls back certain features to prevent errors. Remote start is usually the first to go because it requires the most robust connection between all three points.
Your vehicle sends data to Chevrolet’s servers through its built-in cellular connection. The app then pulls that data from the servers to your phone. When this loop gets interrupted, the app can’t verify that your car is capable of receiving remote start commands, so it hides the button as a safety measure. This prevents you from attempting to start your car when the command might not go through.
Left unaddressed, this issue won’t damage your vehicle, but it sure makes life inconvenient. You’ll be stuck walking out to a cold car in winter or a hot one in summer, which defeats the whole purpose of having a connected vehicle in the first place.
My Chevrolet App Not Showing Remote Start: Likely Causes
Several things can cause your remote start button to disappear from the app. Most of them tie back to subscription issues, connectivity problems, or simple software glitches that pile up over time.
1. Expired or Inactive Service Plan
Your remote start feature runs through Chevrolet’s connected services, which require an active subscription. Many new Chevrolet vehicles come with a trial period that lasts anywhere from three months to a year. Once that trial ends, the service stops unless you’ve signed up for a paid plan.
The app doesn’t always send you a clear notification about this. You might just wake up one day and find the remote start option missing. Check your subscription status in the app settings or through your Chevrolet account online.
2. Poor Cellular Signal From Your Vehicle
Your car has its own cellular connection, separate from your phone. If your vehicle is parked in a garage with thick concrete walls, an underground parking structure, or anywhere with weak cell coverage, it can’t communicate with Chevrolet’s servers. The app won’t show remote start because it can’t confirm your car is reachable.
This happens a lot in basements or buildings with metal structures that block signals. Even some residential garages in areas with spotty coverage can cause this problem. Your phone might have full bars, but your car’s connection is what matters here.
3. App Cache and Data Corruption
Over time, your myChevrolet app accumulates temporary files and cached data. These files are supposed to make the app run faster, but they can become corrupted or outdated. When that happens, the app might not load all features correctly.
You’ll notice this especially after app updates or if you haven’t cleared your cache in months. The app tries to load old information that no longer matches what’s on the server, creating conflicts that hide certain features.
Other signs of cache issues include slow loading times, features that appear and disappear randomly, or error messages that pop up when you try to access vehicle information.
4. Outdated App or Phone Software
Chevrolet regularly updates the myChevrolet app to fix bugs and add new features. If you’ve turned off automatic updates or ignored update notifications, you might be running an old version that has compatibility issues with current servers.
Your phone’s operating system matters too. An outdated iOS or Android version can cause apps to behave strangely. Sometimes the app needs certain system features that only exist in newer OS versions.
5. Vehicle Not Properly Linked to Your Account
Sometimes the connection between your vehicle and your myChevrolet account gets disrupted. This can happen after a battery disconnect, dealership service, or even after certain software updates to your vehicle’s infotainment system.
When your car and account aren’t properly synced, the app can’t pull your vehicle’s full feature list. It defaults to showing only basic information like fuel level and tire pressure, hiding advanced features like remote start.
You might also see this if you’ve recently purchased a used Chevrolet and the previous owner didn’t properly remove the vehicle from their account. The car can only be linked to one account at a time.
My Chevrolet App Not Showing Remote Start: How to Fix
Getting your remote start button back usually takes just a few minutes. Try these fixes in order, starting with the simplest ones first.
1. Verify Your Subscription Status
Open the myChevrolet app and tap on the menu icon. Look for Account Settings or Subscription Services. You’ll see a list of your active and inactive services here. If your remote access plan shows as expired or inactive, you’ll need to renew it.
Head to the Chevrolet connected services website or call OnStar directly to reactivate your subscription. They can set you up with a monthly or annual plan. Once activated, it usually takes about 15 minutes for the app to reflect the change.
Close the app completely after subscribing, wait a few minutes, then reopen it. The remote start button should appear once the servers recognize your active subscription.
2. Clear the App Cache and Data
For iPhone users, you’ll need to delete and reinstall the app since iOS doesn’t let you clear app cache directly. Hold down the app icon until it jiggles, tap the X, then reinstall from the App Store. This wipes all temporary data clean.
Android users have an easier path. Go to Settings, then Apps, find myChevrolet, and tap Storage. You’ll see options to Clear Cache and Clear Data. Start with clearing cache. If that doesn’t work, try clearing data too, but know that you’ll need to log in again.
3. Update Everything
Check for app updates in your phone’s app store. If an update is available, install it right away. App developers often fix remote start issues in their updates because it’s such a commonly used feature.
While you’re at it, check your phone’s system software. On iPhone, go to Settings, General, then Software Update. Android users should check Settings, System, then System Update. Install any pending updates and restart your phone.
After updating, give your phone a full restart before opening the app again. This clears out any lingering issues and gives the new software a fresh start.
4. Move Your Vehicle to Better Coverage
If your car is parked somewhere with weak signal, try moving it to an open area. Park it outside your garage for 10 minutes and see if the remote start option reappears in the app. This tells you whether signal strength is your main issue.
You can also start your car manually and let it run for a few minutes. Sometimes the vehicle’s cellular modem needs to reconnect to the network after sitting idle. Once it establishes a strong connection, the app will recognize it as available for remote commands.
5. Remove and Re-Add Your Vehicle
In the myChevrolet app, go to your vehicle settings and look for an option to remove or delete the vehicle from your account. This won’t affect anything on the car itself. It just breaks the link in the app.
After removing it, close the app completely. Wait about 60 seconds, then reopen it and add your vehicle again. You’ll need your VIN number handy. The app will guide you through the linking process.
This forces a fresh connection between your account and the vehicle, often clearing up any authentication or feature recognition issues that built up over time.
6. Contact Your Chevrolet Dealer or OnStar
If none of these fixes work, there might be a deeper issue with your vehicle’s connectivity hardware or your account. Reach out to OnStar by pressing the blue button in your car, or call your local Chevrolet dealership’s service department.
They can run diagnostics on your vehicle’s telematics system and check whether there are any service bulletins related to app connectivity for your specific model year. Sometimes a software update at the dealer level is needed to restore full app functionality.
Wrapping Up
Most remote start disappearing acts come down to expired subscriptions, connectivity hiccups, or app glitches that clear up with a few simple steps. Start with the basics like checking your subscription and clearing your cache before moving on to more involved fixes.
The beauty of connected car technology is that when it works, it makes life so much easier. When it doesn’t, a little troubleshooting usually gets things back on track. Keep your app updated, maintain your subscription, and you’ll have that remote start button right where it belongs.