How to remote start Ford Kuga

Ford Kuga supports remote start feature that allows you to remotely start the engine of your vehicle for the purpose of cooling or preheating the interior before the passengers gets to it.

Ford Kuga – (photo by Ford)

The remote start feature on Ford Kuga has many benefits. You can start your vehicle in advance when the weather is too hot or cold outside. The system turns on the air conditioning or heating, making inside cabin temperature more tolerable when you get to your vehicle.


Before you start your Kuga remotely, ensure that the vehicle is parked in a well ventilated area. Starting your vehicle in an enclosed space, like a closed garage, introduces risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Enabling Remote Start in Kuga

Remote start feature must be enabled in the instrument cluster settings of your Ford Kuga before you can use it.

  1. Press Settings on the touchscreen.
  2. Select Vehicle.
  3. Select Remote Start Setup.
  4. Switch Activate Remote Start on.

Remote start procedure for Kuga

You can remotely start your Ford Kuga by following these simple steps:

  1. Download FordPass app from Google Play or App Store on your mobile device.
  2. Open the app and accept any terms and conditions that may appear.
  3. Login to your Ford Owner account or create one by pressing the Create Account button.
  4. Add and activate your Ford Kuga in the FordPass app.
  5. Start your vehicle and confirm the prompt to complete the pairing process.
  6. Now press and hold the Start Engine button on the home screen of FordPass app.
  7. The turn signal lights flash twice and the engine starts.
  8. Once started remotely, the engine will run for up to 15 minutes, depending on setting, and then shut off.

The parking lamps turn on when the engine is running. The horn sounds if the system fails to start. All other vehicle systems remain off when you have remotely started the engine. The vehicle remains secured when you have remotely started the engine. A valid key must be inside your vehicle to switch the ignition on and drive your vehicle.

A maximum of two remote starts are allowed. After that you need to turn the ignition on and off before you can use remote start again.

Remotely stop Kuga’s engine

You can remotely stop the engine of your Kuga by pressing the Stop Engine button on the home screen of FordPass app. This only works if the engine is running after a remote start.


Extend engine running time

To extend the engine running time duration of your Kuga during remote start, repeat the activation using FordPass app while the engine is running. If you programmed the duration to last 10 minutes, the second 10 minutes will begin after what is left of the first activation time. For example, if your vehicle had been running from the first remote start for 5 minutes, your vehicle continues to run now for a total of 20 minutes. You can extend the remote start up to a maximum of 30 minutes.

Remote start system not working on Ford Kuga

If the engine on your Kuga does not start when you perform the remote starting procedure, it can be due to a number of reasons:

  • Your vehicle is low on fuel.
  • The hood on your Kuga is not fully closed.
  • One or more of the vehicle doors are open, make sure they are securely closed.
  • The transmission is not in park mode (P).
  • The 12v battery voltage has gone too low.
  • The service engine light is turned on in the instrument cluster.
  • Your Ford Kuga may not have the remote start feature. Get your vehicle checked by an authorized dealer to confirm if it is equipped with a remote start system.

Remote start settings

Switching Climate Control Auto Mode On and Off

  1. Press Settings on the touchscreen
  2. Select Vehicle.
  3. Select Remote Start Setup.
  4. Select Climate Control.
  5. Switch Auto on or off.

If you switch the auto mode on, the system attempts to heat or cool the interior of Kuga to 72°F (22°C). When you switch the ignition on, the climate control system returns to the last used settings.

The heated windshield, heated rear window, heated mirrors, heated seats and heated steering wheel could turn on in cold weather.

Switching Climate Control Last Settings On and Off

  1. Press Settings on the touchscreen
  2. Select Vehicle.
  3. Select Remote Start Setup.
  4. Select Climate Control.
  5. Switch Last settings on or off.

If you switch the last settings on, the system remembers the last used settings.

Switching the Heated Seats and the Heated Steering Wheel Settings On

  1. Press Settings on the touchscreen
  2. Select Vehicle.
  3. Select Remote Start Setup.
  4. Select Seats and Steering Wheel.
  5. Switch Auto on or off.

If you switch the heated seat and steering wheel settings to ‘Auto’, the heated seats and steering wheel turn on during cold weather. You cannot adjust the heated seat and steering wheel settings whe

Setting the Remote Start Duration

  1. Press Settings on the touchscreen
  2. Select Vehicle Settings.
  3. Select Remote Start.
  4. Select Duration.
  5. Choose 5 Minutes, 10 Minutes or 15 Minutes.

Note: Wait a few seconds before remotely starting the vehicle after the vehicle stops running.

Engine idling law

There are laws against car idling with no passenger or driver inside in many states to protect the environment. It does not mean its completely illegal to use remote start, some states have time limit on how long you can keep the engine running. So check with your local state laws before using the remote start feature on your Ford Kuga.


Video Demonstration

Watch this video to see how to set up FordPass app.
Author: Nabeel K
Email: nabeel@wheelsjoint.com



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