Your usual remote starter is set up to transmit commands to the vehicle only, but the JT5 Starter remote not only transmits signals to the vehicle, but it also receives them as well. The limits of any long-range remote starter are those of the user’s hearing and sight. When a driver wants to remote start their vehicle from a long distance, he or she will usually have to be able to see or hear some sign of the engine starting, whether it be the parking lights or smoke from the tailpipe. Drivers need some form of feedback to know that the vehicle in fact received the command they have sent. The JT5 Starter provides this missing link by incorporating a receiver into to its transmitter carried by the driver.

The first noticeable difference about the JT5 Starter is the transmitter’s LCD display which is blank until you press button one to arm the full-fledged alarm system. The parking lights illuminate the usual single flash and the siren single chirps to signify the alarm is armed. Then an interesting occurrence takes place at the transmitter — a symbol of a car appears on the LCD screen with its parking lights flashing while the transmitter emits a beep to confirm that the car has received the command to arm and has carried out your request. By contrast to conventional remote alarms, the JT5 adds the extra radio link that gives the operator the firm commitment that the command has been carried out. When the alarm is disarmed, the car alarm emits two beeps and light flashes while companion visual and audible signals are heard by the transmitter user well out of ear shot of the vehicle. Should the JT5 be set up to passively arm, the alarm siren will emit one chirp three seconds after the last door is closed. Then, 20 seconds later, the car alarm arms with a chirp followed by both a graphical and audio alert at the remote. The single compartment in the transmitter houses the transmitter’s battery. No longer do you have to search for the typical small 12-volt battery. The JT5 relies on a run-of-the-mill AAA battery, which are available anywhere, so you can keep a few spares in the glove box.

The security features that I especially like is when you send a start command to the JT5, it first checks the current status of the alarm. If the system is not armed, the signal will arm it and lock the doors before performing the remote starting function. Even though I’ve had remote starters for years, every once and a while after remote starting the engine I will accidentally try to start the engine after putting my key in the ignition lock cylinder out of habit. The JT5 has what I consider a very desirable feature called anti-grind which prevents such an oversight from damaging the starter. Also, if the driver is delayed or distracted during a disarming sequence, the JT5 will re-arm and re-lock the doors if a door is not opened within 30 seconds after disarming. If your car has a standard shift, the JT5 can accommodate it safely with its start reservation function. In the past, many dealers would shy away because of the liability issues in the event a vehicle were to start while in gear. Now, install shops can welcome all those young import owners when they want to add remote start to their pocket rockets. Just imagine coming out of a theater with your date and firing up your cruiser to listen to the deep exhaust rumble from its 5-inch chrome tip. Also, the JT5 even has a built-in two-minute timer to cool off the engine if it has a turbo.

Not only does the JT5 give you feed back during normal arming and disarming procedures, but it also acts as a pager receiver that can be put into monitoring mode to sense if someone is tampering with the protected vehicle. Should something cause the two-stage shock sensor to sense a minor intrusion, such as someone bumping the car, it will cause the alarm siren to chirp as a warning. At the same time, the JT5 remote informs the owner by showing a symbol on the display and beeps an audible alert. If the incursion escalates to a full alarm, the siren goes into its loud sound and the remote corresponds by showing the alert symbol along with a continuous beeping to signal the driver.

The JT5’s expected function of remote starting the engine also has some extra user friendly features such as its cold weather mode. This mode programs the JT5 to start the engine every two hours and run the engine for 15 or 25 selectable minutes as determined by the owner. This start routine will continue for a total of 12 starts in a 24-hour period and then cancel itself automatically or when button one is pressed to unlock the doors.

Not only will the JT5 perform your security and remote start operations, but it also allows you to control two other channels to run things like window and trunk release operations plus a conventional panic button function. It should be mentioned that the JT5 not only starts gasoline engines, but is equally at home starting diesel engines as well.

The JT5 embodies all the functions that I would expect to find in a premium remote starter plus the two-way communication function that insures that any command you send to the JT5 Starter is carried out and confirmation is received by your remote control. The JT5 has a suggested retail uninstalled price of $499.99 and, of course, should be installed by a qualified technician who preferably is a Mobile Electronics Certified Professional.