Remote start control system for a vehicle with a bus controllable transmission and associated methods

A vehicle remote start controller for a vehicle comprising a data communications bus extending through the vehicle, an engine, a transmission associated with the engine and having a selectable disengaged position based upon a disengage transmission position command on the data communications bus, and a vehicle climate control system operable based upon a climate control command on the data communications bus, the vehicle remote start controller comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive a remote start signal transmitter from a remote start transmitter remote from the vehicle;
• and
• at least one processor cooperating with said receiver and configured to, in response to the remote start signal,
• generate the disengage transmission position command on the data communications bus to select the disengaged position for the transmission,
• generate the climate control command on the data communications bus to operate the climate control system, and
• start the engine.

A method of operating a remote start control system for a vehicle comprising a data communications bus extending through the vehicle, an engine, a transmission associated with the engine and having at least a selectable disengaged position based upon a disengage transmission position command on the data communications bus, and a vehicle climate control system operable based upon a climate control command on the data communications bus, the method comprising, in response to a remote start signal from a remote start transmitter away from the vehicle:

• generating, using a vehicle remote start controller at the vehicle, the disengage transmission position command on the data communications bus to select the disengaged position for the transmission;
• generating, using the vehicle remote start controller, the climate control command on the data communications bus to operate the vehicle climate control system;
• and
• starting, using the vehicle remote start controller, the engine.