Last week, German authorities forced Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus to disable the cars’ heating system due to its alleged environmental impact. The shutdown was carried out remotely.

It was last week that German media reported on the forced shutdown, which authorities required Toyota and Lexus to implement. According to the information, the Auxiliary Climate Control system was also suddenly disabled for thousands of other Toyota and Lexus drivers. The measure sparked confusion and disappointment online.

In 2025, the company sold more than 100,000 vehicles in Germany alone, and the deactivation affects the majority of these. The parking heater function, previously available via the MyToyota or Lexus Link Plus apps, has been deactivated on vehicles with combustion engines across Germany, according to Toyota’s spokesperson Ralph Muller.

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Toyota disabled the function “to protect vehicle users from fines,” as legislators deem remote engine warming as “unnecessary driving” that produces “avoidable exhaust emissions.”

Electric Cars Not Affected

Toyota claimed that the action protected owners from potential fines from regulators by using remote access to disable the function and thereby comply with the requirements.

Pure electric cars and plug-in hybrids, where cabin heating works without starting the combustion engine, still have this feature enabled.

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