Toyota SOS Button - What’s Its Function and How to Use Correctly?

Most modern vehicles have a system that calls for help in an emergency. In Toyota and Lexus, this system is called Toyota Safety Connect. The Toyota SOS button is a direct connection to the Safety Connect system. It is a passive safety feature with the potential to save many lives on the road.

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What is Toyota Safety Connect?

The Toyota Safety Connect is a safety feature that uses GPS and cellular technology to monitor the whereabouts of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. It collects information about your surroundings and harnesses roadside emergency assistance. The Safety Connect services are available around the clock via a designated response center.

It is a subscription service to ensure you stay safe on the road. You can choose a monthly subscription that avails services such as automatic collision notification, and roadside emergency assistance calls that are answered by trained representatives available every day, for 24 hours.

Toyota introduced the Safety Connect service in 2010 with the Prius, Landcruiser, and the Toyota 4Runner. The service is now available in several Toyota and Lexus models.  

Besides the SOS Button, Other Toyota Safety Connect Features

The Toyota Safety Connect is a feature designed to ensure your on-road safety by providing support in an emergency such as an accident or vehicle breakdown. This in-vehicle device allows you to call for help at the press of a button.

The service offers several other features, as explained below.

1) Enhanced Roadside Assistance

You can have peace of mind if you are involved in an on-road emergency, knowing that help is on the way. This is thanks to the Toyota Safety Connect feature called Enhanced Roadside Assistance. At the press of the SOS button, you are automatically and immediately connected to a designated response center agent who dispatches the necessary emergency services.

There are several occasions where this roadside assistance service could be of help. For example, your vehicle could break down and require towing services. It is also a convenient service in case of an accident. You can use the enhanced roadside assistance feature to call for traffic police and ambulance assistance.

You wouldn't know when you'll possibly require this service. You could be on a trip to the countryside or running errands around town. The enhanced roadside assistance includes tire replacement services, gasoline delivery, and battery jump-start services.

2) Automatic Collision Notification

The Toyota Safety Connect offers an around-the-clock automatic collision notification service that reports any on-road occurrence that seems fatal. The system notifies the designated response center when your car is involved in an impact that deploys the safety airbags or senses a severe rear-end impact.

The agent at the designated response center will attempt to reach you or anyone else in your vehicle and dispatch assistance to your location via local emergency service providers. When you are involved in an accident, there are chances that you may end up unconscious. You will be happy to know that the 24/7 automatic collision notification is always watching you. The system will dispatch medical assistance and towing services to your location if needed.

3) Stolen Vehicle Locator

The Toyota Safety Connect ensures you don't lose your vehicle with the stolen vehicle locator. This safety feature uses GPS and cellular technology to pinpoint your vehicle's location in real time.

The stolen vehicle locator is also helpful in pinning your vehicle's location when unauthorized persons get hold of it. Such persons include your underage children who haven't received their driving licenses. If you want to loan out your car for profit, you can use the stolen vehicle locator to track its whereabouts instead of hiring a car tracking company.

With the stolen vehicle locator, you can share crucial information with the officers in charge of the case about your stolen car. The feature shows essential information about your vehicle, including its previous location, its direction, and the speed at which it is moving. This information makes it easy for the cops to track and restore your stolen car.   

How to Use the Toyota SOS Button

With the Toyota Safety Connect, you can travel in peace, knowing that no matter what happens on the road, you can never be stranded on the roadside. With 24/7 dedicated customer support, you can press the SOS button for assistance anytime. With this system comes the Emergency Assistance Button and the three features explained above.

Read the following step-by-step guide to understand how to use the SOS button to call for help.

• The first step is to buy a Toyota Safety Connect subscription
• With an active subscription, you can now take advantage of all the available Safety Connect features.
• To place a call for emergency assistance, press the overhead SOS button
• If the SOS button flashes green, your emergency assistance call is in progress, and help will arrive soon
• If you decide to cancel the call, long press the flashing SOS button for three seconds

SOS Button is Green, Flashing, or Illuminated Red

• When you buy a brand new car with the Toyota Safety Connect, the SOS button should be illuminated with solid green light. The green light shows that Safety Connect is active and working correctly.
• When you press the button to place an emergency assistance call, the green light begins to flash on and off. This means the call is in progress. You can end the call by long pressing the SOS button for three seconds or wait for the designated response center agent to respond and dispatch the help you need.
• If the SOS button has a solid red light illuminated, the system may have a problem. If your Toyota Safety Connect malfunctions, you should bring it to a service center for diagnosis and repair. When you start your vehicle, the SOS button illuminates red; this doesn't mean the system malfunctions unless it stays on without changing to green.
• If there is no light next to the SOS button, the Safety Connect system is inactive.

How much is the Toyota Safety Connect Subscription Fee?

The Toyota Safety Connect is available for an annual subscription fee of $80. You can also opt to buy a monthly subscription at $8. Every Toyota and Lexus vehicle made from 2010 and equipped with the Safety Connect feature comes with a free trial of 12 months.

Once this period elapses, you must pay the bill to keep enjoying the Toyota Safety Connect services. You will receive a pro-rated refund if you buy an annual subscription and cancel it before the year ends.    

Conclusion

The Toyota SOS button is an essential part of the Safety Connect system, which avails every emergency service you may need while on the road. This includes the police, fire, and emergency medical services. At the press of this button, you're immediately connected to an emergency response center that uses your information to dispatch the help you may need.