As we unwillingly welcome in freezing temperatures, many people have only one goal in mind when taking that excruciating step outside – stay warm!

For motorists, remote car starters are a popular item during the fall and winter months.

Even though walking from your home into a heated vehicle is ideal, Winnipeger Jennifer Boulet wants to warn consumers to be cautious about buying a starter.

She bought the ProStart 6-button Remote Starter from Canadian Tire in 2013. After three years of having the device in her vehicle, she said her car began having several issues – her door light would not go off, her center console kept flashing the door ajar symbol and none of her locks would work.

Boulet had a mechanic look at her vehicle, who determined that when the starter was disconnected, the car’s problems would go away.

After spending around $500 for the device and installation – both through Canadian Tire – she ended up spending the same amount to have it removed from her vehicle, including repairs.

“Nothing was said to me when I was purchasing it and nothing is in their warranty saying the longevity of the command start itself,” Boulet said. “When I spend that kind of money on a device that’s supposed to help me through the winter, I expect it to last longer.”

Boulet said Canadian Tire forwarded her claim to its insurance company, and the insurance company passed her along to the manufacturer Directed.

She then went back and forth several times with the manufacturer trying to get her money back, she said.

CTV News reached out to Directed who said it asked Boulet to send the company the starter and it would pay her claim, which is around $500, upon evaluation and review of the device.

“Part of our core values at my company is to ‘Do the right thing’, and this is a situation that calls for just that. We will reimburse Ms. Boulet for her claim,” said Jim Jardin, vice president of marketing with Directed.

“With proper installation from a certified installer, the system can last for the life of the vehicle,” Jardin added. “The consumer will have to change out the batteries from the transmitter, depending on use and style of the transmitter, every 1-2 years. The transmitters are more prone to be damaged by the consumer by daily use or accidental damage.”

Canadian Tire was also contacted by CTV News – they have since decided to re-open Boulet’s file, and cannot comment further as their insurance company is looking into her concerns.

The owner of one automotive repair shop in Winnipeg said he get calls daily from people complaining about issues with their remote starters.

“It’s very common for people to blame the car starter,” said Ray Mckee, owner of R.M. AutoTech.

He said to avoid problems down the road, to purchase a product with a lifetime warranty, which will guarantee how long a starter will last for and it shows the company is willing to back its own product.

Two other Winnipeg businesses that sell and install remote car starters tell CTV News that people should not trust the installation of their device to the lowest bidder – fly-by-night installers offering services on sites like Kijiji are not the most reliable, especially if any problems occur later on.

They also say that where you buy your starter is important. For example, going for the cheapest deal online can cost you in the end, as you cannot assure that issues with the starter can be fixed or covered.

“Cars are getting so complicated nowadays. There’s so many computers. Used to be there was just an ignition key to start a car,” Mckee added. “Car starters don’t just short a bunch of wires together like you see on TV. They actually have to clone or duplicate what the chip key will do.”

CAA Manitoba told CTV News that a car with a well-functioning battery generally needs less than one minute to warm up before driving, so a starter isn't a necessity. They said when it comes to a starter, most people choose to it for comfort.

Boulet explained that she wants to be reimbursed for the device, the installation fee and the cost of pulling it out of her car, which comes to around $1,000.

Boulet says she is continuing to speak with both Directed and Canadian Tire.