Toyota Safety Connect: What It Is And Why You Need It

Marie A
Nov 29, 2020

Toyota has gone all-in on safety to help keep their loyal customers and their passengers safe from harm. As part of that endeavor, they rolled out the Safety Connect system in 2010. Their 2020 vehicles still use this system since it provides true peace of mind.

2020 Toyota Prius - Photo by Toyota

What is the Toyota Safety Connect system? 

Safety Connect is a monitoring system that can automatically call for help after a collision. You can also hit the 24/7 emergency assistance button to get help on the fly. Beyond that, it has a stolen vehicle locator and enhanced roadside assistance. 

If you’re going to buy a 2020 Toyota, it’s important to know all you can about this helpful system. Thankfully, we make it easy to learn all you need to know by simply reading through this guide.

The Safety Connect System by Toyota

To truly know if Safety Connect is something you want in your life, you need to explore all its key features. To help you out, here’s a rundown of what comes with this system and how each one can benefit you.

Automatic Collision Notification

Upon getting into a car accident, there’s a chance that you could end up unconscious and in need of medical care. To ensure that help is on the way, the Automatic Collision Notification system is always watching out for you.

This smart system jumps into action upon detecting a severe impact that causes the airbags to deploy. It may also activate if it detects that your car was rear-ended by a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed.

When that happens, it will communicate the situation to the 24/7 emergency response center. They will reach out in an attempt to see if you are okay. If not, the support rep will contact the authorities to come help.

Emergency Assistance Button

If you’re suffering a medical emergency or other distressing situation, you may not have the ability to use your phone to call for help. With the Emergency Assistance Button on hand, you can just press the button to immediately get in touch with the 24/7 response center.

2020 Toyota Prius - Photo by Toyota

They will gather information about the situation to determine how to respond. Then, they will call law enforcement or direct an ambulance to your location to help you out.

Enhanced Roadside Assistance

Whether a flat tire, dead battery, or lack of fuel is threatening to ruin your day, it’s important to know that help is just a button press away. Upon hitting that button, the Enhanced Roadside Assistance system connects you to the 24/7 team at Toyota.

They will figure out what’s going on and send out a professional to help get your car back on the road or to the shop. While you wait, you have complete peace of mind that the problem will be handled in full by a professional you can trust.

Stolen Vehicle Locator

More than 40% of stolen vehicles are never recovered, leaving their owners at a total loss. The Stolen Vehicle Locator keeps that distressing scenario from becoming your reality.

To find your car and get it back from the thieves, you just have to alert law enforcement and get in contact with the 24/7 response center. After that, they will use the GPS in your car to find its location and let the police know where to retrieve it.

Although Safety Connect is a subscription service, it’s well worth having on your side. That way, you can rest assured that you can get help the moment you need it with just the click of a button.

People Also Ask These Questions About Toyota Safety Connect

How Do I Activate My Toyota Safety Connect?

In order to use Toyota Safety Connect, you need to activate your account online. Just navigate to www.toyota.com/owners and click the “Join Now” button to register. Once you have an account, you’ll need to click the activation link in your email to complete your registration.

What Does Toyota Safety Sense Include?

Toyota Safety Sense is a full suite of driver assistance systems, including Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Pre-Collision System, and Lane Departure Alert. These systems work together to help keep your car safely moving down the road and prevent it from colliding with pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vehicles.

What is the SOS Button in My Toyota?

On the overhead console is your SOS button, which is your direct link to Toyota’s 24/7 response center. You can use this button when you need emergency assistance or roadside services. Once you press it, you can speak with the response team and get the help you need.

How Do You Use Toyota Safety Connect?

Once you activate Toyota Safety Connect, you can speak with the 24/7 response team by pressing the SOS button. If you’re involved in a serious collision and cannot reach out for help, the team will automatically check with you and call for emergency services if you do not respond.

Does Toyota Have GPS Tracking?

Yes, Toyotas have GPS tracking that works with the Safety Connect system. If your vehicle is stolen, you just have to file a report with law enforcement and report the issue to the response center. They can then use GPS to find your vehicle and report its location to the police.

Photos: Toyota

Owner Reviews

accountCircle L Flannery on August 2, 2021
WHY BOTHER?!?
In theory the Toyota Safety Connect with roadside assistance is a useful tool. Say, your 77 year old mother is driving down US Highway 281 in TEXAS in August and has a flat tire. Who wouldn't want to know she would have help when her nearest family member is an hour away? But in reality, this is how it works. You press the SOS button, answer the IVR system(that recording you hear PRESS1 or say YES), then wait through "All agents are assisting other callers" then really bad hold music, as loud as your speakers will support. You talk to someone who couldn't care less about you or your situation, who informs you that they will text you when the roadside assistance is on their way. You wait for 45 minutes, NO TEXT NO CALL. You call again, wait through the first 3 steps, and the next agent informs you there is no recorded request. And that she has to call you back for a better connection...NO CALL BACK. Third call, agent apologizes because they are in a transition period between software programs. So at hour 2, she locates you within in a mile of your location, and the text messages start coming through 45-75 minute ETA. Meanwhile, a former Airborne/law enforcement officer and his wife pull over and change the tire, and will not take the offered money that you try to give them. You get in the vehicle, head back home. You get one call from a roadside assistance driver, looking for you in Spring Branch in the Houston TX area(3 hours away from you) unable to find 46th Street and 81st. Then the next call is roadside assistance driver looking for you in the right area US 281 Spring Branch, but at FM 311, not Texas 46. And TOYOTA has the cahones to charge for this service? Thank you, that's a hard pass. As we say after a WONDERFUL AUGUST AFTERNOON on the ROADSIDE, H to the E-L-L NO!!
accountCircle Mary Johnson on July 26, 2023
Life saver
My son was attacked by 2 offleash dogs while we were hiking at a county park. We had no cell service but were able to get him to my car. I pushed the sos button and was immediately put through to someone. They sent police and ems to the location. Without this app I would have had to deive to a different location and the dog owners would have left without police taking their information. They also called my husband at work and he was able to meet me at the hospital. Ems was able to get to us much quicker than if we had to drive to another location. You never think something like this could happen until it does. $80 a year or $8 a month is a small price to pay for all the help we recieved.
accountCircle LaVelle Ianson on August 1, 2022
Getting all the features you paid for.
I bought a 2019 Toyota Avalon for over 42.000 dollars. After getting a e mail my trail will be ending in August. I bought a subscription for another year. Couldn’t get the SOS button to work so I went to the dealer. And found out the safety connect NEVER worked since I bought the car. Then my microphone stopped working so I had to have a new one put in. And since then now my remote connect doesn’t work either. I am so discussed with the dealer and the people don’t seem to care about fixing the problem.I’m changing the dealer I usually went to and I am NEVER buying another Toyota again.
accountCircle Lori Willette on May 11, 2023
Works!
I did not even know my Corolla was equipped with this feature. Found out a few days ago when hit hard from behind while at a red light. Impact was so severe it pushed me into the vehicle in front of me. I was very rattled. A voice came over my speakers asking me if I was ok and contacting the police. I didn’t have to even know where I was. Beyond cool. And so helpful. Highly recommend this feature.
accountCircle M L on December 17, 2021
Loss of 3G network means you are on your own!
System will no longer be supported after November 2022. My car is a 2018 and it cannot be modified to work with the modern 4G/5G cellular networks. AAA and a cell phone is a much better choice so I am cancelling the service now rather than wasting any more money on obsolete technology.
accountCircle maggie on June 27, 2022
My lexus has the SOS safety connect button inside the car - it is NOT a number you dial from an APP or cell phone. It also goes right to a person who picks up.
My lexus has the SOS safety connect button inside the car - it is NOT a number you dial from an APP or cell phone. It also goes right to a person who picks up. That said, I havent used it yet, because my car hasnt broke down.
accountCircle Rorro on October 21, 2022
Safety connect feature
The feature did not work for me I was just a couple miles away from the border. I wonder if I should re-subscribe I got to end of trial.
accountCircle Sherlock Holmes on March 6, 2023
This article is completely outdated
Reviews are fake, must have been filled out by other manufactures that are jealous of Toyota.
accountCircle Jack U on November 28, 2021
Great
Thank you for sharing the story, you save me from a yearly subscription to this c**p service.
accountCircle Paul on November 2, 2021
Pgagne3@cox.net
Over priced yearly fee
  • Articles
  • chevronRightAlternative
  • Toyota Safety Connect: What It Is And Why You Need It