Car manufacturers design their cars with different technology and materials. However, every vehicle comes with an owner’s manual. The manual is the manufacturer in print, meaning it tells you what the manufacturer wants you to know.
In a vehicle with a push start button, the manual explains how many times you should push the button to start the car. It also tells you how you should press the button. Suppose you need to press the button twice to start the engine in most cars. The first time is to turn on the ignition, and the second is to start the vehicle.
However, you should depress the brake pedal when pressing the button for the second time. But what if the car doesn’t start until you press the push start button 3 times? If this is your question, jump right in while we take a flight to discover all you need to know.
Why did my car take 3 pushes to start?
As pointed out earlier, car manufacturers design their cars with different technologies and engineering. While most push-start cars require two pushes to start the vehicle, some models may require three. For instance, some Kia model instructions require you to push the start button three times. The instructions state;
Without depressing the brake pedal, push the start button to turn on the accessory (ACC) mode. When you do this, you will see an ACC message on the push start button ring light, or the push button will display an orange light. In ACC mode, you can turn the steering wheel, check the clocks, switch on the stereo, et cetera.
When you press the button the second time, you activate the ON Mode, and the push start button will shine a green light. The On mode means you have turned on the ignition and all the warning lights on the car dashboard will appear.
The oil pressure light, battery light, and other dashboard lights will come on in this mode. You can also read the fuel gauge to know if you have a low and full tank.
To start the engine, press the push button the third time while depressing the brake pedal. The engine will come on, and you can shift the gear selector to reverse or drive, as the case may be.
However, in most cars, you can start your push-button car once by holding down the brake pedal and pressing the push button until the vehicle starts. The idea of pressing the push button without holding the brake is to turn on the ACC or ON mode.
However, a push button start malfunction, like software glitches, can cause the car to take multiple tries before starting. Also, software glitches can cause the engine start-stop button not working.
Simply put, the answer to whether pressing your push start button 3 times is wrong or not depends on your car model. Car manufacturers often use unique push-start button features on their cars.
How do you reset a push button starter?
Push button starters can malfunction and become unable to start the vehicle. When that happens, the best solution could be to reset the starter or remote key. But how do you reset a push button starter?
Tools and Items Needed
I’m not a psychic. So, I don’t know the tools in your toolbox. And you don’t have to buy a whole toolbox to reset the push-start button. But you’ll need;
- Remote starter
- A new key fob battery
- Flat
Switch it off and on
- Remove the remote starter cover and take off the battery
- Wait for 15 to 30 seconds
- Reinsert the battery and cover the starter
- Check if that resolved the problem
- If it did, that’s good. But if not, try the next few steps
Inspect the battery
- If you have a second remote starter that works, swap the batteries and see if that will fix the issue.
- If that solves the problem, you only need to replace the starter battery
- If it didn’t, try the next step below
Resetting the starter remote
- Consult your owner’s booklet or visit Programyourremote.com for the correct reset procedure for your car model. There are different resetting procedures for different cars. Here’s a generic step. Replace the guidelines for your specific car model.
- Bring all your car remote starters.
- Get into the car and close the doors.
- Insert the physical key into the ignition and turn it to the ACC mode without depressing the brakes.
- Press the lock button on the key fob
- Wait for 5 seconds. After that, return the key to the off-position
- Repeat the last three steps four times
- On the fourth time, you will hear a buzz, ping, or ding sound when you turn on the ACC mode. That sound indicates you are in programming.
- Press and hold the lock button on the key fob(s)
- Switch off the car within ten seconds
- Get out of the car, shut the doors, and test the remote starter
- The remote starter should be working now. If it’s not working, you should visit your car dealership.
What happens if you hold the push-to-start button?
If you press and keep holding the push-to-start button when the engine doesn’t start, the starter motor will overheat and start draining the battery. It’s just a matter of minutes before the battery runs down.
It is like cranking and holding the ignition key when the car refuses to start. But how long to hold push start button? Your car should start by pressing the push start button in 1 to 2 seconds. Don’t hold the push start button for more than 2 seconds.
But if the car starts and you continue holding the key, it can damage the flywheel and the starter motor.
If you press and hold the push start button while driving, the vehicle will switch to neutral mode and turn off the engine. On most car models, you can still control the steering and apply the brakes.
What would cause a push-button car not to start?
Normally, push-start button cars are designed to start when you push the start button. You don’t necessarily have to insert a physical key into the ignition to start the vehicle. However, some issues can sometimes prevent the push-button car from starting.
The most common Toyota push start button problems that could prevent your car from cranking when you press the start button are malfunctioning key fob, dead battery, bad starter, lousy starter solenoid or relay, or faulty starter wiring circuit. This issue can happen in any push-start button car model.
Dead key fob
A push-start button car won’t start unless the system detects the key fob is inside the vehicle. The key fob has a battery that keeps it active to communicate with the car computer continually. If the key fob battery is dead, the car computer won’t detect the key fob, and the car won’t start. The best solution is to replace the dead battery. One of the common symptoms of a bad push button start is unable to start the car, and open and lock the doors.
Dead car battery
If the key fob and the battery are functioning, you could be dealing with a dead car battery. Test the battery voltage using a volt meter to determine whether the battery is charged. A charged 12-volt battery should read around 12.6 volts. Get a battery charger or jump-start the car if the battery is low.
Faulty starter
A faulty starter motor is another reason your push-start button vehicle is not starting. If you suspect your starter motor is bad, try to start the car from the starter. If that doesn’t start the vehicle, the only feasible solution will be to replace the starter solenoid, relay, or module.
Lousy system
If the car battery, key fob, and starter function as they should, the keyless button system is likely malfunctioning. You’ll need a trained technician to diagnose and rectify the problem.
Can you manually start a push-button start car?
Yes, you can manually start a push-start button car. Even a push-button car usually has a key slot on the steering column or beneath the start button where you will slot in a physical key and start the vehicle. Pop out the small key on the remote starter, insert it into the ignition, and start the car.
Most manufacturers understand that a car may need to start with a physical key. For instance, if the remote starter battery dies and you need to drive off as soon as you can, you can make use of the physical key in the remote starter.
Final Words
To be precise, the answer to whether pressing the push start button 3 times is wrong or not depends on the car manufacturer because car makers use different technologies in engineering in designing their cars.
It is essential to understand how your specific push-start button works because automakers use different technology and standards. The owner’s booklet is the best place to get the specific information tailored to your car model. It’ll tell you what each press means.
