Push button start features - Not a good experience.

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Push button start features - Not a good experience for one owner. Nissan Altima -
A friend told me about a kind of tough situation his son had with his fairly newer Nissan Altima. I think the car is about 4? years old.
The son was out working. He is on the road a lot with his car. He made a business stop. Upon finishing that stop, he got into this car to leave and head to his next call. When he went to start his car , the push button actually fell into the dash panel , stranding him. Tough one for sure. So, after finding zero help after a few calls. The only option appeared to be , call the wrecker and have it towed to a Nissan dealer in the area. Meanwhile , his son got lucky and called a friend who does lots of auto repair work as a side line out of his home garage. The guy showed up and used a wire (similar to old coat hanger). They said it was no easy task fishing it out , trying not to damage anything else. After quite a bit of trying, there were able to get it out. Started the car and drove home where the mechanic friend was able to fix it so one can not even tell it has been repaired. Just another feature that lots of folks I know would rather not have that auto makers keep installing. Glad it worked out for them. Something to keep in mind even though not much if anything can be done to try to prevent.

 

[racer12306]

Something to keep in mind even though not much if anything can be done to try to prevent.

Don't punch the push button?

Many vehicles have been coming with push button start for a long time, I have to feel like this situation is an outlier.

 

[Astro14]

Push button start features - Not a good experience for one owner. Nissan Altima -
A friend told me about a kind of tough situation his son had with his fairly newer Nissan Altima. I think the car is about 4? years old.
The son was out working. He is on the road a lot with his car. He made a business stop. Upon finishing that stop, he got into this car to leave and head to his next call. When he went to start his car , the push button actually fell into the dash panel , stranding him. Tough one for sure. So, after finding zero help after a few calls. The only option appeared to be , call the wrecker and have it towed to a Nissan dealer in the area. Meanwhile , his son got lucky and called a friend who does lots of auto repair work as a side line out of his home garage. The guy showed up and used a wire (similar to old coat hanger). They said it was no easy task fishing it out , trying not to damage anything else. After quite a bit of trying, there were able to get it out. Started the car and drove home where the mechanic friend was able to fix it so one can not even tell it has been repaired. Just another feature that lots of folks I know would rather not have that auto makers keep installing. Glad it worked out for them. Something to keep in mind even though not much if anything can be done to try to prevent.

Yeah - and ignition locks never ever broke, leaving people similarly stranded…

 

[edyvw]

OMG, push buttons are in use 25+ years. More reliable and cheaper to fix than old fashion ignition lock.
This is on par: let me tell you bad experience with multiport injection over carburetor.

 

[zzyzzx]

I'm adding this story to my long list of reasons to never own a push button start vehicle.

 

[Cujet]

One thing that can be done with a push button is to relocate it for anti-theft purposes. Leave the original in place and place another elsewhere.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Sounds like the push button worked fine. Its fixturing was lacking.

 

[drtyler]

Starter button was used by Chevy thru 1952 on their passenger cars. Such new technology!

 

[Jetronic]

pretty sure the button fell down (as things on earth tend to do) as far as the wiring allowed. It would've been easier to remove the panel above the pedals and reach in a few cm

 

[I<3oil]

Push button > key

 

[dishdude]

If the button got pushed into the dash, it was likely from abuse.

 

[andrew_j]

Sounds like he was all set and not a big deal.

 

[D60]

I know I'm old man yelling at clouds, but whether it's push or twist I'd just like to see true momentary so I can bump the starter.

Laughable, I know.

 

[Skippy722]

Yeah - and ignition locks never ever broke, leaving people similarly stranded…

My cobalt key

Never had an issue with my FOBIK’s/push button starts though!

 

[PF52]

That's why I won't drive anything new-fangled! My crank-to-start horseless carriages never fail to start and I get a good workout on the arms.

 

[KrisZ]

Was the guy punching the button or something? It surely didn’t just “fall in” all by itself.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Some cars have no push button. Get in and go.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I know I'm old man yelling at clouds, but whether it's push or twist I'd just like to see true momentary so I can bump the starter.

Laughable, I know.

But then 99% of people would push the button and let off, and when the car didn't start blame the car.

I believe we are getting dumber as a society. We have reached a peak and are rolling over.

 

[Astro14]

Pushbutton start - on the floor. Like the 1932 Packard. That’s how it should be done.

But this idea of putting the starter on the column or the dash? Ridiculous.

They should have left the starter where it belongs, on the floor under your right foot.

I won’t buy anything with this stupid new stuff, like a key on the steering column, or a button in the dash.

It’s just going to break.

Let’s go back to the reliable way of doing it.

 

[97prizm]

Yeah - and ignition locks never ever broke, leaving people similarly stranded…

I wish that was the case. My 2005 dodge neon would like a word after the ignition broke due to cheap pot metal.