Push button start features - Not a good experience.

[D60]

This reminds me I liked the OBS Fords with the high beam switch on left floor

 

[nomas]

The one thing I don't like about the pushbutton start in my 2014 Mazda is that it's impossible to go directly from drive mode to accessory mode. The button cycles through the modes in a sequence that is round-robin not FILO (first in, last out).
The sequence: off - accessory - on/drive - start - off (repeat)
FILO would be: off - accessory - on/drive - start - accessory - off

For example, you're driving along with the radio set to BlueTooth from your phone. You arrive at a drawbridge that is up so you will be stopped for 5 minutes. After stopping you want to turn off the engine but keep listening to your tunes. The pushbutton sequence forces you to go through the OFF position, then cycle back to accessory, which kills the BT connection so there's a long pause while it reconnects. If you could go from on/drive directly to accessory, then back to on/drive, you could do this seamlessly - like you can with a traditional key ignition.

The reason for round-robin is that FILO would require 2 button pushes to go from drive to off, which is done more often than drive to accessory, so they optimize for the most common case. But they should have given a way to go directly from on/drive to accessory without shutting it completely off, for example with a long push.

On my Pathfinder , the music continues to play until you open the driver's door . I'm sure it times out eventually but I've never tried it .

 

[Propflux01]

The one thing I don't like about the pushbutton start in my 2014 Mazda is that it's impossible to go directly from drive mode to accessory mode. The button cycles through the modes in a sequence that is round-robin not FILO (first in, last out).
The sequence: off - accessory - on/drive - start - off (repeat)
FILO would be: off - accessory - on/drive - start - accessory - off

For example, you're driving along with the radio set to BlueTooth from your phone. You arrive at a drawbridge that is up so you will be stopped for 5 minutes. After stopping you want to turn off the engine but keep listening to your tunes. The pushbutton sequence forces you to go through the OFF position, then cycle back to accessory, which kills the BT connection so there's a long pause while it reconnects. If you could go from on/drive directly to accessory, then back to on/drive, you could do this seamlessly - like you can with a traditional key ignition.

The reason for round-robin is that FILO would require 2 button pushes to go from drive to off, which is done more often than drive to accessory, so they optimize for the most common case. But they should have given a way to go directly from on/drive to accessory without shutting it completely off, for example with a long push.

I don’t know if this will work on your 2014, but on mine, if you hold the shifter button when you push the start/stop button, it goes into accessory mode. No bluetooth disconnect.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

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.

ROFL. True.

 

[BISCUT]

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

Nissan isn't exactly the epitome of quality control lately....

 

[The_Jeff]

Steering wheel locks were a hassle when some elderly guy used the steering wheel as an assist handle to get into the driver's seat, jamming the lock. Glad to see them go... they seem allowed to no longer exist if there's an immobilizer or something in its place.

 

[CKN]

It's the internet, man. No matter what you say someone wants to attack or criticize you. Some like to think this forum is better, but it's no different than anywhere else.

No...this site is different. It leans heavily towards boomers that want to revert back to the "good 'ol days".

Push button start is better in so many ways.......yet some wish to get a key out of their pocket every time they they start their vehicle.

 

[Wylie6G72]

I think I'm going to risk it. Admittedly, I've become spoiled by being able to put my fob in my pocket and forget about it. I usually remember that I need to get the key out of my pocket once I've loaded myself down with groceries and headed to the parking lot to get in my Canyon. Hopefully that will be the last keyed ignition vehicle I ever own.

 

[MRC01]

I don’t know if this will work on your 2014, but on mine, if you hold the shifter button when you push the start/stop button, it goes into accessory mode. No bluetooth disconnect.

"What is a shifter button?" asks the man with a manual transmission.

Along those lines, I did discover an easter egg / undocumented feature. On cold starts the engine instantly revs up to 2000 RPM. I suppose this is done to quickly heat up the cats for emissions but it seems bad for engine wear & longevity. If you put it (the manual transmission) in reverse before starting the engine, it doesn't do that, but only revs just over 1000 RPM.

I discovered this because the '95 RX-7 that I owned a long time ago had the same issue, and the same workaround. Looks like Mazda has been consistent over the years.

 

[MRC01]

On my Pathfinder , the music continues to play until you open the driver's door . I'm sure it times out eventually but I've never tried it .

On mine, the stereo shuts off instantly but the driver's window works until you open the door. That's actually a nice feature for when you forget to roll it up before shutting off the car.

 

[tcp71]

"What is a shifter button?" asks the man with a manual transmission.

Along those lines, I did discover an easter egg / undocumented feature. On cold starts the engine instantly revs up to 2000 RPM. I suppose this is done to quickly heat up the cats for emissions but it seems bad for engine wear & longevity. If you put it (the manual transmission) in reverse before starting the engine, it doesn't do that, but only revs just over 1000 RPM.

I discovered this because the '95 RX-7 that I owned a long time ago had the same issue, and the same workaround. Looks like Mazda has been consistent over the years.

gotta try the reverse trick on the CX-5. It revs right up on a cold start and takes quite a while to drop. To the OP, it wasn't a push-button-start problem, it was a plastic dash problem. The push button start worked as designed, the plastic dash failed.

 

[bdcardinal]

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.

I gotta try on my mom's Fusion if starting in clear flood mode (throttle pressed to the floor while starting) would let me bump the starter.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

It's the internet, man. No matter what you say someone wants to attack or criticize you. Some like to think this forum is better, but it's no different than anywhere else.

I look at it all in fun to me. Sorry if some do not take things that way. I am never looking for a fight. Once in a blue moon it appears someone may be but I always give the benefit of the doubt. I am sure I accidentally come across rash at times. ***not aimed at anyone in particular***

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

No...this site is different. It leans heavily towards boomers that want to revert back to the "good 'ol days".

Push button start is better in so many ways.......yet some wish to get a key out of their pocket every time they they start their vehicle.

I am actually glad the wife had the push button. She has a key ring (I should say bowling ball of keys) that she will not reduce or part with that I am glad she does not drive around with it hanging off the the steering column.

 

[CKN]

I gotta try on my mom's Fusion if starting in clear flood mode (throttle pressed to the floor while starting) would let me bump the starter.

Chances are the ECM won't let you.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

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.

We did lose a Monte Carlo SS to thieves around 1989 when all it took was a flat head screwdriver. All they had to do was to pop a plastic collar on the steering column to expose a thin cable. Pull on it and it started right up. Off they went...................

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Nissan isn't exactly the epitome of quality control lately....

It is a shame because I have seen many really nice looking Nissan cars and even some of their smaller SUVs yet do keep hearing quality issues.

 

[John105]

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.

Wow. The headlight switch on the 2011 Enclave was like that. It didn’t need to be touched as it was in auto by default, but we had to be careful as it was on the verge of falling into the dash

 

[AZjeff]

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

What else is on your long list of reasons?

If PBS was a trouble prone feature we'd be hearing about failures by now regularly. What's unusual about this reported incident is the car is 4 years old. Likely either a random defect or abuse as noted. I've had a couple of ignition failures but the cars were 15 years old or older.

A good friend was on a big road trip recently and had an accessory belt fail long before it should have been an issue and had to have the vehicle towed off the highway to a dealer to have it replaced. Our next vehicle won't have these failure prone belts.

 

[Brian123]

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.

Let's not forget Poke!