The first time I rented a car with a press-button start, it felt fancy. Just a couple of decades later, it’s hard to find a new car without one. But this convenience comes with a potential downside: a few people in online forums have been sharing alarming stories of what happened when they accidentally pressed the start/stop button while driving.
“Most people haven’t thought about it until they hear about a potential catastrophe,” says Melanie Musson, an auto industry expert with CarInsurance.org. “Then it hits close to home, and they wonder what would happen if they accidentally pushed the button.”
This might also lead to an uptick of people trying it just to see what happens, says Chris “Moose” Pyle, an automotive expert with JustAnswer. We highly recommend against that.
However, the engineers at Nissan Group of the Americas speculate it’s trending for another reason: because “people are naturally curious about how things work, especially when it comes to their cars. It’s a great opportunity to share the ways modern vehicle technology is designed with both convenience and safety in mind,” they told Family Handyman.
Here is more about what can happen when you press the start/stop button at the wrong moment and how to react if you accidentally do hit it.
What Is the Start/Stop Button?
The start/stop button is what’s used in the majority of modern cars to turn the engine on or off. It replaces the need for a metal key to be inserted and turned in the ignition/starter mechanisms.
What Happens If I Press the Stop/Start Button While Driving?
It depends on your car’s design, your speed, and how long you press the button. Some cars are built with safety features to prevent accidental presses, while others are not.
At low speeds some vehicles allow the engine to shut off when the button is pressed, which causes loss of power steering, brakes and acceleration, says Xavier Sabastian, an auto expert at Way.com. “At higher speeds, many modern vehicles are designed to ignore a single press of the start/stop button to prevent accidental engine shutdowns,” he says. “However, holding the button for a few seconds may still turn off the engine.”
To find out your vehicle’s specific behavior, consult the owner’s manual. For example, a member of the Nissan engineering team told Family Handyman that in their vehicles, the engine will not turn off if a driver accidentally presses the ignition button briefly while driving. However, if there is an emergency, the driver can shut off the engine while driving by either pressing the ignition button three times in quick succession (for less than 1.5 seconds each), or pressing and holding the ignition button for more than 2 seconds.
“Of course, as we point out in our owner’s manuals, stopping the engine while a vehicle is being driven could lead to a crash and serious injury,” says the Nissan rep.
What Happens If I Press the Stop/Start Button While Not In Park?
If your foot is on the brake and you forget to put it in park before pushing the stop button, what will happen will also depends on your car’s features. Some cars will shift into park when they’re stopped and powered down. But if yours does not, then you risk your call rolling.
Again, using Nissan as an example, the current Nissan Rogue and Pathfinder models have electronically controlled (aka shift-by-wire) transmissions. That means they can go into park automatically when the driver turns off the engine without having to use the shift lever.
“In other words, if the driver forgets to put the transmission in park, it will go to park when they turn off the engine with their foot on the brake,” says the engineer. However, “In traditional designs, the shift lever is mechanically linked to the transmission. In that case, if the vehicle is shut off when not in park, the driver will get a warning to shift to park before exiting the vehicle.”
Tips to Avoid Pressing the Start/Stop Button By Accident
Think about what actions you might take that would put your hand or other objects near the button so you can find ways to mitigate the chances of accidentally pressing the stop/start button. For example:
- Turn on your music before you start.
- Acquaint yourself with the temperature controls before you’re on the road.
- Be mindful of your hand placement.
“Get in the habit of not putting your hand near the button or juggling things like a phone or coffee mug while driving,” says Pyle.
What To Do If You Press The Start/Stop Button Accidentally?
If you accidentally press the button for less than a second, chances are nothing will happen. But if you press it long enough for the engine to shut off, hold the steering wheel with both hands and prepare to use muscles to maintain your steering, especially as the vehicle slows, says Musson. Also, be prepared to push the brake pedal harder than normal.
Sabastian also offers this advice:
- Stay calm.
- Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel.
- Shift to the transmission into neutral.
- Restart the engine by holding the brake pedal and pressing the start/stop button again.
- Once the engine is running, safely pull over to assess the situation.
“Understanding your vehicle’s specific features and responses is crucial for safe operation,” he says. For detailed information, always refer to your owner’s manual.
About the Experts
- Melanie Musson is an auto industry expert with CarInsurance.org, where she has worked for nearly a decade.
- Xavier Sabastian is an author and auto/insurance expert with the Way.com auto app.
- Chris “Moose” Pyle is a master-certified technician with 20-plus years of automotive experience. He has also worked as an expert for JustAnswer since 2006.
- A member of the Nissan Group of the Americas engineering staff also contributed to this article.
The post Here’s What Happens If You Hit Your Car’s Start/Stop Button By Accident appeared first on Family Handyman.
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