What Happens if You Push the Start Button While Driving?

Most of the drivers have had this thought once in a while what happens if we push the Start button while driving? Indeed, some drivers would have tried it but those who aren’t aware of its repercussions, need not try this on their car. Here’s the expert experience providing complete information on the aspect.

Pushing Start Button While Driving: What Would Happen?

In a bygone era, the car used to start after the keys entered the ignition point. However, today’s modern car makes use of the start button for the same function.

Usually, in modern cars, the start button is mainly pressed to bring the engine into action. When the car is already in motion, pressing the start button may not have any immediate effect, as the engine is likely already running. But, what if this button is touched accidentally while the engine is running? Let’s find out and end your fear here!

The test of pressing the car’s start button while driving on a traffic-free road draws different conclusions at varied speeds.

1. Push the start button at slow speed

For a keyless ignition, when the car is running at a speed of 5mph, one can expect the car to stop without causing an accident. The reason behind the car shut off is mainly the speed. Because some of the cars are programmed in a way that instructs the car to stop at a certain defined threshold value.

2. Push the start button at highway speed

Now, when the same thing i.e, push the start button while driving at a highway speed of minimum 55mph is tried, it is observed that nothing happens. In other words, the car program doesn’t obey the instructions or consider it invalid. This feature is mostly built to avoid harm to your or any other car around. In addition, a warning message is displayed in most of the vehicles, stating that it is not following the instructions in the moving state.

Nevertheless, one must not play with this feature while the car is moving. In some cases, this can be dangerous, as it can cause a sudden loss of power steering, power brakes, and other essential systems. It may result in a loss of control over the vehicle and increase the risk of an accident.

Note: The experiment was performed by the experts in the no-traffic zone.

See more:

• 5 Easy Tips To Save Money On Car Key Replacement
• Tips to Unlock Car Without Key During Emergency

Other Important Things to Do Before Fiddling with the Start Button

In case while driving on a busy road, you have to stop the car due to a certain mechanical problem, follow the below-given instructions first before straightway jumping to press the start/stop button.

1. Shift the car to neutral

To resolve the issue of uncontrollable acceleration in both manual as well as automatic cars, put the car in the neutral state (The letter N) because this will allow the wheels to decouple from the engine. This is, of course, applied to both manual gearboxes and automatic gearboxes. IT is by far the easiest and fastest way to fix any issues with uncontrollable and undesired acceleration.

2. Apply brakes gently

Without panicking, after the car enters the neutral state, press the brakes slowly and gently. If you already put your vehicle in Neutral mode, you can now brake. So just take it easy. 

3. Inspect the acceleration pedal

Followed by the above two actions, now try to bring the throttle pedal back to its normal position by raising the tip of your foot from it. This action is required mainly in older cars with a stuck throttle. Remember to always keep your eyes on the road. 

If this still doesn’t work out then, press the start/stop button for 5 seconds. This will surely stop the car there and then.

4.  Use your hazard lights

Another thing we need to remember is to signal other car owners that you are having trouble. Hazard lights are great tools in these scenarios. Remember that the most important priority is to warn them, don’t be afraid to annoy them. To be more specific, honk, flash, whatever you can to tell them.

5. Try stopping the engine when at super low speeds

If you have already tried all the steps, you have a high chance of stopping the vehicle in a safe place, or at least slowing it down. Now, the engine is the last issue car owners need to deal with. If your car is automatic and you have an automatic box, keep it in N mode. Do not change it to P. In some cases car owners have a key, just turning it towards. And if you have a Start or Stop button, just press on it or hold it for three seconds and see what happens.

Final Thoughts 

In conclusion, pushing the start button while driving can have unintended consequences and is generally not recommended. To ensure the safety of yourself and others on the road, it is best to only use the start button as intended, typically when the vehicle is stationary or during the initial startup sequence before driving.