what's the big deal about "engine start" buttons on new cars?

Watching TV yesterday there were three consecutive car commercials where the "engine start" button on the dash was featured.

First, for Nissan Altima, which actually showed the button TWICE in the commercial (they must really think it's cool).

Then, for a Lexus SUV of some sort, which showed a close-up of the button. Apparently Lexus thinks its special too.

Then, for a KIA SUV, which appears to have the exact same button as the Lexus and Nissan (I guess there is just one button supplier out there, lol).

I did get a chuckle at how the Lexus showed the cool button, and then right after it a Kia has the same button. The rich soccer moms must be embarrassed.

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Anyhow, what is the big deal? Start buttons are nothing new on cars (I had one on my triumph 15 years ago), and I know they now have the "key in your pocket and just press the button" thing going on - but seriously, is "hey, you don't have to pull a key out and turn it to start the car" really that big of a selling feature? I never thought of that as being something difficult/time consuming/frustrating to do, lol....

To me, it seems like a security issue. See the Bonneville episode of Top Gear for an example.

They are stupid. I get in and out of all kinds of cars on a daily basis and it's a PITA trying to figure out how to just fire up the dashboard to get the mileage reading on new cars. More gimmickry we don't need. Give me a key any day.

I work at a Nissan dealership and I hate them, simply because you have to have the brake pedal depressed for it to start the motor. This means getting in the car every time you want to start the engine, something that is a pain in the ass because the hoist doesn't leave much room to open the door.

My opinion has always been that the more gadgets in your car the more things there are that can break.

My '59 Mini 850 had a starter button on the floor. Big deal. As said above, one more thing to go wrong.

My 1952 Beetle had 2 positions on the key. You turned the key on then used a little silver button to start the car. It was ended for the 1954 model because they found it was easier to just use a normal key as it was less parts and simpler.

My Father has a tractor with a start button. I guess Farmall = Lexus. History is doomed to repeat it self. Give them another 30 years and that same commercial will be making a big deal about a key.

It's to show you have a keyless entry/start.

It's a trendy stupid gimmick that was old 5 years ago.

E36 M3 to market to people. Its the new black

Run_Away wrote: I work at a Nissan dealership and I hate them, simply because you have to have the brake pedal depressed for it to start the motor. This means getting in the car every time you want to start the engine, something that is a pain in the ass because the hoist doesn't leave much room to open the door.

I looked at some new nissans on the dealer lot, if you put the key in the door lock cylinder, turn it (don't know what way) and HOLD it in the rotated position for a few seconds it will start the engine. Surprised me when I was trying to unlock the doors.

It's fun. Seriously. It's more entertaining to start a car with a button than it is to start it with a key.

I just sort of took "push button starter = cool" as a given, as it was a race car thing.

Then I thought about it. Race cars have push button starters because they DON'T have keys. They have some toggle switches to turn on the electrical system.

If you have to insert a key to turn a barrel to turn on your electrical, it seems incredibly more efficient to start the car by just turning the key further.

With the proximity key-fobs, I guess the pushbutton sense, but does it turn on the electrical as soon as the key is within a certain distance? What if you want to take a nap in your car, or god-forbid spend the night in it? Does the electrical system stay on the whole time? Do you wake up with a dead battery?

The big deal is marketing to increase perceived value.

How else can they justify the inflated pricing? More "features" on a window sticker.

Keith wrote: It's fun. Seriously. It's more entertaining to start a car with a button than it is to start it with a key.

Maybe my friend's Z8 is more fun to start this way, but a colleague's new Altima? Not so much.

ReverendDexter wrote: With the proximity key-fobs, I guess the pushbutton sense, but does it turn on the electrical as soon as the key is within a certain distance? What if you want to take a nap in your car, or god-forbid spend the night in it? Does the electrical system stay on the whole time? Do you wake up with a dead battery?

I really doubt that lexus is losing many sales because their customers can't sleep in their SUVs. But it isn't like your headlights and radio turn on when you get close to the car. It just allows you to start it, like the immobilizer built into the keys.

Rockauto.com also requires a damn start button for some reason.

More E36 M3 to break for dealers to charge to fix.

plance1 wrote: It's a trendy stupid gimmick that was old 5 years ago.

This.

It's a way to get the average goober to figure they are on the bleeding edge of technology and it might just push an 'on the fence' buyer into signing on that dotted line. To me, it's a concern: I trust mechanical linkages for things like steering locks more than I do electrical stuff.

Many years ago, just about all cars had a switch on the dash and then a starter button somewhere on the floor. Old Buicks had the switch on the throttle linkage, you turned the ignition switch on then pushed the gas pedal to the floor to engage the starter. Meaning you had the throttle WFO when the engine started.

Also, many years ago lots of cars had an ignition switch on the dash which had: ACC, LOCK, OFF, ON, START. You could turn the key to OFF, remove the key and then you could start it without using the key. If you parked your hooptie in a bad 'hood, you turned it to LOCK and removed the key, now you had to insert the key to turn the switch.

Ignition switches were first moved to the steering column to allow for installation of a column lock, mandated by the gubmint for anti theft reasons.

I could see having a push button start in a car like a Benz where you only have to the keyfob in your pocket inside the car in order to start it.

The ability to never have to remove the key from your pocket would be an awesome feature on a Luxury car.

On an economy car? Just one more thing to fail.

plance1 wrote: It's a trendy stupid gimmick that was old 5 years ago.

Yes, BUT....

It also replaces a relatively expensive to make mechanism with many moving parts with a cheap and simple switch. Of course this only applies to cars that do away with the ignition key in favor of a smart fob or something similar. I'll wager that within 10 years no new car will have an ignition key as it will all be electronic. Just because the cost of the technology will be lower than the cost of a key and mechanism.

ReverendDexter wrote: With the proximity key-fobs, I guess the pushbutton sense, but does it turn on the electrical as soon as the key is within a certain distance? What if you want to take a nap in your car, or god-forbid spend the night in it? Does the electrical system stay on the whole time? Do you wake up with a dead battery?

Generally, only the security system is alive when are anywhere near the car- some parts may activate once, and then stay off, but the car is off.

Many of the "fob" systems also allow you to turn things on, lower wingows, etc. Almost like the acc position.

The whole move to Fob based systems- you all have it right- it's all about vehicle security. The anti theft systems are pretty sophisticated- to the point that unless you were mugged, having remote find and shut down systems are rather reduntant.

Also- one thing that people bring up to me when I complain about the systems- people who have wrist or hand issues, but who have full control over the steering wheel- they have serious problems turning the key. The guy in the office next to mine mentioned that his mom has hand issues that makes it very painful for her to turn a key, but can still drive quite well. She needs the push button.

I'm not a huge fan of them, either. But there are some reasons...

E-

Junkyard_Dog wrote: it will all be electronic. Just because the cost of the technology will be lower than the cost of a key and mechanism.

And how much will the consumer pay to replace the key fob when they lose/break theirs versus going to home depot and getting a bunch of spares made of an old fashioned key? And how much to replace the electronic module that reads the key fob when it inevitably breaks 10-15 years later when GRM folks are buying them up for projects :P

Armitage wrote:

Junkyard_Dog wrote: it will all be electronic. Just because the cost of the technology will be lower than the cost of a key and mechanism.

And how much will the consumer pay to replace the key fob when they lose/break theirs versus going to home depot and getting a bunch of spares made of an old fashioned key? And how much to replace the electronic module that reads the key fob when it inevitably breaks 10-15 years later when GRM folks are buying them up for projects :P

Exactly! A single point of failure turns it into a castrophic mess. I really hope, with the backlash I'm seeing on this forum and others, that there's going to be a stronger market in the future to keep up older cars. I'd love to buy a brand new 15 year old car. I'll keep fixing my '97 Volvo.