I changed the alternator yesterday after it failed, and now my car will not start. Why not stay with us for a little bit and figure out the reason? Pushing the pedal down releases the plunger on the switch. Checking your brakes frequently will help you keep them in working order, and you won't be caught unaware by vacuum leaks or a faulty brake booster. Were on our way to a memorial day party in separate cars. Keep holding the odometer button for about 5 seconds until you see the mileage flash. I just purchased a 2014 es 350 and after a week of driving it I have the experienced this again. This happened to my mom today (and has happened once before). #SubaruAmbassador. You might also try replacing the battery in your key fob. A brake pedal that is stiff and won't depress can be caused by several different things, including air in the hydraulic system, a leak in the hydraulic system, or simply dirt and grime on the pedal. Frank DUva Nissan service people had no idea what the problem could be. Paste as plain text instead, There is a procedure to start the engine without using the brake pedal. Did you ask the dealer to check for a vacuum leak? The brake pedal can be hard to press, and warning lights such as AWD, ABS, Airbag, and DSC Malfunction come on. Depress Brake To Start Engine warning comes up often because the driver is not pressing the brake pedalhard enoughor the brake light switch is defective. J Jones The following errors occurred with your submission, Stiff brake pedal - won't depress to start car, The New Marketplace (All new FS items go in here), Vehicles For Sale - Archive (NO NEW POSTS HERE), Parts For Sale - Archive (NO NEW POSTS HERE), Want To Buy - Archive (NO NEW POSTS HERE), Issue at startup: brake pedal won't depress (2020 SQ5), Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The parts cost will be around $40 while the labor costs will be between $60 and $100. We replaced the starter a few weeks ago, and 'so far, so good' To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. The dash lights. On the surface, it might seem like your car won't start because there's something wrong with your engine. In case of having a problem with vacuum leakage, replace the master cylinder line. If the car doesn't start, don't be alarmed. Problems with the brake booster, master cylinder, expansion tank, check valve, and vacuum leaks can prevent the driver from pressing the brake pedal. Usually, theres no physical object blocking the pedals. Display as a link instead, I also noticed that my cigarette lighter didnt work (blown fuse). Your email address will not be published. Generally, you can get one or two assisted pushes after the engine is off. To start the engine, press the brake pedal, turn the key, or push the start button. What does Depress Brake To Start Engine Mean? include slow engine cranking and flickering dashboard lights. If the computer does not receive this signal, either because the brake pedal isnt being pressed hard enough or because the brake light switch is bad, the car wont start. However, this morning my wife tries to start it, in the garage, and the brake pedal, again, will not depress, but this time the parking brake . We suggest you take professional help in that case. If your starter cable is removed from the battery or there is not enough power in the battery, your brakes may get stiff. Could a low key battery cause the boost to not engage? I've brought it to the dealership and they can't find anything wrong. When beginning to start the car the brake is rigid and will not depress no matter how hard it is pushed. The brake pedal must be depressed to let the Engine Control Unit (ECU) know that you pressed the brakes. The dash lights up, but nav screen area does not. In older cars - you could start it no problem - although you'd need to be in neutral. Unfortunately, it seems like a difficult issue to fix since it can't be reproduced on demand. Look for damaged ignition and disrupted battery terminals. Sometimes, the vacuum bleeds down overnight, resulting in stiff pedals. Is that normal? Regardless, eventually you will get used to the "push button" (slight pause) (car starts) sequence. 2019 lexus nx 300 went to dealership to get this checked out they told me I gotta wait half a year since they are busy to fix this anyone know how I . Now, for whatever reason. Troubleshooting a car that wont start due to electrical problems can be difficult, even for experienced mechanics. To fix: Leave the brakes alone for a few minutes and then start your car. Thanks. It is recommended that you have your brakes checked every 20,000-60,000 miles. At any rate it never did prevent me from starting the engine. Contact Us Some carmakers have their switches as part of the lock assembly while others are free-standing and easier and cheaper to replace. Learn more about the brake light switch and its many functions. This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. If your car takes longer than usual to get to a stop, then you need to have your brakes examined. so, first check your brake booster. There is a high chance your ignition is going bad if your car is old. Ignition switches are easily replaceable and cost next to nothing. If you've followed these steps correctly, your engine should roar to life. Could be a vacuum leak or the brake pedal was pressed 2 or 3 times prior to starting. Brake Lights Won't Turn Off?!? VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. It means you need to press the brake pedal. B) On the last push of the brake pedal, hold moderate pressure on the brake pedal. Fortunately, this problem can usually be solved on your own with a little bit of knowledge. If the brake pedal moves when pressing on it and the display in the instrument cluster still says the brake pedal is not pressed, replace the brake lamp switch assembly. Having a brake-locked car can be a very infuriating experience. Keep the brake pedal pressed, then start the engine. 2013 honda crv won't start, used to crank now won't even crank. If the ignition light isnt the problem, carefully check for corrosion in the battery terminal. Our mechanic diagnosed it as a starter problem. Inspection of the circuit requires thorough checking of the battery, fuses, wiring, relay, and ignition switch. There are a lot of things that can go wrong to cause your power brakes to fail. After one or two brake pedal applications after the vehicle is off, the pedal will get very hard. Kia Optima Wont Start, Brake Pedal Wont Depress Whats Wrong? She was at the grocery store and couldn't start the car to come home. You can and will be able to start your car by FIRMLY depressing the brake pedal. He said he couldn't start the car when the pedal was stiff. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? I was in the garage and it just feld odd that brake didnt press the way they normally do. You will note it gets more and more difficult until all of the vacuum assist is depleted. Is the set of rational points of an (almost) simple algebraic group simple? If you're absolutely certain that nobody is depleting the vacuum supply in the brake booster by pressing the brake pedal after shutting the engine off . We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon, Clickbank, and other companies linked to on this site. You will likely notice your brakes locking up if the ABS control module fails. Were you pushing slowly all the way down until the stopping point and then fully releasing, or merely quick pumping? Subscribe for updates! That's what makes me believe it was a result of simply depressing the brake after the engine was turned off. Check if there is a significant drop voltage by holding the key in the start position. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. When I'd turn the key is sounded like it was going to start but it just wouldn't "catch". You must press the brake pedal on most newer cars to start the engine. Just trying to figure out how to address this issue. The 4 Places Used Tire Shops Get Their Tires From. However, it is possible to restore some vacuum without starting the car. Come in and enjoy our articles, galleries and information on aftermarket parts for the IS300, IS250, IS350. The rotor only spins when I push the brake now. If the connection is broken, the fuse is bad. If the vehicle wont start when you turn the ignition or press Start/Stop and your car has a remote start, try starting the vehicle using the key fob remote or app. Faulty brakes must be handled promptly because the car is unsafe to drive with the brakes in this condition. Sorry, I have a question for add onto this brake pedal issue. This morning when I tried to start my 2012 Focus, the brake pedal felt stiff and I couldn't really depress the brake pedal any further. Your Optima will not start if the brake pedal is not depressed far enough to complete the starting circuit. Lexus Ask an Expert Car Questions Lexus Troubleshooting This answer was rated: Lexus won't start the brake pedal is depressed and it's very Answered in 5 minutes by: Lexus Mechanic: Internal88 Ask Your Own Lexus Question If you can apply enough force, you may be able to get the brake down far enough to complete the starting circuit. Chances are you or someone else pushed the brake pedal a few times without the engine running and used up all the reserve vacuum in the brake master. If the brake lights come on, the ignition switch is working properly. Also break pedal is very hard to press when this is happening Answered in 5 minutes by: Lexus Mechanic: AMD AMD : Seriously, I've miss timed my foot getting to the brake pedal before I hit the start button a couple times, but that was just my own fault. 3/4 tank of gas and I did NOT depress the gas pedal. To turn it off, hold down the odometer reset button and press the start engine button WITHOUT your foot on the brake. It is important to repair the brakes as soon as possible, as the car is unsafe to drive in this condition. If I hold my foot down firmly it will compress just enough to allow the start function, but takes a couple of seconds and a pretty firm press on the pedal. For anyone else that would like to experience what I believe J Jones is describing, simply turn off your car and pump your brake pedal. Luckily, when I plugged the battery cables back in, the car re-initiated and the engine started. Have you taken it in to the dealer and see what they had to say about it? Your issue, however, sounds like you're unable to activate that brake switch because your . Brakes wont grip the rotor. From there you need to use the same 10 mm socket and loose the plug. Hello, the brake pedal is likely hard as a normal condition of the vehicle having vacuum assist power brakes. First check the voltage. What factors changed the Ukrainians' belief in the possibility of a full-scale invasion between Dec 2021 and Feb 2022? Answer: Yes. At any rate it never did prevent me from starting the engine. I took the car to the dealership the next day and had them check the electrical sytems and the battery - they replaced the cig lighter fuse, the obd fuse, and put in a new battery. 2022 Volkswagen Taos 1.5 TSI Engine: Longevity, Problems, and Specs. I had a very similar issue while leaving work. The brakes can be restored to their usual status once the engine starts running. Brake booster runs on vacuum and if you don't have any vacuum it will be like driving an old car without power brakes. Enjoy your new car. Probably the brake switch has an extra wire attached. VIN Decoder. Vehicles with automatic transmission require you to pressthe brake pedal beforepushing the START/STOP button orstarting the engine. Answer (1 of 16): In newer cars - the car refuses to start. Most likely, you are shutting off your car and continuing to depress the brake pedal (consciously or unconsciously). I've read a little about this, but there does not seem to be a viable solution (that I've found). If the vehicle doesn't start, press the START/STOP button using the key fob. So the brake does affect the starting of the car in a sense. What Are the Reasons Behind a Brake Locked Car? If the brake vacuum was the issue, your brakes should go back to normal once they have power assist. Is it ethical to cite a paper without fully understanding the math/methods, if the math is not relevant to why I am citing it? When you push the Start button: First, the vehicle's computer checks if the brake pedal is depressed. If your Kia won't start and your brake pedal won't depress, you'll need to know the cause of this problem to fix it and get back on the road. It might sound like obvious advice, but sometimes the way to get the car started is to really push on the brakes. When you do push the brake pedal down it should. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Sometimes, it has the regular travel of about 1-2 inches, and was normal operation as it was when the car was new, and the start button will work fine. Iridium vs. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel system and map sensor were faulty and needed to be replaced. Aug 07, 2014 2007 Lexus Es 300 1 helpful 1 answer Started February 6, 2022, By Hopefully that does it (and thankfully it was covered by the extended warranty!). Adding to the above, the brake booster can fail at the internal diaphrgm from leaking brake fluid at the rear of the brake master cylinder or the one way check vale on the line going to the booster from the intake. I doubt you're doing that, but I mention it just in case. Press the brake pedal and look for the brake lights. Your brakes can lock up due to a bad, failed ABS module. If you start the engine without pressing the brakes and gear, the vehicle will move as you crank the engine and cause an accident. Most modern cars require you to press the brake to start the car. Were you pushing slowly all the way down until the stopping point and then fully releasing, or merely quick pumping? Usually, there is enough vacuum left in the booster to assist you in pressing the brakes a couple of times. When the car is off, the battery voltage should be around 12.5 volts. My new (400 kms) Q8 did that this am. (a) Depress the brake pedal several times with the engine off, and check that there is no change in the pedal reserve distance. Depress Brake To Start Engine means pressing the brake pedal, keeping it pressed, and starting the engine. Common signs of a bad ignition switch include slow engine cranking and flickering dashboard lights. She got out of the car and called home. 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