Pressing the engine start button three times to protect your car’s electronics? Perodua says there is no need

Pressing the engine start button three times to protect your car’s electronics? Perodua says there is no need

Myths are ever-present, and the automotive world is no exception. To this end, Perodua has posted a video to its Facebook page where it debunks a number of car-related myths. The debate regarding the need to press a car’s engine start button once, or three times is one that seems to be ongoing, and on that matter Perodua has shared its view on what is actually required.

The Rawang-based manufacturer confirms that indeed, pressing the starter button just once will do. What of the often-circulated myth that the starter button needs to be pressed three times? The video states that doing so will only bring up the accessories mode.

This myth has its roots in the earlier years before keyless entry and ignition systems became mainstream, where it was said with some frequency that the car’s engine should only be started after the ‘check engine’ light has switched off, that is, to wait momentarily with the key in the ignition ‘on’ position before turning the key one more step to crank the engine.

The theory behind this practice is said to avoid giving a shock to the car’s electronics control unit and thus, damage as it goes through its systems check. This was, however from the Eighties and Nineties when electronics in cars were rather more primitive than they are today.

This is to say that electronics in present-day cars have become more sophisticated, and the system will go through the pre-start process typically in under one second. Additionally, modern systems will incorporate several safeguards that will prevent the engine from starting altogether if there is in fact a critical issue that could lead to further, major damage.

Therefore, don’t worry about pressing the start button three times in the interest of protecting the car’s electronics. The car will do just fine with engine starts on the first push of the button.

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Mick Chan

Open roads and closed circuits hold great allure for Mick Chan. Driving heaven to him is exercising a playful chassis on twisty paths; prizes ergonomics and involvement over gadgetry. Spent three years at a motoring newspaper and short stint with a magazine prior to joining this website.

 

Comments

  • youngun on Mar 27, 2025 at 11:27 am

    There’s one more “myth”, set the gear to “N” first before engine shutdown then “P”… … :D

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 4
    • The Saint on Mar 27, 2025 at 12:37 pm

      I was told to move the gear to N, engage the Parking brake, then only move the gear to P.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
      • Sphires on Mar 29, 2025 at 3:18 pm

        The purpose was to load all the car weight on Parking brake, rather than “P” gear lock. From “D”, parking brake then P.

        To know this is done correctly, P to R will have smooth shift. Because there’s no weight pull from the gear lock.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
      • Ya, saya selalu buat mcm ni…

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Never heard this before

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
  • never heard of waiting a few secs to prevent shocking the electrical system but I felt like waiting a few more secs was more for letting the fuel pump prime.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 0
    • Unker on Mar 28, 2025 at 9:15 am

      haiyaa, no need, once you open the door, the fuel pump will prime, no need to pandai2 la…engineeers already figure it out..

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 4
  • Jack Maverick on Mar 27, 2025 at 11:35 am

    You think my dad gives a crap?

    No.. he will still do all these things.. even if it kills him.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1
  • Ben Yap on Mar 27, 2025 at 11:48 am

    i’ll make mine 6 times for double protection. 3 times to wake the electronics up and the other 3 times for warming up the electronics.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 2
  • Malaysia b40 on Mar 27, 2025 at 12:59 pm

    Key or keyless should press/turn to ACC wait 1~2 sec let fuel to pump up then only crank when start in the cold morning. Then wait >10 sec then only masuk D and start moving. Practice that if want to use the car more than 7 years without problem.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 9
    • I have a 2015 Iriz with push start. Only press once since the very beginning. No issue at all. And hopefully will continue after many more years to come

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • Santok Singh on Mar 27, 2025 at 2:08 pm

    people would believe anything they read from car owner forums or the internet. This is how false tips spread like fire. Often these “tips” are just placebo.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
  • Squid on Mar 27, 2025 at 3:25 pm

    One of my neighbours still warms up his cars every morning for at least 30 mins on idle.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • Cheap petrol on Mar 29, 2025 at 11:16 am

      petrol in malaysia cheap cheap… park and kept in idle is very common in malaysia… especially in gov hospital, you know i know how long is the idle…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • JustGuess on Mar 27, 2025 at 7:55 pm

    I’ll just say some prayers before staring the car….that will prolong the life time of the car and myself……

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Palatao on Mar 27, 2025 at 7:56 pm

    Ini semua petua2 budak kampung. Jakun first time pakai push-start. Tetiba pakai push-start tak biasa sebab dah biasa pakai kick-start kat kapcai

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
  • Nabil on Mar 28, 2025 at 12:48 am

    Having worked with ECU software development for 7 years, I can say that it’s better to wait for all electronics to wake up from sleep mode properly for the first 3-5 seconds (Ignition ACC), before starting the engine (Ignition On). This exact moment is where major software bugs are normally found even in premium OEM brand.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
  • Piew Piew on Mar 28, 2025 at 1:16 am

    Not everyone knows about car, even we tell them the right way, but they still prefer stick to their own belief. My fren still panas enjin for 5 minutes before jalan. Alamak… Fed up wanna explain already… Even worse is parking car, you need to put gear to N, then off aircond tekan button ac off kan, then put gear to P, tarik hand break, off radio, off enjin. I really donno who teach him all this.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  • Bieight8 on Mar 28, 2025 at 9:02 am

    Still living in the stone ages… amazing

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Such petua only applicable to pushstarts in kete B40. Fragile and sensitive like the people who buy those cars. Komen sikit butthurt criticize abit triggered. Ini semua salah umno & pas

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • If you press the button without brake then it starts up the accessories, 2nd press it starts up the computer box and diagnostics and 3rd press starts up the engine. There’s nothing wrong about pressing the brake and directly starting up the car. But if you need only to run the accessories or you want to run diagnostics like plugging in the obd2 scanner then the 2nd press powers the computer up so that you can run obd2 scan. Now you know the function of all the press so don’t make such stupid video again.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Row1t on Mar 29, 2025 at 11:05 am

    Without pressing the brake pedal, the first push is to turn on the accessories, the 2nd push is to power up the ECU and all other computer boxes in the car for OBD2 diagnostics. 3 push is to start up. So there is no right or wrong between 1 push and 3 push to start. There’s function and purpose of the push. So stop debating a out this topic already. It’s dumb.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • yeah, my neighbour parked her J7 facing out, so every morning she will open front door and start her car for 15 minutes before going out, so that the whole family can have their breakfast together with the exhaust gas

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Seng Ann on Mar 29, 2025 at 12:55 pm

    Been using push start since 2015 on my vios and axia 2017, just pressing one time to start from day one using them, no issue at all. IT’s even taught in the manual to start this way, just don’t understand why those ppl nak lebih pandai pada engineers who had spent so much time & money to design and tested it.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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