How to Properly Turn Off a Car with Push-Button Start?
2 Answers
Steps to properly turn off a car with push-button start: 1. Press the brake pedal and bring the vehicle to a smooth stop; 2. Shift the gear from D to N, and engage the parking brake; 3. Then release the foot brake, but do not turn off the power. Finally, press the foot brake again, shift the gear from N to P, release the foot brake, and press the push-button start to turn off the power and complete the shutdown. Push-button start differs from traditional mechanical key ignition and conventional starting procedures. Simply press the push-button start to turn the engine on or off, eliminating the hassle of losing or searching for keys. Most push-button start systems require pressing the foot brake during ignition.
I've been driving a push-to-start car for many years, and I always follow the proper shutdown procedure. First, bring the vehicle to a complete stop in a safe location, shift the gear to P (Park), keep the brake pedal firmly depressed, then gently press the start button once. The engine is truly off only when the engine indicator light goes out. Never rush to press the button without stepping on the brake - that might leave the navigation system on while the engine remains running, wasting fuel and potentially draining the battery. Worse yet, shutting down while still in D (Drive) can damage the transmission. Once in a parking lot, I forgot to press the brake and exited while the engine was still running - I had to rush back to handle it. For safety, always wait a few seconds after shutdown to confirm all dashboard lights are off before unlocking and leaving the car. Developing this good habit prevents major troubles, especially when parking on slopes where extra caution is needed.
