Published : 20 April 2024
Read Time : 5 min
Author: Mahesh Yadav
In this Feature Explained article, we’ll present the most detailed analysis of your car's push-button start-stop feature. We’ll list out the pros and cons of push button start stop, explain how it works, provide the typical cost of getting push button start stop feature from the aftermarket, and its repair and replacement costs. Based on this analysis, we’ll suggest if you should add this feature to your car or skip it.

The pros, or advantages, of push-button start-stop in a car are:
A push-button start-stop system has the following shortcomings or problems:
Push-button start-stop is a feature in modern cars that allows you to lock/unlock and turn the car on and off by simply pressing a button. You only need to have the key fob in your pocket or purse and you don’t even need to touch it to unlock the car, start it and get going. As long as the key fob is inside the car, the push-button start-stop system allows you to turn on or off the car’s accessory mode.

Apart from offering enhanced convenience, it also adds an additional layer of security against car theft. In cars with keyless entry with push-button start-stop, the key fob emits a radio frequency that is unique to your car’s security system. Therefore, you can only unlock and start the car with its unique key fob.
Some cars require you to press the brake pedal while pushing the start/stop button while some expect the clutch pedal. If you press the button without pushing on either of these 2 pedals, then the car enters the accessory mode. In this mode, you can run the blower, music system and power windows or check the MID in the instrument cluster. If you press the start/stop button with the appropriate pedal, then the car’s engine will turn on. Pressing it again will turn it off.
To lock or unlock the car, you can either press the appropriate button on the key fob or stand next to the car and press the request sensor button on the door handle while possessing the key fob.

The cost of repairing a push-button start-stop system depends on the kind of repair it requires. If the push-start button stops working, the parts needed to repair it may cost anywhere between Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 5,000. For example, the switch assembly for the Maruti Nexa Ciaz costs around Rs. 2,500. However, replacing a lost key fob can cost more depending on the brand and model of the car. For example, the key fob for the Maruti Nexa Ciaz, Baleno, and Vitara Brezza costs Rs. 5,000. Programming it to match the car’s frequency will cost some more.
Installing an aftermarket push-button start-stop can cost anywhere between Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000 depending on the quality of the product. We strongly recommend against getting an aftermarket push-button start-stop system since their radio frequency or unique code is easier to replicate. If your car is under warranty, then an aftermarket push-button start-stop system will certainly terminate your car’s manufacturer warranty. Hence, if you require this feature, you should spend a little more and buy the car or variant, which gets this feature from the factory.
Typically, the push-button start-stop feature comes fitted from the factory. However, it is possible to add this feature from the aftermarket too. With the right tools, a good car accessory dealer or your trusted mechanic could add the push-button start-stop feature to your car in under an hour. We do not recommend you carry out this job alone, no matter how good you are with technology.
In India, most cars from the B-segment like the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios, Maruti Suzuki Swift and above get the keyless entry with push-button start-stop feature, at least in their higher variants. If you’re set to buy a car under Rs. 12.0 lakh, you may need to buy a higher variant to get this feature from the factory.

It’s nearly impossible to install an aftermarket push-button start-stop feature and expect as smooth an ownership experience as a factory-fit one. Even if you find a workshop willing to take up this job, be warned that this is installed from the aftermarket. Hence, we recommend spending a bit more and buying the variant which offers this feature.
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Content Head
Mahesh is a fan of compact, quirky and underrated vehicles that punch above their weight. Multix, Nano and Navi are his favourites.

























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