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Wouldn’t start, everything lit up on dash

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laurabw

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Had an oil change about a month ago and everything was fine. Went out this evening to start car. Wouldn’t start and every single light on the dashboard lit up. Interior lights worked and I could hear iPod binging as it turned on when I pushed the button to try to start the car. Headlights worked. But things were sort of flashing on and off and it was very weird. I did unplug the iPad. But that probably had nothing to do with anything. . So I called AAA, was on the phone with them for about 15 minutes, set up for the tow to come and I pushed the button one more time and the car started. I got home fine. Try to start it three more times and it started....

Battery? Keyfob???? Anyone else had this similar situation?
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
jest said:
Have your battery tested if it's still good.

That started to happen on my 4.4 early this year and my battery was 5 yrs old.
Click to expand...

My battery is only a year old. I'm leaning towards it being the keyfob, am going to try the other one and see if it works ok. I'm going to get the battery checked anyway, just in case it's a clunker.
 
#4 ·
Possibly the problem could have been due to the transmission shifter not quite being pushed all the way into Park, and some members have reports starting problems which vanished when they moved (turned) the steering wheel. Hopefully the cause is that simple to resolve.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
Blogson said:
Possibly the problem could have been due to the transmission shifter not quite being pushed all the way into Park, and some members have reports starting problems which vanished when they moved (turned) the steering wheel. Hopefully the cause is that simple to resolve.
Click to expand...
Got battery checked, it’s ok. Will try your suggestions if it happens again, thanks!
 
#6 ·
I assume you have a limited? It could be your brake switch. In order for the limited to be started the brake must be pressed and a switch triggered. If this switch goes bad the car won't know your foot is on the brake so it acts like you pressed the start button without hitting the brakes (all dash lights and accessories come on). I've not had a limited Rav4, but other cars I've had with push button start act this way. If this happens again check to see if your brake lights are on when your foot is on the pedal.
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
Rav4system3 said:
I assume you have a limited? It could be your brake switch. In order for the limited to be started the brake must be pressed and a switch triggered. If this switch goes bad the car won't know your foot is on the brake so it acts like you pressed the start button without hitting the brakes (all dash lights and accessories come on). I've not had a limited Rav4, but other cars I've had with push button start act this way. If this happens again check to see if your brake lights are on when your foot is on the pedal.
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I do have a Limited. Oh, interesting, well all the lights did come on on the dash.
 
#8 ·
Another thought - seems that I recall (perhaps wrongly) that when you got your RAV4 you installed a remote start system. If so that also could have caused the problem.
 
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#9 ·
Blogson said:
Another thought - seems that I recall (perhaps wrongly) that when you got your RAV4 you installed a remote start system. If so that also could have caused the problem.
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Yep, that was from January 2013. I didn't reread it to see which one she eventually had installed but did find a title from 2015 where her phone was interfering with starting somehow.
All the dash lights coming on is normal during the starting initiation.
Do we have a possible shift lever sensitivity issue?
 
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Discussion starter · #10 ·
Dr. Dyno said:
Yep, that was from January 2013. I didn't reread it to see which one she eventually had installed but did find a title from 2015 where her phone was interfering with starting somehow.
All the dash lights coming on is normal during the starting initiation.
Do we have a possible shift lever sensitivity issue?
Click to expand...
Maybe we do? I did check to make sure it was in Park, but I didn’t take it out of Park and put it back in.
All the lights were staying on, though, not just flashing. All kinds of thing were happening, it was crazy.
But yes, with regards to the phone, I do find that if the phone in the keys are right on top of each other in the car, it doesn’t start. But that wasn’t the problem the other night.
 
#12 ·
laurabw said:
You recall correctly, I’m impressed! But I don’t think that’s it.
Click to expand...

Next time it won't start in Park, try shifting to Neutral and see if it starts there.
 
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