[db821766]

I had my SUV sitting in a parking lot for little over a day (- 4C). When I tried to start it, it kept saying, "press the gas pedal, and place the key on the start button". WHen I didn't do it, SUV didnt start at all. Finally when I obliged, it did. What went wrong?

I am really worried.
View attachment 161780

You need to replace the battery in your fob

 

[db821766]

This happens when under power towers also.

 

[rascal]

I had the same problem TWO (2) TIMES with my RAV4 2020 XSE in the first 25,000 miles. I Had to get Toyota Service to jump the battery. My portable charger was not strong enough to get it started. The first time it happened I brought it in to the dealer. They said the battery was fine. I am paranoid as to the next time it will happen.

 

[eegeek]

This problem does occur when the Fob battery is low. See 2020 Hybrid Owner's Manual, P664-665. The button cell batteries have notoriously poor quality control.
The newer Toyota Fobs use CR2032 batteries. Since I have two Toyota hybrids I buy a pack of ten on Amazon (they are cheap) and expect that one or more will fail prematurely. For best results only buy a major name brand such as Energizer, Duracell, Sony.

 

[mikefocke]

This problem does occur when the Fob battery is low. See 2020 Hybrid Owner's Manual, P664-665. The button cell batteries have notoriously poor quality control.
The newer Toyota Fobs use CR2032 batteries. Since I have two Toyota hybrids I buy a pack of ten on Amazon (they are cheap) and expect that one or more will fail prematurely. For best results only buy a major name brand such as Energizer, Duracell, Sony.

And keep a spare fob battery in the glove compartment.

 

[mikefocke]

I had the same problem TWO (2) TIMES with my RAV4 2020 XSE in the first 25,000 miles. I Had to get Toyota Service to jump the battery. My portable charger was not strong enough to get it started. The first time it happened I brought it in to the dealer. They said the battery was fine. I am paranoid as to the next time it will happen.

Ask the dealer to see if T-SB-0095-20 is needed for your car? Insist they check if it can be applied. It is a firmware fix that has cured repeated run down 12v batteries.

 

[Elf911]

I'd say key fob, I've had this issue with other key fobs, also make sure wherever you keep your FOB the buttons can't be constantly depressed by accident. Besides draining power it can cause some fobs to not match the vehicle anymore when out of range and depressed since they are 2 way (I'd need to research more about these). That happened with a VW I had.

 

[RobertB]

Our CRV was PB start and fob also used CR2032 batteries. Batteries had to be replaced a couple of times a year but went dead gradually so no issues getting stranded.

 

[chris79b]

Pts fobs have an active chip (powered by the battery in it) and a passive chip.( used to get the signal when the battery is weak) the pts button has a antenna rig around it to read the passive chip. The active chip is seen by multiple antennas thru out the interior.

 

[drldmm]

Honestly, I found it silly to show (touch) the fob to the start engine button. Why does it need to touch? nowadays everything is bluetooth or some sort of waves. Bizarre. Thank God nobody noticed me touch the button and speaking to myself. I have called the tech service too. Waiting for an answrer.

I have been there. I am a victim of the RAV4 dead battery problem. Park the car over night and dead or weak 12 volt battery in the morning. This is documented in battery threads in this forum. OK, the Toyota authorize road service puts a jumper battery on the car, asks you to touch the fob front to the start button and push. It starts right off. OK, in your case the battery may be defective and low so you have to get the fob close to be read or you like me are caught by the dead battery syndrome. Next, if you have a really dead 12 volt battery you may loose your backup guidelines on your backup monitor. If this happens there is a detailed reset procedure to re-establish the guidelines. This needs to be done by your dealer.

OK, if your battery is just defective that is an easy fix. Warrantee your battery.

If you are a member the periodic dead battery crowd, see your dealer and I understand the Toyota now recognizes this problem and has a firmware fix for it. But my concern is why are they still producing vehicles like this, if they know the firmware solution. I have not gotten my RAV4's firmware patched yet, so I can't verify that it fixes the problem.

Hope this helps

 

[drb21]

Guys, unfortunately, it happened again, inspite changing the batteries on the fob. I am trying to understand why low temperatures (at the moment -7C) got to do with this. Fob was warm since it stayed at home. While Car would have been cold.

Additionally, is it possible addition of remote starter could interfere with this?

 

[JohnT-Rav4HL]

I had my SUV sitting in a parking lot for little over a day (- 4C). When I tried to start it, it kept saying, "press the gas pedal, and place the key on the start button". WHen I didn't do it, SUV didnt start at all. Finally when I obliged, it did. What went wrong?

I am really worried.
View attachment 161780

I'm wondering if you were parked in an area with strong outside radio frequency interference. ... or ... If your key FOB was in a pocket where one of the buttons was pressed for a long period of time, drawing down the battery in the Key FOB. This has happened to me when I had multiple items in my pants pocket, so now keep the FOB in my shirt pocket.

My wife also had the same issue of battery in her Key FOB dying on her car (2017 Volt) several times. Traced it to being in her purse up against several other items pushing the buttons on her key FOB ... I found a small small case made of foam an added a small piece of cardboard that prevented the keys being accidentally pushed and she has had no further problems the past two years.

 

[mikefocke]

Guys, unfortunately, it happened again, inspite changing the batteries on the fob. I am trying to understand why low temperatures (at the moment -7C) got to do with this. Fob was warm since it stayed at home. While Car would have been cold.

Additionally, is it possible addition of remote starter could interfere with this?

Have you had the DCM update done? T-SB-0095-20

Has it had the T-SB that protects a relay that plays with the starter done? T-SB-0045-20 Problem triggered by low temps and condensation.

Both impact remote start or starting at all.

Of course an add-on remote start could do it if improperly wired or configured or just plain designed wrong. It is sitting there waiting for a signal and using batteries on both ends all the time.

Are you sure it is the key fob battery and not just being inside and warming up that enables the start?

But look that the 45-20 first as it relates directly to temperatures

 

[drb21]

I don't how to thank you all. All these responses prove that 'humanity hasn't died yet'. I changed Rav4 for the third time in a row starting with 2018. Each time, I climbed up the trim and now ended with Hybrid. 2019 LE AWD was traded because it had a gurgling noise whenever AC was running. Now it is winter, I could not hear it. After many visits to service, complaints to Toyota Tech......answer was "noise is valid. but hasn't affected normal functioning hence there is nothing to be fixed.'

I went berserk. Toyota shouldn't be doing this. How is it normal function when there is an unnatural noise while driving and say car is moving and that's all it counts.

So I gave up and went to next trim - hybrid. Within 2 days this one started giving me problems. Either I am an obnoxious loser/stickler or its just destiny to run across problems all the time.

For safety sake, I am planning to argue and return the remote starter after reading "Mike's post". Hope they take it back and give the money.

 

[drb21]

Either cold weather has frozen my brain to fit into a demitasse or it is real. Yesterday, I parked my car. Turn off ignition by pressing brake and ignition switch. All lights were out. Got out. Locked the car and walked for few feet, the lights came back, audio started playing on its own. But car didn't start. Doors remained locked. Tail lights and indicator lights (not flashing) were on. Bizarre. It kept doing this again and again for few times.

Am I doing something wrong?

Tomorrow, I have scheduled an appointment to remove the autostarter and check for everything. All TSBs have already been applied. Dealer told me that they cannot sell vehicle as of a particular day without completing all such formalities.

Hope I didn't make a mistake in buying this hybrid for the first time in my life.

 

[Dr. Dyno]

Yesterday, I parked my car. Turn off ignition by pressing brake and ignition switch. All lights were out. Got out. Locked the car and walked for few feet, the lights came back, audio started playing on its own. ....

Am I doing something wrong?

I have an Accord hybrid not a Toyota one but to turn mine off I hit the ignition button w/o touching the brake. Pressing the brake and ignition starts the car. I can't imagine Toyota's hybrids are any different.

 

[drb21]

Finally removed the remote starter yesterday and put on other accessories.
For 700$ without a manual, and for that looks cheap, erroneous functionality i am glad to have removed it. Hope comfort plus enhanced is worth.

Auto dimming rear view mirror is phenomenal. Extremely better than normal ones.