Failure to Start on Single Button Push (2012 6mt Touring 44k Miles)

Woody556

This has been going on for a little over a month, maybe two now. I used to be able to hold the clutch and single press, or hold, the push-to-start button and the car would simply turn on. Now I'm experiencing this

It doesn't consistently act like this either. Sometimes it will turn on from one push. However when it does act like this in the video, the engine almost always dies within a couple seconds of turning on. And not just a lower RPM, but it sputters to stay alive (you may be able to hear just how close it gets to dying in the video). I can give it gas and then there's no problem. It also seems to take longer for the orange "Clutch Down" symbol to show up on the left side of the dash than it used to. I may just be remembering wrong, but it feels like that used to pop up almost immediately when getting in the car. I've also noticed that very infrequently when I unlock the car and get near the door, the orange side dash will show the key inserting into the fobgina before even opening the door. I don't think it ever did this before, nor do I have any idea why it would do that.

I have two fobs, I have tried both with new batteries in each. I checked on the switches for the clutch pedal and adjusted the clutch-down switch as it felt like it wasn't being pushed in far enough. My battery reads at slightly above 14v. The car has no problem going to ACC or ON. If I go to ON first, then push the clutch and click the button again, it turns on no problem. I've never had the infamous yellow intelligent key light pop up, but I have been reading on it and so far I don't think my symptoms match up with it but I could be wrong. Once the car is on, it runs completely fine and there are 0 issues.

Does anyone have any idea on what else this could be? Do I need a new clutch-down switch? A new push-start switch? Is it the intelligent key problem showing early signs? Hopefully someone out there has an idea because this has been killing me

Spooler

I have had it. Needed to change the batteries in the FOB again.

Woody556

I was hoping this would be it so I bought a new package of batteries and tried them out of the pack into both key fobs and it's still doing this

I did trying something today that may be more evidence of needing a new switch? Without the clutch, I pushed it to ACC and then ON and then with the clutch down I tried to start it, but the power went off instead. I would think that means the car isn't sensing the clutch-down button since it didn't even try to start. Probably going to order new clutch buttons and get them both replaced and then see what happens. I'll come back and update once I do unless I hear any other ideas on here

Spooler

I am trying to remember what I did. I had the exact same problem. I changed the fob battery first, and then it gets fuzzy. I think I installed a new battery in the car. It was back in 2020 or 2021. Wish I could remember. I still had the factory battery.

Woody556

Fortunately the guy I got the car from was extremely generous and replaced the tires and battery before I bought it from him and that was only 5 years ago so I would imagine it's still okay. It reads 14.5 constantly and I never see any fluctuating, but it's definitely been a possibility in my mind

I did fix the car dying on start up. It was the dirty manifold issue that I've read about in a few places. Cleaned those out and it hasn't had a problem since

I still haven't replaced the switch, but I did try just being more patient when turning the car on and it's consistently been working. I used to be able to just clutch, press, car starts in one motion. Now I sit down, wait a couple seconds, press clutch and wait, then press the start button and it turns on. Figured I'd let that ride for a while to see if it fails on me doing it this way before swapping the switch

Tractionless

What dirty manifolds are you referring to?

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Toys Not Tots

Woody556

HA I'm stupid 😂 Must've been tired when I typed that. I meant throttle bodies. Thanks for catching that