Greetings,

I have a 2016 Camry XLE with push button start. For 3 Monday evenings now in the past month or so, the same thing has happened: I get in the car, depress the brake pedal (pedal feels stiff), push the start button, but the engine doesn't start. All the dash indicators come on. The battery appears to be just fine. On the dash it says "Check Charging System".

The first time it happened at the end of my work day, and I was in the company parking lot. One coworker assisted me by attempting to jump start the car. It had no effect, the symptoms were identical, verifying that the problem is not a dead battery. So I called roadside assistance. But before the tow truck got there, I got the car to start! Just another of several tries, and it fired up no problem. My car had been complaining of a low battery in my key fob for almost a year. Me being a tightwad, I just bought some coin size batteries to carry with me until it decided that my fob was really dead. So I chalked it up to that.

But get this: the car started fine for the rest of the workweek, no problems at all, ran just as fine as you please. Then the car rested over the weekend. I went to work again on Monday a week later, came out at the end of the day, drove to a couple stores to get groceries. This time when I got done at Walmart the car wouldn't start again, same problem. So this time I dug out the button battery and replaced the one in the fob. But it didn't make a difference. In fact, the battery I put in its place appeared to be deader than the one I took out, which I could do everything with; lock/unlock doors, open trunk, set off the horn. But not start the car.

So I called my wife to come get me. And that did the trick again. Car started up just a few minutes later. So that's the solution, just call someone up every time, and the car recovers. It's just that people will start getting mad at me.

But I still couldn't completely rule out a dead fob battery, since I had been carrying a potential replacement around for a year. So after the second time I got two more coin size batteries in case it happened again. Well, tonight was the third time, first in my work's parking lot (but then it started) and then again at Walmart. I put the new battery in, no help. And this time my wife did have to pick me up.

I still believe it's some problem with the keyless ignition. But so far it's only ever happened on a Monday night!

Any ideas?
-BCD

 

Have someone check that the brake lights go on when pressing pedal.

Might review the owners manual. Toyota is very specific about how to do things including the start procedure including how to press the Start button.

Check for other smart keys in the car or area.

The check charging system indication would be normal for a failed engine start. The cars electrical system is activated but the alternator is not working. Perhaps like turning an ign key to On but not to Start.

 

This is EXACTLY the same thing that is happening with my girlfriend's 2015 Camry V6 XSE. Three times in the last two weeks. Always in the morning on the first start of the day. Firmer than normal brake pedal when it won't start. Always starts eventually after messing with it. Car battery, charging system, and remote battery are all good. Checked out by a very good mechanic (Toyota specialist) and he has no clue.
Very frustrating…and unacceptable for a woman's car.

 

My girlfriend is experiencing EXACTLY the same problem with her 2015 V6 Camry XSE. The car has failed to crank three times in the last two weeks, always on the first start in the morning. She reports a firmer than normal brake pedal when it fails to start. The car has always eventually cranked and started after several minutes and attempts. The car battery, charging system, and remote battery are all good. Our mechanic (a Toyota specialist) is stumped.

I found a video on YouTube that may be of some help: