My wife has a 2020 Toyota Camry with push button start. In the past week, it has started failing to detect the key fob about 25% of the time. So far, it has eventually recognized the fob after you keep trying to start the car. It does it with both fobs and the batteries are good in them. I had the battery checked and it tested good with 12.42 volts. When researching online, I did read in one forum that if the battery dropped below 12.5 volts that it could cause issues like this. Before I drop a couple hundred on a new battery that may or may not fix the problem, I figured I would see if anyone had ran into the issue and had some advice.

Can you not test it by hooking a charger to the battery to up the voltage. If it starts reliably then you will know that’s it. If you haven’t replaced the batteries in the fobs, i would do that even if you think they are good.

If the fob battery has never been replaced I’d start there. 3 years old used daily may be dying. Lithiums ions will act funny when they’re dying. Do the key fob button actuate the car doors and all?

Hooking a charger to it is a good idea, but since its not happening every time I am not sure if that would give me the answer. The key fob batteries have recently been replaced. Also, when the batteries get weak in the fob, an alert message comes up in the car.

The key fob batteries have recently been replaced. Also, when the batteries get weak in the fob, an alert message comes up in the car.
The key fob does actuate the doors. So if the doors are not unlocked, the same issue happens about 25% of the time. It will not unlock the doors.

Consult the Oracle. AKA youtube.

I would check the key fob batteries, 3 volts on those, Also if you have faults in the ecm , even if the check engine light is not o , this remote start will not work because of safety issues.

Key fob batteries are cheap, start there. I just changed mine out yesterday, cost less than $5.

If it's been dropped several times it will make the chip inside become loose

I just watched a video on Toyotas because my wife's acting up. If it didn't work, you can hold the fob directly against the push button and it will turn everything on, allowing the button to work.

I’d swap the battery in the vehicle with the battery from your vehicle for a few days just to see.

Option 1. Replace key fob battery. You don’t want to do that and try, Ok.
Option 2. Test battery and/or charge it overnight to see.
Option 3. Take it to place you buy batteries and have them test the battery.
Option 4. Take it to the dealership and pay them several thousand to replace the key fob battery and your vehicle battery at 12.5 volts, get home and it acts up 24.5 percent of the time.

If your Camry battery is is 12.42 volts, with the car NOT running, I'd write that is the issue.
I always want to see the high 12s and 13 for mine.
If you don't want to spend the money for a new battery for the Camry, and have jumper cables, I'd hook the battery up with the jumper cables to another vehicle, so the voltage is higher than 12.4 volts and see if the problem stops.

I'd put my money on "it's the battery in the Camry".

However, if you have a volt meter, with the Camry running, check the voltage, it should be 14V or higher.
If it's lower than 14V, then more than likely it's the alternator that is bad.

God Bless,
David B.

If the car seems to short crank (as in cranks very soon after starter is engaged, shorter time than normal) then the car battery is getting weak. I’ve had that happen twice on push start Toyotas. Doesn’t make sense but both times the same thing started happening. I now consider that my first indicator. Usually will last at least another month. 12.4 volts is not a good battery. Should be higher than that and the cranking amps will suffer.

May not apply but my fob battery gets dust between it and the contacts and it starts acting goofy.

When batteries get weak on Toyotas they will do crazy electrical things. For instance our last two four runners the rear wiper would wipe one time on crank up. Battery would show bad on a load tester in no time.

Thanks for everyone's input. I will let yall know what fixes the issue.

Please do!

God Bless,
David B.