Stop / Start on Cars
- Thread starter KneesUp
- Start date
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gavroche
Getting old but not past it
- Location
- North Wales
My car has it too but I find it annoying when you stop for just a few seconds so I disabled it most of the time.
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
It is fitted to my wife's Audi and I turn it off for two very good reasons (three actually now I think about it).
- By far the majority of our driving results in it actuating when we are stopped for just a few seconds, usually just as we are trying to pull out of a side street. Not ideal!
- It hammers the battery, especially at night when the lights are on and fans blowing etc. The additional cycling of the charge levels is not good and drastically shortens the battery life, regardless of how fancy and expensive the battery is (and they are fancy, expensive things).
- I don't know if it is just an Audi thing, or maybe because it is an automatic, but to make the stop/start function you have to keep your foot on the brake! This is something I refuse to inflict on the drivers behind me. In the old days with a manual handbrake I would pull the brake on a few clicks until ready to set off again, but thanks to the wonders of modern tech we now have an electronic parking brake which won't release unless you press the foot brake first, therefore flashing your brake lights at the drivers behind when actually you are setting off, not stopping!
Luckily, Audi in their wisdom have thought about this problem and given us something called *something* assist? this applies and holds the footbrake when you stop until the accelerator is pressed to pull away again when the brake automatically releases. Superb! Except the moment you take your foot off the brake after the *something* assist has engaged, the engine that was switched off by the stop/start springs to life as the footbrake is no longer pressed...… You really couldn't make it up!
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Hill Start assist with electronic brakes - not something I'm keen on in my next car, nor the so called 'keyless entry'. My BIL has to pop his key in a 'Faraday' bag at home.
I remain unconvinced with stop start, and also these 'tiny turbo' cars - Ford have had big issues with their early 'eco boost'.
I remain unconvinced with stop start, and also these 'tiny turbo' cars - Ford have had big issues with their early 'eco boost'.
DRHysted
Guru
- Location
- New Forest
My dad was a mechanic also. He can’t work on my car.
Cletus Van Damme
Previously known as Cheesney Hawks
- Location
- Out in the sticks...
I had it on a manual Nissan Navara and thought it was pretty naff. I guess you have to meet so many conditions. I've got a company car which is way above my pay grade now, a Mercedes E220d estate, 9 speed auto. I can't fault it all on that car, its just seamless and it its so quick to start. Nice car, but they're not worth the money, unless you buy into the prestige car thing. I think the technology is much better on an auto, for obvious reasons. I used to hate auto's, the box on this car is amazing, a manual would ruin it, not that one is available anyway. Its really impressive on this car, so it should be. I would never bother to turn it off as it just works, and its lightning fast to start-up again. Then again its leased so I don't care. Its got that much crap on it to go wrong that I'd never buy an old one. Although I do believe that they are the most reliable German car. Probably still lagging behind a Toyota or Mazda,, Mitsubishi, Kia, Hyundai etc. Which I'd have if I was buying my own car...
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Faraway Bag? Could he not find a biscuit tin?
Bazzer
Setting the controls for the heart of the sun.
- Location
- On the edge of reality
............................
- I don't know if it is just an Audi thing, or maybe because it is an automatic, but to make the stop/start function you have to keep your foot on the brake! This is something I refuse to inflict on the drivers behind me. In the old days with a manual handbrake I would pull the brake on a few clicks until ready to set off again, but thanks to the wonders of modern tech we now have an electronic parking brake which won't release unless you press the foot brake first, therefore flashing your brake lights at the drivers behind when actually you are setting off, not stopping!
Mrs B's auto VW (obviously part of the same group) does the same. FWIW I can't get my head around the thought process either.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
It is fitted to my wife's Audi and I turn it off for two very good reasons (three actually now I think about it).
- By far the majority of our driving results in it actuating when we are stopped for just a few seconds, usually just as we are trying to pull out of a side street. Not ideal!
- It hammers the battery, especially at night when the lights are on and fans blowing etc. The additional cycling of the charge levels is not good and drastically shortens the battery life, regardless of how fancy and expensive the battery is (and they are fancy, expensive things).
- I don't know if it is just an Audi thing, or maybe because it is an automatic, but to make the stop/start function you have to keep your foot on the brake! This is something I refuse to inflict on the drivers behind me. In the old days with a manual handbrake I would pull the brake on a few clicks until ready to set off again, but thanks to the wonders of modern tech we now have an electronic parking brake which won't release unless you press the foot brake first, therefore flashing your brake lights at the drivers behind when actually you are setting off, not stopping!
You're quite right, Sir. It's rare, but people do occasionally get knocked off for holding their foot on the brake. There's the dazzling other road users offence, and unless your car has some kind of "hold" function you're not in proper control for the period between lifting off the brake and applying the throttle. Alas, the correct use of the handbrake to punctuate a car becoming stationary is all but extinct.
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
It just doesn't seem possible that, for instance, you are stopped at roadworks and have to sit for 2-3 minutes or longer with your foot on the brake for the stop/start to work. Am I missing something or is this just incredibly stupid tech?
I am so amazed that I am going to spend some more time messing with the vehicle next time I have my hands on it to see if there is a more sensible permutation of conditions that will actually make the stop/start useable...….
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
It's also bad for the brakes, promotes disc warping.
swansonj
Guru
I’m not disputing that, just intrigued cos I hadn’t heard it before - how does that work?
Richard A Thackeray
Legendary Member
Sadly yes, & LED lighting makes it worse
As doubtless I'll find out, if I follow wife in her new car
I still 'handbrake/neutral', in my Octavia in queuing traffic, even when dark going to 'side-lights' to avoid dazzle in the mirrors of the car ahead
Even when we had an automatic, the only one we've ever had (Jaguar XKR), I'd go into neutral/park, likewise with the courtesy cars at a our usual (very trusted) garage; Toyota Auris hybrids
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
I've recently replaced our car's battery after the beast from the east killed it with ice. I could have got it from Halfords except for the difficulty of driving a car without a working battery 3 miles... that and them charging 50% more for their own-brand than a big-brand one from our usual mechanic around the corner.
Is it still only a £20 fine for idling at a level crossing or in a school zone or similar? That's rarely collected. http://highwaycode.info/rule/123
