Stop/start

[figbat]

Stop/start was a cynical response to the testing requirements that generate the official CO2 and fuel economy numbers. The NEDC test includes a number of full-stops - it benefits the OEM to shut the engine for these periods to save fuel and emissions. In the real world it only saves fuel if you stop. It has also been implicated in increasing dual-mass flywheel failures.

That said, on my petrol MINI I just let it do its thing. On the wife’s diesel XC60 we both tend to disable it when we start the car.

 

[gavroche]

I turn mine off as soon as the engine is running as I find it irritating, especially when you only stop for a few seconds.

 

[Levo-Lon]

I also wonder what it does to the battery life constantly starting the engine, particularly in heavy traffic. I know the batteries are bigger than in cars without this - that must also impact on the environment long term.

As far as I know, they only work with a high charge, even having the AC on will often disable them.

So your battery should be ok.

I also find them a bit pointless but I don't drive in rush hour congestion .

If I did then I'd be all for it.

 

[potsy]

Another here that turns that feature off a soon as I start up, seems pointless and inconsistent on my VW (auto)

Wish you could permanently disable it but there doesn't appear to be any way to do this.

 

[sleuthey]

I love it. Makes me feel frugal.

Best thing to do is forget it's there, so if you would normally turn your ignition off under certain circumstances then do the same even when the stop start has activated.

 

[Venod]

We had it on the Quasqai manual box, it was quite erratic I could never predict when it would operate, we have it on the Volvo V40 auto it seems a lot more stable and never bother me at all, foot off brake engine starts and away you go, can't believe I had a downer on autos for so long.

 

[screenman]

I like mine and would not switch it off.

 

[Gunk]

If you have an OBD device on some cars you can alter the stop start minimum operating temperature from 4c to 40c which will disable it.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I've had a few cars with stop/start. They weren't meant to have it, but...

 

[Beebo]

I've had a few cars with stop/start. They weren't meant to have it, but...

My F plate metro would conk out at every junction when it lost revs.

 

[snorri]

It's a pain, another fault liability!
I so seldom stop at traffic lights and even less frequently get caught up in congestion that it gives me momentary panic when I'm on the road and the engine stops without me removing the ignition key.

 

[keithmac]

We sell scooters with stop/ start. They use the stator windings (alternator) in reverse basically to start the engine. Silent and no parts to wear out.

I'm sure a car company developed similar, but the all seem to use the standard starter and ring gear now which just seems "harsh" to me really.

You'll have an EFB (Enhanced Flood Battery) which was developed to cope with Stop/Start and the so called SMART alternator control. All fun and games until you have to replace it £££..

 

[Drago]

It's a pain, another fault liability!
I so seldom stop at traffic lights and even less frequently get caught up in congestion that it gives me momentary panic when I'm on the road and the engine stops without me removing the ignition key.

Oh yes. The combined starter/generators are reliable, but if one ever did break itll make your eyes water. The batteries cost more than double the cost of a conventional SLA design, and they are notoriously problematic. Because the voltage the system requires is so finely measured they'll often fail to operate as the battery ages, even those the battery may yet have years of life in it and be perfectly up to the job of starting the engine.

 

[keithmac]

The PCM will estimate battery condition and SOC (state of charge), if it's under 80% it will shut down Stop Start.

I had to put diagnostics on ours to tell it there was a new battery fitted (bit daft really..).

The charging is stupid as well, they allow battery to drop well below 12v and then try to cram as much in under engine braking (to avoid parasitic loss from the alternator). This is terrible for a battery, so they had to design the EFB's just to cope with it!.

All that for probably 1 to 2mpg improvement tops..

 

[Salad Dodger]

I have stop/start on my Pug Bipper Teepee and am content to let it do its thing. As mentioned elsewhere, it disables itself when the battery is a bit low, which for me seems to be about 30% of the time.
I do turn it off if we get stuck in a big traffic jam, cos then it's a bit annoying constantly stopping and starting, when you are creeping forward about one car length at a time....