Start/Stop Thoughts

[gatornek]

I will be honest.

I DID NOT know about the stop/start feature until the car was already signed for and purchased. I took maybe a 5 minute test drive and it didn't do it during the drive. Salespeson didn't mention it. So it really caught me by surprise. At first, I was like "oh no; this has got to change". But since it took me a couple of days to 'process' what was going on....I've kind of learned to live with it.

On one hand, I like the fact that I'm saving gas.

But on the other hand, I'm worried about long term wear and tear on the starter.

So far, I haven't reached over to turn it off. If it can save me a few bucks in gas, then so be it. But I just wonder how many people drive with this feature/bug.

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[cprcubed]

I put on an Auto Start/Stop Eliminator almost immediately. I can't stand that "feature" and it's very nice not having to remember to switch it to OFF every time. Cheers!

 

[PugDad]

I put on an Auto Start/Stop Eliminator almost immediately. I can't stand that "feature" and it's very nice not having to remember to switch it to OFF every time. Cheers!

Not sure if you would know, but is there a way for the dealership to tell if you had that installed and removed it prior to having service done? Would this possibly be a warranty issue? Can the programming record that the start/stop was disabled? I want to get this, that part kind of worries me. Or does it actually just work similar to activating the button but just for longer sustained periods of time.

 

[CrashBend]

I always turn it off when I start the car. If I will be sitting I turn the car off myself. The last thing I want is for the car to not start again while in heavy traffic. 22,000 trouble free miles on our O.B.

 

[jkeaton]

It’s just another pre drive item I’ve become accustomed to like fastening the seat belt, adjusting mirrors, connect phone , start playlist, etc. Not a huge deal.

 

[Chiefthepup]

I don’t hate it but it’s very annoying when your coming to a round about where yeah you have to stop but also be able to get up and go fairly quickly in what could be a split second. If I know I’m at the beginning of a red light I’ll fully engage the brakes and let the feature do it’s thing. But at a round about or heavy traffic or a light I know is at the tail end of a red I push the break to that sweet spot where I’m stopped but it doesn’t shut off the vehicle.

 

[IdahoDirtFarmer]

I don’t hate it but it’s very annoying when your coming to a round about where yeah you have to stop but also be able to get up and go fairly quickly in what could be a split second. If I know I’m at the beginning of a red light I’ll fully engage the brakes and let the feature do it’s thing. But at a round about or heavy traffic or a light I know is at the tail end of a red I push the break to that sweet spot where I’m stopped but it doesn’t shut off the vehicle.

Same thing I was going to say. I like the feature but I have definitely learned a different brake pedal control and it's annoying if you have to get out into traffic. I just turn it off if I'm in that situation.

 

[Broncoblue]

Able to turn on/off autostopstart in dash screen display.

 

[Barry S.]

Easy solution. I've gotten into the habit of starting the car by pressing the start button and the auto off button. Not worth the time and trouble even thinking about it.

 

[NMhunter]

We have some long lights near where we live. When the battery isn't topped off, or I've made a lot of stops, the feature turns off. I can watch my gas mileage go down while stopped at the light. I like the feature. If yours stops working, it means your battery isn't fully charged. That happens a lot in the winter with lots of short trips with the lights on. At a round-a-bout, I just don't fully depress the brake pedal. Or, if it does shut down the engine, just taking pressure off the brake for a second will start the engine, and it won't shut off again.

 

[AmazingSieve]

I go back and forth with it. When I first bought the car, I turned it off as part of routine. When gas prices spiked I started not turning it off, recently I'm turning it off every time again.

I trust Ford has engineered the starter motor appropriately and it can handle the increased wear and tear. I also know start/stop or as I call it startle start, because when it wakes up its like waking up from a nap, is on nearly every car and is a standard feature on every car even Porsches. Car companies are now compelled to eek out every single mpg to hit there enviro marks on cars so it comes as the default.

It is annoying though. And thats where I'm at with it. Does ot help save an MPG or two, yea probably. I guess you have to ask yourself how much is that worth to you. For me, not worth it anymore. Not worth the nuiscance of having the car shut off and of course AC shutoff at lights then waking back up. Its not the most annoying thing in the world but I do find it obnoxious.

I also dont mind having to turn it off every time I drive the car. You have to do so many thing every time you drive a car including putting the car in drive its just not that big of a deal to me.

 

[cprcubed]

With the AS/S Eliminator installed, the system acts like you pushed the button manually (the message comes up on the screen). Personally, I don't think it's a "void the warranty" issue and I'm not worried about it anyway (not sure what kind of failure it could induce). Cheers!

 

[SportWest]

Are there any studies examining the alleged "gas savings" with auto start/stop? My gut tells me that any savings are immaterial.

Not to rehash the other thread about power lag, but the last thing I need on top of that is the brief delay when the engine turns back on. So I turn off this "feature" every time I start the car. It's the automotive equivalent of that EU mandate that makes every website site ask me about cookies, that is to say, annoying with dubious benefits.

 

[RSH]

As I've stated before, if auto start stop is functioning properly, it's transparent.

 

[Mark S.]

Are there any studies examining the alleged "gas savings" with auto start/stop? My gut tells me that any savings are immaterial.

Here you go.



Starter motors and electrical systems are SUPPOSED to be engineered to handle the additional wear & tear imposed by the Start/Stop system. Many have reported issues with the OEM battery, the first symptom of which is often reported as the Start/Stop system not working. A new, more powerful battery seems to have fixed the issue for everyone reporting it.

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