Auto Stop/Start Resurrected

[Bonza]

Around about last October my 2022 Big Bend's Auto Stop/Start feature stopped working, it didn't bother me too much so didn't pursue it. Today, it suddenly started working again! What gives? Could it have had something to do with cooler temperatures, or winter fuel mix?

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[Me3]

Possibly your battery was at a low enough state of charge to disable ASS and you’ve driven it enough to finally get it charged enough to where the ASS works. Did you take an extra long drive recently?
Cooler temps? I guess that’s possible. More strain on the battery starting in really cold temps lowers state of charge.

 

[Bonza]

I had considered the battery, but I drive the car virtually every day with a good mix of city & interstate driving, typically 150-180 miles a week, so I figured it's well charged.

 

[Me3]

Seems like that should be enough. Hope your problem is solved.

 

[Warped9]

Hmm... I seem to recall reading the auto stop/start will not work if it's sufficiently cold outside and the car interior is being warmed. It was around the beginning of colder temperatures last December I noticed the auto stop/start wasn't activating when I was stopped and just assumed it was working as described. But we have started getting milder temperatures and it hasn't come back on. Now I also notice the switch on the dash is not lit up on my 2024 and have wondered if I turned it off without remembering and it was just staying off.

Hmm. Tomorrow when I go out I'll try turning it back on and see what happens. No biggee, mind you, because I never had this feature on a car before and don't really miss it. But if it's supposed to be working and isn't...well, we'll see.

 

[Bonza]

I'm in the Inland PNW, so our winters can be chilly, but we've had a few days in the last couple of weeks reaching the low 70s, but we're now back to the 50s. So, now Im thinking if it were a temperature prompted restoration, why didn't it happen last week? I think I'm leaning toward the fuel mix theory, but will be interested hear other opinions/experiences.

 

[DWG]

Is your battery an EFB or AGM? There is a recall on the EFB batteries. I had an EFB battery that seemed to be working fine. 24 model year not part of the recall. Over the winter I noticed the Auto Start/Stop stopped working. I had the dealer test the battery. The battery cranked normally but the SOC was only 67%. They replace the battery with an AGM the Auto start stop started working again even in the winter. This may not be your issue but with your BS being a 2022 it may be about 3 years old and just for peace of mind time to replace anyway. In my experience FORD OEM batteries are notorious for failing around 3 years old.

May not apply to you but for your information:
Recall 25V019
In affected vehicles, the 12V battery may experience internal weld and/or caston-strap failures, which could lead to a sudden battery degradation while driving. If the battery suddenly degrades during a drive it can lead to a vehicle that is unable to restart after an auto stop/start event or experience a stall while coming to a stop at low speed. Either of these conditions may be
accompanied by a loss of 12-volt accessories, including hazard lights.

Owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have their vehicle inspected for the presence of a Ford Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) 12V battery. If there is not a Ford AGM battery present, one will be installed. There will be no charge for this
service.

Affected Vehicles:
AFFECTED VEHICLES
2022 Build dates: 2022 June 9, 2021 through October 20, 2022

NHTSA Link to 25V019 recall: 4WD

 

[Webini]

It’s all in the manual.

• Engine Condition: The engine must be warm and the outside temperature within a certain range (0°C to 30°C or 32°F to 86°F).
  

 

[Warped9]

It’s all in the manual.

• Engine Condition: The engine must be warm and the outside temperature within a certain range (0°C to 30°C or 32°F to 86°F).

That's what I remember reading.

 

[Dadio]

Around about last October my 2022 Big Bend's Auto Stop/Start feature stopped working, it didn't bother me too much so didn't pursue it. Today, it suddenly started working again! What gives? Could it have had something to do with cooler temperatures, or winter fuel mix?

It has to do with the outside temperature… in cold weather auto start/stop is disabled

 

[Mark S.]

There's a long list of conditions in my Owner's manual to enable the auto start/stop system:

• You do not press the Auto-Start-Stop button.
• Your vehicle exceeds an initial speed of 3 mph (5 km/h) after the vehicle initially starts.
• Your vehicle is stopped.
• Your foot is on the brake pedal.
• The transmission is in drive (D).
• The driver door is closed.
• There is adequate brake vacuum.
• The interior compartment has cooled or warmed to an acceptable level.
• The front windshield defroster is off.
• The steering wheel is not being turned.
• The vehicle is not on a steep road slope.
• The battery is within optimal operating conditions, such as battery state of charge and temperature in range.
• The engine coolant is at operating temperature.
• Your vehicle is not being driven at a high altitude.
• The ambient temperature is moderate.

 

[Mwittke5857]

There's a long list of conditions in my Owner's manual to enable the auto start/stop system:

• You do not press the Auto-Start-Stop button.
• Your vehicle exceeds an initial speed of 3 mph (5 km/h) after the vehicle initially starts.
• Your vehicle is stopped.
• Your foot is on the brake pedal.
• The transmission is in drive (D).
• The driver door is closed.
• There is adequate brake vacuum.
• The interior compartment has cooled or warmed to an acceptable level.
• The front windshield defroster is off.
• The steering wheel is not being turned.
• The vehicle is not on a steep road slope.
• The battery is within optimal operating conditions, such as battery state of charge and temperature in range.
• The engine coolant is at operating temperature.
• Your vehicle is not being driven at a high altitude.
• The ambient temperature is moderate.

Unfortunately, only three ways to disable it. One; keep hitting the button (annoying at best). Two; know your way around ForScan and disable it, or Three; have whatever tuner you choose write it out for you when you get it tuned. I used 5 Star tuning for my rig, I highly recommend them. I hear there may be another, a "gizmo" you can purchase for around $100, but I believe it needs to be plugged into your OBD II port to disable the "ASS" function. Such an appropriate acronym IMHO. I kept thinking "what ass came up with this horse crap" every time I had to hit the button!

 

[Stircrazy]

It’s all in the manual.

• Engine Condition: The engine must be warm and the outside temperature within a certain range (0°C to 30°C or 32°F to 86°F).

it can be much below 0C I have had mine shut off at -10C, it just doesn't stay shut off as long before it restarts, and it takes longer before it will shut off as the car has to be warm first. I think at -18C mine wasn't shutting off though. maybe mine is just weird.

 

[Warped9]

It's also suspect auto stop/start actually saves much fuel. If you were idle for prolonged periods then maybe, but in regular stop-and-go traffic then not likely.

 

[Stircrazy]

IU would get your battery load tested. a battery has less power when it is cold than when it is warm, so in October when it stopped working what could have been going on is your battery was week, but still good enough to satisfy the voltage requirements for the ASS, but as it started getting colder in the fall the battery might have dipped below that voltage requirement and the car shut the ass off, now that it has warmed up the battery is working better and it starts working again. easy test to rule that out.

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