Discussion
If the topic of start stop ever comes up, there’s always that group of people that say you’ll be fitting new starters every 2 weeks and all the bearings in your engine will be toast by 20k miles because of so much stopping and starting.
The thing is, it doesn’t seem to be widely reported as such a big problem. Does anyone have any actual experience of start stop causing a problem?
The thing is, it doesn’t seem to be widely reported as such a big problem. Does anyone have any actual experience of start stop causing a problem?
I don't know because the first thing I do after starting the engine is to disable the 'stall the engine just as you are about to pull out into a gap in the traffic' function. I also want to avoid the turbocharged engine switching off as I pull up on a motorway roundabout, without a few moments to idle beforehand. Occasionally I will manually switch it back on if queuing in traffic.
I don't know because the first thing I do after starting the engine is to disable the 'solving a problem that doesn't exist' function. Occasionally I will consider manually switching it back on if queuing in traffic - however on the rare occasions that I'm in traffic for a while (i.e. just not moving) I replicate it using a secret tip - the ignition key.
The above approach has supported both battery life and MPG being good (overall 60 mpg) - and I believe that if they could speak then many of my engine components would thank me.
The above approach has supported both battery life and MPG being good (overall 60 mpg) - and I believe that if they could speak then many of my engine components would thank me.
SAS Tom said:
If the topic of start stop ever comes up, there’s always that group of people that say you’ll be fitting new starters every 2 weeks and all the bearings in your engine will be toast by 20k miles because of so much stopping and starting.
The thing is, it doesn’t seem to be widely reported as such a big problem. Does anyone have any actual experience of start stop causing a problem?
Its because it's complete bThe thing is, it doesn’t seem to be widely reported as such a big problem. Does anyone have any actual experience of start stop causing a problem?
ks. I wouldn't worry about it. I find in my BM that when I've come to a stand at the end of a motorway slip road after a fast run, the engine knows not to switch off. If it were an issue there would be many PH threads about it.
In my 911, I'd rather disable it, but that's just down to how I want that car to behave as opposed to I'm concerned about it.
In my 911, I'd rather disable it, but that's just down to how I want that car to behave as opposed to I'm concerned about it.
fido said:
av185 said:
Most ss systems have clear parameters when they operate the condition of the battery merely being one.
That's a good point. I know the battery is topped up when the SS kicks in - so usually only turn it off once it has been activated, like a digital battery meter.SAS Tom said:
So already 2 clear camps. Those that are fine with it. Those that do not like it because either it frustrates them or they think it will cause a problem.
I always turn it off in the M4 because I'm not fond of it. Although we have to have it on in the GLE400d though, because if we don't it throws it into limp mode for some reason, and it thinks the car is overheating when it actually isn't! We always turned it off before it started playing up though in fairness. I've had a few loan cars with the mild hybrid assistance, and that does a really good job of really smoothing the stop/start out I've found. Without that you get a definite shudder through the car everytime it operates for me, whether that be the engine turning on or off in my experience.
Some folk don't mind it though as you say.
grumpy52 said:
fido said:
av185 said:
Most ss systems have clear parameters when they operate the condition of the battery merely being one.
That's a good point. I know the battery is topped up when the SS kicks in - so usually only turn it off once it has been activated, like a digital battery meter.Jakg said:
grumpy52 said:
fido said:
av185 said:
Most ss systems have clear parameters when they operate the condition of the battery merely being one.
That's a good point. I know the battery is topped up when the SS kicks in - so usually only turn it off once it has been activated, like a digital battery meter.The s/s function worked perfectly though. No issues with it. Same for the Nissan Qashqui we used to have, and a couple of BMWs we have had.
Maxym said:
I wouldn't worry about it. I find in my BM that when I've come to a stand at the end of a motorway slip road after a fast run, the engine knows not to switch off. If it were an issue there would be many PH threads about it.
In my 911, I'd rather disable it, but that's just down to how I want that car to behave as opposed to I'm concerned about it.
Never an issue in my 335d auto. If you come to a stop and it was ‘active’ then as you held it on the footbrake the engine would stop. The engine would restart when you took your foot off the brake pedal, and well before you touch the accelerator pedal. If you had stopped for a long time in traffic, engaging N (neutral) would restart the engine, but pressing P (park) would not restart the engine. Irrespective of stop/start, of the fan wants to run on after switching the engine off, it will. The starter motor seems fine, and the AGM battery is original, the car is just over 8 years old.In my 911, I'd rather disable it, but that's just down to how I want that car to behave as opposed to I'm concerned about it.
Mrs.Chips bought a brand new Ford Ka in 2011. One of the main selling points was the stop-start.
It worked really well for about 6 months and then stopped working. When we took the car for its next service, we reported the issue and expected it to be fixed when we collected the car. Needless to say, it wasn’t! When I called the garage (Ford main dealer) to ask why, they asked me how the car was used. When I told them that it was used for the short commute to and from work, their response was that the battery wasn’t being charged up enough to allow the stop start to be activated.
Fast forward to November 2024, the car needed a new battery. Took it to local ATS and they charged £160. When I asked why the new battery was so expensive, they told me it needed a high capacity battery because the car was stop-start. I then told them that it didn’t work, they said they weren’t surprised as the old battery (fitted from new, at the factory, by Ford) wasn’t a stop-start battery!
Have been using the car since then and guess what, the fking stop-start still doesn’t work!
It worked really well for about 6 months and then stopped working. When we took the car for its next service, we reported the issue and expected it to be fixed when we collected the car. Needless to say, it wasn’t! When I called the garage (Ford main dealer) to ask why, they asked me how the car was used. When I told them that it was used for the short commute to and from work, their response was that the battery wasn’t being charged up enough to allow the stop start to be activated.
Fast forward to November 2024, the car needed a new battery. Took it to local ATS and they charged £160. When I asked why the new battery was so expensive, they told me it needed a high capacity battery because the car was stop-start. I then told them that it didn’t work, they said they weren’t surprised as the old battery (fitted from new, at the factory, by Ford) wasn’t a stop-start battery!
Have been using the car since then and guess what, the f
king stop-start still doesn’t work!Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff