stop/start - great eco function or downright dangerous?

[croyde]

So what happens if you just use your handbrake?

What the OP describes does sound downright dangerous a bit like the ancient traction control on my E36.

Approach steep up hill T-junction onto busy road to turn left still going up hill. You have to stop then boot it as it's pretty blind to the right so you must join the main road pretty sharpish BUT....

the traction control cuts in as it's a bit wet and you lose all power just as you are now right in the path of some thundering juggernaut.

Let me drive please, I don't trust electronics (Although some of the latest systems that I have been allowed to test to the max on private tracks, Porsche's 2005 onwards PSM being one, have performed rather well) and to constantly stop the engine surely is not good for the starter motor or the battery.

[Harbuzi]

OP, that doesn't sound ideal. I have it in the 500, and as other posters have alluded to you have to be in neutral with the clutch up for it to engage.

As a system, I think it's quite a good idea, but can see why many find it annoying! The off button gives you the option thankfully!

[yellowbentines]

redtwin said:

So if I understand this correctly, with an auto box the car engine will stop with the gear selector in D then start again when foot is removed from brake pedal with the selector still in D?.

Yes, spot on. Like I say, I didn't even know it was possible to have the function on an auto, nevermind that the car I'd agreed to buy had it!

Car is a 2011 C220 CDI, I'm getting great mpg with it disabled so won't be using it again unless I get stuck in motorway gridlock.

[Corpulent Tosser]

yellowbentines said:

Having lived with my new car for a month I'm suggesting it's the latter.

Its an auto, and every time you come to a standstill the engine cuts out even whilst in drive, lift your foot off the brake pedal and it restarts.

So why not put on the handbrake, take your foot off the footbrake and the engine will be running ready for you to accelerate into traffic.

Or use the disable button.

[Bill Carr]

Harbuzi said:

OP, that doesn't sound ideal. I have it in the 500, and as other posters have alluded to you have to be in neutral with the clutch up for it to engage.

This. I have it in my 500 too, and I find it quite intuitive - and safe! But mine's a manual.

[eztiger]

RicksAlfas said:

That shouldn't happen. Unless GM have some weird system, SS should only engage when the car is stationary, car is in neutral and clutch up. Surely he can't be doing all those things whilst trying to pull away quickly?

My 1 series will enagage stop/start when the car is still moving, I think at anything less than around 3/4 mph. The rest of your requirements stand though.

This means you can coast gently towards a junction in neutral (naughty I know) and stop start will kick in just before you're actually stopped. It also then means, if on a hill, you can coast forward until such time as you get above a few miles per hour and only then will the engine kick back on. (presuming you're not touching the clutch at this time)

It's not as firm a line as completely stationary.

No idea if other systems are like this, but I presume it's similar across the bmw range.

[yellowbentines]

Corpulent Tosser said:

So why not put on the handbrake, take your foot off the footbrake and the engine will be running ready for you to accelerate into traffic.

I'd have to come to a complete standstill using the footbrake, then the engine would cut out whilst I put the handbrake on (which being a Merc is foot operated, released by hand), then the engine would restart - more trouble than just using the stop start normally!

Corpulent Tosser said:

Or use the disable button.

See my previous posts.

Edited by yellowbentines on Monday 21st November 14:46

[JaaaagXF]

The stop/start in the nex Jag XF 2.2 Diesel seems to work well. I've never had it not be ready by the time my foot gets from the brake to the accelerator. It has also been smart enough (so far) to work out when not to stop. If you momentarily come to rest and then move forward again it doesn't complete the stop process so you've still got drive.

I like the system a lot now that I'm used to it going quiet. Also, the disable button remembers the setiing on the Jag, so the function can be turned off.

[kambites]

I've never really even noticed it when I've driven cars with stop-start. I'm not sure I've tried an auto, though.

[kashn]

I have a E class cab auto with the stop/start function and I like it! However, I don't know where the disable button is. Anybody know?

[RicksAlfas]

eztiger said:

My 1 series will enagage stop/start when the car is still moving, I think at anything less than around 3/4 mph. The rest of your requirements stand though.

This means you can coast gently towards a junction in neutral (naughty I know) and stop start will kick in just before you're actually stopped. It also then means, if on a hill, you can coast forward until such time as you get above a few miles per hour and only then will the engine kick back on. (presuming you're not touching the clutch at this time)

It's not as firm a line as completely stationary.

No idea if other systems are like this, but I presume it's similar across the bmw range.

Yes, you are correct. My 320 is the same. However my driving instructor drummed it into me that coasting in neutral was worse than mowing down a bus queue of nuns whilst swigging Black Label from the bottle, so I don't do it too often!

[eztiger]

RicksAlfas said:

Yes, you are correct. My 320 is the same. However my driving instructor drummed it into me that coasting in neutral was worse than mowing down a bus queue of nuns whilst swigging Black Label from the bottle, so I don't do it too often!

I probably despatch the equivalent of three nunnerys during my daily commute. oops

I find it quite 'handy' at long waits in lights (and I have a couple of those on hills on my commute) so I don't need to creep along with start stop...starting and stopping..every two seconds. Just pop off the brake and roll gently forward.

Very naughty and my car is covered in nuns.

[Waugh-terfall]

Gosh, sounds badly planned. Surely t should only come into action if the car is stationary and in P or N, the system in the A1 TDI we've had for the last month and a half is really good, move int neutral and release the clutch pedal, starts as soon as you push that pedal. Maybe a software update suggestion to make to the manufacturer/dealer.