Stop/Start and Brake Lights
Discussion
When I am stopped in traffic (e.g. at traffic lights), I will normally use the parking brake rather than the foot brake, so that I don't dazzle the driver of the car which is stopped behind me. This is especially the case at night, and with the high visibility rear brake lights fitted to modern cars. I believe that this is the approach that the IAM would recommend (as well as removing the risk that your foot might slip off the brake pedal).
One of my recent acquisitions has a Stop/Start facility, such that when the car is stopped and the foot brake is applied (and if the battery has sufficient charge, etc), the engine switches off. As soon as you remove your foot from the brake pedal, the engine restarts. Even if the parking brake is applied, you have to keep your foot on the brake pedal for the engine to remain off.
Now I'm fully aware of the discussion around potential increased wear and tear on the car by using Stop/Start (and, to be honest, I normally leave it switched off), but purely from a not-dazzling-the-driver-behind perspective, what's the "advanced" view on using Stop/Start?
One of my recent acquisitions has a Stop/Start facility, such that when the car is stopped and the foot brake is applied (and if the battery has sufficient charge, etc), the engine switches off. As soon as you remove your foot from the brake pedal, the engine restarts. Even if the parking brake is applied, you have to keep your foot on the brake pedal for the engine to remain off.
Now I'm fully aware of the discussion around potential increased wear and tear on the car by using Stop/Start (and, to be honest, I normally leave it switched off), but purely from a not-dazzling-the-driver-behind perspective, what's the "advanced" view on using Stop/Start?
One of our cars is the same as yours, auto gearbox and you have to keep your foot on the brake pedal for stop/start to work. Sticking it in neutral doesn't work, you still have to keep your foot on the brake pedal.
The other car is a manual with an auto handbrake. When the auto handbrake engages the brake lights stay on even when I take my foot off the brake pedal. Big bright dazzling full-width LED brake lights
I feel sorry for the people behind me at night, but the electronic handbrake is a complete PITA to use manually. Why do I need my foot on the brake to disengage it?? I want to GO, not brake!
The other car is a manual with an auto handbrake. When the auto handbrake engages the brake lights stay on even when I take my foot off the brake pedal. Big bright dazzling full-width LED brake lights
I feel sorry for the people behind me at night, but the electronic handbrake is a complete PITA to use manually. Why do I need my foot on the brake to disengage it?? I want to GO, not brake!
R E S T E C P said:
I feel sorry for the people behind me at night, but the electronic handbrake is a complete PITA to use manually. Why do I need my foot on the brake to disengage it?? I want to GO, not brake!
Are you sure you're using it correctly? Only instance of an electronically controlled handbrake I've used - admittedly - is on an Audi A6, and you simply need to engage a gear and drive normally, the handbrake will release when there's sufficient driving torque so as not to roll down the hill.My stop/start works in a way that when I am stopped say traffic lights.I don't have to put my foot on the brake pedal.I can engage the electronic handbrake.
I depress the clutch put the car into gear and go.
Don't all cars or the majority wok like this with stop start?
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso.
I depress the clutch put the car into gear and go.
Don't all cars or the majority wok like this with stop start?
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso.
rwdvectra said:
Can't ever recall being dazzled by brake lights sitting behind a car to be honest. I keep stop start switched off myself also
Being retinised.This practice is fast becoming one of the modern motoring menaces.
To sit behind a bunch of cars at the lights all with the hi viz brake lights and main cluster on 'full beam' is fast becoming a very annoying issue.
Whatever happened to 'handbrake/neutral'?
That does sound rather poorly thought out, OP. Without sounding condescending, have you made sure to RTFM? All cars are different of course, but on ours you bring the car to a stop and stop/start kicks in alongside the auto-hold. You can then release the brake pedal, but the car keeps the brakes held on itself. If you don't then manually flick the e-handbrake switch, the car does it for you after about 60 seconds. I note you said your car doesn't have an e-handbrake, but I wonder if there's a 'trick' you're missing? Pretty poor show if not, but as said above hardly a deal breaker really.
I think on manual transmission stop-start works well and is non intrusive being activated by depressing the clutch pedal.
However for automatic/dual clutch it doesn't work well at all IMO. I have had 2 cars in the VW stable and they work as per the OP. I only keep my foot on the brake pedal if I'm only going to be stopped a few seconds, in which case I don't want the engine to stop anyway. If I put the parking brake on, change to neutral and release the brake, the engine will not stop, this is exactly the situation I do want it to stop. So certainly VW stop start for dsg etc is not fit for purpose IMO.
However for automatic/dual clutch it doesn't work well at all IMO. I have had 2 cars in the VW stable and they work as per the OP. I only keep my foot on the brake pedal if I'm only going to be stopped a few seconds, in which case I don't want the engine to stop anyway. If I put the parking brake on, change to neutral and release the brake, the engine will not stop, this is exactly the situation I do want it to stop. So certainly VW stop start for dsg etc is not fit for purpose IMO.
Green1man said:
I think on manual transmission stop-start works well and is non intrusive being activated by depressing the clutch pedal.
However for automatic/dual clutch it doesn't work well at all IMO. I have had 2 cars in the VW stable and they work as per the OP. I only keep my foot on the brake pedal if I'm only going to be stopped a few seconds, in which case I don't want the engine to stop anyway. If I put the parking brake on, change to neutral and release the brake, the engine will not stop, this is exactly the situation I do want it to stop. So certainly VW stop start for dsg etc is not fit for purpose IMO.
...And yet in my post right above yours, explaining how seamlessly faultless it is in my car (no need for brake or other pedals), I'm talking about a DSG VAG car. However for automatic/dual clutch it doesn't work well at all IMO. I have had 2 cars in the VW stable and they work as per the OP. I only keep my foot on the brake pedal if I'm only going to be stopped a few seconds, in which case I don't want the engine to stop anyway. If I put the parking brake on, change to neutral and release the brake, the engine will not stop, this is exactly the situation I do want it to stop. So certainly VW stop start for dsg etc is not fit for purpose IMO.
Perhaps they improved it with age. Mine is a 2016 Skoda Superb 2.0 TSI 220ps DSG, which combined with auto-hold is both seamless and refined.rainmakerraw said:
...And yet in my post right above yours, explaining how seamlessly faultless it is in my car (no need for brake or other pedals), I'm talking about a DSG VAG car. Perhaps they improved it with age. Mine is a 2016 Skoda Superb 2.0 TSI 220ps DSG, which combined with auto-hold is both seamless and refined.
Strange, as one of the cars I was referring to was an Octavia VRS 2015, the other being a Porsche PDK, in neither of these did I find the start stop unobtrusive, the worse effect being stoping when at roundabouts or junctions. Perhaps they improved it with age. Mine is a 2016 Skoda Superb 2.0 TSI 220ps DSG, which combined with auto-hold is both seamless and refined.Lozw86 said:
I have never been "dazzled" by someone's break lights
Just keep your foot on the break, as most automatic drivers do
I don't think it's a matter of actually being dazzled, but there can sometimes be sufficient glare to be a nuisance to a driver behind, especially in wet conditions at night.Just keep your foot on the break, as most automatic drivers do
The VAG DSG Stop/Start with Auto Hold on my 2014 Golf has two stages with the brake pedal.
Braking to a stop just engages the auto hold.
If you leave your foot on the pedal longer it activates the stop/start.
You can restart with a light touch of the throttle without releasing auto-hold
Unfortunately being on auto hold does activate the brake lights but nobody behind me seems to have melted yet.
Braking to a stop just engages the auto hold.
If you leave your foot on the pedal longer it activates the stop/start.
You can restart with a light touch of the throttle without releasing auto-hold
Unfortunately being on auto hold does activate the brake lights but nobody behind me seems to have melted yet.
the 5 observers that have taken me on runs switch off stop start in their own cars and suggest i do the same. I have an X3 and a 325 both with 8sp autos one with e handbrake and an auto handbrake, the other with a normal lever - I'm starting to agree with them. The e is nice in traffic jams, as is stop start but for everything else no!
Six Fiend said:
Unfortunately being on auto hold does activate the brake lights but nobody behind me seems to have melted yet.
They may not have been melted, but they will have been at times irritated, dazzled, prevented from doing an all-round observation check or had their night vision impaired.Sitting with one's foot on the brake pedal while there's a car behind you (especially at night/in the rain) doesn't feel - to me, at least - to be showing the appropriate consideration for other road users that would be expected of an advanced motorist.
This topic is very well timed. I'm getting a new car at the end of the month which has stop/start and automatic transmission and the owner's manual suggests that the stop/start will only kick in while the foot brake is applied (and the car is in D) which would appear to only really be suitable for short stops and for longer stops where I'd want to select neutral and apply the handbrake the engine will be running!
Will have to have a play when I get the car and see if there's a way around it.
Chris
Will have to have a play when I get the car and see if there's a way around it.
Chris
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