Those morons at Road & Track Magazine and the Society of Automotive Engineers seem to think it does...but what do they know?

Automatic Start-Stop Tech Saves More Fuel Than You Think

Auto Stop-Start Fuel Consumption Benefits

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Where Law Ends, Tyranny Begins

That's right! We here at the giant government-climate people-control complex care nothing about what you want or think. When we control the administrative and congressional branches of the nation we will bend free markets and free will to our big giant brains!

Everyone will have to drive affordable Chinese EV's whether they want to or not ... oh wait, that's a different problem.

The more complex the vehicle, the more potential problems they have - especially with their integrated systems.

Auto start works great until it doesn't!

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Thread Killer.

I drove one A/S/S vehicle once. Never again. If the system cannot be permanently disabled before I drive it off the lot, I'm not driving it off the lot.

Several years ago I installed an 'AutoStop Eliminator' (the harness type) on my 2018 Ford F150. It works perfectly and totally eliminates the autostop aggravation.

The key word in your comment above is "potential"...

In my misspent youth, I was owned by a series of British sports cars. (You don't own the car; it owns you.) I had three MG Midgets over the years; an Austin Healey 3000; a Triumph TR4A and a GT6; and a Sunbeam Alpine. All were stone-axe simple compared to today's machines. (On the Midgets, in order to get heat, you had to turn a faucet on the back of the engine to allow coolant to flow into the heater core.) I used to wrench those cars myself, and still have the tools I used to do it with.

Today, I have two German cars and a German motorcycle. I can change the oil on the bike, and check tire pressures on all of them, and that's about it. For everything else, I take them to a dealer or independent garage. But: They are far, far more reliable than those MGs and TRs I had more than 50 years ago. My daily driver, a VW Golf R, has almost 220,000 miles on it, still has the original clutch, and uses a quart of oil about every 4000 miles. It has never stranded me, and has needed only minor repairs since I bought it new 12 years ago.

Modern cars are indeed more complex, and yes, when they break, they are more expensive to repair. But the flip side to that fact is that they are more reliable and more economical than the chariots of yore, and need servicing far less often.

I loved my British sports cars...but I sure wouldn't want to go back to driving one every day!

Attached Images

1967 Triumph TR4-A 1.jpg (91.3 KB, 23 views)

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Where Law Ends, Tyranny Begins

I've now had several vehicles with the auto start stop "feature." It really doesn't bother me, but some folks get real worked up over it. There are devices you can purchase and install that will defeat the feature permanently. Some plug into the OBD II port. Others require tearing into the dash to plug it into a connector. I won't bother.

I do push the button to disable it if I remember, but the restart is basically instantaneous and it really doesn't bother me. I've experienced zero problems in over 10 years of driving vehicles equipped with this feature.

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Or something like that . . .

I have a late 70's F150, mechanical everything. It is well maintained. You know what I have to worry about? Nothing. I can fix just about anything, short of a ventilated block, on the side of the road with basic hand tools and skills learned over the years.

My truck with, basic maintenance, on the severe service intervals, is 45+ years old and DOESN'T burn oil. It can STILL pass emissions. I seriously doubt your car will last half as long as my truck. And yes, I drive my truck just about everyday.

Good luck with your VW.

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Thread Killer.

Speaking of tech, if you have a Ford truck with the BLIS system, and the tail lights are damaged and or stolen if the lights themselves are $600 a piece - if you have to replace the electronic innards it's between $5000-6000 a piece if you can find them.

My neighbor had his side view mirror broken on his late model fission when he hit a pole. It ran him almost $1500 from the dealer to have it installed and painted. The mirror had sensors for some sort of monitoring system.

Yeah, no.

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Thread Killer.

These posts remind me of the original auto-stop mechanisms during the bad old days of the mid-1970s, when automobile engineering and quality hit rock bottom. I rented a new Chrysler during that period that had an engine that would shut off every time I touched the brake. I'd re-start it manually, but the engine would stall as soon as I touched the gas pedal. Stop-stall, stop-stall, stop-stall, block after block in downtown San Francisco, no less. Of course none of this was by design. It was a result of the primitive and poorly engineered emissions systems of that era. I was able to nurse the Chrysler back to the rental agency, where they exchanged it for a beat-up old Chevrolet Citation. It was ugly, but it ran. I sure don't miss that era of 150 horsepower Corvettes and cars that barely worked.

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What, me worry?

Before I bought a new car I could completely rebuilt and repaint one of my Lincoln town cars and have lots of cash left for gasoline. But, then neither of them need rebuilt and I can always find another one with low mileage for under 5 grand

Same goes for my Ford Heavy Duty with 7.3 powerstroke, except the prices for those id going up not down. I could sell mine with 260,000 miles on it for way more than I paid for it with 150,000 on it. A new motor would be 5K a tranny 4K axle and springs rebuilt maybe another 5K, paint 3K. So 18 K for basically a new truck. But, as I drive it less than 5,000 a year it will probably last as long as I do. I can hook my 26 ft camp trailer on it and then attach my ATV trailer behind that and go down the road at 70mph. I do have to kick it out of overdrive going up the long hills.

I have a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee and bought a plug-in fix when the vehicle was new. Could not have been easier and has performed perfectly for 7 years running. It came from a company that specializes in defeating this feature. Autostop Eliminator provides kits or plug-ins that are made to override this feature. Check out your brand for details.
Autostop Eliminator - Disable The Auto Start Stop Feature

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Gary
SWCA 2515

We had the system in a car we rented a few years ago. Never bothered me. As for the reduced cylinder use such as described, remember the most of the power you use is for achieving road speed. Once there, holding speed under most conditions takes relatively little power.

On the other hand, a sun/moon roof is a HELL NO. As coroner, I have seen a cute of nasty wrecks in which the sun roof contributed to fatalities.

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NHI, 10-8.

How so? Now I’m curious. I have no dog in that hunt, just wondering how it contributed.

Structural weakness in rollovers, and an improperly used seat belt allowing the decedent's head to contact the pavement and be scraped. They are also a security fail, making too easy to see into the car and also too easy to break in.

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NHI, 10-8.

They are idiotic and from a mechanics standpoint (I know my way enough around cars enough, but I'm not a "mechanic" by trade), I think they're absolutely pointless green hobgoblin I'm saving the world because my car dies at stop, lies...

I think they're burdensome, annoying, pointless, and will do more harm then good. When I rent rentals for work, it's a pain because they all have it.

Further, with the way of the world today, I don't want to have some fools trying to "jack my ride" and I go to take off and the car has to start up for me to make a smooth get away. Just plain ignorant designs...

I don't like a lot of "nanny features" (as I refer to them) on cars.

When I upgrade in the future, God willing, I find a car that won't have it! My current does not.

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Go ahead... make my day.

My new car has it too, and I hate it. I've developed a mental checklist of buttons to push in sequence every time I start the car, one of the buttons is of course the button that turns off auto start/stop for that trip. The government truly is beating the snot out of us in their beliefs that it will help the environment, things like dishwashers that are so efficient with water usage that you're left with a stinky dishwasher because they don't use enough water to rinse. It's maddening.

That looks promising; doesn't connect to the OBD port. Available for Subarus, which I'm considering.

I call BS on the articles. The printed media is controlled to feed the public with whatever they want us to see.

First of all, the one story references NY City. Wholly Mackeral, the idling time driving on Manhattan streets surely will affect the data.

Show us data for combined city / highway driving like many of us encounter.

Secondly, as a car guy I have little respect for C&D.

Just my biased opinion, and I don't know ****.

My 2021 Chevy Traverse RS has it but does not have a button to disable. Bought a $10 doodad on Amazon that plugs inline with the hood switch. Works perfectly.

GEEZ.......WHERE YA BEEN?

Personally I like V8's.......Horsepower & acceleration ........No wimpy 4 bangers that shut off everytime you stop.

I was raised in the good ol days.........Not in this age of sissies and man buns.

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S&W Accumulator

There's an old story about how British sports cars have two seats so you can take your mechanic along on trips (former Spitfire owner)

About "potential". That's a one word summary of "if it can go wrong, it will." Unfortunately, the AS&S is pretty much needed to meet the fuel consumption goals on the mandated test course. Wonder if you can pull fuses to kill the AS&S & active cruise control? My late son's Explorer seems to have off switches that stay off until you reactivate.

ETA: I'm old enough to remember the safety switch that wouldn't let you start your car until the seat belts were fastened (1974). Enough people got hurt because they couldn't escape attackers that the concept got quickly killed. Unfortunately, I expect that "saving the earth" matters more than people, so we probably can't eliminate the AS&S requirement. After all, you can resolve that concern by going electric.

Yesterday and today I figured out how to turn off, disable most of the “ gadget” functions on the Santa Fe. Stupid SST gets turned off every time I start it. Will ask the service manager how to disable it when it goes in for first service.

My son works at AutoZone. Sells a lot of batteries and starters to the ‘auto stop start” people.

Just a question..Is it not illegal to disable safety or fuel enhancing gadgets on vehicles? At least by dealerships? I tried to have the seatbelt alert clanger annoying buzzer/bell turned off on my Subaru Outback. They would not do it as it is a required safety feature...Have a pacemaker that is annoyingly under the Seat belt strap...got a letter from my doc about not wearing the seatbelt over my shoulder.....Hate that d*** buzzer thing...Don't particularly like the seatbelts either. Every cop I see stops me for seatbelt violations

Let us know how that goes. I suspect you will be wasting your breath.

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Release the Kraken

I know there's a way to disable it on Fords.

Ah looks like the Outback can be disabled as well.

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Or something like that . . .

Does your state not allow medical exemptions?

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Release the Kraken

What the heck, will at least ask. There is a method to access the computer and if push comes to shove will get my Grandson that is in IT to “ fix it” when he is here. Have buddies with auto repair that can also access the computer.

I suggest that addressing medical issues be brought to the attention of your political representatives. I'd expect that such an issue never occurred to those who crafted the requirement. I'd hope that a certified copy of your doctor's letter would help you out in traffic court.

The dealership isn't gonna do anything, it'd create massive liability. When the seat belt sensor in my folks 1974 Dodge finally died, I checked with the local dealership about replacing it. They weren't sure they could get the part and it was insanely expensive. The service manager walked me around a corner and told me they could just eliminate it, but there'd be no record that they did it. Went with that. I just now wonder who pocketed the cash for that deal, no service ticket.

I'd think there's a code monkey somewhere that could kill it, the question is how many other code lines might be tied to that one? Again, liability rears it's ugly head-unless you can find a "black hat" code monkey that's both good and trustworthy.

I disabled my passenger seat alarm in my Ford F-150.

I believe these were my instructions...been a while...

In park, parking brake on, all seatbelts unfastened.

Turn truck on acc mode, not all the way on. Wait ~1min for the seatbelt light on your gauge cluster screen to go off. Once it's off, after a few seconds, clip your seatbelt in then out three times. The seatbelt light should come back on. Clip it in one more time and back it out and the light should flash.

Disabled.

Repeat to re-enable.

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Death? Smile back...

My wifes solution is to button the lap belt and slide the shoulder strap behind her. From the rear they can see the top strap going toward the center of the car.

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Front sight and squeeze

One thing I've learned in this thread, seatbelt hate is still a thing in 2024.

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Release the Kraken

Look at the bright side, its better to hate a inanimate object than a flesh and blood one!

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

I don't get it either. When I first got my driver's license in 1960, I talked Dad into installing seat belts in our '56 Chevy. I'm a big believer in them, and have never felt uncomfortable wearing them. In the 1980s, I was an advisor to a brilliant grad student who hated seatbelts. After she got her PhD and was starting her career as a professor, she was riding in the front passenger seat when the driver (her daughter) swerved to avoid an animal and hit a tree. My former student was thrown against the dash and died instantly. She would have walked away if she'd had her seatbelt on. Her daughter, who survived, will have to live with that traumatic memory forever. You can ignore the laws of mankind, but you can't ignore the laws of physics.

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What, me worry?

If you're referring to me, I absolutely wear the seatbelt and insist all should.

I only turn the alarm off because I transport dogs and the alarm gets annoying pretty fast.

Attached Images

IMG_3646.jpg (63.9 KB, 100 views)

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Death? Smile back...

Way back in 1970 a good friend of mine ran his car off the road on a curve trying to impress his girl friend with his driving skills. The car rolled over and both were ejected because neither were wearing seat belts. The girl friend landed in a ditch and walked away with bruises. My friend landed on the pavement on the back of his head. DRT. I have worn a seat belt ever since that day.

I have an old 44 year old Ponch. It DOES have a catalytic converter. I'm also a car guy and do some stuff myself.

Initially, the car ran super awesome. It was due for a free dealer inspection and tune-up, but I checked it myself beforehand. The timing was WAY off specs. After the dealer did his thing it ran like ****, so I put the timing back and it was awesome again. Never let the dealer touch it any more.

Many years later it was iffy to pass the emissions yearly state test. The dealer suggested draining the converter and put in a "test plug". Naturally he set it to specs and **** **** again. I set it back again.

Now 30 years later, no cat converter, out-of-spec timing and it has passed the annual mandated state inspection every year.

I call **** government regulations......

I don't understand all the grief about this. My 2016 Dodge Durango has it, and so does my 2022 Mini Cooper S. I hardly notice it except for the quiet when at a stoplight and the feature activates. Instantly when I lift my foot off of the brake and/or step on the accelerator the engine starts up seamlessly. The ONLY time I feel a need to press the button that disables this feature is if I am waiting to make a left turn and oncoming traffic is heavy and moving fast. That is the only time I do not want that fraction of a second delay in getting my vehicle moving. Otherwise its a nothing burger that I ignore.

My 2018 Ram has about 15 or 20 electronic items that can be modified with some little tricks. I hate the seat belt alarm because I always wear one but ever try to go coyote or hog hunting and try to be REALLY quiet while you stop and open a gate? Good luck finding anything to shoot with that bell going off. There is a technique, and I think I put the key in accessory mode and had to buckle and unbuckle the seat belt three times really fast and that turns off the alarm so it wont make a noise if you don't wear a seat belt. Many other things like the phone charging ports, door locks, headlights, interior lights, keyless entry, Blue tooth, etc. can be adjusted to your liking, just look on Youtube for your vehicle.

We have a 2022 Honda Touring, and we can turn off the feature.

Yes we have medical exemptions...but I still get stopped if they see me not wearing it. I even put the belt on and put the shoulder strap behind my shoulder...and I have been stopped for wearing the darn thing incorrectly. I don't hate seatbelts but the Alarm is more than aggravating. I do wear the belt a lot of the time with it under my arm. I don't really like them as they don't always work. I do think airbags are generally worthwhile. Biggest part of mine is the placement of the pacemaker

They could do with attaching your exemption to your plate, they way they do with CCWs here in NV.

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Release the Kraken

Our '19 Tiguan has it, don't like it one bit as it's not perfect by any stretch. The wife usually drives the thing and she's complained more than once how jerky it is sometimes. Whenever I drive it it's automatic for me to turn it off.

As a side note I was reading how to permanently disable it. It's actually pretty easy to do seeing as it's just a wire to the battery. Unplug the wire and done. However, after further research I decided just to hit the button instead. The EPA has a very long reach when it comes to messing with this stuff. Just ask anyone who's been busted for diesel "tune-ups" or performance enhancements in gas vehicles...

It's not just the EPA, it can be your state that gives you issues. Thanks to the number of people 'rolling coal' in NV and the geography of the Vegas Valley, it costs me over $100 to smog my AWD diesel SUV as it must be done on an all-wheel rolling road, of which there is precisely one in Clark County. Only certain RWD or FWD diesels can be done on a two-wheel rolling road, and fortunately my BMW is one of them. You should see the VW Jetta diesel owners going for orbit when told their FWD car has to have a $100+ smog test.

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Release the Kraken

https://www.4dtech.com/

My wife got this for her Grand Cherokee. It "remembers" the setting on the auto start button. Expensive fix. Easy install.

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John

I know in MT not wearing a belt is a secondary offense. They can pull you over for something else and write you up for a belt too but can't pull you over for just the belt.

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Front sight and squeeze

Years back in NY state that was the way the law was written. A few years later they changed it to valid reason to pull you over. More money for the state that way!

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

I got a question for you folks that have an auto start stop vehicle and driving in town in the summer. When your car comes to a stop like at a stop light and the engine shuts down, does it kill the air conditioning compressor? Because if that is so, it's a definite no go for me, living down here in soggy bottom Louisiana. During summer time we have daytime temps in the mid 90s to 100 degree, with a butt load of humidity to boot. My 17 Colorado doesn't have that AS&S junk and my daughter's 18 Silverado doesn't have it either. I know the compressor on both those vehicles are run by a serpentine belt that stops when the engine shuts off.

What happens is that the AS&S system detects if you have the A/C on and what the outside temperature is. What happens is that it either keeps the motor running, or only stops it briefly.

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Release the Kraken