Why does the auto start stop feature bother so many people?

[CT203]

Apparently you don't commute in stop and go traffic much. The constant shutting down and turning back on every 5 seconds is unnerving and I feel like that can't be good for the mechanical components. It would be so much better if this feature defaulted in the off position and then I could turn it on if I get caught at a long light.

Key words here

Gotta admit it's slightly funny that Ford chose to mandate this, while at the same time including remote start on every trim.

I’m pretty sure the government mandated it.

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[LostInArizona]

• It's going to wear out the starter
• The turbo will cook its own oil shutting off mid journey without cool down
• In an emergency from a stop, there will be a delay which could cost him
• Its hard on the battery

1) The starters in these newer cars are designed for it, any reduced life is unmentionably negligible
2) this is not really a thing anymore as it was on older turbo cars
3) I don't think any human beings reaction time is fast enough for this to make any difference lol
4) debatable, but possibly a valid point

All that said, I do find the feature extremely annoying and disable it of of the time. For me its the fact that the AC does not work as well when the car turns off, and when its 110 degrees here, and its irritating as hell that I have to fiddle with it every time I get in the car. I know it's one button but sometimes I forget and don't realize it until I start getting warm again when I'm sitting at a long light. Yes it warms up that quickly here.

 

[AZ_Liberty]

It's a bit annoying with the 7MT, but I do enjoy using auto start/stop in drive thru's where I know I'll be idling in line for a while.

That's the only time I bother to turn it off actually. It never turns the car off in normal driving, because I'm never in neutral.

If I'm stopped at the ATM, or waiting in line at a drive through, then I'm in neutral with the parking brake on, and I want the engine on, because I want the A/C on.

 

[Casual Pork]

I give it the finger every time I drive.

 

[brianbrn]

I don't mind it. I've had zero issues with it. Mine turns back on instantly as soon as I let off the break even a little bit.

I know it's an unpopular opinion, just want to hear peoples reasons on why it bothers them so much.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

Seeing that just about every new car manufactured comes with this feature, I would assume that there is not excessive wear and tear on the vehicles or there would already be massive recalls and software changes. It never bothered me but my whipple tune turned it off automatically.

 

[MNBigfoot]

Key words here
I’m pretty sure the government mandated it.

Toyota only offers it on two models and only within them only a certain drive-train.

 

[AK SNO RIDER]

Pretty much this, to save $40 in gas over the lifetime of the vehicle makes no sense.

It's not about saving YOU $40.

It's about the cumulative affect of hundreds of thousands of cars.

 

[amazingjason]

It reminds me of an old car stalling at a stop light. It turns down the a/c (at least in some cars). It sounds lame when restarting at a stop light. Cars don’t use much gas idling. It has to be turned off every time you start the car.

Jason

 

[GPPBronco]

It's not about saving YOU $40.

It's about the cumulative affect of hundreds of thousands of cars.

You’re creeping dangerously close to the “greater good” narrative that so many here find unpalatable.

 

[Brettlil17]

Was that 2017 vehicle a Honda Pilot by chance?

No, it’s a Ford Escape 1.5 titanium. Great little car, put a lot of miles on it with no issues other than maintenance. Around 100k miles on it when It began the fail to restart during the a.s.s. Cycle. You get a alert. Shift to park. Press the start button. Really inconvenient during traffic. Been doing that for the past 2 years. I’ve got in the routine to turn it off when I drive it. I’m patiently waiting to trade it for my bronco, if it ever gets built….

 

[WhoaNelly]

I live in a very dense urban area with a LOT of stop signs and short traffic lights. Stop-start systems get extremely annoying with this type of driving. Not to mention that the benefits are lost in such an extra urban environment. Totally different matter if one lived in the suburbs.

 

[Brockdog12]

The wifes 20 Camry and our 22 Explorer do not have start/stop.

 

[AMTRV]

enough said…..not photo shopped

 

[bramthun]

Engine wear is the highest on startup. When the engine is shut down oil pressure goes to zero and when you start it back up it takes a second for oil pressure to build back up. Repeated starts and stops increases engine wear. End of story. The only reason they install start stop is so they can claim .25 mpg better to fit in with govt regulations. They know the engine only has to last 36,000 miles. To claim the start stop system is somehow engineered not to cause damage is idiotic. The system shuts the engine off when you stop, no such engineering exists.

 

[bramthun]

Turbos are not a wear item, they're designed to last the lifetime of the engine. Should you shut your engine off right after pulling max capacity to the top of a mountain at full throttle? NO! Is it ok to shut down occasionally in normal traffic driving conditions? Absolutely. I'm sure you let your engine sit and idle for 5 minutes every night when you get home from work too right? Gotta let those turbos cool right?

Ford does take into account AutoSS with wear items, they use a heavy-duty starter and battery on vehicles equipped with AutoSS. My Bronco came with a nice large AGM battery.

Turbos are not a wear item??????????? Omg they most certainly are.

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