auto start/stop

colin13

I am getting a ford focus diesel 1600 soon,it has auto start/stop,has anyone any opinions on this,I always thought the start up of an engine was the part that used most fuel,but this is supposed to be a fuel saving thing,ny advice or thoughts on this

fivetide

If you are stopped for more than a few seconds (30 i think) you use more idling than you do starting up.

That's the theory, how true it is i don't know.

5t.

Strider590

It's a gimmick to be honest, the jury is still out as to whether these cars will eventually cost a fortune in repairs.

[Deleted User]

Would it not just run down the battery?

daveyjp

My MB has it and it works really well.

The starting system is completely different to when you turn the key. It does not use the starter motor, a smaller generator is fitted and restart is instantaneous - as soon as you start moving the clutch pedal the car starts again.

While the engine is off all electrical items including power steering still work. If the output of the battery drops below a certain level the stop/start system disenages until the battery is charged again, but this happens very rarely - generally it is at this time of year when it is cold and dark in heavy traffic when stop/start is being used extensively.

If I'm queuing and am on a slight incline I can release the brakes and roll down the hill without using any fuel - if speed gets to about 8mph the car fires into life again, so no danger of rolling downhill at high speed with no power.

It does mean you use less fuel - if the engine isn't running you aren't burning any!- the average fuel consumption drops very quickly once you have been stood a while.

In a few years it will be as standard as power steering.

NBLondon

I have it on my Focus (2011 1.6 petrol) and it behaves just like daveyjp describes. Felt a bit wierd at first but soon got used to it. How much it saves - I can't say as the only comparison is the MK1 Focus I had some years back but my commute was different then.

Strider may have a point - if this system goes wrong; then it may not be fixable by a small independent or DIY mechanic. I'm working on the basis that if it goes wrong in anything less than 10 years - I'm expecting Ford to fix it for free as not fit for purpose.

davetrousers

So it has a system that will cancel the stop/start if required? Is there a button on the dash to disengage the feature manually?

neilmcl

Deleted_User wrote: »

Would it not just run down the battery?

No, cars with auto start/stop have a high capacity battery.

neilmcl

davetrousers wrote: »

So it has a system that will cancel the stop/start if required? Is there a button on the dash to disengage the feature manually?

Most do, yes.

Horizon81

Why would anyone chose to buy a car with this on? It's just more to go wrong. As Strider says, nothing more than a gimmick for the self righteous environmentally obsessed.

Gloomendoom

Cars are full of "more to go wrong" these days. If we all discount all the cars with "more to go wrong", nobody would buy any new cars at all.

Anyway, my wife's Kia Sportage has it and you hardly notice it's there . The engine only stops when the gearbox is in neutral and the clutch is up. Even then, that is reliant on a few variables; including battery load, selected gear, speed and whether the aircon is on etc.

It works very well, for example if in traffic it won't re-engage (ie stop the engine) if you haven't exceeded a certain a speed or hit second gear - this means it doesn't interfere with a slow crawl through a tail-back.

There is a manual override button.