Stop/Start and Towing
I'm picking up a VW Passat Estate next week that has Stop/Start and will be fitting a non VW towbar.
The Handbook says that:
"The start/stop system must always be switched off manually when towing a trailer using towing brackets that have not been retrofitted by Volkswagen. Otherwise faults can occur in the brake system, possibly resulting in accidents and serious injuries."
That doesn't make any sense as the the Stop/Start only operates when the car is stationary, not when it's under braking.
Can anyone explain further? Do all cars with Stop/Start have this restriction?
Comments
-
Stop/Start has always seemed a crazy idea to me, whether towing or not. I can't even imagine towing with it in operation.
If it operates often enough to make a meaningful difference to economy (or environment), then how long do both the battery and the starter-motor last? Neither is exactly cheap or environmentaly friendly to replace.
Interested to hear other views.
0 -
Totally agree, The first thing I did when I took delivery of my little Fiat 500 was to turn it off.
0 -
The stop/start on our Passat Alltrack is awfull - without doubt the worst thing about the car - the integration with the DSG box and hill hold facility is dreadful. For example come to a halt the engine stops, fair enough, but take your foot off the brake because you don't need to hold on the brake because of the hill hold and the engine re-starts even though you dont want to move off ! Worse still when manouvering if you are doing say a three point turn each time you stop to move from D to R the engine stops - it's absolutely infurriating.
First thing I do when I get in now is turn it off and when it next goes in for service I am going to ask the dealer to permanately dissable it - I suggest you do the same. In our case when towing it doesn't operate, thank goodness, as we have factory tow-bar.
0 -
I've had stop/start on a BMW & Audi and don't find it a problem when towing or not.
I havent had any of the issues mentioned above and no battery or starter motor problems. No problems on hills as the auto handbrake operates.
0 -
The only slightly annoying thing is that they are all different.I have a Golf blue motion hire car at the moment and it works differently to my BMW back home which is different to Mrs B's Audi so you go from one to another and have to stop and think for
a second every time you get in.0 -
Bobr2112 Whats to think about? You come to a halt, the engine stops, press the go pedal the engine starts.
0 -
.... First thing I do when I get in now is turn it off and when it next goes in for service I am going to ask the dealer to permanately dissable it - I suggest you do the same. ....
I'd doubt a dealer is able to dis-able stop/start ...... the very fact that a car has stop/start is often reflected in its VED
0 -
It not that simple is it Whittaker. If you are minding your own business the BMW will start up again if the heater or aircon make demands and the golf blue motion is just willful.
true enough Bobr2112, the cars I have driven that have had S/S will restart if I've been stationary long enough but its never caused any problems and I've not had to do anything.
ive never driven a golf blue motion so cant comment on that model.
0 -
mighty gem hi just say I have no issues at all, it was a concern intitally as I just taken delivery of a bmw 5 with stop/start,also it is auto and it it wonderful smooth drive and no issues with it beig auto start stop is excellent no delay. Happy travels
Tony/lyn
0 -
Long may it continue Lynton. Earlier this year we stopped at some traffic lights in Corsica and when we asked for a bit of motion we got the message " no ignition " Lots of French gesticulations and waving of arms but after a shut down and reset off we
went again.I hasn't happened since but I always wonder what will happen when I sit at the busiest junction in the world with the engine off saving a miniscule amount of fuel0 -
I use the stop/start facility on my Sorento all the time whether solo or towing. The software algorithm caters for a cold engine, oil too hot (which might affect the bearings) the battery not fully charged etc. The engine will restart automatically if, for
instance, the air con is taking too much of of the battery. On my CX5 the engine was started using a hydro pneumatic system and didn't need the starter motor or take power out of the battery. Not sure how the Sorento system works.As for wear and tear; that is why I have a 7 year warranty.
As far as I am concerned I am saving diesel and putting out less pollution when in traffic jams by using the stop/start system.
0 -
My xc60 has the stop/start feature, however the dealer fitted towbar and electrics means that when I am hooked up to the caravan the system is overridden meaning the s/s feature doesn't operate.
That's good to know damo. We've just taken delivery of a XC60 and only towed once with it and must admit didn't notice whether it operated or not as didn't have to stop en route until we reached our deatination.
0 -
I agree with birderbilly as regards low speed manouvering, although the stop start works seemlessly with tha auto box it is infuriating when it stops every time you change direction
when manouvering.In my opinion ss should be initialised when the handbrake is applied and not the foot brake which also leads to illegally dazzling the driver behind at night.For those reasons I always switch it off as soon as i start up.0 -
.... First thing I do when I get in now is turn it off and when it next goes in for service I am going to ask the dealer to permanately dissable it - I suggest you do the same. ....
I'd doubt a dealer is able to dis-able stop/start ...... the very fact that a car has stop/start is often reflected in its VED
I know for a fact it is possible with VCDS - you can change a setting so that it remembers if stop/start was on or off when last used - hence turn it off and it will remain off until switched back on - dealer may not do it but I know a man that will
.
On the VED point loads of people make changes to cars post registration that potentially would have impacted on VED - buying a spare wheel is the classic one on some vehicles, car comes without one for weight saving VED purposes but in practice everyone orders
one from the dealer as post delivery extra !0 -
....
I know for a fact it is possible with VCDS - you can change a setting so that it remembers if stop/start was on or off when last used - hence turn it off and it will remain off until switched back on - dealer may not do it but I know a man that will
.
On the VED point loads of people make changes to cars post registration that potentially would have impacted on VED - buying a spare wheel is the classic one on some vehicles, car comes without one for weight saving VED purposes but in practice everyone orders
one from the dealer as post delivery extra !VCDS ... ? What's that? Just been having a quick look on the interweb. It seems that some BMWs will do as you said, as DID some Mercs, Merc though apear to have stopped that ....aslo depends on country.
0 -
....
I know for a fact it is possible with VCDS - you can change a setting so that it remembers if stop/start was on or off when last used - hence turn it off and it will remain off until switched back on - dealer may not do it but I know a man that will
.
On the VED point loads of people make changes to cars post registration that potentially would have impacted on VED - buying a spare wheel is the classic one on some vehicles, car comes without one for weight saving VED purposes but in practice everyone orders
one from the dealer as post delivery extra !VCDS ... ? What's that? Just been having a quick look on the interweb. It seems that some BMWs will do as you said, as DID some Mercs, Merc though apear to have stopped that ....aslo depends on country.
VCDS is software that enables you when plugged in to the cars diagnostic socket (any VAG car) to "tinker" with a whole host of settings.
0 -
If the towbar wiring is correctly configured into the cars CANBUS system the stop/start will disable when the caravan is connected. I too have an Alltrack and do not have a problem with s/s save for the annoyance of having to keep the foot brake pedal depressed
which must annoy the hell out of drivers behind, especially when intraffic queues on dark nights.0 -
My xc60 has the stop/start feature, however the dealer fitted towbar and electrics means that when I am hooked up to the caravan the system is overridden meaning the s/s feature doesn't operate.
That's good to know damo. We've just taken delivery of a XC60 and only towed once with it and must admit didn't notice whether it operated or not as didn't have to stop en route until we reached our deatination.
Nellie my stop/start works whilst towing, mine is the D4 manual not sure if that makes a difference to the automatics.
0 -
Stop/Start has always seemed a crazy idea to me, whether towing or not. I can't even imagine towing with it in operation.
If it operates often enough to make a meaningful difference to economy (or environment), then how long do both the battery and the starter-motor last? Neither is exactly cheap or environmentaly friendly to replace.
Interested to hear other views.
cant see a great difference in fuel economy, but goverment must see a difference to the enviroment had a Passat with stop/start and now a XC60 both zero tax for the first year then £30 per year after that. i am happy with that.
0 -
I haven't got start/stop on my auto but do know Landrover manual boxes has uprated AGM battery, uprated starter ring, uprated starter and higher capacity alternator to cope. Also its automatically disabled when a trailer is plugged in providing canbus loom is used, and there is a disable button on the dash but will default to on again once engine is stopped and started.
0 -
My latest Touareg seems to be slightly different from my previous one - and the Passat before that. Once S/S is activated, no need to keep your foot on the brake pedal, engine doesn't start again until accelerator is pressed. That said, I have a feeling
that the brake lights are on regardless of whether or not your foot is on the brake pedal. As for manouvering - although the engine will stop via S/S in the middle of it, with mine, it automatically restarts as soon as reverse is selected, so it doesn't cause
any inconvenience. My towbar was dealer fitted and S/S is disabled when towing. As for the hill start function, I find it brilliant and gives a smooth, controlled start even up the steepest of hills with the van on the back.0
