ECO Stop Start System
We purchased a new Santa Fe last week of December its the first car l have had with the ECO system. On the first outing soon got used to the start stop system coming in as we did a fairly lengthy run with only a few minor stops. Since then we travelled from a well known Super Market to a different shopping centre some 1 1/ 2 miles away, in between their was 3 sets of traffic lights and wait for it 5 pelican crossing's so the car stopped 8 times, just wondering if by restarting the engine eight times in 1 1/2 miles this was fuel efficient, l can't quite get my head round it, l myself wanted to over ride it but her in doors that has to be obeyed was having none of it, the wife's interpretation was if its their it must be fuel efficient. Me though is some what sceptical, l know this might stir up an hornets nest but anyone out their with any views.
Heethers
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Having just changed from a Discovery 4 to a Disc Sport it too has the Eco stop start system which kicks in when the car engine is warm, the battery good and there are not too many demands on the battery such as heated seats in use etc. I don't mind it as much in daylight but at night sitting at traffic lights etc with your foot on the brake pedal does dazzle the driver behind. I therefore override the system when dark. On LRs whilst you can turn it off for the journey it resumes when you restart the engine. Clearly the system has been introduced so that cars can gain the lowest C.O emissions which helps sell them. I wonder if the small saving in fuel will not be cancelled out by increased wear on the starter motor and reduced battery life. I can see some reduction in emissions if the wait is a long one but halts of a few seconds seem hardly worth it and possibly not enough to counter the engine having to fire up again.
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I know nothing about it but found this article interesting.
stop/start technology from Autocar.
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My first Freelander 2 was a TD4e with stop/start and I mostly disabled it upon starting. Although it had uprated components such as crank ring, starter, solenoid and battery I was not convinced of its longevity, but more so that Landrover brought it in for emissions only and not knowing/caring of its long term affects on the car.
Thankfully my latest FL2 is an automatic SD4 and that has no stop/start.
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Turning it off is part of my start-up procedure.
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Given her indoors the article maybe she will now agree with me its another euro law we have to contend with straight banana's comes to mind. We will be overriding it has we keep our cars ten years and don't want heavy repairs later in the cars life.
Thanks for all your info
Heethers
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I've only experienced it in a hired Polo and initially I thought I had stalled the engine. Seemed to work seamlessly. My tug, a manual Kuga doesn't have any of that new-fangled trickery so I merely turn the engine off at railway gates or when in a traffic jam that is clearly not going anywhere.
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The stop start should help with fuel economy at some stops but some others may not be long enough to make any real difference. To me the extra effort required of the starter might be a problem although I am not aware of a higher failure rate. My daughters car with the system has had a battery failure when my slightly older car without the system has not and the batteries are more expensive for stop start systems. She may have saved a few pence on fuel but I suspect the battery has eaten up most of any savings.
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We have it on the Smart, first thing OH does is turn it off.
Have just picked up our new towcar today (VW Touareg) and it has it too, must find out how to turn that off too.
A feature it has that I am finding handy is the auto hold function, which cuts out needing to sit with your foot on the brake when stopped at lights etc.
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I use our eco start (Mercedes) depending on how long I am likely to be stopped for you could say semi automatic, the car itself only permits so many stop/starts in quick succession. The auto hold activated by a jab on the foot brake makes a good combination. Our previous VW automatically disabled the stop/start on hitching up but this car does`nt and I usually manually disable it on start up. Fuel saving, negligible I would say.
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I assume your Smart is the mhd ... 'mini hybrid' if it's got stop/start. If so, I hope you're keeping an eye on the polyvee belt ..... it's what the engine uses to start via the alternator/starter but also drive the water pump. Mercedes are apparently on their third modified tensioner but if/when it shreds its belt, you have no water pump, and the engine very quickly overheats. And as often the case, there's no engine temp gauge .....
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The trouble with warning lights for over temp is that the car has to over heat first before the light comes on ...... it's a bit late by then.
And yet, the slightly older cars ... like my 08 does have a temp gauge ..... a backward step by Mercedes I think.1 -
On my VW Passat when I stop with the eco thingy active the engine cuts out, which is nice. I then take my foot off the brake, because it has auto-hold and the engine then starts and, as it is an automatic the car drives off on it's own.
Good thinking VW!
So with the eco thingy still active and before taking my foot off the footbrake I engage the electronic parking brake - and the engine restarts!
Good thinking VW!
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I am now very confused!!
No doubt it will all become clear when I am actually in the car and can experiment with all the various settings and gadgets. Sitting reading the handbook has not helped that much.
We have a bit of snow here, so will probably not venture out today. OH has yet to drive the new vehicle.
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On any automatic it is not good for the gearbox to hold the car in gear, I always select neutral or park when stationary, with or without the stop-start activated. However every car I have ever owned or driven has had stop-start - it's called an ignition key or switch...... I don't need a 'device' to switch off the engine when it is likely one will be stationary for some time, i can work it out for myself.
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Think dmiller has got something wrong here unless his Passat is different to my Tig. After reading his post I went for a drive in my Tig DSG to check. With Eco on and autohold on when I come to a stop engine turns off, foot off break pedal and the engine starts but car does not creep forward until I press the accelerator to drive away. If I have Autohold off and Eco on and take foot off break then, yes, engine starts and the car creeps forward! I tend to turn the Eco off and not use autohold unless I am driving in mountainous areas. The Eco is disengaged when I connect the towing electrics anyway. Like Flatcoat if I am going to be static for more than a few seconds I tend to slip the lever into Neutral or Park.
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Both our cars have the auto stop start and hold facility. Using hold restarts the engine, dunno why. In any case, we also usually turn of the S/S as we start up. Note also that with factory fitted towgear, connecting the van automatically disables the S/S.
The hold facility also keeps the brake lights on (which the handbrake does not) which imho is a good thing. Sod dazzling people - brake lights on makes the dumbo behind you who is on the phone, putting on lipstick , lighting a fag, generally not concentrating, realise that you are stationary. No more dazzle than rear foglights, which many people switch on in November and leave on until their next service.
Paul
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I have had two cars with stop start the first a Passat in 2011, kept for four years and never had a problem with the battery increase in in fuel economy was not great but a benefit was because of lower fuel emissions, road tax was zero for the first year and £30 pa after that had the car 4 years so cost £90 in road tax, changed to XC60 in 2015 ant that is the same.
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Vulcan
Ignorant, selfish? Sensible. You have no idea of my driving abilities, which includes many days of advanced instruction on road and on race circuits. Your view re brake lights is outdated and frankly dangerous. If you have to stop on a motorway due to congestion, do you immedietely put on your handbrake? No brake lights, no warning for the drivers approaching from behind.
1. I don't use foglights. Waste of time and agreed, they dazzle moving cars behind and more importantly completely hide the application of brake lights
2. I have been rear ended when stationary by a lady who was using her rear view mirror to put on make up. After stopping, I was watching her approach in my mirror and just knew she wasn't going to stop. Hit me so hard it pushed me into the vehicle in front. Lesson learnt.
Nuff said.
Paul
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You may have had advanced driving instruction but that does not necessarily mean you are an advanced driver. Indeed your statement "Sod dazzling people" rather says otherwise.
In the situation you have described I would keep my brake lights on till another vehicle stopped behind me but I certainly would not carry on dazzling them once the vehicle was behind me.
Regarding point 1, completely agree, rear foglights a complete waste of time.
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There are for and against in the use of keeping your foot on the brake pedal. The one point i must disagree with is the use of rear fog lights. When used as INTENDED in foggy conditions they are a very good safety feature, on a recent trip in quite foggy conditions it was most noticeable that cars with rear fogs illuminated were much more easily seen than ordinary rear lights. Now front fog lights are more of a fashion item and in my opinion are of little use. The biggest problem in foggy or dusk times is the idiots who fail to light up at all.
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re rear fogs ... I agree that the cars with them can easily be seen, but when you can see a car 200/300 yards up the road that has NOT got its rear fogs on, I don't want to be directly behind some numpty with his/her fogs on .... switch the blasted things off.
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Vulcan
You really do need to get yourself in to the 21st Century.
1. Modern cars do not have "handbrakes". They have parking brakes, electronically activated by a button, which is usually down under the dashboard. They are neither designed nor intended to be used like old fashioned handbrakes used to be.
2. "Hold" functions and brake lights are fitted by the manufacturer in accordance with relevant legislation.
Are you seriously suggesting that using such devices in accordance with their designed intention is committing an offence?
If brake lights dazzle you, you are too close to the car in front.
Do the modern LED headlights offend you as well?
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Totally agree. I spent a day out as a passenger in a Traffic car, and the cop pulled several people using their front fogs in clear weather. They are totally useless in fog; interestingly my wife's Merc does not have any front fogs fitted, and they are not missed at all.
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