Stop start, good or bad

[S500 Pete]

SWMBO has just got a very nice GLA 250 with stop start.

She normally drives it in economy mode so stop start is functioning unless she turns it off which she doesn't as she is happy with it. I am not happy about the extra wear and tear involved but she is convinced that it wouldn't be there if it broke things.

My thinking is that it was a way to get the C02 emissions down during testing so that VED and benefit in kind ratings for company car buyers were low. I can't see it making huge differences to the mpg in real use (low mileage user anyway so fuel not really an issue). I do think that it is going to trash the starter motor and starter ring gear quicker than normal.

Thought or experiences please

 

[JBell]

Comandonline can programme it out.

You are correct about the reasons for it

 

[KennyN]

My present car is my first with the S/S function and i think it is a great thing , why use fuel when the car is not moving ?

I am sure the relevant starter hardware has been designed to cope with the increased usage.

Kenny

 

[John Laidlaw]

Chain stretch would be my biggest concern with S/S

 

[EmilysDad]

.....

I am sure the relevant starter hardware has been designed to cope with the increased usage.

Kenny

I think Mercedes are on their 3rd revised 'starter hardware for the 451 Smart mhd ...... the high tension of the starter/alternator belt is buggering up the mounting points of its tensioner

 

[geraldrobins]

If SWMBO is happy then that's a good thing surely. I've not read of a starter motor failure here yet.

 

[LostKiwi]

I'd be more concerned about the continuous starts when oil pressure is zero. Something like 90% of the west in an engine occurs in the first minute after starting.

 

[L John]

I'd be more concerned about the continuous starts when oil pressure is zero. Something like 90% of the wear in an engine occurs in the first minute after starting.

I'd only use it if it was going to be stopped waiting with pedestrians nearby but any car can do that.

For the ones saying the car must be designed to cope with it, some parts are but not all of the engine copes well.
The technology is improving which means it's out before the rest of the car has been made to cope with it. Have a read of this.
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/stop-start-long-term-impact-your-car-s-engine

 

[Argus]

I note from the above replies that Comandonline can switch the SS off by default. Sadly they are a long way away from me so can this be done with Star or iCarsoft MB2?
Cheers!

 

[S500 Pete]

Thanks for the input.
So far a split in opinion on this then. Interestingly the worry in the Autocar article is about the wear on main bearings rather than the starter motor. I thought the residual oil would take care of this.

 

[flowrider]

Being a low mileage user i would think the stop/start to be the least of your potential problems when compared to the DPF issues you may face.

 

[ajlsl600]

i dont like it ,most modern engines stop pretty much in the same place on flywheel ,ring gear so much stop start wears starter ring gear starter and other stuff , i cant think of a reason why i would want these items to wear out faster than previous models . and what of the carbon footprint of producing those items against the fuel saving, if i am stuck in long traffic lines i,am able to reach down to the key and turn the damn thing off .until they do away with that simple devise !!!!!!!!

 

[peterdh]

I'd be more concerned about the continuous starts when oil pressure is zero. Something like 90% of the west in an engine occurs in the first minute after starting.

Stop/start doesn't kick in until certain conditions allow it. Those conditions are a mystery to me but mine has never operated the function straight after starting the car so the arguement put forward wouldn't happen.

My stop/start seems to be on the blink at the moment (it hasn't kicked in for a couple of months now) and I'm not rushing it back to the dealers for them to look at it as I'm not sure how much fuel it saves in the type of environment I currently drive in and the mileage I do. It is easy enough to switch off though if you are that way inclined. The only bugbear is that you have to do it every time you start the car.

 

[A.J.]

Always turn mine off. The off button is just the length of my index finger away from the gear shift and is something I do without thinking when putting the car in Drive. I can do without the additional stresses that the engine and its auxiliaries suffer because of stop start

 

[Headhurts]

Always turn mine off. The off button is just the length of my index finger away from the gear shift and is something I do without thinking when putting the car in Drive. I can do without the additional stresses that the engine and its auxiliaries suffer because of stop start

Totally agree on this, my ritual is start car reach down select sport mode then turn off ‘Eco’.

Most of my driving is on’B’ roads very very rarely does the car head into the busy urban environments, I would rather use park and ride.

Robin

 

[Jimbo1959]

I have S/S on my works vehicle and tbh it drives me mad with it's inconsistencies.

My biggest bugbear is that you can catch it out and leave yourself stranded in an awkward situation at a junction when it fails to start as it should.

I have noticed that I have got into the habit of starting the vehicle and then switching S/S off immediately if I am doing town work. I only leave it on when I am doing a distance job, a system which rather defeats the intended purpose really.

 

[S500 Pete]

Being a low mileage user i would think the stop/start to be the least of your potential problems when compared to the DPF issues you may face.

Hi, It is a petrol so no DPF

 

[flowrider]

Stop/start on my 2012 ML350 was always inconsistent until I learnt to turn it off but in my Audi it is extremely consistent. I still have it setup to remember the last setting it was in and leave it off the vast majority of the time.

 

[flowrider]

Hi, It is a petrol so no DPF

I didn't know there was a petrol version of the GLA, happy days then.

 

[LostKiwi]

Of course it will. Every time you start the engine oil pressure is zero as it's the engine itself that generates oil pressure when running. Thats the time when most wear occurs.

the arguement put forward wouldn't happen