Why do people say start/stop systems are bad for your engine? As Scotty says, newer cars have synthetic, low density oils allowing the oil to pump up to the engine very quickly. I'm addition, the engine is only turning off for a few minutes and remains hot. Therefore, the oil isn't completely draining out. Given all this, why is start/stop so tabooed? Is it just a myth that people believe to be true?
Start/stop tech is one of the worst ideas ever to hit the auto industry. 2.3 eco-boost is not very good engine (small displacement engine with turbo and GDI). Combine the 2 and disaster waiting to happen. Reliable for 15-20 years. NO
Yes and it would make your Engine wear out much faster than the Water Going down over the Niagara Falls
Most wear of your Engine is occured when you starting your Engine
Auto start/stop is just another in the long line of electronic junk put into new cars, along with DBW, AFM VVT and CVTs. Fortunately, all you have to do is push a button to deactivate it after starting the engine. I expect that in the future, we won't have the option to shut it off at all.
I can’t find a definitive answer and I don’t want to prematurely wear out the starter.
My car: Subaru Forester 2020, 21000 miles
IMHO, the reason behind the longevity despite the “start stop” technology is:
1) Stronger electric motor than traditional start stop technology. Traditional is basically a glorified starter.
2) Designed from the ground up instead of just mounting an engine and electric motor together.
I have 300K+ on my 2004 Prius. Still going strong.
Turn off that feature. Search this forum for more information.
Hey Scotty, What do you think of the auto idle stop feature on vehicles. I have a 2019 Honda Passport. Also, the tire inflation decal on the passport calls for 37psi on both front and back tires. The dealership says to inflate at 32psi. Which is better? Thanks
I'm assuming you're referring to the auto start-stop system. I would turn that off because the money you're going to save on gas with that feature is going to go towards a new starter. It puts a lot of strain on the starter. Just think, we typically start our cars maybe a maximum of 10-15 times a day. With the start-stop, your car is starting and stopping at every red light you stop at and potentially in stop and go traffic. That's too many times a day for a starter to run, and it will eventually burn it out way sooner than normal. As for the tire pressure, I'd say a good inflation is approximately 30-35 psi.
@razmigb
You must be familiar with start-stop systems. So when do the starters burn out?
I have a cousin who is a mechanic and he told me that he's done many starter replacements on those newer cars with the start-stop feature. Give or take 100,000 miles if you are one of those people who uses it all the time (my cousin said those vehicles had around 100,000 miles). I personally don't like the idea anyway. I used it a few times and I kept thinking my engine stalled lol.
Disable start-stop. 32psi for icey/snowy conditions, 37psi for highway driving.
I know you're not a big fan of the added wear from auto stop and start engine systems. Do you think their inclusion on new Toyotas is a mistake? Will this impact their reliability vs previous gens? Specifically looking at Highlanders. Thanks!
Most manufacturers give you the option to turn it off. So, do that if the vehicle you buy comes with auto start/stop.
Shafts are connected to housing via plain bearings. Those bearings consist of two rings, the inner and outer one.
The outer ring is attached to housing and thus does not spin. The inner ring spins together with the shaft.
Before the inner ring starts rotating, it sits on outer ring, so there is a contact point between them.
As the inner ring rotates, friction is present until the oil arrives. Instead of sliding on outer ring, the inner ring slides on oil, so there is far less friction.
When it stops spinning, the inner ring again sits on the outer one until it gets rotating again.
Yes bearings need lube, but much HOW MUCH extra wear occurs from stopping that one minute between red and green light? It's just theory without some real world evidence to back it up.
Our stop lights here are much more than a minute. That could mean more oil drains, parts get drier, but it also means more gas saved during off times. This will be a good test for another environmentally friendly feature. Only time will tell. It took us a long time to find out just how dangerous seatbelts are and this might be another endurance test.
@mountainmanjoe I am not familiar if someone already measured friction coefficients under such conditions. But common sense tells you there will be more wear on start-stop.
If you change vehicles frequently, this probably doesn't matter.
But for one, who wants to keep its car as long as possible, this is an important fact.
Some general info on bearing friction coefficients:
https://www.machinedesign.com/mechanical-motion-systems/bearings/article/21812621/bearing-friction
Obviously there's additional wear. I never denied that. But like I keep trying to say .... how much? The amount is important, because if it's insignificant, then who cares! This theoretical wear on paper is nice and all, but what are REAL WORLD effects. Engines need rebuilding 100k sooner? 10k? 0?
Interesting question. Who is willing to perform such tests?
presumably, the manufacturers already have. But they won't share that data with anybody.
I think start stop technology isn’t clear cut.
If it’s like the Prius start stop technology where it’s actually built as an integral part of the system, they can last. Heck, the Prius technically has no starter. It uses the hybrid motor as the “starter”.
But if start stop is an afterthought and just added on, it probably would put a strain on both the starter and the engine.
Just conjecture. I have no evidence to support these claims.
And finally there comes the Scotty's answer 😀 at 3:12
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XZ-zTB-4L4&feature=emb_imp_woyt
Of all modern features that cars have, this one I hate the most. I don’t like the way the car feels when it shuts off and re-starts all the time. It takes some of the fun out of driving. I turn mine off too so it does not shut off at stops
I think the initial idea of this system was to save fuel, but I can't find any empirical evidence that it does. I would either turn the system off each time you get in the vehicle(if it has that capability) or find and install a device to bypass the system. If not, you should probably have a few extra starter motors in your garage so you can replace it when it burns out prematurely.
scroll further up to the video for empirical evidence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFImHhNwbJo
Here is your evidence.
Summary: In a 1.5 I4 engine it saves fuel to shut the engine off after about 7 seconds of idle, it would be more benificial as engine size gets larger.
Hi Scotty!
I have a 2016 Jeep Cherokee Limited 3.2L 2wd with 52,000 miles on it. It's equipped with auto start/stop which kills the engine when I'm idling with the brake depressed. I know it's designed to improve overall mileage, but I'm curious: Since oil is not circulating when the engine is stopped, is this feature ultimately shortening my engine life? And since I'm using my starter potentially a dozen or more times each time I drive, can I expect starter failure more often?
Thanks,
Rich
Hey Scotty, I own a 2020 Chrysler Pacifica with the start/stop feature that’s shuts off engine when you stop. Supposed to save gas and cut emissions. Is this worth it? Or is it worse for the engine? I find it annoying and seems like a gimmick but my wife thinks it’s good. What’s do you think?
Some vehicles have an auto start/stop shut off button on the dash that you have to use only once and some need to be selected every time you start the car. Being a Chrysler product, it's probably in the trunk! HAHA
As others have said, the start/stop technology is only good for a "slight" increase in fuel mileage, but if nothing else...always remember this.... most of the engine wear occurs at engine startup. Starting & stopping, starting & stopping, over & over & over....you get the point, just to go to the grocery store or drop off the dog at the vet. Starting & stopping the motor over & over will certainly make it wear out faster.
/Another BRILLIANT design from a not-so-brilliant engineer...only to save a few cents worth of fuel, at the costly expense of an engine rebuild! It doesn't add up!
Auto start stop function is ridiculous invention people ever made. As funny as reusable toilet paper.
When discussing start/stop technology, it seems more often than not, the Prius gets a pass, and most other start/stop technologies from other makes are frowned upon.
What makes the Prius start/stop so great, and the others so horrible?
I prefer manual start-stop system. It involves turning the key left or right 😂
Just bought 2017 Highland er. There is an option to stop engine when you brake for some period of time and the engine starts again when you take foot off of brake. They say will give up to 1 mpg on gas. Just think it is fauls economy considering the battery and starter usage. Am I better off leaving this option off?
Scotty,
What's your opinion of the Ford 2.3L EcoBoost Engine with Auto Start-Stop Technology?
Do you think it will be reliable for 15-20 years?
Thanks, Chris.
Thanks y'all for the replies. I just figured out how to disable it permanently. I unpluged the sensor that told the engine when the battery current state of charge was low or high.
that may not be good for your battery or alternator. I'm sure there's better solutions out there. Some cars have a button you can push. On other's I've heard of people doing something with the hood latch.
Sometimes I don’t even know why they make such thing! You don’t need a Start/Stop especially when your living in both snowy areas and common flood areas. When your in the cold, you don’t start it right away when it’s like -30 degrees out
My RAV4 has the auto start/stop function. I do have the option of disabling it with a button whenever I start my car. Should I just keep it enabled or disable it?
If I leave it on, will it hurt the starter or engine or do any premature wear? Gas Toyota perfected this technology?
Thanks for any info
I made this exact concerning comment to a chevy service center tech and they agreed with me that it shortens life on starter, at that time the impala and a couple other models were the only gm brands to have auto stop/start to cut emissions while idle.
Does this feature force electronics off or to run off the battery as well and what happens to the blower motor if the vent is on with air conditioning running?
My 2017 DJ thankfully does NOT have auto/stop like its big brother Durango. {black}:razz:
Scotty,
I recently bought my first Toyota ever, a Rav4 Prime and love it so far. I didn’t purchase an extended warranty but then saw your comment about where the damage happens to an engine which is at engine start.
Given that hybrids start and stop all the time especially the plug-in ones how is this not reducing the overall life of the gas engine? Same goes for all the regular gas models that shut the engine off at red lights.
thanks!
