Auto start/stop, do you leave it on or disable it?

I've never owned any ICE vehicle that has that feature, but non-hybrid Tundra has it, so inevitably, I'm wondering what will happen to the truck if I were to just leave that feature on regarding component life span instead of mpg savings?

 

The most annoying feature ever to me.
Also even more annoying as you need to reset it to off every time you drive I bet?

I cant accept that the starter will last as long starting all the time and I also can not accept that any gas savings are really worth the trouble.

Did I mention I hate this feature!

 

I turn it off. Even in the cars I rent. Off. I like to go when light turn green instead of waiting for engine to turn over and then go. It’s the delay for me.

 

That^ I can't believe the starter is happy about working every two blocks instead of twice a day. I also think it's the most annoying feature ever, even when it's extremely seamless it's annoying to hear the stupid thing kicking on and off.

 

It’s been a common feature on European cars for years and years.
I actually like it and use it in all of my vehicles - saves gas too and with what we’re paying now for a gallon, every drop counts.

 

I have this feature on my 2022 Off Road. It has a switch to disable it yet you control it with brake pressure.

Drove 800 miles so far and only had it turn the engine off once - because I pressed the brake pedal down hard just to see what would happen.

This feature is not turning the engine on and off at every stop. Only if you push the pedal hard when you are stopped does it shut the engine down.

 

I’ve had this feature on a couple of cars. In the Tundra you don’t really need to disable the start-stop if you’re careful with your brake pressure. In a normal stop, I can keep the engine from shutting down. If I want the engine to shut off like at a long red light, I can press the brake pedal a bit harder and the engine will shut off. And I can watch the cross traffic signal for when it turns yellow, at that point I lift off the brake slightly and the engine fires up again in less than 1 second.

Generally, I like this system except when it’s hot out and the AC starts blowing hot. Some manufacturers like Ford are good about disabling start-stop when it’s hot out.

 

I've had it in a few cars, turn if off every time

 

Most annoying shit ever. You know how expensive starter replacement is?

 

Drove another vehicle with this future, it activates whenever I get home so I have to start it to shut it off if that make any sense at all

 

Starters are different for vehicles with start-stop. They spin slower and use different internal components than conventional starters for longer life.

 

It’s fairly easy to avoid/ignore it…just don’t depress the brake pedal that extra distance required to trigger the feature.

 

I’ve noted it tends to restart anytime the internal cabin temp drops (what appears to be) even a degree for both Ac and Heater

 

Part of my driving routine now includes shutting off the auto start/stop before I pull out of the driveway...or out of any parking lot

 

I thought this would be more of a issue then it really is. In order for the engine to turn off you have to really push the break down hard. And hold it down. Of my 700 miles the truck has shut off 3 times. 1 of those times was on purpose.

 

What is it about a starter that it can't last as many duty cycles as a AC compressor, or an alternator, or a power steering pump? What makes a starter so unique that it can't perform the duty of these other parts that are constantly under stress?

 

I leave the feature enabled. I like it but it is annoying. I always forget to press the brake hard enough to get it to activate. Usually I’m watching lights and traffic so I take my foot off the brake before I need to go an it’s not a big deal IMO.

 

This is easily the dumbest automotive feature ever. Remember the automatic seat belts in the 1980s that were more like a horror film's creative way to decapitate people?

Yeah its worse than that.

starts and stops are a key way to reduce engine life. And here we have a feature programmed into the system to make it happen.

Seriously disappointed this is on the 3rd gen but not surprised.

Since I'm used to getting in the '19 Pro and hitting trac and tow/haul nearly every drive cycle, I've habituated to turning things on and off. But still...OEMs need a clue here.

The 0.5 mpg it saves isn't worth this torture.

 

I have only driven Rentals with the start/stop feature and it is amazing how annoying and downright dangerous it can be in some vehicles to me and all for the tiny added economy that we are supposed to accept it provides so that the maker can get the corporate MPG claims in line with newest regulations period,there is no other advantage that I can think of at all?

So I was not even aware that the Tundra start/stop feature is different and to some extent can be controlled by braking pressure?
Sounds like partial BS to me.

Funny though I rented a RAV4 the Week of XMas and drove it 1600 miles and now I wonder if that car had this feature too?!
It never really occurred to me as I tried to remember to turn the S/S off every time I got in the car but I now remember "Erratic" operation and this sure could have been the cause.
The Rental place of course would not have mentioned it at all and I would not have imagined that the feature had "Evolved" to this point either?

Great little SUV overall though I thought.

 

It’s the brushes. They’re basically carbon blocks that wear down as the motor turns. Once the brushes no longer make good contact with the commutator, there’s no electrical connection to make the motor work.

 

This ^^^.

I also believe that it requires extraordinary oiling features to keep things "cool" when the engine goes into temporary shut down. As mindlessly stupid as we have ever created as a people.

 

Not that I like the feature but I don’t understand the worrying about the starter. I’ve had a lot of vehicles from a lot of manufacturers anything from brand new to 250k+ miles and I can’t even remember the last time I replaced a starter.

 

And this makes you wish your Taco had the feature why exactly?

 

Linking here to MotorBiscuit can never help make your point I think.

 

Thanks for clearing that up.
I am just not a buyer that this is real and that if it is that you actually realize calculable savings at all vs the aggravation factor it brings me?

I did get used to it when I had a Prius briefly though too.sort of though it is a completely different thing there.

 

None of those turn over an engine. They just Engage.

 

Here’s my “one man’s opinion” of this feature as it relates to the Tundra. Due to the necessity of depressing the brake deeper into its travel to actuate the SS feature, I didn’t even realize it existed for several days. I apparently soft brake at stops and the first time it did it was when I was stopped at a light and was reaching back into the back seat area to grab something and did my normal “crush that brake pedal you idiot” before contorting myself into a 6’3” pretzel. I thought I’d somehow turned the truck off.
Took a moment to realize what it was/I did. I’ve since realized, for me, it’s an unnatural act to depress that brake peddle deeper (that’s what she said) and I’ve essentially ignored it. In addition, and many have pointed it out, it probably won’t even engage during the summer months here in the desert southwest due to cabin temperature demands on the AC.
Lastly, there’s always someone in this group who will figure out how to permanently disengage it.

 

I had it on my 2018 Rubicon and it was annoying, shutting off the engine at every stop. Seems everyone got a Tazer or some other plug in to defeat it. Apparently on the Jeep it wouldn't engage if the hood was up so a lot of people used that sensor to keep it off. I have found the one on this 2022 Tundra (I have SR5) to be much less sensitive. I can come to a stop at lights or stop signs without engaging the system. You really have to apply 'extra' pressure on the brake at a stop to engage it. Only time I engaged is was in a drive-thru when I was pushing down on the brake as I was straightening my leg to get my wallet out of my pocket. I do wonder if some are more sensitive than others and if it is adjustable.

 

Does anyone know if the Tundra implementation has a secondary auxiliary battery to support the feature? I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee which I disabled every time I started the car and I encountered battery fault messages every few months. Each time, the auxiliary battery (stupidly located underneath the passenger seat) had went bad or had a charging issue. The last time it occurred, the dealer blamed it on me for not utilizing the start stop feature lol. I'm hoping there is no aux battery to worry about on the trucks.