[B52]

Are you satisfied with how it work or are you experiencing any problems?

Thanks

 

[wizzy]

mine works absolutley as it should.

 

[raytint]

hello ! My car's start - stop worked perfectly from the beginning up to now (6000 kms). Lately, with rising temperatures (it may well be over thirty Celcius in Greece these days) and the auto air con on, I noticed that it may restart before required e.g. I wait at the traffic lights, the engine has gone off and then it restarts before I press the clutch. I also noticed that when this happens, the ventilator goes to high speed immediately after the engine restarts, meaning that it is the low internal temperature demanded that causes the restart. Anyone having the same experience ?

 

[nry]

I wonder if that is a battery saving feature? Might be the car knowing the battery use is high and the engine needs to run before it loses too much charge? If so, its a good feature

 

[wizzy]

30C, what's that!!! Still Feb temps here in the UK

 

[Yellowbelly]

I wonder if that is a battery saving feature? Might be the car knowing the battery use is high and the engine needs to run before it loses too much charge? If so, its a good feature

I think that's what it is. I saw a similar thing happen on a Fifth Gear TV programme in which the presenter was testing a start-stop Renault Megane.

 

[raytint]

Come over here, wizzy !

 

[robathome]

Stop Start works fine for me but that tiny but significant delay of say 0.5 second needs taking into account when pulling out at a roundabout for example...

 

[nry]

I'd not be using Start/Stop at any junction where I was going to pull out after stopping, should you not be in gear ready to move, in which case the engine is running?

 

[KEVCO]

The way i get around mine starting up again is either switch the heater off or ac off before i stop , this works fine.

 

[kidu]

It works great, the car starts again if the coupe gets too warm. This is a feature, not a bug. The car also starts if you begin to roll.

 

[Yellowbelly]

Are you satisfied with how it works ......

I just wish that car manufacturers would offer the system as an optional extra, and give cost comparisons of with and without the system.

(a) Effect on fuel consumption.
(b) Effect on maintenance costs.

I've yet to see the results of any scientific tests showing that start-stop is in any way beneficial. I suspect that in reality it's a bit of a gimmick.

 

[TuonoV]

I think it depends on your use of the car - someone commuting into central London every day will find it far more useful than someone who spends their time on a motorway.

On the other hand - it does reduce the emissions so we all benefit from lower tax even if not using the stop / start

 

[cemi]

Works excellent for me.

 

[raytint]

Anyone having problems with his start stop feature due to low battery level? Can a non working start stop system be associated with alarm installation and consequent battery consumption when the engine is off ? Does the system work as prescribed after the car has been inactive for a week or so ?

 

[raytint]

Any answers to the above questions ?

 

[Yellowbelly]

Any answers to the above questions ?

I think the start/stop system only stops the engine when, amongst other things, it decides that the battery level is high enough and the electrical load at the time is low enough. Even if the battery level was low when the engine was started after a period of inactivity, I would expect the battery to very quickly become sufficiently charged. And because the system doesn't work until the engine/coolant temperature is high enough, it's difficult to know what's happening. I think you'd need some sort of complete failure of the system before any problem could be diagnosed. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful.

 

[cueba11]

I thought the start-stop system has a separate battery used exclusively for that purpose and independant of the main system battery, and if either reach a critical charge level start-stop is suspended, aside from the other factors listed here that disable the feature.

 

[Kev]

I just wish that car manufacturers would offer the system as an optional extra, and give cost comparisons of with and without the system.

(a) Effect on fuel consumption.
(b) Effect on maintenance costs.

I've yet to see the results of any scientific tests showing that start-stop is in any way beneficial. I suspect that in reality it's a bit of a gimmick.

Hehehehe. I guess one scientific test would be to leave the car engine running for 24 hours on your driveway with a full tank of fuel and then make a comparison against the same car on your driveway with a full tank of fuel with the engine switched off to determine which has used the most fuel.

 

[raytint]

I think the start/stop system only stops the engine when, amongst other things, it decides that the battery level is high enough and the electrical load at the time is low enough. Even if the battery level was low when the engine was started after a period of inactivity, I would expect the battery to very quickly become sufficiently charged. And because the system doesn't work until the engine/coolant temperature is high enough, it's difficult to know what's happening. I think you'd need some sort of complete failure of the system before any problem could be diagnosed. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful.

"it decides that the battery level is high enough and the electrical load at the time is low enough." Most probably your intention was to say it vice versa. The battery is not this easily recharged to an operational level, and even when the coolant temperature is high enough, the phenomenon persists. Anyway, the car seems to be in a complete failure of the system, but I am not that anxious to get it operating in terms of fuel economy (I have read many articles about start stop not being that fruitful - most probably the best one was proposed by you). I just want it to operate smoothly, as it did in the past. The persisting failure appeared after a quite long period of the car being inactive (maybe 25 days) and according to Volvo dealer it is because of the alarm current consumption. Anyway, thnx for the hints, will let you know the reason, if and when repaired.