Stop / start technology is annoying

I have an xc60 that has the fuel saving feature of stopping and starting the engine in heavy traffic but it relies on a 95% charged battery which it never has due to all the other electrical drains on it . So to save fuel I gave to put it on a trickle charger overnight ( using a different fuel ffs) to save on diesel… how crazy is that lol

In 2009, l had a Mini Cooper that had that facility. You could disable that option. So job sorted.

Can’t you disabled this option on your car?

Personally I think they use more fuel with that feature anyway Jaded…Just another fad.

My daughter’s Polo also has the disable feature.

Interesting. How do you rationalise that?

A cool engine (specially a diesel) will require longer to return to economic running temperature and some fuel with be spat out unburned for a short period because it’s what left in the cylinders when the engine stops, and also, engine management puts an extra squirt of fuel in the cylinders for a start up.
And as the vehicle becomes older it will fail to start occasionally.

Don’t understand that one foxy, engine management controls fuel input with the right amount at the exact time ,

Well it’s what I think Primus, so I would stay clear of a motor that switches itself off without my sayso…When I’m in the driving seat I become the captain and nothing happens without me making it happen.

I can see that logic makes sense for a cool engine, but naturally falls apart when the engine warms up. So, I guess it comes down to whether the hot engine application more than mitigates the cold engine application of the system, or not.

Apparently it only works at optimum running temp anyway so the cool engine theory is moot …

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I’ve often wondered why it doesn’t always kick into play when I’ve driven my daughter’s (unleaded) car. Cold engine or it not being optimum in other ways would explain that.

There has to be certain conditions before the stop start will operate, ambient temperature is one, if it’s too cold it won’t work in most cases, again if there’s lots of load on the system, lights, heating, air conditioning then it won’t kick in, or will do so briefly, personally, I love all the gizmos on my cars , mine has nearly everything, stop start, cross traffic alert, automatic boot opening, it even parks itself ( with some input from me) to name but a few…

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It’s all borax anyway…Just why?

Gracious as ever in defeat :joy::joy:

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It’s all about two things foxy
Saving the planet by reducing the emissions from cars , and safety systems ratings introduced by the eu to make cars safer for occupants and pedestrians

That’s a good one Primus, I thought all petrol and diesels were being phased out anyway.
What about all the aircraft dropping pollution on yer head? Will they have a stop/start feature built in?

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Nice one about aircraft :rofl::rofl:

As for cars, you are obviously correct. In any case, there are lots of other ways they could have reduced their carbon footprint (weight, size, unnecessary trim/vanity features, GPS controlled speed limiters etc etc) which would quite probably have had a greater impact. One also wonders about the life expectancy of the starter motors which now have to operate manifold tines during a trip instead of just once, and how much energy is used to manufacture replacements which will probably be needed during a cars lifetime.

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Thanks Dex.
And not forgetting the expense to the driver for a special type of battery and starter motor.

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Was unaware of different battery requirements.

Enjoy your day out. Suspect your departure is now imminent.:blush:

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Stop start has been around for a while now, long before the government decided to ban all fossil fuel cars, the cars use updated starter motors to handle the continued use, mild hybrids now use a separate battery to assist this and to assist the engine, giving better fuel economy and lower emissions, planes are now turning to environmentally fuels to hopefully cut down on harmful emissions.