I have gone from a 2006 Passat to 2018 Galaxy and am really enjoying the car. I am new to the stop/start feature but quite curious, maybe you guys can help.

I do a lot of city driving and alway have the feature turned on. I'm aware it can be turned off by the press of a button but many people use the feature while others turn it off.

Question is, does the feature shorten the engine life, battery, starter motor etc? The start stop cycles of an engine puts the most stress ont he engine, isn't this very bad when it is cold? All the parts wake up very quickly to operating speed all at once. Do you really save fuel when you engine can be off for a few seconds at traffic lights before it turns back on? Is there a particular time frame from the car being off to saving fuel?

The car is an automatic, first I have ever had. I have always been told to not stay in "D" when at a standstill but when using the stop start feature does it really matter? If not, then why do we have the neutral gear?

Most people on here are against stop/start so expect a biased response.

The battery is not a standard lead-acid type, but an EFB or AGM, so the life of that is not reduced by SS.  The starter motor is heavy duty on SS models, and we rarely see any of those break, so again the life doesn't seem to be reduced.  Engine life is difficult to judge, but despite what you might expect on paper, it doesn't seem to be reduced in my experience.  (Note, there are some engines with design flaws which can be exacerbated by SS).  SS doesn't generally operate until the engine has some heat in it, or if the engine is very hot, it is a smart system that only cuts under certain conditions.

You won't save a noticeable amount of fuel.  It was designed for reducing CO2, NOx and particulate emissions in built up areas.  Yes there is a timescale for where it's not worth stopping (something like 8 seconds, but will differ depending on engine), however the engine can't predict how long you'll be stopping, so sometimes it won't be worth it.  You should be able to able to prevent it cutting on an auto by gently pressing the brake when coming up to a clear junction for example.

Overall, I personally do like the feature, had it on a few cars and never found it to be annoying or to cause any breakages at all.  The reduced emissions in built up areas are a massive plus point for me, as well as the calm that comes from losing the idle vibrations in the cabin.

 

5 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Most people on here are against stop/start so expect a biased response.

I'll try and be balanced, then!

Yes, I've had it on various cars, starting with a Land Rover about 15 years ago. Then it was very much touted as an anti-pollution/CO2 reduction measure. I've done various "trials" over the years and, like Tom, not noticed any effect fuel consumption wise.

I tend to turn it off most of the time these days, and just pop it on if I'm on a route where I know I will probably hit a lengthy delay, such as one of the few remaining level crossings. On some other routes it just seems pointless. In one direction from my house for example, the first 3 traffic lights are nowhere near people, but by the time I reach an area where it might be appropriate (school, college, housing, Tesco, etc) it's decided it's done it's bit and stops working!

The main issue we get on here, as you've probably seen, is the system not working even when people want it to. I won't dwell on the possible reasons, many parameters must be met, and there are plenty of detailed threads if you have a search.

https://www.fordownersclub.com/search/?q=Stop start&updated_after=any&sortby=relevancy&search_and_or=and&search_in=titles

My own system stopped operating last July, then suddenly started operating on 9 February and has worked flawlessly since - I've left it on out of curiosity but have as yet been unable to figure out a reason.

I would say if you like the system, by all means use it. Let us know how you go on!

 

I don't have an opinion on Stop/Start 🤣🤣😂😂

The prevailing opinion on here seems to be "leave it in D" at least for Powershift, but I don't and don't have Stop/Start so you'll have to wait for other opinions/reasons and make your own mind up?

I have a views from both sides my Galaxy is a manual with start stop, when I got it the battery was shot and the start stop didn’t work plus struggled badly on start up, changed to a new battery and had a BMS reset and the system works fine. It’s now coming up 80k and still has the original starter fitted and no major signs of wear and tear but being a diesel engine I do worry about the internal unseen wear and tear as the start stop works as soon as the engine is barely warm enough so through winter I have the system deactivated most of the time unless it’s on a long run out somewhere (or use the wife’s car 😂)
 

However our puma is an auto with start stop and if I move in into neutral with the engine stopped it restarts the engine. However being a small 1.0 I’m not as worried about the wear and tear as it’s half the size of the Galaxy engine and less of an engine to turn over every time it restarts. 
 

does it save fuel? I guess in theory as the engine is not running, so no fuel is being used. will it be noticeable? I don’t think so in the grand scheme of things but a by product is less pollution produced.

13 hours ago, Jim3797 said:

However being a small 1.0 I’m not as worried about the wear and tear as it’s half the size of the Galaxy engine and less of an engine to turn over every time it restarts.

That's one of the strangest concerns I've heard about stop start.  I've stripped 1.9/2.0 diesel engines down with 150-200k miles and could still see the crosshatching on the bores.  And stripped down 1.4 petrol engines at 50-80k with noticeable bore wear.  Large diesel engines are usually made of tougher metal to cope with the higher pressures.  Small petrol engines are just made cheaply to be chucked in low end models and replaced as a whole unit when they fail.

24 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Small petrol engines are just made cheaply to be chucked in low end models and replaced as a whole unit when they fail.

And wasn't the theory that derv acts as a lubricant to some extent, whereas petrol (especially direct injection) tends to wash lubricant out of the bores?

32 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

That's one of the strangest concerns I've heard about stop start.  I've stripped 1.9/2.0 diesel engines down with 150-200k miles and could still see the crosshatching on the bores.  And stripped down 1.4 petrol engines at 50-80k with noticeable bore wear.  Large diesel engines are usually made of tougher metal to cope with the higher pressures.  Small petrol engines are just made cheaply to be chucked in low end models and replaced as a whole unit when they fail.

Main reason is it’s the wife’s car 😂, she like to get a new car every 4 years or so no high mileage for her and it will be long gone by 60k (she has already ordered a new Skoda the Puma has only just hit 13k lol). My old Galaxy I had from 23k to 160k and no issues, but with the mileage i do per year I have it serviced twice per year so I’m not overly worried about internal issues as per say on mine it was more of a general statement. 

On 2/22/2025 at 11:56 PM, Speedy624 said:

Question is, does the feature shorten the engine life, battery, starter motor etc?

I hate stop/start

It doesn't really shorten the life of the engine but it does shorten the life cycle of the starter and indeed the battery

It also shortens the life of the upper cylinder drive system whether that be dry belt, wet belt or chain.

It takes a lot more effort to get the top turning than it does to keep it turning

On 2/22/2025 at 11:56 PM, Speedy624 said:

Is there a particular time frame from the car being off to saving fuel?

It doesn't save fuel at all, the ECU has to squirt fuel in to get it started again, a lot more than you would've used sitting on idle.

It's just to save emissions when idling

On 2/22/2025 at 11:56 PM, Speedy624 said:

The car is an automatic, first I have ever had. I have always been told to not stay in "D" when at a standstill

Always stay in "D" ESPECIALLY if you are using Stop/Start

When in S/S off mode there is a pump that keeps the pressure up in the transmission for instant pull away

I don't use S/S at all in my car, I hate it, but that's just my opinion, I have coded it off, something you cannot do on a Ford, so you have to manually turn it off

I have been reading more about stop/start and haven't really found anything for saving fuel, a lot about emissions as a number of you guys have stated above. It is sometimes getting annoying, I would come to a stop for a few seconds just for the car to turn off and get going again.

I guess "D" is my favourite gear in an auto ignoring the "N" unless parking.

That's the whole point of an automatic.

Just leave it in "D"

You only need "N" if you need to move it out of the way if you break down

I've always found that the best way to stop your car from getting damaged by the Stop/Start feature is to park your car up and not drive it. That way no feature can damage your car, make sure it's safely parked though as other cars can still crash into it and damage it while it's parked.

53 minutes ago, hyundaiowner said:

I've always found that the best way to stop your car from getting damaged by the Stop/Start feature is to park your car up and not drive it. That way no feature can damage your car, make sure it's safely parked though as other cars can still crash into it and damage it while it's parked.

Absolutely brilliant!

You forgot to mention jacking it up too to save strain on the suspension and tyres, though then you're putting strain on the jack🤔

Does your Huchchchcunday even have Stop/Start?

9 hours ago, DaveT70 said:

Absolutely brilliant!

You forgot to mention jacking it up too to save strain on the suspension and tyres, though then you're putting strain on the jack🤔

Does your Huchchchcunday even have Stop/Start?

Of course I have Stop/Start, turn the key one direction for Stop, turn it the other direction for Start.

2 hours ago, hyundaiowner said:

Of course I have Stop/Start

....but no MOT or Road tax 🤔

Insurance? (only supposed to check your own):

https://www.askmid.com/

Unless it's been SORN and not used?

18 hours ago, unofix said:

..but no MOT or Road tax 🤔

Don't think Quentin said he owns it now - no details on Gov.UK so it's probably long gone!

 

2 hours ago, Shearers said:

Insurance? (only supposed to check your own):

https://www.askmid.com/

Just been checking mine as my new policy starts today. It does say that, but there's nothing to stop you. I'm guessing it's yet another data protection thing but there are quite legitimate reasons why you might. Such as if you see someone hit your parked car and drive off - might at least help you decide if it's worth going through insurance.

3 hours ago, Shearers said:

Insurance? (only supposed to check your own):

https://www.askmid.com/

Unless it's been SORN and not used?

My new Insurance with a different but sister company started today but it is showing up as uninsured on there.

6 minutes ago, Tizer said:

but it is showing up as uninsured on there.

That's very normal. Check again in 48 hours and it should have updated.