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Embarrassed to admit about new van


DizRotus

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With slightly more than 1,500 miles since purchased new in November, I just realized this 2019 Ford Transit Connect has that auto-shutoff feature in traffic.  It’s mostly driven by our salesperson; have to ask her if she was aware of it.

 

On my way to Del Taco for Taco Tuesday, I noticed it start up when I lifted my foot from the brake.  I tried to recreate the situation while inching forward in the drive-thru line, but it did not shut off.  On the way home I duplicated the shut-off and restart.  After moving with traffic for some time, when coming to a full stop at a red light, the engine stopped, the tach dropped to O rpms, until I took my foot off the brake.  Making full stops—as I always do😇—at the 4-way stops in my neighborhood, killed the engine, which restarted when my foot left the brake.

 

This is the first such vehicle I’ve driven.  Next you’ll be telling me there’s a way to set and maintain the speed with my foot off the gas.

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46 minutes ago, DizRotus said:

With just over 1500 miles since purchased in November, I just realized this 2019 Ford Transit Connect has that auto-shutoff feature in traffic.  It’s mostly driven by our salesperson; have to ask her if she was aware of it.

 

On my way to Del Taco for Taco Tuesday, I noticed it start up when I lifted my foot from the brake.  I tried to recreate the situation while inching forward in the drive-thru line, but it did not shut off.  On the way home I duplicated the shut-off and restart.  After moving with traffic for some time, when coming to a full stop at a red light, the engine stopped, the tach dropped to O rpms, until I took my foot off the brake.  Making full stops—as I always do😇—at the 4-way stops in my neighborhood, killed the engine, which restarted when my foot left the brake.

 

This is the first such vehicle I’ve driven.  The next thing you’ll be telling me there’s a way to set and maintain the speed with my foot off the gas.

 

The stop/start feature costs big bucks. Bigger starter, stronger crankshaft, stronger flywheel, larger battery, more computer stuff, more wires, larger radiator, different shocks to allow for added weight, etc.

JJK

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29 minutes ago, JJkizak said:

The stop/start thing started in Europe in the 50's (I think) to save gas. Taxi drivers would turn off the engine at a red light then restart the engine when it went green.

JJK

 

You're forcing this story out of me....  

 

We were over in England once.  Met up with a fellow Klipsch head while there.  He picked us up and drove us to his home and later, to the train stop.

 

What I found so utterly interesting was his driving style (retentive habit)....  he drove a manual which is fine.  As we'd come to a stop for any reason....  stoplilght, sign, traffic backed up....  he would put car in neutral, wiggle the shifter knob and then would yank the parking brake up......holding the brake....when it was time for us to go, brake would go down, jab transmission into gear and off we'd go.  Next stop, neutral, wiggle the shifter and pull parking brake up.  Time to go, brake down, into gear.....  stop, wiggle, apply parking brake....

 

It was very interesting as he did it EVERY time we stopped.  

 

He has clearly never watched the Flintstones.

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IIRC, manual Subarus had a hill holder feature that kept the brakes engaged after you lifted your foot from the brake pedal until you released the clutch.  Sort of like Hurst Line Lock used at dragstrips.

 

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He was just saving wear and tear on the throw-out bearing.  Holding the hand brake will make the brake lights last longer. I do it too at long lights.  I noticed many drivers in Europe doing the same.

 

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Story reminds me when I first drove a rental that had that lane departure/assist system. i had no idea what it was.

For those that don't know what it is, if the car senses that you are drifting out of you lane, it will jar the steering wheel to get you back in lane.

I thought the car was possessed 

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29 minutes ago, DizRotus said:

 

Me too.  Even after I figured out what was happening.

 

Carl @CECAA850 what is the repair experience with these systems.  How much gas can it save to offset the cost of a starter?

 

I have no hard data on gas savings.  We have several models that have had this feature for a while though.  As of yet we have not had to replace a starter or flywheel.  Of course we do batteries on all the lines but i have no idea if any are strictly stop start related.  It has to save fuel though.  There's no way it wont.

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Most accomplished stick drivers can heel and toe to hold the right foot on the brake while rocking it to the gas as the left foot releases the clutch.  An experienced driver can stop on a steep incline and then move forward without rolling into the Peterbuilt on the rear bumper, all while leaving the hands off the emergency brake.

 

I get a kick out of watching local doctors ride the clutches of their Porsches at stoplights because the don’t know the heel-toe technique.

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1 hour ago, DizRotus said:

After moving with traffic for some time, when coming to a full stop at a red light, the engine stopped, the tach dropped to O rpms, until I took my foot off the brake.  Making full stops—as I always do😇—at the 4-way stops in my neighborhood, killed the engine, which restarted when my foot left the brake.

 

I have this in my '17 Grand Cherokee, and I loathe it, so I have developed a habit of pressing the "Start/Stop Defeat" button immediately after starting the engine, every time.

 

Once, in a very tight parking lot on a downhill slope, I got into a situation where I had pulled as far forward as I could without touching the parked car in front of me. Held the brake and put the transmission into reverse while the engine died. I could not release the brake without rolling forward and bumping the other car. But I had to release the brake to start the engine. Luckily I had presence of mind to press the "Defeat" button, which started the engine. But there was a tense moment.

 

Stopped, waiting to make a left turn across heavy traffic, there are situations where that extra fraction of a second required for the engine to restart can be the difference between an uneventful turn and a T-bone crash. It's also a pain in the neck in stop-and-go traffic, or when pulling slowly into the garage, etc. I wish, at the very least, that there was a 5-10 second delay before it killed the engine.

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46 minutes ago, Shakeydeal said:

There should be a way to tune that out. And that's the first thing I would do. My truck has AFM (active fuel management) and I got rid of that in a hurry.

 

Shakey

 

 

 

It's emission related and used to figure gas mileage during CAFE certification.  I doubt the smog police would arrest you for doing it but technically, permanently disabling it is against the law.  It's just as easy to push the disable button as part of your start up routine and costs nothing to do that.

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1 hour ago, CECAA850 said:

It's just as easy to push the disable button as part of your start up routine and costs nothing to do that.

unless you miss the auto stop and release the tailgate on to a concrete block. Ask me how I know

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