Embarrassed to admit about new van

[OO1]

4 hours ago, DizRotus said:

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.

ideal solution is to buy a hybrid vehicle as when the gas engine shuts ,  the battery via the electrical motor is ON  to power the car , and power transition is seamless as 1 of the 2 motors is always active--

[OO1]

3 hours ago, JJkizak said:

 

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

the mechanical  improvements in the engine should add revised crankshaft bearings and stronger  rods -so anyone defeating the stop n go switch to OFF ----should in theory have a longer lasting engine , starter -etc 

[Davecv41]

Locomotives got that crap also, shuts the motor off when engine temp and a few other parameters are satisfied. Most have a 5-10 minute delay and a warning horn, some don't. PITA to be working on something, then it shuts down on ya, especially when the HVAC was running and the sun is beating down on that steel cab. Bigger PITA when its on the list of things to be tested and signed off, and then it won't shut down.

[CECAA850]

1 hour ago, RANDYH said:

and less pollution in dense traffic -and less smog

It's quite ingenious.  All you're doing at a stop light is uselessly burning fuel.  The process is transparent from the drivers standpoint.  As soon as you let off the brake the motor starts and running by the time you hit the gas.  All you notice is the lack of engine noise when stopped.  I've yet to see a downside to it other than "cars never used to do that".

[CECAA850]

17 minutes ago, Davecv41 said:

Locomotives got that crap also, shuts the motor off when engine temp and a few other parameters are satisfied. Most have a 5-10 minute delay and a warning horn, some don't. PITA to be working on something, then it shuts down on ya, especially when the HVAC was running and the sun is beating down on that steel cab. Bigger PITA when its on the list of things to be tested and signed off, and then it won't shut down.

If the ac compressor needs to come back on to cool the cabin at stops, the engine will start automatically.

[CECAA850]

5 hours ago, DizRotus said:

 I tried to recreate the situation while inching forward in the drive-thru line, but it did not shut off.

By design.

[Edgar]

31 minutes ago, CECAA850 said:

The process is transparent from the drivers standpoint.  ...  All you notice is the lack of engine noise when stopped.  I've yet to see a downside to it other than "cars never used to do that".

 

Sorry, respectfully disagree. I've been in too many difficult or downright dangerous situations because of it. It's a menace.

[richieb]

I can only imagine, Carl you would see this in H-town area traffic, being stuck in mile after mile of bumper to bumper and having the engine shut down/start up and repeat repeat etc etc etc for a couple hours. No thanks and I pity those with systems that cannot be defeated. I actually asked this to our rookie salesman when buying the Wrangler if indeed the system was defeatable and with his deer in the headlight look another salesman heard the conversation and shook her head that yes, it can be overridden.  Good, now where do I sign —

[BigStewMan]

6 hours ago, DizRotus said:

On my way to Del Taco

good man!

[dtel]

We have a Saturn Vue that does the exactly the same thing when you stop. On the Saturn there is a button on the dash that disables that whole system so we keep it pressed.

 

When you stop and the engine stops and then you take your foot off the brake the engine restarts, but it restarts by the alternator, not the starter. Which makes for one very expensive starter, and of course there is an separate battery that goes along with what Saturn calls "Green line" model.

 

And if all that was not a pain in the butt enough when we got the yearly tax bill there is a $50 extra charge for the car being "Green" or hybrid as they call it.   Where thinking about getting rid of it hopefully before any of these expensive hybrid parts need replacing.

[CECAA850]

11 minutes ago, richieb said:

I can only imagine, Carl you would see this in H-town area traffic, being stuck in mile after mile of bumper to bumper and having the engine shut down/start up and repeat repeat etc etc etc for a couple hours. No thanks and I pity those with systems that cannot be defeated. I actually asked this to our rookie salesman when buying the Wrangler if indeed the system was defeatable and with his deer in the headlight look another salesman heard the conversation and shook her head that yes, it can be overridden.  Good, now where do I sign —

They can all be defeated.  You just have to be smart enough to push a button on the dash.....

That's why I don't understand what the issue is.  Push the button if you don't like it.  If there's a stop start vehicle out there that can't be turned off, I haven't seen it.  Not saying there isn't one, I just am not aware of one.

[CECAA850]

26 minutes ago, Edgar said:

 

Sorry, respectfully disagree. I've been in too many difficult or downright dangerous situations because of it. It's a menace.

No problem with disagreeing or not liking it.  How exactly was it dangerous?  I have never felt that using the stop start function put me in jeopardy. 

[dtel]

36 minutes ago, CECAA850 said:

I have never felt that using the stop start function put me in jeopardy. 

Just for fun I once had it in the stop mode and hit the gas just as I let off the brake and it is no different, it takes off the same as if was not in the start mode, it restarts so fast, way faster than with the starter, it's instant some how.

[CECAA850]

Just now, dtel said:

Just for fun I once had it in the stop mode and hit the gas just as I let off the brake and it is no different, it takes off the same as if was not in the start mode, it restarts so fast, way faster than with the starter, it's instant some how.

I've never once had an issue or felt that it was dangerous in any way.  People freaked out about seat belts at one time also.  They felt that they were dangerous or worse than not wearing them.  People don't like change, especially when you get to be Richies age.

[Edgar]

35 minutes ago, CECAA850 said:

No problem with disagreeing or not liking it.  How exactly was it dangerous?  I have never felt that using the stop start function put me in jeopardy. 

 

Dangerous: As described above. Around here, like many places, when driving in heavy traffic, waiting until things have cleared well enough to make a leisurely turn across or into traffic means you'll be stuck where you are until rush hour is over. Meanwhile you have a line of cars behind you, their drivers honking the horn and yelling assertions about your parentage. The delay to start the engine, brief though it is, throws-off your timing. Once you've started the turn, you are committed -- stopping again would just make the situation worse. That start delay has made a marginal situation into a dangerous situation.

Difficult: Also as stated above. In a tight parking lot it's a complete pain in the posterior. You're not supposed to turn the steering wheel when the tires are stationary, but sometimes it's necessary. Without power steering, I hope you worked-out with weights before your trip.

[CECAA850]

8 minutes ago, Edgar said:

Without power steering, I hope you worked-out with weights before your trip.

Most now have electric power steering so that's a non issue.

 

I've actually played with mine and tried to get on the throttle as fast as I could after letting off the brake.  The motor is always running before I can step on the accelerator and I can get there in a fraction of a second.  I've yet to beat it but unlike dtel, I haven't tried it with 2 feet and left foot braking.

[KlipschFish]

6 hours ago, EmilC said:

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 

I had my '97 truck in the shop overnight for some repairs about 2 years ago. I was given a loaner. Talk about an ol' boomer. It was already nightime and I had NO idea how to turn the lights on... so I could see how the rest of the car worked. Let alone start the dang thing and drive home! It literally took about 5-6 minutes to push the right buttons. Of coursed I was too embarrased to ask for help.

[BigStewMan]

When my BMW was in the shop they gave me a four-series as a loaner. It had that function.  It was weird at first but i guess one would get accustomed to it. 

 

[Edgar]

12 minutes ago, CECAA850 said:

I've actually played with mine and tried to get on the throttle as fast as I could after letting off the brake.  The motor is always running before I can step on the accelerator and I can get there in a fraction of a second. 

 

Yours is definitely more responsive than mine. I had to run errands at lunch today, so I purposely left stop/start enabled. At a traffic light, the time between when I actually depressed the accelerator and the car actually moved was about two seconds. Add that to the standard time it takes to move my foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal.

[CECAA850]

Just now, Edgar said:

At a traffic light, the time between when I actually depressed the accelerator and the car actually moved was about two seconds. Add that to the standard time it takes to move my foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal.

I couldn't live with that and would probably make pushing the stop/start button part of my start up routine.  My wife has it in her SUV and it's just as, if not more, responsive than mine.