Can the Air Conditioner Still Work When the Car's Auto Start-Stop is Activated?
2 Answers
If the car's auto start-stop is activated, the air conditioner will also turn off because the air conditioning compressor relies on the engine to operate and provide cooling. Here is some relevant information about the car's auto start-stop system: Introduction: The auto start-stop system automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle comes to a temporary stop during driving and restarts the engine when it's time to move forward again. Operation Method: When the car stops due to traffic congestion or at an intersection, the driver presses the brake pedal and shifts to neutral, and the engine will automatically stop. To restart, the driver simply needs to press the clutch or accelerator pedal to directly start the engine.
When I first started driving, I was also curious about this issue. The auto start-stop system shuts off the engine when stopping at a red light, but the AC can still blow air—though the cooling effect is significantly reduced. In most cars, when start-stop is activated, the A/C compressor disengages as soon as the engine stops because it’s driven by the engine belt. Without the compressor running, only the fan blows indoor air, unable to provide cooling. I’ve experienced this in hot weather during traffic jams—the cabin temperature rises quickly, and the AC simply can’t keep up. The system has smart designs: if the temperature difference between inside and outside is large (e.g., the AC is set very low), start-stop may not activate automatically to maintain cooling. But this depends on the car model—some budget cars force the engine to stop regardless. My advice is to turn off the start-stop button as soon as you get in the car, especially in summer, or pre-cool the cabin with the AC before enabling start-stop. In short, start-stop saves fuel but sacrifices AC comfort. If the cabin gets unbearably hot, manual control is the safest bet to avoid drowsiness affecting your driving.
