How to Disable the Auto Start-Stop Function in a Car?
3 Answers
Methods to disable the auto start-stop function in a car: You can directly press the auto start-stop button, which is usually a circular arrow with the letter A inside. The dashboard will indicate that the system is turned off. If you want to use this function again, simply press the button to turn it back on. The engine 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. The working principle of the start-stop system is that when the vehicle stops due to traffic congestion or at an intersection, the driver presses the brake pedal and shifts to neutral. The auto system detects that there is enough energy for the next start, and the engine automatically stops. When the traffic light turns green, the driver presses the clutch, and the start-stop device can be activated immediately to quickly restart the engine.
My car also has the auto start-stop feature, and I always find it awkward when the engine automatically shuts off at red lights. The most straightforward way to disable it is to locate the start-stop button near the steering wheel or on the center console—usually marked with an 'A' inside a circle—and press it once to turn it off. However, it defaults to being active every time the car restarts, so you’ll need to disable it again. I’ve made it a habit to turn it off right after starting the engine before driving off—while it saves fuel, the frequent stops and starts do affect the driving experience. Also, keep an eye on the battery condition; in older cars, unstable voltage might cause the start-stop system to malfunction, which is a sign that it’s time to replace the battery.
There are actually many ways to disable the auto start-stop function. The method I use most often is pressing the start-stop button immediately after starting the car, which can usually be found near the air conditioning panel. If that's too troublesome, try inserting the seatbelt buckle before ignition - some car models will deactivate the function this way. Once at a 4S shop, I heard a technician say that permanently disabling it requires ECU reprogramming, but this voids the factory warranty. Actually, auto start-stop can be dangerous when wading through water - flooding the exhaust pipe might cause secondary ignition and engine damage, so I always manually turn it off during rainy seasons.
