How to Turn Off Mazda's Auto Start-Stop?
2 Answers
Mazda's auto start-stop can be turned off by following these steps: 1. First, power on the vehicle; 2. Locate the i-stop button on the center console, which controls the auto start-stop function; 3. Press and hold this button until the dashboard light turns yellow, indicating that the auto start-stop system is deactivated. Pressing the button again will reactivate the system. Mazda's auto start-stop system employs a combustion-based restart method, which significantly differs from traditional auto start-stop systems. Specifically, when the vehicle restarts after stalling, the starter motor only plays a supplementary role, while the main starting force comes from the pre-compressed cylinder before the engine stalls.
When I drove the Mazda CX-5 before, the auto start-stop function really gave me a headache, especially in traffic jams where the constant engine restarts made me uncomfortable. Turning it off is quite simple—after starting the engine, look for a button on the center console with a circle and the letter "A" icon, just press it once to disable it, and the indicator light will come on to confirm it's deactivated. Note that you’ll need to repeat this every time you restart the car. If you find it annoying, I recommend making it a habit to press the button immediately. Disabling this feature provides a smoother ride and helps protect the battery life, as frequent auto start-stop cycles can overload the battery and shorten its lifespan. If you have trouble finding the button, check the owner’s manual—it’s usually located near the gear shift or in the steering wheel settings area. I often turned it off because I felt city traffic didn’t justify the minor fuel savings, and comfort was my priority. Some newer Mazda models even support permanent deactivation via the dashboard menu, but it requires navigating the system settings, which is a bit cumbersome.
