How to Turn Off the Auto Start-Stop Feature in Toyota Corolla?
4 Answers
Toyota Corolla auto start-stop feature can be turned off by pressing the auto start-stop button. The auto start-stop is enabled by default and remains active whenever the car is started. The Corolla is a compact 4-door, 5-seater sedan with body dimensions of 4635mm in length, 1780mm in width, and 1455mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2700mm and a fuel tank capacity of 50 liters. It is equipped with a 1.2T turbocharged engine and a CVT transmission, delivering a maximum power of 85 kW and a maximum torque of 185 Nm. The drivetrain is front-wheel drive, with a front MacPherson strut independent suspension and a rear E-type multi-link independent suspension.
After driving my Corolla for half a year, I found the auto start-stop feature a bit annoying and researched it thoroughly. Every time I start the car, the first thing I do is press the start-stop button below the center console—the one with an 'A' and an arrow located to the lower right of the steering wheel. Pressing it once shows a yellow 'Auto Start-Stop Off' icon on the instrument cluster. This feature defaults to on every time, so I usually turn it off manually on routes with many traffic lights. However, I've noticed it automatically deactivates when using AC in hot weather, as the system prioritizes cooling. If the infotainment system supported personalized settings, I could even configure it to default to the off state via the center display.
The auto start-stop logic is quite interesting, but frequent activations in urban areas can indeed be annoying. From my experience: right after starting the car, reach for the functional area on the right side of the steering wheel to locate the physical button with a circular arrow symbol (usually near the electronic parking brake). Press it, and a yellow warning light will appear on the instrument cluster. Note that the system automatically disables during heavy rain or water wading to prevent exhaust pipe water ingestion. Permanent deactivation requires installing an additional module, but I'd advise against unauthorized circuit modifications. When using AC in summer, the start-stop operation duration shortens since compressor operation takes priority.
The most annoying thing about commuting in a Corolla is the auto start-stop feature. Actually, the solution is very simple: after starting the vehicle, look down at the row of buttons above the air conditioning panel—the one with a circular arrow is the switch. Just press it to turn it off, and a yellow indicator will light up on the dashboard simultaneously. For a permanent fix, you can buy an OBD blocker from Taobao and plug it into the port under the steering wheel. However, be mindful of the battery condition, as an old battery may trigger the start-stop malfunction light. When I replaced my car's battery after three years, the mechanic said vehicles with start-stop require EFB or AGM-specific batteries.
