What does a circle with an A and OFF mean on a car?
3 Answers
The A with a circle and OFF on a car stands for AUTO, which means automatic; OFF means off, so together it means the vehicle's auto start-stop function is turned off. Below is some relevant information about the auto start-stop function: 1. The use of the auto start-stop system has certain conditions. It cannot be used when the battery is low, the temperature is too high or too low, the wheels are turning when stopping, the slope is too steep, or the seat belt is not fastened. 2. After turning on the auto start-stop function, simply press the brake pedal while driving. The engine will automatically shut off after the vehicle comes to a complete stop for about two seconds. Keeping the brake pedal pressed will keep the engine in the off state.
I ran into my neighbor Uncle Zhang in the neighborhood who also asked about this symbol. A 'A with a circle off' icon suddenly appeared on the dashboard of his newly bought car. Actually, this is the auto start-stop deactivation indicator, where the 'A' stands for Auto Start-Stop. Many cars nowadays come with the start-stop feature, which automatically shuts off the engine at red lights to save fuel. When you press the start-stop deactivation button, this icon will appear on the dashboard, indicating that the auto engine shut-off function has been manually disabled. It's quite handy to turn it off during heavy traffic, otherwise, the engine repeatedly starting up at every stop can be annoying. I remember during last year's heavy rain and flooded roads, this icon was especially useful—if the engine automatically restarted after stalling, it would be troublesome, so turning it off in advance gave peace of mind.
I remember when my cousin just got his driver's license, he kept asking about car symbols. That 'A with a circle and off' is the auto start-stop deactivation indicator. After pressing the A-button on the center console, this reminder appears on the dashboard. Its presence is quite practical: turning off start-stop in summer traffic prevents AC weakening from engine shutdown; frequent start-stop on mountain roads also strains the battery. Once when driving my friend's Mercedes on the highway, I noticed significantly reduced body vibration after deactivation. But be careful not to confuse it with the electronic parking brake - this symbol only shows a small 'off' text at the bottom right of the circular icon.
