Stop start question

[Buckman]

I have never had the stop start system previously so something else new to me. On the Jeep if engine shuts down biggest hassle is when pulling off as I find I am depressing the accelerator too much as used to driving listening to revs. No issue with it kicking into life again as cannot hear the starter turning.

However on daughter's 2017 Suzuki Vitara when the engine cuts off and then restarts when depressing the accelerator, you can hear the starter motor turning before it engages and engine restarts. Sort of sound you would hear when a battery is a bit low. Is this right as thought starting would be instantaneous?

 

[RogerL]

I have never had the stop start system previously so something else new to me. On the Jeep if engine shuts down biggest hassle is when pulling off as I find I am depressing the accelerator too much as used to driving listening to revs. No issue with it kicking into life again as cannot hear the starter turning.

However on daughter's 2017 Suzuki Vitara when the engine cuts off and then restarts when depressing the accelerator, you can hear the starter motor turning before it engages and engine restarts. Sort of sound you would hear when a battery is a bit low. Is this right as thought starting would be instantaneous?

That may or may not be a Suzuki characteristic - best to ask the question on a Suzuki forum.

 

[otherclive]

My Kia has stop start and autohold braking. You come to a halt, car brakes applied automatically, take foot off brake and engine stops. Touch accelerator and engine starts seamlessly and brakes release. You can inhibit stop start if you don’t like the engine keep turning off and in, but autohold works which stops brake light glare. When the engine cuts back in it is quick, and quite. More than can be said for the Superb DSG where I inhibited stop start as it wasn’t confidence giving in situations where you needed to join a busy Island. Our little manual Rio restarts very quickly and quietly too.

 

[Woodentop]

If the engine has stopped when you stop, moving the steering wheel or depressing the clutch (most common) will cause the engine to restart. If you are pressing the throttle and the engine starts it suggests you have an automatic?
If the car is on autohold braking it is very likely your brakes lights will be on and stay on. If you want to stop the glare shining at the driver behind, just flip the 'handbrake' switch which applies the brakes fully and the brake lights go out. The car will still start off releasing the brakes automatically when you restart. In most cars the autohold will be replaced by full braking after about 3 minutes of no action.

 

[otherclive]

If the engine has stopped when you stop, moving the steering wheel or depressing the clutch (most common) will cause the engine to restart. If you are pressing the throttle and the engine starts it suggests you have an automatic?
If the car is on autohold braking it is very likely your brakes lights will be on and stay on. If you want to stop the glare shining at the driver behind, just flip the 'handbrake' switch which applies the brakes fully and the brake lights go out. The car will still start off releasing the brakes automatically when you restart. In most cars the autohold will be replaced by full braking after about 3 minutes of no action.

Not all auto hold work as you describe. Mine turns off the rear brake lights. Wouldn’t it be best to read the manual?

 

[Jcloughie]

Mine is auto and stop start. I queried the speed it would take to restart when buying. The salesman told me to try to get off the brake and onto the accelerator as fast as I could. The engine was ready every time.

As with, I think most cars, start stop is cancelled when hitched up. I can also manually turn it off. but don't see the point. My only complaint is when the engine cuts out when stopping. this happens at about 1mph. problem is, I am braking with no engine so it stops a bit suddenly. This might be adjustable but I keep forgetting to ask the question.

John

 

[Buckman]

Not all auto hold work as you describe. Mine turns off the rear brake lights. Wouldn’t it be best to read the manual?

The actual question was about hearing the starter motor turning for second or two before the engine is restarted. Very distinctive. Cannot hear it on the Jeep as starting is instantaneous.

 

[JTQ]

However on daughter's 2017 Suzuki Vitara when the engine cuts off and then restarts when depressing the accelerator, you can hear the starter motor turning before it engages and engine restarts.

Are you comparing similar engine technologies?
The Jeep I suspect is a direct injection diesel that ought to restart on the first compression, the Suzuki, petrol burning and probably having induction track injection?

 

[Buckman]

Are you comparing similar engine technologies?
The Jeep I suspect is a direct injection diesel that ought to restart on the first compression, the Suzuki, petrol burning and probably having induction track injection?

I have no idea as the only other stop start I have driven was a Volvo S40 petrol many years ago, Daughter has started switching off the stop start as like me there is a tendency to depress pedal just that smidgin too much when wanting to pull away. She is not used to the slight delay before the car powers up.

 

[otherclive]

The actual question was about hearing the starter motor turning for second or two before the engine is restarted. Very distinctive. Cannot hear it on the Jeep as starting is instantaneous.

I was commenting on Woodentops post.
On neither of our cars do you hear the starter motor and on the manual one the restart is quicker than the drivers actions of depressing clutch, handbrake off and touch throttle.

 

[Guzzilazz]

My household now has two Mild Hybrids (My XC40 and the wife's Hyundai Kona). Neither have a conventional starter motor, the alternator is a 48V motor alternator and the engine is started by the alternator via the drive belt (big wide belt) and the car moves off as the alt turns the engine if it hasn't already started. I've had start stop on all cars I've had for about 9 years, and have never had cause to switch off, it generally stops working if it does a few in quick succession until the battery is sufficiently charged to let it work again

 

[Buckman]

I was commenting on Woodentops post.
On neither of our cars do you hear the starter motor and on the manual one the restart is quicker than the drivers actions of depressing clutch, handbrake off and touch throttle.

When I come to a stop at traffic lights, Stop sign etc I always engage the handbrake until ready to move off again. If parking, handbrake on first, then into park as that was the way we were taught. Also good for the car instead of using Park only.

 

[JTQ]

Mine I set to "off" as a routine when starting the vehicle. Technically, I simply don't like the concept of repeatedly starting a diesel engine, nor in the driving I do, do I think it adds, if anything positive environmentally. Plus, I don't think in many cases it is the safest option not to have immediate "power on tap", or that being dependant on other factors, "working".

I live and drive predominantly in the countryside, so it's typical intervention is at junctions where even if it can't sus it out, I know I will need to drive off in very short order.
I will reengage it if I find I am going to be stuck for more than a few 10s of seconds. ie livestock crossing or a snarl up.

 

[RogerL]

When I come to a stop at traffic lights, Stop sign etc I always engage the handbrake until ready to move off again. If parking, handbrake on first, then into park as that was the way we were taught. Also good for the car instead of using Park only.

Good for the car to keep the parking brake "exercised" - then it won't seize when you need it most!

 

[Buckman]

Good for the car to keep the parking brake "exercised" - then it won't seize when you need it most!

That happen on our first Jeep as the previous owner had probably always engaged Park instead of handbrake. The brake shoes fell apart on my second day of ownership and dealer had to uplift vehicle to replace brake shoes.

 

[Hutch]

Buckman, I am quite proud of my choice of towcar, the Hyundai Santa Fe. After reading over the last year of the problems you have had with your Jeep, I am surprised you went for another one. I would certainly stay well away from them.
I cannot see any use for a permanant 4 wheel drive in the UK unless your living in the wildest of places and needing to drive every day.

 

[RogerL]

Buckman, I am quite proud of my choice of towcar, the Hyundai Santa Fe. After reading over the last year of the problems you have had with your Jeep, I am surprised you went for another one. I would certainly stay well away from them.
I cannot see any use for a permanant 4 wheel drive in the UK unless your living in the wildest of places and needing to drive every day.

The Jeep has a clutch-based 4wd system - no different in concept to soft-roaders like the Santa Fe. Excluding 4wd pickups, almost all modern 4wd vehicles use a clutch system rather than a central geared differential.

 

[Jcloughie]

I have no idea as the only other stop start I have driven was a Volvo S40 petrol many years ago, Daughter has started switching off the stop start as like me there is a tendency to depress pedal just that smidgin too much when wanting to pull away. She is not used to the slight delay before the car powers up.

If there is a delay in starting and getting power I can see that this is not conducive with feeling confident when driving. Mine gives instant power so I dont have that problem.

re noise. I do hear the start up, but it is not intrusive.

John

 

[Hutch]

I had a Hyundai i40 auto, as a courtesy car when my SF was in for service. Pulled up at a set of lights, and noticed the engine had shut off, thought to myself, you have stalled the car, then realised it was a stop start one, silent on restarting.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Buckman

It is clear from the answers so far , no one has yet provided a clear " yes it's fine" or "no it should be looked at".

As there has been no conclusive reply to the question (an outcome which is almost inevitable for this type of question) your no further on, in fact you now have so many differing responses there is no way you can sort the "wheat from the chaff"

Unless someone can actually hear or see the way the car is performing, it's almost impossible to work out what if anything may be wrong. If you are concerned about the way its working, then you should be consulting a service agent to check it out.

 

[Hutch]

Buckman

It is clear from the answers so far , no one has yet provided a clear " yes it's fine" or "no it should be looked at".

As there has been no conclusive reply to the question (an outcome which is almost inevitable for this type of question) your no further on, in fact you now have so many differing responses there is no way you can sort the "wheat from the chaff"

Unless someone can actually hear or see the way the car is performing, it's almost impossible to work out what if anything may be wrong. If you are concerned about the way its working, then you should be consulting a service agent to check it out.

Buckman has to learn not to be to heavy footed on his pull aways, he has only had the new jeep for a few weeks and is finding his way around his new toy, I am sure he is googling questions about his daughters car as well as his own.

 

[Dustydog]

I thought all modern starters were pre engaged rather than the spin and then engage? Buckman’s sound descriptions describe both types of application?
The Kia and VW both have auto start stop. Never had a problem with either nor what I’d call any delay on touching the throttle, less than a second.

 

[Buckman]

Buckman has to learn not to be to heavy footed on his pull aways, he has only had the new jeep for a few weeks and is finding his way around his new toy, I am sure he is googling questions about his daughters car as well as his own.

I think that I have mentioned several times that it is the daughter's Suzuki Vitara that o questioning about the Stop Start and not the Jeep. I do not have an issue with Stop Start on the Jeep as generally I deactivate it and have learnt to be light footed.

The question was about hearing the starter motor on the Suzuki engaging as if the car was switched off completely and needed to turn over before it started as if it was starting from cold. I was hoping that someone had experience of the Suzuki Vitara. Apologies if this was not clear.

 

[RogerL]

I think that I have mentioned several times that it is the daughter's Suzuki Vitara that o questioning about the Stop Start and not the Jeep. I do not have an issue with Stop Start on the Jeep as generally I deactivate it and have learnt to be light footed.

The question was about hearing the starter motor on the Suzuki engaging as if the car was switched off completely and needed to turn over before it started as if it was starting from cold. I was hoping that someone had experience of the Suzuki Vitara. Apologies if this was not clear.

Did you check some Suzuki forums as I suggested ?

 

[Buckman]

Did you check some Suzuki forums as I suggested ?

Most posts are about older Suzukis.