500 Stop start

[Lisaminnie]

Hello, I bought a new 500 around February. Just before the lockdown the stop start stopped working. I got around to ringing the dealer today and was told that the stop start only kicks in after driving ten miles...I told him it did work when I first got the car. He put me through to the service section and I’m booked in for next week. Has anyone had experience of having to drive ten miles for the stop start to work?

? Thanks

 

[jackwhoo]

Read the section in your owners hand book re:stop start , it details the conditions that have to be met before the stop start operates.
There are lots of things , for instance; drivers seat belt has to be bucked, rear heated screen not turned on etc etc

The rest of the hand book is worth reading too, lots of good info.

 

[Baglady1990]

Hello, I bought a new 500 around February. Just before the lockdown the stop start stopped working. I got around to ringing the dealer today and was told that the stop start only kicks in after driving ten miles...I told him it did work when I first got the car. He put me through to the service section and I’m booked in for next week. Has anyone had experience of having to drive ten miles for the stop start to work?



[emoji4] Thanks

Hi there & welcome!
The SS (stop start) is in my opinion a huge pain in the backside! And that’s being polite!!

Sometimes it works sometimes not! I’ve tried most things .. driving for a few more miles swapping out my earth straps in the engine you name it I’ve tried it!

And........ as I’ve said sometimes it kicks in unexpectedly sometimes it’s a no show for weeks!
I’ve been told it can be down to consumption on the car’s battery ie climate control stereo exc.....

You can try removing the earth connection on the battery for a few hours as that “could” re set SS but for my 500 that’s a temporary fix!

Try giving the car a good run out on the motorway for half an hour but if you do short trips like me ... the SS is useless day to day!

It’s just unreliable

 

[Lisaminnie]

Thanks for the replies, it worked fine until I stalled going up a hill, I have it broken in on Thursday so hopefully it will be fixed. It wouldn't bother me but I sometimes get to work early and sit in my car. With my previous cars you could turn the engine off and listen to the radio, theres no way of doing this without the stop start on the 500. It's a bit annoying

 

[jrkitching]

If it's a brand new car, it should work properly as soon as the engine is reasonably warm; don't be fobbed off by any of this 10 mile nonsense. Stalling the car shouldn't stop it working, either.

Just take it back to the dealership, dig in your claws, and don't retract them until it's fixed properly.

 

[MaxHeadroom]

I'll never use Stop-Start - I value my battery and starter too much

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

In warmer weather my S/S will start to operate when I stop at the lights 500yds away from home after the engine's been running less than 5 minutes from cold - so much for "ten miles". Granted, the first couple of times it'll restart after a shorter period until the engine is warm.

I think the first line in the customer service handbook is "Blame it on the customer". I got a similar response from the dealer when the car was new and the S/S wasn't working properly, only they tried to blame it on me not driving sufficient distances to recharge the battery and having a dash-cam 'draining' the power. They eventually gave in and replaced the battery and the S/S has worked to spec ever since (6 years!). As JR says, persist and don't let 'em off the hook.

I don't know about the current model but on older cars like mine, after switching the ignition off you can press the audio system power button and the radio will play for 20 minutes at a time. There's also a setting in the audio menu that will automatically cause the radio to play for 20 minutes after the ignition is switched off.

 

[Baglady1990]

In warmer weather my S/S will start to operate when I stop at the lights 500yds away from home after the engine's been running less than 5 minutes from cold - so much for "ten miles". Granted, the first couple of times it'll restart after a shorter period until the engine is warm.

I think the first line in the customer service handbook is "Blame it on the customer". I got a similar response from the dealer when the car was new and the S/S wasn't working properly, only they tried to blame it on me not driving sufficient distances to recharge the battery and having a dash-cam 'draining' the power. They eventually gave in and replaced the battery and the S/S has worked to spec ever since (6 years!). As JR says, persist and don't let 'em off the hook.

I don't know about the current model but on older cars like mine, after switching the ignition off you can press the audio system power button and the radio will play for 20 minutes at a time. There's also a setting in the audio menu that will automatically cause the radio to play for 20 minutes after the ignition is switched off.

I’ve given up on my SS working! I just don’t drive for long enough! If I do happen to drive long enough (rare) it will kick in! And I get all giddy ? it’s just too confusing... I’ve replaced all my earth straps even changed the battery sensor!! It just does what it wants

Saying that my partner has a Vauxhall Astra 17 plate he drives a lot & his SS system is almost non existent [emoji23]

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

I’ve given up on my SS working! I just don’t drive for long enough! If I do happen to drive long enough (rare) it will kick in! And I get all giddy �� it’s just too confusing... I’ve replaced all my earth straps even changed the battery sensor!! It just does what it wants

Saying that my partner has a Vauxhall Astra 17 plate he drives a lot & his SS system is almost non existent [emoji23]

Shame about that. Perhaps I shouldn't skite about it too much to you Poms but I reckon the warmer climate down here plays a big part in battery and S/S performance...

My wife's just taken delivery her new Mazda CX-3 which has their version of stop/start called "I-Stop" - it'll be interesting to compare it's performance, though after fifty year's experience of Mazda I expect it'll perform faultlessly.

 

[John202020]

My wife's just taken delivery her new Mazda CX-3 which has their version of stop/start called "I-Stop" - it'll be interesting to compare it's performance, though after fifty year's experience of Mazda I expect it'll perform faultlessly.

're above, on the Mazda 6 if you manually set the air flow direction to the windscreen the I stop/SS is disabled

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

're above, on the Mazda 6 if you manually set the air flow direction to the windscreen the I stop/SS is disabled

Yes, I saw that in the CX-3 manual; using the demist prevents it operating.


It seems you can't disable I-Stop altogether - if you turn it off it'll be restored next time you start the car; I believe the earlier 500's were the same though on mine it stays off.

 

[Baglady1990]

Had my battery off for hours today as been swapping out my dash .. all back together now just nipped to supermarket and the SS kicked in!! After not working for weeks ! I just don’t get it! If I could I’d rip it out

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

I feel your frustration. You can always turn it off but that's not the point is it?

 

[redetris]

With my previous cars you could turn the engine off and listen to the radio, theres no way of doing this without the stop start on the 500. It's a bit annoying

The radio will turn off when you turn the engine off, but you should be able to turn the radio back on, even without the key in the ignition. It will auto turn off after a while, at least that is how my 500L behaves.

 

[John202020]

The radio will turn off when you turn the engine off, but you should be able to turn the radio back on, even without the key in the ignition. It will auto turn off after a while, at least that is how my 500L behaves.

Our does this too, you can change the on time in the menu 09 plate pop

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Our wee Panda doesn't have stop start but my Boy's Punto (2012 Easy) is supposed to have it. He's owned it for about 4 years now and it's never worked. Well, that's a bonus son says I. When he first bought it he asked me to take a look at it but I couldn't find any obvious reason for it's not working so we just forgot about it as everything else seems to work just fine - and still does.

My Ibiza has it, bought new in early 2016 and it works nearly all the time. When it doesn't it's obviously attributable to low battery (and it doesn't need to be very low) This doesn't happen often because the car has a "smart alternator" which frightens me in it's extra complexity but does do a good job of keeping the battery very well charged.

Having said all that I don't believe in stop/start systems which use conventional starter motors. If you are going to do it you need something permanently engaged with the engine like an alternator which also functions as a motor - I think some of the hybrids do this? I just don't like the idea of something which is repeatedly crashing into engagement with the ring gear. Ok, starter motors and batteries (expensive glass mat or EFBs often) can be relatively easily replaced but ring gears mean removing gearboxes etc - No thanks! I would also question whether it shortens Turbo life? many, maybe a majority, of cars now have turbo petrol engines and most have engine driven oil pumps (although someone on here was recently telling me about electrically driven oil pumps) so oil stops flowing when the engine crank stops rotating but the turbo is going to spin on for several minutes. Some oil is pretty much bound to get carburised in the turbo casing especially when in contact with the spindle, even if, like my Ibiza, you've got a secondary electric water pump. So I try to remember to disable the stop/start every time I start the engine. I've asked my main dealer and my local independent if it can't be permanently disabled but it would seem not. The independent guys offered the suggestion that this may be because it would make quite a difference to the fuel consumption and emission figures so the manufacturer ensures it can't be done? Just have to remember to push the button after twisting the key each time. I also like to be able to let the engine idle for a few minutes if I've stopped in a motorway service area or been driving in a "spirited" manner on country roads to allow turbo heat to dissipate, with oil continuing to flow, before killing the engine. Wish I could cancel hill hold too!

 

[jimboy]

I’m in the I would never have a car with start/stop system camp. Personally I just think it’s a complete waste of time and even if you’re in favour of the system, they never seem to function as they should for any length of time.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I'm of the same opinion Jim, but just try and find one these days.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I'm also very depressed to read about these new additions like adaptive cruise control and emergency braking. These systems, it would seem, use a form of radar with a sender in the front bumper or grill to judge distance from the vehicle in front (or bridge supports or other stationary object if you're unlucky?) Apart from the annoying glitches, I've become aware of how expensive it is to repair these systems - sometimes after only a minor parking "nudge". I will be actively seeking out something which doesn't have this if I ever need another car.

I do want standard cruise but not adaptive. I also don't want hill hold, stop start, keyless starting, infotainment screens - especially infotainment screens, except as navigational aids, and it should be made impossible for a driver to interact in any way with a mobile phone. I had great hopes for the Dacia range of vehicles but even they are now fitting many of these features. Can't we all just learn how to drive competently and then concentrate 100% on the task when behind the wheel?

 

[jimboy]

Indeed Jock. For me, the more “aids” on a car, the chances of more going wrong. I consider myself a petrolhead who must get/be involved with a vehicle 100% and concentrate on the job at hand so to speak, and not to be distracted by anything that’s not really required on a vehicle.