Stop/ start - fail

[Andrew]

Have all modern cars with daytime running lamps been exempted from this then ?.

[ARW]

vbg

[Andrew]

And if anyone bumps into the back of your car, even at low speed, the parking pawl inside the gearbox just snaps off, according to my ex-MOT tester neighbour, whereas a manual car will just move slightly as the transmission takes up the impact and turns the engine slightly.

[charles]

apparently my Mazda stores braking energy in a super-capacitor. If there isn't enough in there to restart the engine, it won't stop.

[NY]

I apply my handbrake whenever I come to a halt and anticipate being stopped for more than a couple of seconds - but then I had

Highway code rule 114

"In stationary queues of traffic, drivers should apply the parking brake and, once the following traffic has stopped, take their foot off the footbrake to deactivate the vehicle brake lights. This will minimise glare to road users behind until the traffic moves again."

drummed into me. I also put an automatic (on the rare occasions I drive one) into neutral when I come to a halt, to avoid having to keep my foot on the footbrake to prevent the car creeping forwards.

On a hill I always leave the car in gear - first if I'm facing uphill or reverse if I'm facing downhill, so that if I accidentally start the car without checking whether it's in gear, the starter motor will propel it uphill rather than downhill into the adjacent car. That's as a supplement to the handbrake, just in case the cable happens to stretch over time.

[NY]

It's less of a problem for DLRs because they are at the front of the car so an oncoming driver only sees them for a few seconds as they pass the car with DRLs. Brake lights are more of a problem because once you are behind a car in traffic, you will see his brake lights all the time they are on. If I'm stuck in traffic at night, inching forwards in a traffic jam, I find I have to shut my eyes as soon as I've stopped, to give me some night vision for when the car in front starts moving again.

DRLs also have the advantage that they dim at night (eg when the side/headlights are on) so they are only as bright as they need to be for the ambient lighting. Brake lights, on the other hand, have to be bright to be seen during the day and remain at that brightness at night. I imagine now that cars are starting to use LEDs rather than filament bulbs, we will see brake lights being dimmed at night, though it will need to be based on measuring ambient light rather than controlled by the light switch because you still want the brake lights to be bright if you are driving with lights on in rain/fog during the day.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Nothing I can do about that. Automatics are parked in park and that's it. Whether or not you apply the handbrake.

I dont use PARK at traffic lights

[Andrew]

That's bizarre. Why bother to have 'side lamps' at the front of a vehicle that also has permanent DRLs ?.

[NY]

Sorry, when I said "side" I really meant "side and tail, where side lights are normally the same lights as DRLs". So the same LEDs go from bright to less bright when you turn on side/tail and then headlights.

My Peugeot has all filament bulbs, but it has *separate* DRLs to the side light bulbs, maybe to give brighter lights than can be achieved from 5W side light bulbs. The DRLs go out when the side lights are turned on.

[Dave Liquorice]

<snip>

99% of drivers do not do that...

The "eco" stop/start works fine on my Freelander II. Linked with the clutch though. Keep the clutch pressed when at rest it doesn't stop the engine. Press the clutch when at rest and its in "eco" it starts. It'll also auto start if the demand from the cars systems is high or rises. It'll also autostart if you let the car roll by releasing the footbrake. It won't "eco" if the ambient temperature is below about 7 C. In opertaion it's transparent

The "hill start assist" isn't quite as transparent. I'm never quite sure if its going to operate or not. With no dashboard indication you don't know untill you release the footbrake and the car rolls back or not... The electric parking brake won't release unless you have your foot on the footbrake.

[ARW]

WTF?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

They also inhibit the auto engine stop if the battery is low. And I'd guess have software/engine designed for an instant start. Which may not be

100% ideal for running. You never get owt for nowt.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

All the time. I have consideration for those behind me. But I'm rare.

But I have another motive. Applying the handbrake disables the 'creep' function on my PDK auto, and thus reduces clutch wear.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Depending on things, some spark plug have a 100,000 mile life. So perhaps not much of a deal breaker.

[Andy Burns]

Mine recuperates energy from slowing/braking, it won't use stop/start until the engine is warmed-up, and sometimes won't use it when e.g. aircon is working harder.

[Andy Burns]

surprised it doesn't have a 'hold' feature ... once I come to a stop the parking brake lamp comes on as green rather than red, meaning the brakes will remain applied using the ABS servo, so you can take your foot off the brake and save the driver behind from glare, if it stays that way for too long, it applies the electric parking brake instead.

Presumably Porsche use Bosch brake control systems?

[Andy Burns]

The re-start is much quicker than a normal start from cold, but still when emerging from known 'tricky' junctions where oncoming traffic is obscured and tends to approach rather quickly, I turn off the stop-start (easier to knock the gear selector into 'S' mode than reach for the dedicated button to disable it)

[Jeff Layman]

Yep - Honda Jazz auto. I have a remote-controlled roller garage door, so can just sit in the car until it fully opens and then drive in. But I can't think of any sensible reason why you would want to have the engine restart when you unclip the seatbelt.

[Jeff Layman]

I've never understood what happen with an autostart rather than key start. With the latter, everything is turned off, such as the satnav and radio. I assume that is due to voltage drop and/or perhaps transient (spike) protection.With the former, the satnav display remains on and operational (it obviously makes no sense to need resetting when stopping/starting in traffic). But how are the other circuits isolated from the starter at that time? And if they can be isolated then, why not with a key restart?

[Brian Reay]

Have you seen any that dazzle or cause discomfort?

Remember they are for use in Daylight and should either turn off or dim when main lights are on, ie when it isn't Daylight or conditions are poor.

Poorly adjusted headlights are far more of problem or, even worse, those who don't to turn their lights on.