Start stop turns back on after 20s

[CanadaA3wales]

Hey
This is my first stop start car and not sure if this is just the way Audi do things, but when I pull up to a long traffic light and I know I will be there for a bit, I take my foot off the clutch and it obviously turns off, but only like 15 - 20s later it turns back on all by itself.

Is this normal?

I thought that it should not start again until I put my foot back on the clutch again.

I dont think there is anything in the MMI for me to change the timings.

Why start back up after 20s when I am still stuck at lights or in heavy traffic, seems strange.

 

[alpesh26]

This is normal. It will start back up if the battery voltage drops below a threshold

 

[CanadaA3wales]

Ah right, very strange.
My partners Civic will stay off until she puts her foot on the clutch.

Anyway around this, or is this just the way it is?

Thanks @alpesh26

 

[CanadaA3wales]

Just asked my partner as she was not here, but yeah she says the same thing, her civic starts again after 20-30s

You would think if you are trying to save petrol and the enviroment that it would allow you to turn it back on when you are actually ready to set off.

Why have it for only 20-30s as some big lights last longer than this, so you turn it off and then it turns itself back on and you are still sitting there at the traffic lights with your engine on.. So why have it at all ?

 

[alpesh26]

It's the way it is, I have a dashcam and my battery voltage is always pretty low so the start-stop rarely works in mine anyway.

I don't think the behaviour can be changed. I'd rather have the car start than have the embarrassing situation of a flat battery at a set of lights. I understand your point though. I guess manufacturers can't cover every scenario unless the car had a really big capacity battery...there's a lot of electrics in a car these days

 

[rafletcher]

As stated above, there’s insufficient charge in your battery for it to work as intended, so it will turn back on. I had no trouble when commuting 34 miles a day, but now it’s 16 mine never even gets to stop!

 

[AlS3BE]

Draw on battery will change how stop start works.
Heating, air con, stereo etc will have some effect and the charge level of the battery.
Go for a long drive and switch everything off and the next time it stops at traffic lights it will be longer before it starts again. I’ve had mine sit for minutes off when in heavy traffic.

 

[CanadaA3wales]

Ah I see, so if everything is off and you have a new battery the start stop will last a lot longer?

Is that why some cars have 2 car batteries, one in the boot and the other in the engine, for the start stop ?

I always have my dashcam, bluetooth music and air con on so I guess its not going to last very long.

Well at least I know now.

What do we all think about the wear on the engine bits like belts and things with the car stopping and starting all the time, is there any proof this may cause harm to an engine ?

 

[AlS3BE]

Air con is almost guaranteed to keep the engine running in my experience as the compressor needs to run for cold air.

 

[Dubjam]

Ah I see, so if everything is off and you have a new battery the start stop will last a lot longer?

Is that why some cars have 2 car batteries, one in the boot and the other in the engine, for the start stop ?

I always have my dashcam, bluetooth music and air con on so I guess its not going to last very long.

Well at least I know now.

What do we all think about the wear on the engine bits like belts and things with the car stopping and starting all the time, is there any proof this may cause harm to an engine ?

Cars with a second battery is probably for big audio installs. I used to have the standard one for the car, and a second for my audio. Those were the days

The Stop Start batteries are hugely over engineered to cope with the function, but do like all batteries die out. (or if you have been doing lots of short trips and using draining devices like the stereo and dashcam (if you have parking mode) it might just need a big charge up) If you change it, and your alternator is still working correctly, then yes, you wont find the Stop Start dosent disengage at all as frequently.

It's in Audi's interests for the overuse of the starter motor in Stop Start functionality - more servicing and parts sales! I have a memory function on mine, so it is permanently turned off.

 

[eribaMotters]

Most likely load on the battery as others have said, but also even the slightest twitch of the steering wheel will be enough to restart the engine.

Colin

 

[CanadaA3wales]

Yeah I have heard some talk about the car engine starting and stopping all the time not being that great for the internals.
The belts have to start up again and other bits spring into life all of a sudden, just seems it could be adding more wear.

I cannot turn mine off unless I keep remembering to press the button on the dash, I know its not great but I sit on the clutch at lights as I dont want to use the start stop as I dont see the point it stopping for 20s and then firing back into life and me still at the lights.

My partner has been using her stop start all the time since 2014, short and long trips and she has not had to replace anything, so in her case it doesnt seem to be doing too much damage in the Honda.

 

[Dubjam]

Yeah I have heard some talk about the car engine starting and stopping all the time not being that great for the internals.
The belts have to start up again and other bits spring into life all of a sudden, just seems it could be adding more wear.

I cannot turn mine off unless I keep remembering to press the button on the dash, I know its not great but I sit on the clutch at lights as I dont want to use the start stop as I dont see the point it stopping for 20s and then firing back into life and me still at the lights.

My partner has been using her stop start all the time since 2014, short and long trips and she has not had to replace anything, so in her case it doesnt seem to be doing too much damage in the Honda.

Fit a memory function, £30 and you're done, Press off once and it stays off till you press it on (or change Drive Select mode). Simple.

 

[CanadaA3wales]

Oh really didnt know something like that existed.
Do I just type in Audi A3 8V Memory function, are they on ebay or something?

Thanks @Dubjam

 

[Dubjam]

Oh really didnt know something like that existed.
Do I just type in Audi A3 8V Memory function, are they on ebay or something?

Thanks @Dubjam

I got mine off a guy in Hungary on eBay, he had sold thousands, but seems to have dissapeared now. Was only £30. been installed for a year now, works perfect.

Theres someone in Australia doing them now it seems.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-sta...875331?hash=item341de57103:g:SAQAAOSwmXteIP25

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CMT-Auto...639311?hash=item4b79a8980f:g:un4AAOSwynlep4Ud

 

[CanadaA3wales]

Looks very interesting, will investigate those.
Are they hard to fit?

I dont have VCDS or anything.

 

[Dubjam]

Looks very interesting, will investigate those.
Are they hard to fit?

I dont have VCDS or anything.

VCDS is not needed. That Australian one looks like a plug and play piggy back unit, simple really. Remove panel with stop start switch, and pug in piggy back loom by the looks of it..

 

[CanadaA3wales]

That looks like the ticket !!
Will send the seller a PM to see what's what. If its that simple then I am sold as I am sick of constantly pressing the off switch and a lot of time I forget.

If the car stayed off as long as I needed and started when I pressed the clutch then I would love the stop start, but seems pointless installing it if it only lasts like 20s which is not enough for most traffic lights.

 

[Dubjam]

That looks like the ticket !!
Will send the seller a PM to see what's what. If its that simple then I am sold as I am sick of constantly pressing the off switch and a lot of time I forget.

If the car stayed off as long as I needed and started when I pressed the clutch then I would love the stop start, but seems pointless installing it if it only lasts like 20s which is not enough for most traffic lights.

I would go as far as saying, it was the best modification I made to my car...and Ive spent thousands lol.

 

[Neil C]

Takes 2 minutes to disable stop/start with VCDS.
Just ask one of the forum members near you if they would be kind enough to do it for you. Usually requires a few beer tokens to seal the deal, but you won't have to take your car to bits, or wait for parts from a far-off land.

 

[Dubjam]

Takes 2 minutes to disable stop/start with VCDS.
Just ask one of the forum members near you if they would be kind enough to do it for you. Usually requires a few beer tokens to seal the deal, but you won't have to take your car to bits, or wait for parts from a far-off land.

This isn't actually possible as a 'function', unless you essentially 'trick' the cars parameters into something else, which was my point earlier about the App based device.

I'd love someone to say what is changed to achieve it though as it would be interesting to learn.

On my 8P, we had to change various atmospheric temps to fixed numbers, it felt crude and AMD explained why this wouldn't be good long term when discussing it with them, sadly, I man listened to the conversation though so can't remember exactly why!

 

[Neil C]

If I remember correctly - and someone please put me right if I don't - it's just a simple restriction to the voltage reaching the stop/start system, which can be reversed easily should the need arise.

 

[josul]

@Dubjam - De Activation of Start-Stop
Select Control unit 19 (can gateway)
Adaptation
Start-Stop Voltage Limit>12V (New Value)

 

[Dubjam]

@Dubjam - De Activation of Start-Stop
Select Control unit 19 (can gateway)
Adaptation
Start-Stop Voltage Limit>12V (New Value)

Dosent this method bring up 'stop start inactive' on the dis display everytime you come to a standstill?

 

[CanadaA3wales]

Would be better to remove from VCDS but if its a crude method and you have to trick the car into something then I wouldnt do it.
But if its as simple as a tick or something then I would be happy to buy someone beers to remove it from my car as I am sick of holding my clutch at lights

 

[Dubjam]

Would be better to remove from VCDS but if its a crude method and you have to trick the car into something then I wouldnt do it.
But if its as simple as a tick or something then I would be happy to buy someone beers to remove it from my car as I am sick of holding my clutch at lights

Im fairly sure if you use the voltage method, you get the 'stop start not working' DIS image coming up everytime..be good if someone can confirm that

 

[MarttiMat]

I have been running with the voltage adaptation method on my 8v for a few years now. As mentioned, change the adaptation in the gateway. Yes this does trick the car in that sense but you are simply changing the parameters for S/S to activate vs not. You do not get an error message but you do get the symbol with the line through it showing the function is not available (just like the other conditions not being met -if your ac was on or your battery voltage was too low). The icon looks similar to this one:

It does go away once you start moving so the only time it shows is when you are stopped. I do not even notice it any more but for some it may be an annoyance to which the only other option is the memory mod that has been mentioned.

 

[Dubjam]

I have been running with the voltage adaptation method on my 8v for a few years now. As mentioned, change the adaptation in the gateway. Yes this does trick the car in that sense but you are simply changing the parameters for S/S to activate vs not. You do not get an error message but you do get the symbol with the line through it showing the function is not available (just like the other conditions not being met -if your ac was on or your battery voltage was too low). The icon looks similar to this one:

It does go away once you start moving so the only time it shows is when you are stopped. I do not even notice it any more but for some it may be an annoyance to which the only other option is the memory mod that has been mentioned.

Ah thats not as drastic as my old 8P one, took up half the DIS!

 

[MarttiMat]

Ah thats not as drastic as my old 8P one, took up half the DIS!

Yeah, it is not that bad. I grabbed a shot on my ride today. This is what it looks like for those with VC: