[Whitey]

Hi , bit of feedback please on auto stop start on your Q3's , I had A3 before the Q3 and the auto stop start worked every time I stopped traffic lights etc , however my Q3 as probably worked once maybe twice in the month I have owned the car , ??

 

[reilsab]

I've had mine 3 months and i find it works often. It even cut in the other evening when the temp was showing 4.5 degrees outside, sometimes it'll fire back up again within a minute though.

Are you doing some long journeys then trying it, car warmed up etc? There are a number of factors that have to be met before it kicks in, at least there was in my last bmw.

 

[Whitey]

Yes long runs , short runs , the A3 I had before worked every time you stopped . You say works often , so not all the time for you ?

 

[mark3988]

Hi, mine doesn't work as often I though. Seems the car has to be up-to temperature and a lot depends on your driving style. If I drive like an 80 year old, slow down 4 miles before I intend to stop I can get it to work most times on short journeys.

Long journeys are fine, when I get off the A12 from work after driving at speed and am not even thinking about it works every time.

I have a friend who has an A Class and he has to turn his off as it drives him up the wall. It stops after he starts the car, pulls to the end of his drive and stops to check if anythings coming...

 

[Jules]

It does seem to have a lot of factors affecting it - like electrical load, air temp, engine tempetc - I have managed to get it to cut in by manually turning the lights off (because the auto headlights stay on too long too).

It's the first car I've driven with this system, and I must admit that it doesn't seem to operate as much as I thought it would - I just guessed that during the winter months that would be usual, and it'll be more effective in the warmer months

 

[Del]

Mine seems to cut out quite a lot, tbh I find it a pain in the backside and aways turn it off.

 

[reilsab]

It only seems to work when the car is properly warmed up. I have a manual though so i tend to keep my foot on the clutch if i'm at the lights for a few secs.

 

[SETIG]

I am reasonably happy with this function.

I have found that if I bring the car to a stop and apply light brake pressure, just enough to halt the vehicle, it does not activate the stop start. However a firm push down on the brake pedal confirms whether it will activate or not.

Sometimes it is a real pain. When you stop at a junction for a couple of seconds and then there is a safe gap, you move your foot from brake to accelerator and realise the engine has stopped.

That slight delay is annoying.

Like most newish features we just get used to it.

 

[Jules]

Interesting theory about pressure on the brake pedal.... worth a try!

 

[andrewk59]

For sure on my car if you apply light brake pressure the car stays running, push down further and the auto stop will activate (car is an auto).
When I had a loan A4 that did exactly the same.

 

[Gregpaul]

The auto stop/start works when you depress the break pedal fully rather than a gentle touch - and it also is dependent on the battery charge. (If it is low, the engine will automatically restart). This is explained in greater detail in the handbook.

Personally I find the system more bother than it is worth (as others point out, it tends to switch off just when you need to pull away).

 

[KEW]

I think I have finally figured out the best settings for stop start to work consistently and only came across it by chance. I was having problems with the windows steaming up inside so I checked the manual and it suggests that the inside temp should be set to 22 and the auto setting selected. This setting also makes the start stop consistent for my manual Q3 too.

 

[Mark67]

Glad to hear all seems sorted. Regarding the steaming up windows, when set the auto the a/c is on which dehumidifies the air and thus reduces the chance of windows steaming.