Stop/start with S-Tronic

Muttley75

Muttley75

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I test drove a Golf DSG and found the stop/start way too quick to engage. Quite often I'd stop at a junction or roundabout and just as I was about to pull away the engine stopped. OK, it did start again really quickly but it was annoying. A 30 second delay before stopping would be more practical - it was stopping after about 5 seconds. How does the A3 with S-Tronic compare and can stop/start be temporarily overridden? My A3 test drive was in an eTron which switched to electric rather than stopped, so I'm a little unsure what to expect come September when I get my A3.
 
I always switch mine off, but unless you do a VCD mod, you have to press the button on the dash every time you start the car.
 
As jaypers said you have to remember to turn it off otherwise it stops at the first busy roundabout when the gap is just big enough!
 
jaypers777 said:
I always switch mine off, but unless you do a VCD mod, you have to press the button on the dash every time you start the car.
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If you put the air conditionner at max, the start stop will be off ;-)
 
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Muttley75 said:
Is there a button on the A3 for this???
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Yes. And pretty sure all cars have a button to disable this feature. As stated before though, you have to disable it every time you drive the car rather than being able to permanently disable it.
 
jaypers777 said:
Yes. And pretty sure all cars have a button to disable this feature. As stated before though, you have to disable it every time you drive the car rather than being able to permanently disable it.
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I can live with that. I imagine it's useful in stop start traffic but when it comes to roundabouts and traffic lights I like to tear away like I've sat on a wasp!
 
Start stop is a waste of time and it's always turned off via the push button on my A4. It's purely there for Audi to quantify and justify its VED bands..
 
Mike J said:
Start stop is a waste of time and it's always turned off via the push button on my A4. It's purely there for Audi to quantify and justify its VED bands..
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If you have the heater/blower fan on the windscreen position, this disabkes start/stop. My mates 2012 Focus is the same.
 
Only disables with a/c on. Engine normally has to be warm for it to be enabled which doesn't take long in a TFSI!
 
Works perfectly with manual, but can imagine it's not ideal for those without the 3rd pedal.
 
Imo if your sat at the lights for a few seconds why use it. It does more damage restarting than idling. Especially when there's an M3 edging to go next to you ;)
 
It depends how far you depress the brake pedal. A light touch, enough to stop the car doesn't trigger SS. Press it further and it will activate SS.
 
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Helifella said:
It depends how far you depress the brake pedal. A light touch, enough to stop the car doesn't trigger SS. Press it further and it will activate SS.
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Boom! Sounds best of both worlds.
 
Helifella said:
It depends how far you depress the brake pedal. A light touch, enough to stop the car doesn't trigger SS. Press it further and it will activate SS.
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Depends on the traffic flow, on how easy it is to regulate the brake pressure, other times you can just adjust the pedal pressure to get the car to restart before the lights change to green if you want.

But given as the stop start can also kick in when you are waiting to turn right at intersections and the numerous small PITA round-abouts we have here I just switch it off 90% of the time.

Also having the AC doesn't disable it always, sitting in a car here in the middle of summer with the engine off and ****** all airflow coming through the vents isn't pleasant.
 
At a junction can you not just turn the steering wheel through 90 degrees to prevent s/start from kicking in?
 
If you're wasting your time and effort to either turn the aircon up to full blast, switching it to windscreen position or turning the wheel to 90 degrees just to prevent the engine start/stop, why don't u just press the engine start/stop button?! It's hardly a hardship! I'm pretty sure it wouldn't take long to get into the routine of turning off when u first start the car, or u could just get to know your car a bit better and learn the pressure settings on the brake pedal which really is the easiest method, I mean all you do is slightly release pressure on the brake pedal once you have stopped.
 
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Tony1982 said:
or u could just get to know your car a bit better and learn the pressure settings on the brake pedal which really is the easiest method, I mean all you do is slightly release pressure on the brake pedal once you have stopped.
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Yes, because real life as always as predictable as you make out above :p

So you're at the roundabout, the car in front is pulling off, you follow, but there is an eager S3 that has just come out of nowhere on the roundabout.

So you slam your anchors on, but that S3 takes the earlier exit without indicating (typical Audi driver).


So you can go, except you can't as your S/S has cut in because you didn't

"get to know your car a bit better and learn the pressure settings"

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
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This is the umpteenth thread on Stop/Start, all this has been covered umpteen times before in various threads and in the FAQ.

3 Options to disable S/S

1. Press the button on the dash
2. Change a parameter with VCDS so S/S never kicks in
3. Buy a Kufatec dongle to disable S/S and re-enable if you change your mind
 
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Does the clutch (or whatever on S Tronic ) disengage if you hold the car on the brake whilst still in D or S..? I asked the sales rep & he wasn't sure?

With regards start/stop apparently the RS3 has a new system that in effect coasts the car when braking to a stop?
 
Start / stop in my manual 1.4 was fine, you could control and anticipate it through normal clutch use.

In my 1.4 s-tronic it drives me bonkers, unpredictable in its operation. Yes you can try and control it with careful brake pressure application, but you don't always have time to do that in real world driving.

Solution for me was the kufatec start/stop disable dongle. Plugs into the OBD port and disables the start/stop permanently. Can be re-enabled at any point by plugging the dongle back in. About £40 delivered, delighted with the car now lol
 
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veeeight said:
Yes, because real life as always as predictable as you make out above :p

So you're at the roundabout, the car in front is pulling off, you follow, but there is an eager S3 that has just come out of nowhere on the roundabout.

So you slam your anchors on, but that S3 takes the earlier exit without indicating (typical Audi driver).


So you can go, except you can't as your S/S has cut in because you didn't

"get to know your car a bit better and learn the pressure settings"

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
Click to expand...

If you slam on, the S/S doesn't kick in, you're probably exaggerating a little, admittedly it will kick in with reasonable pressure, but it's not like it's instant! U have plenty of time to release pressure once stopped if you are used to it. Also if S/S has kicked in you can also push the brake harder and the engine starts. So yeah get to know the car a bit better and learn the pressure settings ;)
 
Oh yes, it will kick in in that exact scenario at the roundabout ;)

Since when does it restart if you push the brake pedal harder?
 
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I agree it will, unless you have learned the way the brake pedal reacts! Try it fella, once stopped and the S/S has kicked in, push your brake in harder and it will restart. Anyway I can't be bothered with a slanging match, just simply offered up a solution based on my experiences with it. But of course wise old veeeight will always "know better" wink wink.
 
It doesn't restart if you press the brake pedal harder.

It will restart if you repeatedly pump the brake pedal a few times (page 98 of the manual).

However this isn't going to help you at that roundabout where you've slammed the brakes on, but want to go again immediately, but can't because S/S has kicked in.

You weren't just offering up a solution based on your experiences, you were being condescending to those previous in this thread by suggesting that they could "get to know the car a bit better and learn the pressure settings" to avoid S/S.

I was merely pointing out that feathering the brake pressures doesn't always lend itself to real world driving and scenarios. Wink. Wink.
 
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Righhhhhht....... Yawn.........Well I wasn't trying to be condescending at all, sorry u feel that way tbh. You can tell me your life story and explain everything u can think of on the subject, I suppose you've read up and researched it all from your sofa. Like I said my POV was based on my experience. Anyway "thanks" for your input and please enjoy your evening.
 
No need to apologise to me, I've fairly thick skin ;)

However your sentences such as
"You're wasting your time and effort"
"get to know your car a bit better and learn the pressure settings"

Of course, don't sound in the least bit patronising to others. Not. ;)

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
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Ahh ok, and this comes from quite possibly the most patronising and condescending person on the forum lol or even the Internet!
 
I thank you for your compliment, but I think you're a little wide of the mark.
 
The best and cheapest option if you don't want S/S to cut in and like me you don't always remember to press the Off switch (must be my age!) is just use VCDS, change one parameter, and it will stay switched off until you use VCDS again to switch it back on. I switched mine off months ago and don't miss it one bit. If I know I'm going to be stopped for some time for example at a level crossing, I just manually turn the engine off and click the parking brake to switch off my braking lights, but if I'm only going to be stooped for a couple of minutes, like at a junction or roundabout I just leave the engine running, hold it on the foot brake ready for a quick get away.
 
:rockwoot:I travel through the Raith Interchange and EK Expressway twice a day and use the S/S everyday. If the traffic is heavy I just simply lightly lift the brake to hold the revs slightly higher and it doesn't kick in. If it's stopped at reds I use it everyday. It re-engages in jig time and off you go. If it's stop start traffic I'll switch it on and off depending on how the traffic flow is. It's the best S/S system on any auto I've driven. I have no issues with it. Anything to keep the RT down is fine by me. :racer::blownose:
 
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With an S-tronic and an A3 (doesn't work in an S3), put it in S mode and stop-start won't activate. I normally drive in S mode all the time now, but before I would drop if down as I approached a roundabout/junction and then put it back into D afterwards. For me, much easier and more intuitive than reaching over for the correct button.
 
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