[rrman]

Auto start/stop never seems to engage when in comfort mode.
With the recent gas prices, I flipped on Eco mode a few times just to see if it makes any difference in mileage. When in Eco mode, auto start/stop works as expected.
Is it supposed to work in comfort mode?

[jzeiler4]

Yes if you enable it.

[Kernel Kurtz]

Was default in comfort mode on my car till I coded it out.

I'm fine with a few cents worth of gas to save the wear on the starter.

[MarcoZandrini]

Originally Posted by Kernel Kurtz

Was default in comfort mode on my car till I coded it out.

I'm fine with a few cents worth of gas to save the wear on the starter.

+1!

[Mike F.]

I have yet to figure mine out. I'm in Comfort mode most of the time and most of that time, the auto stop/start doesn't engage. Once in a while, though, it does. I pretty much always cancel it using the switch surrounding the ignition start button and then it goes away for quite some time. Until it comes back. Latest theory is that going into Eco mode re-enables it, but I haven't tested that yet.

[MarcoZandrini]

Originally Posted by Mike F.

I have yet to figure mine out. I'm in Comfort mode most of the time and most of that time, the auto stop/start doesn't engage. Once in a while, though, it does. I pretty much always cancel it using the switch surrounding the ignition start button and then it goes away for quite some time. Until it comes back. Latest theory is that going into Eco mode re-enables it, but I haven't tested that yet.

There's a "button" above the start/stop button. If it's illuminated the start/stop is off. Press the upper button to enable start/stop.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by Mike F.

I have yet to figure mine out. I'm in Comfort mode most of the time and most of that time, the auto stop/start doesn't engage. Once in a while, though, it does. I pretty much always cancel it using the switch surrounding the ignition start button and then it goes away for quite some time. Until it comes back. Latest theory is that going into Eco mode re-enables it, but I haven't tested that yet.

You can elevate your theory into fact. Eco mode is the culprit.

[leftoverture]

Originally Posted by Mike F.

I have yet to figure mine out. I'm in Comfort mode most of the time and most of that time, the auto stop/start doesn't engage. Once in a while, though, it does. I pretty much always cancel it using the switch surrounding the ignition start button and then it goes away for quite some time. Until it comes back. Latest theory is that going into Eco mode re-enables it, but I haven't tested that yet.

Yes, Eco-mode will re-enable auto start stop. It will disable when you go back to comfort mode if you have the button by the start button pressed. Eco-mode will save a bit of gas on the highway but around town it would drive me nuts with its poor throttle response and sluggish behavior. If I wanted a Prius I wouldn't have bought a BMW. I'm far more likely to pick sport mode around town and just pay for the 5 or 6 ounces of extra gas I use.

[Aspen235]

Originally Posted by Kernel Kurtz

Was default in comfort mode on my car till I coded it out.

I'm fine with a few cents worth of gas to save the wear on the starter.

The starters in auto/stop start cars are engineered for the extra cycles and you have already paid for the system. It takes 7 seconds of idling to pay for a restart. Might as well save some gas when you are sitting in heavy traffic.

[Aspen235]

Originally Posted by leftoverture

Yes, Eco-mode will re-enable auto start stop. It will disable when you go back to comfort mode if you have the button by the start button pressed. Eco-mode will save a bit of gas on the highway but around town it would drive me nuts with its poor throttle response and sluggish behavior. If I wanted a Prius I wouldn't have bought a BMW. I'm far more likely to pick sport mode around town and just pay for the 5 or 6 ounces of extra gas I use.

I agree mostly on the around town driving. Recently I did a full tank on eco pro with all highway driving and mostly on cruise. The eco pro gauze said I "saved" 48 km of fuel, which is about 3.5 litres or $8.50cdn. The lack of power is not really noticeable on the highway.

[rrman]

Of course it engages in Comfort mode the first time I drive the car after writing this post 🤷🏻
I did not change any settings and I always check the start/stop button status if it is not working. I had thought that it worked in Comfort mode before but it had been so long that I wasn’t sure anymore.
Just seems unpredictable in Comfort mode but always works in Eco.

[tzulo]

I think the start-stop uses a seperate battery to hold the car during the stop. If it is going bad that may be reason why. It charges as you drive I think?

[aerobod]

Originally Posted by tzulo

I think the start-stop uses a seperate battery to hold the car during the stop. If it is going bad that may be reason why. It charges as you drive I think?

No. start/stop use the standard 12v battery on the F2x. It has a bit higher capacity depending on the market (typically 90Ah, whereas 70Ah would probably be fine otherwise) to deal with more frequnet starting demand.

[Kernel Kurtz]

Originally Posted by Aspen235

The starters in auto/stop start cars are engineered for the extra cycles and you have already paid for the system. It takes 7 seconds of idling to pay for a restart. Might as well save some gas when you are sitting in heavy traffic.

I'm sure it has been engineered to last until the warranty expires. I'm almost always in sport mode anyway. Have never even tried eco-mode. If I cared about that I could have bought a Tesla.

[harma24]

Originally Posted by Aspen235

Might as well save some gas when you are sitting in heavy traffic.

That's part of what drives me nuts about the auto-stop system. It shuts off the engine in stop-and-go traffic when I will be stationary for considerably less than 7 seconds. I read that the system isn't supposed to allow that, but it does.

Originally Posted by Kernel Kurtz

If I cared about that I could have bought a Tesla.

[morphomeman]

I agree that auto-stop can be annoying for those of us who do not live in dense urban environments where there is a lot of stop-and-go traffic. BMW has provided a solution: turn it off! You will need to do that for both keys, since each remembers its own settings. That done, the feature will only activate in Eco mode, where it is not defeasible.
This is a feature of all BMW cars for the last decade or so, prompted by fuel economy standards.
And if fuel economy doesn't matter to you, go to Europe. Last week in France, 93/95 was selling for 2.21 Euro per liter, which translates roughly to $9.00 per gallon. Diesel is cheaper, but I suspect that this is because diesel is taxed at a lower rate for political reasons.

[jzeiler4]

At lest BMW give you the ability to disable it, some vehicles you cannot and others (like our Pacifica) you have to turn it off each and every time you start the vehicle.

[Kernel Kurtz]

Originally Posted by morphomeman

I agree that auto-stop can be annoying for those of us who do not live in dense urban environments where there is a lot of stop-and-go traffic. BMW has provided a solution: turn it off! You will need to do that for both keys, since each remembers its own settings. That done, the feature will only activate in Eco mode, where it is not defeasible.
This is a feature of all BMW cars for the last decade or so, prompted by fuel economy standards.
And if fuel economy doesn't matter to you, go to Europe. Last week in France, 93/95 was selling for 2.21 Euro per liter, which translates roughly to $9.00 per gallon. Diesel is cheaper, but I suspect that this is because diesel is taxed at a lower rate for political reasons.

I had to code mine to off. Otherwise in the default comfort mode you have to disable it every time you start the vehicle. I wish I could code the car to just start in sport by default, but no such ability exists.

I paid $2.34CDN a liter for 91 a couple days ago, so about 1.70 Euro. Whenever I buy a car I budget for a doubling of fuel prices. Works well for me as that has never actually happened (yet).

[albertw]

The differences among vehicles are strange. With my M240i, once I turn it off with the button (light on) in Comfort or Eco Pro it stays off through multiple restarts and switches to Sport+, as long as I don't go back to Eco Pro.

I also find the annoyance this causes to be somewhat strange. I turn it off right after switching to Eco Pro - it's almost automatic. In that and Comfort mode I turn it on only when a four-way light turns red as I approach and I know I will be stopped for a couple minutes, then I turn it off as I start moving. To me it's just part of being involved with the car, which is something owners of manual transmissions claim is highly satisfying.

On the other hand, what I find really annoying is having to wait 15 seconds after starting moving to turn off the completely useless and distracting Control Display, and having to turn it off again after moving backwards.

[freakystyly]

It's nice with manual in that you can just keep your clutch down if you expect the stop to be short. Mine stays on automatically whenever I switch on Eco. It never turns on in comfort. I have never pressed the button as long as I've owned it.

A side note: there's certain parameters that need to be met before the start/stop function even turns on.

Why isn't my Stop/Start working?
There are numerous vehicle parameters that are monitored as a part of the stop/start function to ensure the driving experience is not impacted. As many of the factors are not possible to monitor it may appear that the feature is not working.

Reasons why the stop/start may not shut down the engine include:

The car is coasting (manual transmission)
Brake vacuum reading is too low (manual transmission)
Insufficient brake pedal pressure is being applied to hold the vehicle stationary (automatic transmission)
Stopping on a hill/downhill with a 12% or greater gradient
If the steering angle is more then 6 degrees
If the steering wheel is being moved after approximately one second of coming to a stop
The system has not yet be activated by going over a speed of 5mph for automatics, 3mph for manuals since the last engine switch off
If the gas pedal is being pressed (engine must be at idle speed only)
You're coming to a stop from reverse
The driver gets out of the car
If Hill Decent Control (HDC) is activated
If the engine is not up to temperature
If the carbon canister is being purged
if the grade of the fuel is too low for the engine
Transmission adaptation is active (automatic transmission)
The hydraulic pressure accumulator is not yet up to pressure (automatic transmission)
Stop-and-go traffic - system is only activated by driving over 5mph for automatics, 3mph for manuals
Batter charge is low
Outside temperature is colder then 37.4 F / 3 C
Outside temperature above 95 F / 35 C and the air conditioning system is on
Fogging of the windshield is detected by the IHKA system
Climate control system is on but passenger compartment has not yet reached desired temperature
ABS system was used when coming to a stop


Alternatively the car may automatically restart outside the standard restart procedure if:

The driver is moving the steering wheel
The driver presses the gas pedal
The transmission was shifted from D to P and subsequently back to D
The transmission is shifted to N or R
The battery charge runs low
Outside temperature rises above 95 F / 35 C and the air conditioning is on
Fogging of the windshield is detected by the IKHA system
Low evaporator temperature is detected

[msej449]

My last UK fill-up for my M235i was with Shell V-Power RON 99 at £2.05/ℓ which is $11.43¢/Gallon US or CAN$ 3.26/ℓ

So that's just under US $150 to fill-up the M-Lite if the tank is getting close to empty.

[grocerylist]

I used to use it sometimes so I wouldn't smell exhaust after installing my catless downpipe. But I don't like the idea of the steering wheel locking up, in case of an emergency or the the second or so that it takes for the engine to start seems dangerous to me.