Motorists are being urged to switch off one common car feature.
Mechanic claims disabling stop-start could help engines last longer
Disabling a vehicle’s automatic stop-start system could reduce wear and potentially extend engine life, with repeated restarts said to place unnecessary strain on key components.
Automatic stop-start systems are designed to temporarily shut down the engine when a vehicle is stationary, such as at traffic lights, before restarting when the driver releases the brake or presses the clutch.
Manufacturers introduced the feature to help improve fuel economy and cut emissions, particularly in urban traffic where cars spend long periods idling.
The system can usually be turned off using a dashboard button marked with an “A” surrounded by an arrow, with a warning light often confirming when it has been deactivated.
The claims were made by veteran mechanic Scotty Kilmer, who says he has more than 50 years of experience in the trade.
In a video to his six million YouTube subscribers, he criticised the increasingly common fuel-saving technology fitted to many modern cars.
He said: “[Turning it off] is a smart thing to do.Start/stop technology is the dumbest thing that's come out in years. 97% of the wear happens when you start the car so do you want to keep starting and stopping it? Not if you want your car to last longer.”
Kilmer also questioned whether some batteries are suited to frequent restarting cycles.
He added: “Most cars still have these lead acid batteries... they're smaller but they're not made for continually stopping and starting the car.”
His comments prompted debate online, with many drivers saying they found the system frustrating or had concerns about long-term reliability.
One user commented: “I recently was driving a rental with this feature and after realising it wasn't the car stalling at every red light I realized what was going on. I thought this was... worse for the engine than just idling.”
Another added: “I test-drove a car once with that function and I found it annoying.”
A third said: “Sitting next to them at red lights, I always wonder how many starters they go through. Good advice as usual from Scotty.”
Some newer vehicles automatically reactivate stop-start each time the ignition is turned on, even after drivers manually disable it.