Stop/start Technology In Practice And First Mpg Check.

[Mooly]

Wondered how you find the stop start feature on the 1.33 Auris. I find it's behaviour a bit odd at times... and have twice experienced times when it appears to not work at all. I guess the conditions just are not right for it to kick in but why ?

First time was on Sunday, showed someone the car and drove for a couple of miles. After the first stop start "activation" it never kicked in again. Drove the car 40 minutes later and it still wouldn't work, covered 10 miles or so, then found that after a brief spell of hard acceleration ( to 5000 rpm) and then pulling up and it worked for the rest of the journey. Does it need to purge any gasses etc as part of the emmisions thing ?

Today it was fine for most of a 40 mile journey, then in the last couple of miles again wouldn't work. Didn't try hard accelerating this time. I'm sure it probably knows what it's doing, but it's slightly disconcerting as it leaves you wondering whether it's operating correctly or not.

Oh yes first mpg check. 450 miles covered. Trip showed 48.9 mpg and a full tank fill and check calculated out at 48.5 mpg. Amazingly accurate, and quite good consumption too.

[Parts-King]

If you happen to be touching the clutch pedal when you stop, it wont work, has to be warmed up too. I found it errartic until I noticed I still have my foot on the clutch ever so slightly at lights etc waiting to pull away, take your foot completly off the pedal and try it again. It has nothing to do with hard acceleration etc

Kingo

[Norfolk n Chance]

Oh yes first mpg check. 450 miles covered. Trip showed 48.9 mpg and a full tank fill and check calculated out at 48.5 mpg. Amazingly accurate, and quite good consumption too.

Don't know what my brother's doing to his but he averages 33mpg... which is what i manage in my 1.8 T Sport!!

[Parts-King]

My Urban Cruiser (same engine) does 44 MPG average

Kingo

[Mooly]

Thanks Kingo... I'll take note of what I do and how it behaves. Mightily immpressed with it tbh up to now ... and that's coming from a TSport.

Thanks :)

[FROSTYBALLS]

Now my Auris has done a few more miles (1680 now) and the engine is a bit looser, I'm regularly getting between 36-40 on my short (6.5 mile each way) commute depending on how much queuing in Birmingham traffic I do.

My 2006 Corolla 1.4 did 32-33. on the same journey.

[Mooly]

Now my Auris has done a few more miles (1680 now) and the engine is a bit looser, I'm regularly getting between 36-40 on my short (6.5 mile each way) commute depending on how much queuing in Birmingham traffic I do.

My 2006 Corolla 1.4 did 32-33. on the same journey.

Given the conditions that doesn't sound to bad at all... my dad gets around 29 on his 1.4 Corolla used mainly for local shopping etc.

[Mooly]

Further update on this and the stop go technology.

It's not me :)... it does seem to take into account "something else".

Today for example, after 15 miles or so of driving at reasonable speeds (40-50mph) and then a couple of stop start functions it suddenly stops working, not once but time after time. I continue driving carefully, using engine braking and trying to anticipate conditions. Still not working... then I get the chance to accelerate so go up to 5000 rpm or so in second, and then pull up at the next lights... now working, and continues to do so.

I am sure it must be something to do with emmisions and having to "purge" the system.

It's not me... it's my driving style... I'm sure of it. MPG now up to 49.8 :)

[Parts-King]

That is a harsh drive taking it up to 5K, why do you need to do that? No wonder your MPG isnt too good, like you say, it IS your driving style

The start/stop will only work when A) Your are at a complete standstill, B ) The engine is up to normal operating temperature and C) You MUST have your foot completely off the clutch pedal, even touching it slightly and it wont work

There is a lot going on under the engine to get a decent start/stop system. The starter motor runs constantly on the ring gear unlike a normal engine, it also has an alternator far more powerful than a normal car to cope with the constant drain on the Battery

Kingo

[Mooly]

Nearly 50 mpg is pretty good I would say :) I'm curious you saying "No wonder your MPG isn't to good". I'd say it was very good.

I took it to 5k to try and "prove" that it was very gentle driving that seems to cause the stop start to not function after a while. And it seems to be so... after doing that it works OK. When it doesn't work it comes up "Eco Off" on the dash every time I stop so it's getting the signal that Eco mode could if the conditions were right activate.

This scenario has happened more than once... when it has done this I have driven off for a few hundered meters, pulled up again, still doesn't work (yes I am doing all the right things, foot of clutch, at stand still... remember I've had it a month now, I know how it works ;)), done the same again over and over... it doesn't work. Accelerate hard... it works thereafter.

I have discounted coolant temperature being to high.

Battery fully charged... I only do longish runs.

I know it's not a fault, and I'm as sure as I can be that it will be related to emmisions control.

Interesting though :)