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Start/Stop technology has been around in the world of super-efficient hybrids for quite some time now, but this is fresh technology in the full-size truck world. Ford introduced Start/Stop tech with the current F150 powered by the 2.7L EcoBoost V6, but starting with the 2017 model year, all F150 pickups with any of the EcoBoost engines will feature this fuel-friendly upgrade.
Since this was first announced, I’ve seen some negativity online about the implementation of this technology in the Ford F150, but it seems as though the people opposed to this feature aren’t very familiar with how it works. With that in mind, we bring you a rundown of what this technology does, how it works and why it is a good addition to the F150 lineup.
“EcoBoost already powers F-150’s best-in-class towing,” said Doug Scott, Ford truck group marketing manager. “Now, with every EcoBoost-equipped F-150 mildly electrified with standard Auto Start-Stop technology, customers’ fuel efficiency is expected to improve as well.”
How Start/Stop Technology Works
Start/Stop technology is as simple as it sounds. It is a system that works with the braking system to save the gasoline burned when the Ford F150 is sitting still in traffic. I have driven the current F150 with the 2.7L EcoBoost V6 and Start/Stop, and it is a great system. When you come to a complete stop with the truck in drive and rear-drive mode, the engine quickly shuts itself off. As soon as you begin to lift your foot off of the brake pedal, the system detects it and starts the engine back up incredibly quickly. Really, as quickly as you can move your foot from the brake pedal to the gas pedal to drive away, the engine is back up and running – ready to go. Since the engine is off in the same manner that it is off when parked in your driveway, the start time is significantly quicker than starting the truck up from being completely shut off.
The 2017 Ford F150 Start/Stop tech will be offered in all EcoBoost-equipped trucks, meaning that the 2.7L V6, the “normal” 3.5L V6 and the high performance 3.5L V6 in the new Raptor will all feature this fuel-saving technology. For those who really don’t like it, there is a switch that allows you to disable the system altogether, but since there is really no downside to the system – I wouldn’t see why any driver would really want to shut if off under normal driving circumstances.
Also, in more extreme driving situations – such as towing, hauling or driving in four wheel drive – the 2017 F150 will automatically disable the system.
Studies have shown that a tremendous amount of gasoline is wasted idling in traffic. When these vehicles are idling, they are not only wasting gas, but they are also contributing to the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Start/Stop technology cuts down on that negative impact as well, so it helps the environment and it will save owners money at the gas pump.
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Comments
Agree. every new electronic
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In reply to Wrong ! An engine shows less by Tom (not verified)
Agree. every new electronic device added to any vehicle, increases the cost. , parallel assist parking.Frontal collision braking. lane change monitor, blind spot monitor. A know in the cab of a ford truck to assist with backing a trailer up.
ALL SUBJECT TO FAIL. ALL HIGH DOLLAR REPAIRS AT DEALERSHIPS. ALL to run the little mechanic shop out
of business.
This off the subject. I own a 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel mega cab. In 2009 my wife finished a stop at Wal Mart
before going to check on her Father at the hospital. Truck would not crank. Had it towed to dealership. There was some electronic part not functioning in the driver side door. Thus the engine would not crank. Who needs this crap.
Dealers for hi profits? Way to much electronics on vehicles for years, and more to come because the manufacture
keeps adding junk.
How many areas in the USA have parallel parking.
100s of gallons? Idling this
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In reply to Wear and tear on what? by GALAN ALMY (not verified)
100s of gallons? Idling this truck takes hardly ANY fuel at all... I idle it all day sometines as i have to sit in it at sub zero temperatures. And the DTE barely drops. About 1km off the DTE evsr 15-20 mins currently at -5 (im sitting in my stock 2018 3.5l ecoboost now.)
Easy. When parts are already
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In reply to Wear and tear on what? by GALAN ALMY (not verified)
Easy. When parts are already sliding with lube, it has less friction on it and will not ware out as quickly. each stop is a hard un-lubed start. Look at semi engines that run for a literally a million miles before they are replaced. And they rarely are turned off on the road. Plus starting an engine once per trip is less wear on a starter than 30 starts are on it. The flywheel takes hard hits on it each time wearing on the teeth of it. That takes a thousand dollars on the removal and replacement of the 200 dollar item. We will learn in a few years about the damage to other parts like automatic transmissions having to re-prime and re-pressure & electric spiking on the rest of the truck. we will just have to see what else gets hammered. New technology is just installing more things that will break later.
Wear and tear on the twin
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In reply to Wear and tear on what? by GALAN ALMY (not verified)
Wear and tear on the twin turbosfor one thing. When the engine stops, The turbos will continue to rotate at high speed as they spin down. The problem is that the stopped engine quits pumping oil to the turbo bearings as well as the rest of the engine. The start/stop feature will certainly decrease life and mean time to failure.
It is a real hassle to disable each and every time you drive the vehicle.
yes but look @ it this way
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In reply to Don't buy one if it has the by Dk (not verified)
yes but look at it this way the $$$ u save in gas can b spent on a new starter!
This feature only burns the
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This feature only burns the starter out sooner. The truck only shuts off for a few minutes at most depending on what electrical devices are on. The system does detect pressure applied to the brake pedal so if you remove any pressure it restarts and then shuts off again. nice try but this will only sell parts. this does very little for idle time in traffic. iam not very impressed with this option.
It's Crap! If it can't be
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It's Crap! If it can't be turned Off, NO Sale. I will NEVER by a car or truck with Stop-Start that can't be turned off.
Sir, that is not correct.
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In reply to It's Crap! If it can't be by Dave (not verified)
Sir, that is not correct. There is a switch right in the middle of the upper console. Simply push it, and you not longer have Auto Start Stop. It works great! If you don't want ASS, then PUSH the BUTTON! Easy Peasy!
Got my 2018 f150 Sat and
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In reply to Sir, that is not correct. by Scott (not verified)
Got my 2018 f150 Sat and bypassed that stupid start stop crap.today Salesman didn't tell us about it till we were ready to drive off the lot. I simply plugged a 6 way trailer adapter and now the dumbass truck thinks there is a trailer bnack there and start stop is disabled..
My test vehicle this week is
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My test vehicle this week is a 2017 Ford Escape SE FWD. It has the stop start and it can be turned off. I have never tested any vehicle in which it cannot. What impresses me most about the Ford system is it is less intrusive than the BMW and other systems I have tested (as part of a new car test). It seems to hang on and keep the car running at quick stops like stop signs, and shuts the car off when I am waiting to pick someone up, or at a long light. Maybe just my impression. Automakers earn credits toward their CAFE requirements by installing Start/Stop that goes beyond the actual fuel savings. If you like powerful truck and Mustang engines that get low mileage, thank stuff like Stop Start, eco refrigerants, and tinted glass for helping make that power and low efficiency possible.
The auto start/stop is harder
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The auto start/stop is harder on the starter and battery, true. Ford knew this and has installed an upgraded starter and battery in every auto start/stop equipped vehicle. They have tested with hundreds of thousands of start/stop/start sequences compared to the hundreds or thousands normal Ford vehicles are tested for. I have used this tech in a friends F150 when I borrowed it for a week due to my vehicle breaking down. I was impressed. As another commenter stated it is not very intrusive and only stops the engine if it is a longer stop, like at a fresh red light. When "stopping" at a stop sign it does not come on. I have also found that pressing lightly (enough to stop and keep the truck stopped) on the brake doesn't engage the start/stop. Also turning your wheel, like at a right turn lane at a major traffic controlled intersection, disengages the auto start/stop. If after all that you still don't like the start/stop you can press the button on the dash to deactivate it.
Wrong, mine shuts of in
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In reply to The auto start/stop is harder by JT (not verified)
Wrong, mine shuts of in seconds!
--Here in Florida it's a real
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--Here in Florida it's a real pain in the butt on a 100+ degree day when it shuts off, since the Air Conditioning cuts out also. The inside fan drops to low speed while the compressor is off, and this system also takes it's toll on the A/C Compressor once it restarts. And don't forget, every time you you pull the key out, you have to hit the off button again upon a new start-up.
-Doesn't save me anything, though it could be a benefit in heavy city traffic, but again you lose your Air Conditioning, not funny when putting in 12 hours out in the heat or up north in the very cold.
Another problem I noticed was that all my lights, (especially the headlights) dim when using auto start/stop, why didn't they use all LED bulbs so the battery could deal with it?? The outdated incandescent lighting system is really tough even on an upgraded battery, and uses far too much energy. :/
The stop start system is crap
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The stop start system is crap. The mileage is actually worse due to all the restarts. Ford said I would get 19 City in my F150 but I get 14.7. It's a scam and actually dangerous. I rolled back several feet on a hill before a restart. Only the fact that the person behind me was over 10 ft back saved an accident. The dealer never told me that this system was in the vehicle so I was shocked when it started shutting down several times at just one traffic light. Total garbage and hype. It's annoying as hell. As a retired pilot, the last thing I ever want to experience is a powerplant shutting down before I shut it down. I find it very unnerving to come to a stop and have the engine quit. Eventually, there will be a malfunction in the system and you won't get a restart... probably at 36,101 miles.
Beware... do not buy any Ford pickup that has this system and make sure you ask before you sign. I was not told my truck had this system so you can imagine my shock when the next day I stopped for a traffic light and the engine died. I expect resale value will plummet as more people become aware of the cons to this system and the additional wear on the engine and accessories from many time more starts than would be normal. Once your warranty expires repairs will be much more costly and frequent due to the increased wear and the higher cost of the upgraded batter and starter motor... all unnecessary. These costs will far exceed any miniscule fuel savings you might experience if any at all. Ford gets credits, you get screwed.
Just bought a new F150, if I
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Just bought a new F150, if I knew exactly how it worked I would have her bought. Stupid damn feature! Make it that you have to TURN IT ON if you want it. Shut down and restarts my vehicle 20 times!
I bought a 2017 Ford Escape
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I bought a 2017 Ford Escape because I really liked my 2013 Escape. I hate this thing - especially the stop/start. If you are in traffic or a drive up line, the car is starting and stopping multiple times in a few minutes. I can just imagine the wear on the engine and starter. My dealer did not say a word to me about this and it was a great surprise when it happened the first few times. I can actually get home from the dealer without stopping, so I didn't notice it when I first came home with it. I feel vulnerable - the steering wheel locks and it doesn't start that quickly. Between that and the headlines that only shine to a certain point makes me hate the fact that I bought this thing. I live in a hilly area and when going down hill, I can only see a few feet in front of me. I cannot see the road ahead - cannot see if there is a deer or anything in the road. It is dangerous. I have been driving 54 years and have never been totally blinded by oncoming headlights - even high beams when on. I could see doing this for the high beams, but this is ridiculous.
My 2017 F150 has it and it's
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My 2017 F150 has it and it's STUPIDEST G.D. feature ever! Left it on today for the H of it and my truck stopped and started 71 times! No way in H Ford can convince me that this doesn't hurt anything. GIVE US A DEFAULT OFF FIX!
Embraced my ass, 1 day, mine
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1 day, mine stopped and started 72 times (144!) wear and tear on my truck. Give us a reversed dealer installed button for our auto-start stop option. I paid $40,000+ for my F150 and shouldn't have to turn this dumb ass feature off every time.
"Since the engine is off in
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"Since the engine is off in the same manner that it is off when parked in your driveway, the start time is significantly quicker than starting...up from being completely shut off."
What does this even mean? When my vehicle is off in the driveway, it IS completely shut of....
I think the answer is pretty
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In reply to "Since the engine is off in by I.D. Kline (not verified)
I think the answer is pretty obvious, however it means that the starting of the engine happens faster, like a split second, when the auto start is engaged at a traffic light. I do not understand at all peoples issues with this feature. It definitely does have a switch to turn it off. Most people need to read the article and not scan because the information most are commenting on is already answered and quite simply if you ask me.
Pamela it's the principle of
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In reply to I think the answer is pretty by PAMELA CAIRNS (not verified)
Pamela it's the principle of spend an awful amount of money and having the Ford motor Company tell us we have to like it. I have a company vehicle that is a 2017 F-150 5.0 that DOES NOT have this awful feature.
My 2018 F-150 has this junk feature. In the dash display there are 2 different places that have the capability to deactivate this feature (besides the dash button). When the engine is intentionally shutdown it all defaults back to Auto Stop. Ford can change this. It is a very minor fix for them, they built this crap... If a person buys a full size pickup with a V-8, are they really looking at getting down to the "Gnats Ass" on fuel economy? This will be the last Ford I will every ever buy... I'm seriously looking at the 2019 Dodge with a real V-8.
I agree, that line from the
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In reply to "Since the engine is off in by I.D. Kline (not verified)
I agree, that line from the article didn’t make any sense.
Seems to me, if the
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Seems to me, if the detractors posting here would spend half the energy pushing a damned button to turn it off as they do posting ignorant comments, they'd be a lot happier. Geez
I can see most of the
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I can see most of the comments on this article refuse to research it. People, go buy a Chevy or a Ram. They seem to still embrace 20 year old technology.
why? I like Ford
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In reply to I can see most of the by GALAN ALMY (not verified)
why? I like Ford
I recently read an article at
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I recently read an article at a publication that highlighted the three different methods of achieving Stop-Start. Each had its benefits and drawbacks. Each clearly dealt with longevity. I don't mean to be rude, but the automakers realize that an unchanged vehicle with so many more stop-starts would be a reliability issue, so obviously, they designed more robust systems to deal with the added cycles. If you are interested, the explanations are easy to find on a browser, or just keep saying to yourself, "Nothing new can ever work." Your choice.
I just bought a new F150 XLT
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I just bought a new F150 XLT with the 3.5L Ecoboost and the auto start stop. First off, as others have said, it's extremely easy to deactivate with a push of the button. It is a little unsettling at first for us old-timers to have the engine turn off but it will save engine life and fuel and lower overall pollution levels.
Ford has done the engineering to address the extra starting: The starter is enhanced with needle bearings vs bushings, carbon fiber/copper more durable brushes, different pinion gear ratios, and the engine "stops with the piston at max height for easier starting, etc.. The battery is also enhanced. I support Ford for pushing technology like this.
I just rented an F150 today,
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I just rented an F150 today, and I too was not told of this new technology. When I get back in the vehicle, I will be looking for the button to disable the ASS feature.
Btw, just saying... the F150 is load of dung. Very, very dated. The vehicle has not changed much in the last 20-30 years, at least with respect to the cabin area.
I hate this damn feature on
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I don't like this feature on my 2017 F150. GIVE US A DISABLE UPDATE. I drive 20' stop and my engine shuts off, sometimes when I stop an adjust my foot on the brak,e the thing cracks because it restarts in the middle of shutting down.
Stop/start has left me
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Stop/start has left me stranded in Mexico since 10/06/17, starter was burned, was changed in local delership, and my vehicle was returned after 11 days in local ford shop. Only about an hour after being released to me, same situation, starter burned out again. I'm still in Mexico 10/17/17, my 2017 F150 King Ranch back at same dealership. With no estimated time to be fixed, and to top it off USA warranty does not cover abroad. Will have to pay a second time and then submit claim once back in the states. Very disappointed, dissatisfied, and stressed....