Subaru Outback Has A New Fuel-Saving Feature But You Don’t Like it

I have that feature on my 2019 Forester . It is a real headache I have to turn it off each time I start the car And my case the car is hard to restart and seems to add extra stress on the engine
The car maker really dropped the ball on this one

I own the new 2020 outback onyx and I like the fact that it turns off during stops.
I traded up from a 1996 ford truck that got 12 mpg and I appreciate the efficiency
this is the nicest car I have ever owned and fast too !

A note to Subaru: I am sorry I bought my 2020 Outback solely because of this “feature”. My friends and family call my car the “golf cart”. It starts with such a wrenching shudder when the A/C is running that you feel like the car has been hit in the rear. And I can’t permanently turn it off! Please know that every time I get a chance I give this car a one star rating and I will complete this year’s Consumer Reports survey accordingly.

Another thing hated is the CVT transmission, get rid of it Subaru. Many cars get similar MPG without one!

Subaru is at its worst when it decides to be your nanny. Making stop-start the default is one example. Another is making it impossible to set navigation while the car is moving. They don't want the driver to set it while driving, I get that, but they could let the navigation know that there's someone sitting in the passenger seat and then enable it while driving.

2020 Outback Touring owner here.
Everyone has an opinion.
What gets me is that why wouldn't Subaru just add it to your profile set up to turn on or off.
After talking to many people in my Subaru community, this feature is a total deal breaker!
Too bad for Subaru.
Maybe it'll be on one of their upcoming firmware updates. If they cared about their customers and sales, they would. In fact, there is a lot more Subaru can do with their software in these vehicles. With the exception of essential function, you should be able to tailor everything for your profile. If my wife wants the start stop off she can add to her profile. If I want it on, I can do the same.
Subaru still has a lot to learn, or they need better focus groups....

I like the idea of start stop when you are in a Drive-Thru, they should rename it drive through mode and only have a switch for it, not make it the default setting

Had A/S/S on my last two BMWs, at least it can be permanently turned off. I can't see how this saves any appreciable amount of gas relative to the annoyance it creates. Plus added wear/tear on the starter and battery - it's just a stupid solution looking for a problem that really doesn't exist.

There is a product available which eliminates autostop annoyances on some Forester models (those with RAB). It does exactly what you want it to do.

Especially annoying is the cold weather behavior of this. Stopping the engine for 7 seconds and then restarting with your foot on the brake makex for a sudden lurch. It does get better the next time, it waits 9 seconds, then 11, 14, etc. Dealer response? Normal behavior.

I LOVE the auto start-stop feature on my new 2020 Outback! I'm just confused about why it works sometimes and not others. I wish my wife's car had it. I wish my 3500 Suburban had it, too!

Can’t speak to the Subaru start-stop system because my JDM 01 Forester s/tb doesn’t have one. My 2019 Tiguan does. The disable button is on the consul opposite the electronic e-brake button. It does have to be incorporated into engine start up routine if one wants it disengaged but a no brainer even if you forget. Just say’n.

2013 outback 3.6 owner ready to replace car and will not buy another for the following reasons. 6 cylinder not available, CRV Transmission quality issues, Stop Start feature is a problem. Too bad as a consumer all I can do is vote with my wallet which I will do.

My 2014 Audi Q5 had that feature and within two years of that stopping & starting crap it wore out the Starter/Solenoid & battery at a whopping $2200 price tag. I started to have other problems so got rid of the car. It's a lot of wear & tear at the owners expense! I will buy a different brand of vehicle with out that feature! Subaru's are nice vehicles, Please do not add this feature or you will lose a lot of customers! That's how it is.

I have a 2020 Outback Onyx XT, I don't mind the auto stop/start I just wish it would stay off longer. Frequently the car will turn right back on. I'd rather save the gas. One hack to disable it is to turn on the window defroster button, no auto stop start with that on...

The Start stop on all the 2020s is so rough it makes the car feel like something broke. It needs a permanent on off switch. I hate the SS.

Destined to go the way of automatic seatbelts and power antennas!

I set the fan to blow air to both windshield and feet, and auto start stop stays off. Outback 2018, see the manual.

My 2019 Forester Touring also has it, as does my 2017 BMW 330i xDrive. I really don't mind it except in summer when I get stuck at a long light. Hey, I'm averaging 29 mpg over the last 8K miles, and I don't drive that conservatively. Actually, I usually turn it off, engage AVH (automatic vehicle hold) and hit the "S" (sport mode). (I love the AVH; it's a poor man's "launch control" without the engine revs.) My Forester set up this way is actually faster off the line than my 330i; of course after about 100', it's all BMW! Anyway, love both cars for much different reasons!

I have a 2020 outback I purchased in October of 19. You need to shut off the stop feature every time you start the car, there is no way to perminatly disable it. Love the car but had I known this I most likely would not have bought the car.

I have an MY16 Outback with stop/start and it has never been a problem. You get used to it after a few days. You learn to press the brake more gently if you want the engine to keep running when you’re stopped at the lights. Especially if you know that you won’t be stopped for long. My only gripe with Subaru is that they don’t make Premium models with a manual transmission. Great cars.

I find this "feature" deplorable. I first encountered this on a rental car last year ( non Subaru). I thought it was an engine management glitch! Enterprise failed to mention it when I picked up the car. So, imagine my surprise and confusion the first few times it occurred! For stop and go in a rush hour bumper to bumper situation is a particularly cumbersome. However a few mouse clicks on google will get you info on how to disable this permanently WITHOUT voiding your warranty or cutting into your harness. A simple one wire jumper. You are welcome. My wife's new Crosstrek has it but she does very little stop and go driving so not relevant for her. But if I get a new Subie with this "feature" the kill jumper gets installed on Day One.

I find this "feature" deplorable. I first encountered this on a rental car last year ( non Subaru). I thought it was an engine management glitch! Enterprise failed to mention it when I picked up the car. So, imagine my surprise and confusion the first few times it occurred! For stop and go in a rush hour bumper to bumper situation is a particularly cumbersome. However a few mouse clicks on google will get you info on how to disable this permanently WITHOUT voiding your warranty or cutting into your harness. A simple one wire jumper. You are welcome. My wife's new Crosstrek has it but she does very little stop and go driving so not relevant for her. But if I get a new Subie with this "feature" the kill jumper gets installed on Day One.

We recently purchased a 2020 Outback touring XT. This Auto Stop-Start feature is not only extremely annoying, but a potential safety hazard. The car starts up after shutting off with an shutter usually at the worst times. The idiots at Subaru insist on leaving this "feature" as it is despite ongoing owner complaints. Yes, you can shut it off, but it keeps coming back on every time to drive the car. Try digging through the deep menu system each time you take out the car to turn the stupid thing off! To tell you the truth, If we would have known about this previously we wouldn't have purchased the car.

There is a workaround that will allow you to turn off the auto stop/start permenenetly and it will take you about one minute to do. I did it on my 2019 Subaru Ltd over 7k miles ago with no negative effect. Open the hood, disconnect the battery sensor cable (no tool necessary). Just set it to the side. Close hood. Each time you start the car you will get a warning that the system is disconnected. It goes away in less than 10 seconds. You also get a small flashing warning light the goes continuously on the dash. I found it annoying so put a piece of black tape over it and couldn't be happier. Saw so many of you in pain over this annoying feature as I was. A mechanic in England posted this solution and I will be forever grateful to him. Dr. Brandy

I hate the auto start-stop. I turn it off each restart, but a pain in the rear to have to do that. This is a POS option that needs to have the default changed to off.