Subaru’s Worst Feature, Auto Stop-Start Truths Revealed

No like! Wish I could cut system permanently!

Hate auto stop start on my 2021 Outback Touring XT. Car shutters when it starts. Annoying and I turn it off as soon as I get in the car. Wouldn’t mind it if it was quiet and non invasive. Subaru needs to clean this up especially in new models with hybrid tech.

There are 2 ways to turn this feature off.
The button on the dash and an option embedded in the settings. Why the embedded option makes no sense. The vehicle has to be stopped but the feature turns back on after the next time the ignition shuts off. The latter function takes longer to complete and serves no purpose. It's totally useless.

The auto stop/ start feature is not valuable on my 2021 Subaru Crosstrek Limited. The problem is that the expressway is about two miles away and has only one stop usually with no traffic. If I have to stop then the engine usually stops too however briefly that may be. There is almost no stop that lasts longer than 7 seconds. I have been conditioned to press the off button on the lower left-hand side of my dash to turn the system off. I wish all of the on/ off buttons were on the display screen. Once on the expressway, there is only one more stop, and again, there is no traffic. If I could disable the start/ stop feature permanently I would.

Auto start/stop is generally the most worthless feature of my Forester. It should default to Off, requiring someone to turn it on.

My question is for the turbo which I always was trained to know the running in order for the turbo to cool down after being driven for a certain amount of time on the freeway. Please address this thank you

I own a 2018 Subaru Outback and the stop/start is a deal breaker for me to purchase a new Outback in the future. I plan to purchase a 5 year bumper to bumper warranty after my 7 year warranty expires later this year. This stop/start is nonsense and justifies the government’s plan for the Green New Deal that they’re doing something to protect the environment. It doesn’t do that much as they claim, but it’s just another annoyance for drivers!

It's not just the starter life I'm concerned about. Every time a car is started, the piston rings and crankshaft journals are producing friction and thus wear until oil pressure is restored. Granted its not as bad as a cold start, but why add to engine wear to save a few drops of fuel/emissions? And I'm not buying the claim that the supposedly beefed up starter can take it. Not to mention it's just plain annoying.

I don't own a Suburu but my Bronco Sport has this feature and I hate it. Not only is it going to wear out the starter, it's dangerous. The hesitation, in some instances, could cause an accident. It's like when the ABS brakes first came out in the 80's. That hesitation did cause accidents.
And, not only accidents, if your battery goes bad and you get a jump to start it so you can drive to the shop, you might just be stuck at a traffic light when it shuts off.

I left my start/stop on while driving around town. At the end of the driving I had saved 1 tablespoon. Underwhelming

Do not like it.

Dangerous feature. In my combo of roads there are 2 intersections I have to pull out in from side streets and when I forget to disable there are close calls or at least nasty interactions that you'd like to apologize to the other drivers for. 1 second = 88ft at 60 mph, and that's several car lengths of getting things wrong.

The car's fuel economy improves by about 5 miles per gallon, which Subaru should not advertise as the car's standard fuel efficiency if this feature is the only factor. Without this feature, the Subaru gets incredibly poor gas mileage, even though it starts as one of the least fuel-efficient vehicles on the road. This is also an extremely dangerous feature, as it can shut off when you need to merge. Additionally, it sometimes shuts off unexpectedly, causing the entire car system to malfunction. I want a car that works and doesn't contribute to higher emissions.

I hated it on my 2021 Legacy Touring XT. The car would shake noticeably every time it restarted. I've driven a number of other vehicles with it and Subaru's was the worst. I always turned it off. My current car is a 2023 Hyundai Tucson and it's auto stop/start feature is smooth enough I leave it on.

I kick myself whenever I forget to turn off the auto stop/start function in my 2023 Forester. I cross shopped several brands prior to deciding on the Subaru. I knew that others, such as the 2024 Mazda CX-5 (my second choice), did not have auto/stop start, but I hadn't imagined that I would loathe it as much as I do. They should make it an option.

I find it very annoying when pulling into my driveway and the auto stop/start shuts the engine off before I've had the chance to shut the engine off properly. It then restarts if I slightly remove pressure on my brake pedal only for me to shut the engine off half a second later. I also don't like how the vehicle shakes every time the engine restarts.

Had it in a loaner from Subaru and absolutely hated it. I’ll try to keep the old Forester running.

You said:
"The auto start-stop has a sensor to determine if the ambient temperature outside the vehicle exceeds the temperature inside. If it is, the car engine will not shut off. The same is true in the winter. The car will stay running if the outside temperature is colder than the cabin."

According to this, it only works when ambient temperature and cabin temperature are equal. I think you were given some misinformation.

I have a 2020 Forester and I absolutely detest the stop-start feature. The first thing I do when I start my car is turn that feature off. I don't believe that it does not wear down the starter since I already need mine replaced. The cost of replacing my starter is far exceeding the pennies I've saved in gas. I've been searching for a way to permanently disable this feature but haven't had any luck yet. If anyone knows of one - please let me know!

Annoying doesn’t begin to describe it. It is a horrible system, the car shudders and lurches forward when restarting. I always disable it as soon as I start the car.

It has become a habitual part of driving my 2022 Crosstrek to reach to the dash and manually disable the auto start/stop feature EVERY time the engine is started. The sensation is too harsh when shutting off (feels like an engine stall) and there's too much of a delay to resume motion. The wear and tear on starter and battery surely will have some affect. The higher capacity battery will also be more expensive when replacement is needed, I'm sure.

2019 Forester Sport owner and I hate the A.S.S. but found out if I have my rear defrost on then the A.S.S. will never engage. And even on hot days my older version of A.S.S. definitely won't let my AC run full blast and turns to vent mode and is ridiculous.

The auto start/stop is the feature on my 2024 Crosstrek Limited that I strongly dislike.
It is the first thing I turn off when starting the car.
I wish the default setting could be changed. I don’t want some Big Brother controlling the start/stop default setting.
Some day EV and charging stations will evolve to the point that auto start/stop will be a thing of the past. But not today.

Agree with most of the negative comments, and habitually turn it off when starting the car. The worst part is definitely a stop sign at a busy crossroads; that pause can seem like forever when trying to cross busy traffic.

I have my Outback for three months and no only do I hate the stop/start feature, the car is a gas guzzler. It can’t even get 19 mpg. I hate everything about this car except for the comfort. I regret my decision to buy it.