UTTER RUBBISH.
UTTER RUBBISH.
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It is NOT ILLEGAL to modify your car or sell modifications for cars that REDUCE THEIR FUEL ECONOMY. If that is the case, a trailer that adds weight, stupid wings that increase drag or stickier tires that increase rolling resistance would be illegal. It is totally legal for manufacturers to sell cars without idle stop systems and it is totally legal for you to disable it. It is NOT an emissions control device. It is a fuel economy feature that is neither mandated by the government nor affect your exhaust gas composition in any way.
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The reason many manufacturers do not offer a way to disable idle stop or have it revert back to on when the ignition is turn off is that the EPA will only include the idle stop benefits in the window sticker MPG figures if it is always enabled or reverts to enabled. Hence, the manufacturer cannot claim the same window sticker EPA mpg numbers unless they do so or benefit from the small CAFE ratings benefits it brings. However, it is totally legal for the manufacturer, dealer or any 3rd party to sell, or offer for free, an after sale modification to disable the feature -- just like it is legal for them to sell you a fuel economy reducing device a spoiler, sporty tires or a trailer hitch.