Is it possible to disconnect the stop-start system?
Hello, is it possible to disconnect the stop-start system on a 2010 Volkswagen Passat 1.4 DSG TSI? I find it annoying and I am not convinced it does anything to lower fuel consumption.
Stephen Murphy (Bray)Nov 2014 Filed under: fuel economy and emissions
Expert answer
Hi Stephen,
I agree it can be a little annoying on an automatic car, as you can't decide when you do and don't want it to happen at any given moment. I'm sure you're aware that there is a button on the dashboard to disable it at any time, but it sounds like you'd rather disable it completely. Sadly, there's no legitimate way to do this. The car's official CO2 emissions and fuel economy figures rely on this feature, so even if you find a fuse or relay to remove for the system there will at the very least be a warning light on in the dashboard - and it may even go into 'limp home' mode.
By way of explanation, the 'combined cycle' is a relatively low-speed and short duration (standardised) test cycle all the car makers adhere to for their CO2 and fuel consumption figures. Stop-start makes a big difference for this as the car is idle for considerable amounts of time. In the real world, this tends to happen only in slow traffic or in town with lots of traffic lights. You would see a saving in those situations, but in reality it'll be small.
Sorry not to be of more assistance.
Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Adviser