Experts recommend not using it in town. Fortunately, it can be deactivated in the blink of an eye!
This feature has become an automation for a large part of drivers, as its use is encouraged by manufacturers. However, its use hides a much less known consequence: over time, certain essential components of the engine are weakened.
Indeed, presented as technical progress, it now equips the majority of recent vehicles. It promises to reduce the carbon footprint and limit the invoice to the pump. But according to Bumper, specializing in the financing of automobile repairs, the reality is more nuanced. “Even if these systems are designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions, they are not always tender with the key components of the engine”underlines a spokesperson for the company. You will understand, by dint of solicitations, these key parts wear out prematurely and end up being expensive.
The warning has also grown after a viral video published by Scotty Kilmer, American mechanic followed by millions of Internet users. According to him, “Up to 97 % of the engine wear occurs during ignition”. In other words, it is at the precise moment when the engine starts, with the “Start and Stop” option, that the most important damage occurs. This is why, by repeating the operation several tens of times a day, especially during urban journeys, risks increase considerably.
Concretely, this technology can be deactivated by a simple press on a button on the dashboard, identifiable with its symbol “A” surrounded by an arrow. Experts do not necessarily recommend abandoning it completely, but to adapt it to driving conditions. On long fluid journeys, its impact remains marginal. In daily traffic jams or repeated stops in the city, its effect is much more problematic. Because if modern engines are designed to support these repeated ignition cycles, no mechanics are eternal. And faced with the growing cost of repairs, it is better to anticipate.
