Auto Stop/Start Is Out Of Sync With My Reality

Originally Posted by reaper1

Time to ask the dealer if they can default it off for us!

Don't bother. The answer will be no.

OP: You've been punk'd!!

Originally Posted by Mike550i

The 2012 BMW 550i does not have Start/Stop.

Is that because they figure if you're buying a car that size with a 400hp twin turbo V8 you don't give a rat's @ss about a extra mpg or two?

BTW, I test drove a 535i with the auto start/stop feature. I found it interesting. I didn't like it and didn't hate it. However, I did hate the bright light on the button at night when I turned it off. I won't miss it in my 550i.

I was really thrown for a loop when I was turning left on a busy 4-lane divided highway. The engine was turned off, and I was about to give it gas to make it through a hole in traffic. I moved the steering wheel slightly and it felt like I had lost power steering. I realized the engine was off and that the delay of it turning on could have caused me to hesitate and not make the hole. It was one of those sinking, "I could have gotten in an accident" feelings. Not cool.

Anyway, I've gotten used to turning it off. It's the thing I dislike most about my car. I'm just getting used to it now since it didn't activate in the winter time around here (has to be higher than 37 F).

Great to finally see some backlash against this dumb 'feature'. Hope more ppl complain and BMW puts a setting in iDrive to kill the stupid thing. Just in time when I need to buy another BMW.

I remember reading about this feature in the forums before I bought my 2012 535i and I was dreading it! But after driving the car for a few days, it doesn't bother me at all. I don't quite understand why everyone is so upset and frustrated with this feature. I mean, all you have to do is press a button once and it's off! I know, I know, but it resets when the car is turned off and on again...still, the push of a button that's under the actual ignition button isn't THAT inconvenient.

I find myself cruising around with it on anyway...but if I want to get all aggressive in sport mode, I just turn it off! That's my 2 cents...

I gather the reason you "find yourself cruising with it on anyway" is precisely because you don't feel like pressing the second button every time you start the car... Now, imagine the world where you wouldn't have to do that and the car wouldn't die at each stop. Trust me, it's sweet...

We used to have to turn the key to start. It became easier with the engine start button. So now to expect anyone to press twice each time (WT...)? I'd rather go back to turning the key and not having the engine die. Thank God the '11 did not have it.

Essentially, this should be an option, not default. Like the Eco-Pro mode and such - for those who care more than others about emissions and gas.

Originally Posted by yogi799

I gather the reason you "find yourself cruising with it on anyway" is precisely because you don't feel like pressing the second button every time you start the car... Now, imagine the world where you wouldn't have to do that and the car wouldn't die at each stop. Trust me, it's sweet...

We used to have to turn the key to start. It became easier with the engine start button. So now to expect anyone to press twice each time (WT...)? I'd rather go back to turning the key and not having the engine die. Thank God the '11 did not have it.

No, I really don't mind pressing the button a second time...it honestly doesn't piss me off when the engine shuts off at stops. Now if I'm in a rush, late or anything like that; I just press the button and hit sport mode.

I think I also tell myself I'm saving more fuel with it on haha...

Besides, there are other functions that require us to press another button...kinda like how the car always goes back to comfort mode from sport mode if you turn it off. Having to press a couple of buttons doesn't bother me...

It isn't so much, how many buttons you need to push or not. It's more the fact that the 'off' state so closely resembles the 'radio ready' state. There may be those times when you are fooled by this similarity, and if you are, the results can be quite unexpected and undesirable.

Auto Stop/Start is also disabled if you put the transmission in DS mode.