Auto Start/Stop Option

Questions about the Auto start/Stop option and I feel this deserves it's own post:

1. When you asked the service guys to enable "last user mode" for the auto start/stop option, is there a cost associated with the update?

2. What do Manual F30 drivers think of this option? Do they too find it annoying like those who have automatics? I would assume it would be less of a problem in manuals.

I only drove my 335i for 5 days for ED but I bounced all around Germany and Austria. I liked the feature. It was a little hard to get used to but when I got back here I missed it. It started when you put the clutch in or move the steering wheel. My fear is the ware on the starter.

Sent from my MB860 using Bimmer App

Paul, you said you missed it. Did you have them disable it? Or talking about missing it on a different car?

Unrelated ED question: How do you deal with the break in restrictions while driving on he autobahns?

Originally Posted by 328i2013

Questions about the Auto start/Stop option and I feel this deserves it's own post:

1. When you asked the service guys to enable "last user mode" for the auto start/stop option, is there a cost associated with the update?

It is a free update that takes 4-5 hours.

My dealer did not know about the bulletin until I forwarded them a Bimmerfest post and made them read it. Few minutes later, the service manager comes out and tells me I was right and they'll be happy to do it.

Probably getting it done this Tuesday or Wednesday and I'll be rid of the hassle forever. In certain situations it's simply not safe for the car or the driver.

BJ

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

It is a free update that takes 4-5 hours.

My dealer did not know about the bulletin until I forwarded them a Bimmerfest post and made them read it. Few minutes later, the service manager comes out and tells me I was right and they'll be happy to do it.

Probably getting it done this Tuesday or Wednesday and I'll be rid of the hassle forever. In certain situations it's simply not safe for the car or the driver.

BJ

It's free? Sweet. I'm shocked. Where can we find this bulletin, 'cause I know my dealer's gonna need me to show it to him before he'll do it. Thanks.

So just to be clear, if you get this update, you can still activate auto start/stop by hitting that button above start, right? The car just remembers the previous state of this feature when started.

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

It is a free update that takes 4-5 hours.

My dealer did not know about the bulletin until I forwarded them a Bimmerfest post and made them read it. Few minutes later, the service manager comes out and tells me I was right and they'll be happy to do it.

Probably getting it done this Tuesday or Wednesday and I'll be rid of the hassle forever. In certain situations it's simply not safe for the car or the driver.

BJ

Can you explain how in certain situations it's not safe for the car or driver? I can see this only if it does not perform as designed. I've been driving my wife's Honda Insight Hybrid for 3 years with this feature and never felt unsafe.

Originally Posted by Michael Schott

Can you explain how in certain situations it's not safe for the car or driver? I can see this only if it does not perform as designed. I've been driving my wife's Honda Insight Hybrid for 3 years with this feature and never felt unsafe.

Hybrids are different, the accelaration from a stop is powered by batteries, one get power before the engine starts. On the ASS system, there is like a 1/2 second delay when one let go of the brakes til the engine generate power. Theoretically, if a semi is racing toward you, you have a 1/2 less time to get out of the way, but the chance of the ASS system being a safety hazzard in any situation is very slim to say the least.
My wife use to have a hybrid as well and I am quite use to driving hybrids, the ASS system is like second nature to me. There are times when I know I need instant accelaration, thats when I push the ASS off button or most of the time, I shift into DS mode. There is a slight learning curve as to how to drive a car with the ASS system. I think most people simply do not give it enough time to adjust. I must admit, If I have a choice of shutting off my ASS system, I am not so sure I would.

Originally Posted by The X Men

My wife use to have a hybrid as well and I am quite use to driving hybrids, the ASS system is like second nature to me. There are times when I know I need instant accelaration, thats when I push the ASS off button or most of the time, I shift into DS mode. There is a slight learning curve as to how to drive a car with the ASS system. I think most people simply do not give it enough time to adjust. I must admit, If I have a choice of shutting off my ASS system, I am not so sure I would.

I agree.

If I know I need to make a quick getaway, I just slide the shifter into DS mode too. To me it's not that much of a pain, at least it wasn't during my 10 day ED. Perhaps when I get the car in the US, I might change my mind, but I doubt it. I'll take the fuel savings.

This is a tangent. Back in the day folks used to say, if you are going to be re-starting the car within a minute or so, best to leave it on cuz starting consumes more gas than idling. Was that just a misnomer?

Originally Posted by neilk

I agree.

If I know I need to make a quick getaway, I just slide the shifter into DS mode too. To me it's not that much of a pain, at least it wasn't during my 10 day ED. Perhaps when I get the car in the US, I might change my mind, but I doubt it. I'll take the fuel savings.

I haven't got my car yet. However I did read upon the bulletin and passed the info along to my CA. He said they would do it once I got the car. When you flip it to DS mode, ASS is in a paused state such that the car will not shut off even though its active? Is that correct? I didn't know this. I thought if the ASS is on, regardless of what mode you are in, given the right environmental conditions, ASS will shut the car off. I may reconsider doing the update if the above is true.

Can someone clarify this or confirm it?

Originally Posted by CE750Jockey

It's free? Sweet. I'm shocked. Where can we find this bulletin, 'cause I know my dealer's gonna need me to show it to him before he'll do it. Thanks.

Mention Service Bulletin SI B12 15 12 and request that the service department enable "last user mode" for the auto stop start feature.

BJ

Originally Posted by 328i2013

So just to be clear, if you get this update, you can still activate auto start/stop by hitting that button above start, right? The car just remembers the previous state of this feature when started.

Correct.

BJ

Originally Posted by Michael Schott

Can you explain how in certain situations it's not safe for the car or driver? I can see this only if it does not perform as designed. I've been driving my wife's Honda Insight Hybrid for 3 years with this feature and never felt unsafe.

There's a hesitation when the car restarts. It's only a split-second but it's enough to cause a delay and/or lack of confidence in making a fast scoot across traffic which is an unfortunate fact of life in busy urban areas.

I live in a development that lets out on both sides onto 25 MPH roads where people routinely go 50 MPH, one of which points due west and at 5pm the glaring sun blinds drivers. I live in a suburb of NYC so it's congested here, nothing I can do about that. So you pick your spots, you floor the accelerator, and you merge with the flow. And in that instant when you decide its 'go' time, you don't want the thought of a restarting engine clouding your focus.

Additionally, while I'm driving the car 95% of the time, on those two days a month that the wife needs to use it she'll never remember to shut ASS off or even remember that ASS exists and so when she feels that shudder of restart in that situation she would likely hit the brakes thinking something is wrong and thus slide halfway into traffic.

In this country there will be a huge learning curve about ASS and a lot of accidents as the technology rolls out and I don't want to be any part of it.

BJ

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

and a lot of accidents as the technology rolls out and I don't want to be any part of it.

BJ

Really? ASS has been out for a while. You think there would already be some data to support this high # of accidents and BMW would have something about it.

BJ, I've been reading your posts on these forums for a few weeks now. You are obviously very passionate about the car and opinionated. However, you have to realize that not all of your opinions are going to be correct. Like this one.

Originally Posted by neilk

I agree.

If I know I need to make a quick getaway, I just slide the shifter into DS mode too. To me it's not that much of a pain, at least it wasn't during my 10 day ED. Perhaps when I get the car in the US, I might change my mind, but I doubt it. I'll take the fuel savings.

Hitting little buttons, using DS, tapping the brake.....I didn't buy a $50,000 luxury car for it to cause me more work. And if I cared about saving $2.25 a week on fuel costs I wouldn't have chosen a throaty German performance car with turbo and the need for premium gas either.

I did not buy an economy car, I did not buy a Hybrid. I should not be coerced to act in an eco-friendly way if I don't want to. The car has an Eco Mode button; the ASS should only kick in if someone chooses that mode. Otherwise it should quietly disappear. Even when I have the firmware update to 'remember last state' I'm still going to be paranoid that it didn't stick or that I tapped it inadvertently. I just want out, shouldn't have to deal with this.

BJ

Originally Posted by 328i2013

This is a tangent. Back in the day folks used to say, if you are going to be re-starting the car within a minute or so, best to leave it on cuz starting consumes more gas than idling. Was that just a misnomer?

I remember reading somewhere that the system yields a net reduction in gasoline use if it shuts the engine off for as little as four seconds...

Originally Posted by 328i2013

Really? ASS has been out for a while. You think there would already be some data to support this high # of accidents and BMW would have something about it.

BJ, I've been reading your posts on these forums for a few weeks now. You are obviously very passionate about the car and opinionated. However, you have to realize that not all of your opinions are going to be correct. Like this one.

To my knowledge, the F30 is the first non-Hybrid with auto stop start technology released in the United States. If it's not the first non-Hybrid, it's amongst the first. This is my third 3 Series in a decade and I've never been exposed to this, didn't even know it existed outside of battery powered Hybrid's.

Certainly not all of my opinions are correct. This one is. There's nothing wrong with the feature for those that want to save money or reduce their carbon footprint. It's great stuff, more power to ya. Just leave me out of it and give me a way to say "no thanks" without forcing it upon me or accidentally causing a family member to face a challenge they're not expecting. I don't think that's an unfair request, do you?

BJ

Originally Posted by 328i2013

I would assume it would be less of a problem in manuals.

I have a stick and don't think it is a problem. Push the clutch and the car starts. You wouldn't be moving forward until after that anyhow, so ASS does not cause a delay. If you are waiting to turn in heavy traffic, just keep your foot on the clutch (which you would do anyhow) and the car will not turn off. IMHO this feature is less of a concern with MT cars. That is not to say I like it but...

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

There's a hesitation when the car restarts. It's only a split-second but it's enough to cause a delay and/or lack of confidence in making a fast scoot across traffic which is an unfortunate fact of life in busy urban areas.

I live in a development that lets out on both sides onto 25 MPH roads where people routinely go 50 MPH, one of which points due west and at 5pm the glaring sun blinds drivers. I live in a suburb of NYC so it's congested here, nothing I can do about that. So you pick your spots, you floor the accelerator, and you merge with the flow. And in that instant when you decide its 'go' time, you don't want the thought of a restarting engine clouding your focus.

Additionally, while I'm driving the car 95% of the time, on those two days a month that the wife needs to use it she'll never remember to shut ASS off or even remember that ASS exists and so when she feels that shudder of restart in that situation she would likely hit the brakes thinking something is wrong and thus slide halfway into traffic.

In this country there will be a huge learning curve about ASS and a lot of accidents as the technology rolls out and I don't want to be any part of it.

BJ

Thanks. So it's about the learning curve. I would hope the dealer CA's are doing a good job educating their customers on how the ASS system works. I think that after a while it becomes second nature.

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

To my knowledge, the F30 is the first non-Hybrid with auto stop start technology released in the United States. If it's not the first non-Hybrid, it's amongst the first. This is my third 3 Series in a decade and I've never been exposed to this, didn't even know it existed outside of battery powered Hybrid's.

Certainly not all of my opinions are correct. This one is. There's nothing wrong with the feature for those that want to save money or reduce their carbon footprint. It's great stuff, more power to ya. Just leave me out of it and give me a way to say "no thanks" without forcing it upon me or accidentally causing a family member to face a challenge they're not expecting. I don't think that's an unfair request, do you?

BJ

Your request is not unfair. Hence the update exists. And for others, it's nice to have the option of ASS available if they want. I for one certainly appreciate the green nature of the car even though I don't care to save $2 a week.

Besides, most newer cars are going to have this option, especially because of emission law requirements, so we might as well get used to it.

Originally Posted by arktctr

I remember reading somewhere that the system yields a net reduction in gasoline use if it shuts the engine off for as little as four seconds...

With modern fuel injection, starting and stopping the engine should improve fuel mileage, on a carbureted car, HA! Now I am not sure what wear the ASS causes on other parts of the car.

Is there any logic in the system so that it will not turn off the engine if you were just at high revs so that the turbo doesn't get oil starved if the engine shuts off?

Anyone knows if there is a way to ask BMW if ASS causes damage to any parts of the car? I would assume they have given this a lot of thought and have an answer. Perhaps one of the dealers knows how to get in touch with them.

Originally Posted by bmwf30

I haven't got my car yet. However I did read upon the bulletin and passed the info along to my CA. He said they would do it once I got the car. When you flip it to DS mode, ASS is in a paused state such that the car will not shut off even though its active? Is that correct? I didn't know this. I thought if the ASS is on, regardless of what mode you are in, given the right environmental conditions, ASS will shut the car off. I may reconsider doing the update if the above is true.

Can someone clarify this or confirm it?

In DS mode, the engine does not shut off even in ASS mode.

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

I did not buy an economy car, I did not buy a Hybrid. I should not be coerced to act in an eco-friendly way if I don't want to. The car has an Eco Mode button; the ASS should only kick in if someone chooses that mode. Otherwise it should quietly disappear. Even when I have the firmware update to 'remember last state' I'm still going to be paranoid that it didn't stick or that I tapped it inadvertently. I just want out, shouldn't have to deal with this.

BJ

As usual, you are blowing everything out of proportion, what a drama queen. If everybody thinks like you, we would still be in the stone age. ASS is inconvenient sometimes, but by no mean it is unsafe.