Stop-Start not working

[Octy0GG]

Much as the over enthusiastic stop start system (too quick to switch off) has annoyed me and frequently been switched off. Now a bit concerned that it has not been working this past couple of days.

 

The "The engine is not automatically switched off" sympol is shown whenever I come to a halt 

 

No sign of the system fault message "Seek help from a specialist garage"

 

After driving 6 miles today - Engine off, battery terminal voltage 12.28v (seems a bit low, don't know what it was previously)

Engine at idle 14.48v

Outside temp 12 degrees centigrade.

 

Wondering if its the battery, any thoughts welcome.

 

Thanks

 

Car: 2016 Octavia SE Sport 1.4TSI

 

[Octy0GG]

Just came across this video about SOC indicator on maxi dot . Unfortunately my car appears to have been made after this function was deleted. - I guess Skoda got fed up of people questioning and complaining about the numbers.

 

[MartiniB]

same problem with 2016 Superb 2.0 TSI

can be solved by charge battery, but just for one-two weeks :(

[Octy0GG]

Anyone know what the battery terminal voltage lower limit is for stop start to function?

 

Something (there are many things) that puzzle me is that the info I can find on disabling stop start using 'the voltage method' suggest changing the Start/Start stop voltage limit from the factory setting of 7.6v to a value of 12v (using VCDS). Surely if your battery terminal voltage was 7.6v then the stop/start system would be the least of your worries, also I still wouldn't want the stop start kicking in at a terminal voltage of 12v. Presumably then these voltages are something other than battery terminal voltages.

Edited 20 June, 2018 by Octy0GG

[Octy0GG]

Just noticing car battery (original as I bought car pre registered with just a few hundred delivery miles on it)  is a 59AH EFB  whereas Euro car parts and Halfords both return a 70AH AGM for this car. Code on sticker at front of manual is JOS which I gather is for the 59AH EFB. Presume the much more expensive AGM would be a better match for this car.

[Octy0GG]

Everything that can be switched off was switched off. Both pictures taken at same time.

Does not seem to add up to me.  Power consumption should not have been high, engine was running. Anyone know what might be going on?  Thanks

[GregSKO]

I bought my car a year old in Sept 2016 with 7400 on the clock. I don't do a great deal of mileage and the Stop-Start only ever worked occasionally, so I always turned it off manually. This year the original Moll EFB 69Ah started giving up so I swapped it for a Vatar AGM 70Ah. Start-Stop has worked flawlessly ever since, or at least up until I turned it of through VCDS. It seems I don’t like or have never gotten used to Start-Stop

[Octy0GG]

28 minutes ago, GregSKO said:

I bought my car a year old in Sept 2016 with 7400 on the clock. I don't do a great deal of mileage and the Stop-Start only ever worked occasionally, so I always turned it off manually. This year the original Moll EFB 69Ah started giving up so I swapped it for a Vatar AGM 70Ah. Start-Stop has worked flawlessly ever since, or at least up until I turned it of through VCDS. It seems I don’t like or have never gotten used to Start-Stop

Thanks

Did you decide to go for an upgrade or was the 70Ah AGM what your supplier came back with as their replacement? 

Just that every online supplier I have checked gives a 70Ah AGM as being the correct battery (not an upgrade) for a 1.4 TSI with stop start. Skoda dealer and Skoda customer services are, as ever,  playing their cards very close to their chest.

 

[Gabbo]

15 hours ago, Octy0GG said:

Everything that can be switched off was switched off. Both pictures taken at same time.

Does not seem to add up to me.  Power consumption should not have been high, engine was running. Anyone know what might be going on?  Thanks

 

"Engine must be running" means that there is a feature which doesnt have its own special message that requires the engine to stay running - i.e. Stop is not available.

for a diesel this means usually Regen is active but can also be for engine cooling if it is really hot. There are maybe some other reasons for the TSI but Im not familiar with this.

It can also be that you havent travelled far enough since the last stop or have stopped/restarted too many times without moving etc

 

Power Consumption is high can indicate a couple of things:

 - that there was a large drain on the battery overnight (dashcam, heater etc) and the system has noticed a large drop & needs to charge the battery

 - Theres a problem with the battery or the battery monitoring module.

 

there are several threads with different causes from the two.

For some changing the battery fixes it but there is also a known issue with the battery monitoring module on some of the older cars resulting in the "power consumption high" message which requires a replacement.

Edited 22 June, 2018 by Gabbo

[GregSKO]

I no longer have the links, however when I first looked into Stop-Start back in late 2016 I found the following. Stop-Start was designed to be used with AGM batteries. Car manufacturers sponsored the development of EFB as a cheaper option but its not as suitable. As standard All Skoda Stop-Start cars were fitted with an EFB. Skoda literature stated that if you had an EFB it could be replaced by either an EFB or an AGM battery. They went on to say that if you had an AGM you could only fit an AGM not an EFB. However I think this last statement was designed to minimise the problems associated with EFB once someone else was paying for a replacement. More recently my own on line search for the best technical solution (not the cheapest) bought up AGM 70Ah as the recommended spec with either a Bosh or Vatar having the highest sales and satisfaction scores. I believe Vatar produces the Bosh range so I went on price and ordered via Tayna for £132.97 + p&p at the beginning of February. Obviously you have to re-code to identify what battery you fit, but after that it was fit and forget.

[Octy0GG]

3 hours ago, GregSKO said:

Stop-Start was designed to be used with AGM batteries. Car manufacturers sponsored the development of EFB as a cheaper option but its not as suitable. As standard All Skoda Stop-Start cars were fitted with an EFB. Skoda literature stated that if you had an EFB it could be replaced by either an EFB or an AGM battery. They went on to say that if you had an AGM you could only fit an AGM not an EFB. 

That's makes sense. Manufacturer fits cheaper battery but once it's the customer's money they advise fitting the battery which they ought to have fitted in the first place.

 

Anyone got a link to the Skoda literature regarding replagement battery? Skoda customer services say you must ask Skoda retailer, Skoda retailer says they would not be prepared to fit anything other than the original 59AH EFB.

Edited 22 June, 2018 by Octy0GG
added question

[bigade1]

Just a couple of thoughts - I don't know anything about " the power consumption is high " message but " the engine must be running " message normally indicates that you haven't driven the car over the minimum speed requirement that enables the stop/start feature. One thing that some people forget is that the driver's seat belt must also be fastened too for the feature to work but I can see there's no message displayed regarding that issue. But the most important thing that I've noticed from your photo is that the " i " touch screen button situated in the top right hand corner next to the back arrow button is set to the off position. Perhaps you've touched the " i " button by accident and you just need to press the " i " button again to the required " on " setting which is what it should be for it to work. It's worth a try. 

[Octy0GG]

Engine must be running - this message is making a bit more sense having found an old thread.

 

It is not, as I had thought, saying that the stop-start is not operational because the engine must to be running for stop-start to be operational. It is just saying that the engine needs to be running.

 

Seat belt - yes seen that one it comes up in the list if not fastened.

 

The  'i off' not sure what it is about - doesn't seem to be related to stop-start activation or deactivation.

[bigade1]

Well on my car pressing the " i " changes it to on and off and I'm pretty sure that if it's set to off then it deactivates stop/start. It's currently set to on and stop/start works fine. I might be wrong though - I will check it later tonight to make sure and report back.

[bigade1]

I stand corrected OctyOGG - you are quite right. I checked the car tonight and stop/start works whether " i " is set to on or off. I wonder what's the point of that setting then? 

[sweeneyuk]

5 hours ago, bigade1 said:

I stand corrected OctyOGG - you are quite right. I checked the car tonight and stop/start works whether " i " is set to on or off. I wonder what's the point of that setting then? 

The "i" gives you messages about stop start I believe when not on that screen

[Octy0GG]

Thanks bigade1 and sweeneyuk. Don't think I have ever switched it to on - will switch it to on next drive.

[bigade1]

3 hours ago, sweeneyuk said:

The "i" gives you messages about stop start I believe when not on that screen

 

Ah - I see. Yea, that would make some sense. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

[edbostan]

Now that car road tax is not so dependent upon engine emissions I can see stop/start being phased out. Fuel saving must be minimal and the complication of the feature from what I can see adds an extra dimension of worry to drivers. The mechanical changes of extra hardened bearings to cope with the crankshaft resting on them while stopped and them waiting for the microfilm of oil to part the two surfaces during start up represents 79% of wear on start up according to the oil companies.

[gregoir]

Waiting on a new control module to be fitted on mine.  Same message about high power consumption. Works very rarely  regardless of journey length.

[Octy0GG]

54 minutes ago, gregoir said:

Waiting on a new control module to be fitted on mine.  Same message about high power consumption. Works very rarely  regardless of journey length.

Thanks, any info about similar problems is useful.

 

Is this the module (on the negative terminal of battery) you are getting changed?

 

Do you know if your battery is  still good?

 

Has to be said I'm getting more convinced, and perhaps more cynical, about why Skoda removed the quick and easy battery SOC function on Maxi Dot.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 23 June, 2018 by Octy0GG
tidy up

[mrgf]

Funnily, I have found that original batteries (Of old) Tend to last LONGER then replacement ones. Many owners report original batteries lasting ten or twelve years but once they go, they go! Replacements usually last a few years, with some being warrantied for up to five years and might do that, might have to be claimed against. (If you still have the receipt). I have been holding my breath a little, waiting for the owners of stop/start vehicles to start grumbling about the system failing and batteries needing replacement early as they become so worn and weak. Same for hybrids... Two grands worth of battery, just waiting to fail!

[Rodge]

10 hours ago, edbostan said:

the complication of the feature from what I can see adds an extra dimension of worry to drivers.

Not me. It saves me from having to stop the engine manually and encourages me to release the clutch when I stop, which I had a bad habit of not doing (not that it seems to have done the clutch bearings in my Focus any harm). But then I mainly do longer journeys so it doesn't operate very often, and with a manual I can easily choose whether to let it activate or not.

[edbostan]

I have only driven a Yeti DSG with stop/start and through the M6 roadworks it was irritating when I had to stop/start. I overcame it by feathering the brake pedal so the stop/start did not function. 

[Octy0GG]

Not an enormous fan of stop start myself and have switched it off myself in the past, still want to get it working all the same.