Hi! Just got in Skoda family last week and loving it, but my 2020 Kamiq has some issue with Start-stop.

 

Every time the car stops and it engages/engine stops, it starts right after, half a second later, EVERYTIME. Even if it's just idle and I'm not touching anything.

So on a regular usage it never stays usefully stopped.

 

Anyone has had the same experience? Any solution? It doesn't bother me much not having start stop, knowing I have to turn it off everytime I start the car bothers me more.

Welcome.

Battery has not enough charge. On it,s way out or not getting used enough, getting charged up and have enough for the load on it, AC on etc. 

15 minutes ago, vsmovement said:

 

 

Every time the car stops and it engages/engine stops, it starts right after, half a second later, EVERYTIME. Even if it's just idle and I'm not touching anything.

So on a regular usage it never stays usefully stopped.

 

 

It take just the slightest nudge of the steering wheel for engine to restart.

Edited 2 September, 20241 yr by Kenny R

12 minutes ago, Ootohere said:

Welcome.

Battery has not enough charge. On it,s way out or not getting used enough, getting charged up and have enough for the load on it, AC on etc. 

How can I check if the battery is good? I have no other issue regarding battery, the car starts normally and works good even with everything turned on.

 

 

7 minutes ago, Kenny R said:

It take just the slightest nudge of the steering wheel for engine to restart.

I have tested pressing hard the brake pedal and not touching the steering wheel 😞 same result..

Mine hardly ever works. I do a fair amount of shorter trips admittedly but even when I charge the battery fully with a charger it doesn't work consistently. While it was under warranty I asked the dealer to check it and they said it was fine. Bizarrely it is more likely to work at night when the lights are on. I suspect that the "intelligent" charging on the car isn't that intelligent. 

 

I'm not convinced it's such a great feature anyway so I just live with it. 

 

Edited 2 September, 20241 yr by Norton Ian
More info

If there is the slightest movement of your foot on the brake pedal, the system  senses it and assumes you are about to set off.

 

It hardly ever works for me and then usually on a hot day and after a long drive, however, as I get good economy without it, I'm not greatly bothered.

20 hours ago, Seasider said:

If there is the slightest movement of your foot on the brake pedal, the system  senses it and assumes you are about to set off.

 

It hardly ever works for me and then usually on a hot day and after a long drive, however, as I get good economy without it, I'm not greatly bothered.

But does it stay off when it does work? Mine never stays off.

2 hours ago, vsmovement said:

But does it stay off when it does work? Mine never stays off.

I'm sorry, I don't understand the question.  If I don't want to use stop/start, there is an on/off button.

2 hours ago, vsmovement said:

But does it stay off when it does work? Mine never stays off.

 

Mine usually does stay off when it is working but I have had the same as you get where it goes off for 2 seconds and engine restarts. Very rarely though. Most times it just does nothing and the little 'A' with a cross through it lights up on the dash. 

45 minutes ago, Seasider said:

I'm sorry, I don't understand the question.  If I don't want to use stop/start, there is an on/off button.

The motor doesn't stay off when start/stop is engaged, it starts again half a second later.

2 hours ago, vsmovement said:

The motor doesn't stay off when start/stop is engaged, it starts again half a second later.

Yes, that happens with me too, for example, if I put the turn indicator on or adjust the heating control as well as moving my foot on the brake pedal. 

7 minutes ago, Seasider said:

Yes, that happens with me too, for example, if I put the turn indicator on or adjust the heating control as well as moving my foot on the brake pedal. 

But it happens with me even if I don't touch anything, just having the foot still on the brake pedal.

That's the issue ... remove your foot from the brake pedal.

11 hours ago, vsmovement said:

But it happens with me even if I don't touch anything, just having the foot still on the brake pedal.

Your foot/shoe may seem still, but I've found that a twitch of my foot within my shoe can be "felt" by the system and the engine starts up.

 

On 02/09/2024 at 15:09, vsmovement said:

How can I check if the battery is good?

You can check the battery voltage with a handheld multimeter with the probes on the battery terminals after the car has been parked up for as many hours as possible or (if you must, not my favourite way) one of these cheap plug-in (to 12v socket) what I've just discovered are sometimes called DVM (digital volt meter) or an appropriate battery charger maintainer will give you a readout (do read the car's Owner's Manual and battery charger maintainer instructions when using charging the battery).

 

There will be some drop for all the car's electrics still going when parked up.  The following VW figures would refer to the battery out of the car sitting on a bench. -

 

Charge level             No-load          voltage

1.28 g/cm3                 100%              12.7 V

1.21 g/cm3                 60%                12.3 V

1.18 g/cm3                 40%                12.1 V

1.10 g/cm3                 0%                  11.7 V

 

And Ring charger figures -

 

12.7v - 100%             12.5v - 90%               12.4v - 80%               12.3V - 70%

12.2v - 60%               12.1v - 50%               11.9v - 40%               11.8v - 30%

11.6v - 20%               11.3v - 10%

 

On 02/09/2024 at 15:09, vsmovement said:

I have no other issue regarding battery, the car starts normally and works good even with everything turned on.

The engine still starting means very little to the battery possibly being in a lower state of charge, however you should get some sort of message if the engine needs to run, by the time you have any difficulty starting the engine the battery will be very low and will suffer if not very soon fully recharged, also the car's computers will possibly make you suffer with all sorts of unexpected issues and unseen error codes or reports even before warning lights and messages perhaps, there are many threads on Briskoda with this.

 

13 hours ago, vsmovement said:

But it happens with me even if I don't touch anything, just having the foot still on the brake pedal.

Why have you got your foot on the brake pedal(?), as the other posters have put that's probably the cause of the issue.  Same as you would probably get slightly more mpg with using cruise control than just keeping your foot on the accelerator pedal because when you think you are holding your foot steady you are actually most probably making at least micro movements.  Try sticking to an exact speed with the digital speedo you'll find it's difficult to maintain an exactly continuous speed readout.

 

You still would be best to check the battery on a 2020 car new to you especially a VW product with start/stop unless you have know the car very well from brand new.  I recommend, when required, preventative battery charging and sometime just driving the car isn't enough for longer battery life and reliability so an appropriate battery charger maintainer is needed, lower amperage is generally better. Do read the car's Owner's Manual and battery charger maintainer instructions when using charging the battery.  Just one (mains pug in) example suggestion (many others available) is the Ring RSC 900. - https://shop.ringautomotive.com/rsc904-4a-smart-battery-charger-maintainer.html  

 

For driving and learning lots of very useful information that could save you the hassle, time and cost of Dealership/garage/mechanic/auto-electrician visits and unnecessary parts read and refer to the Owner's Manual. - https://digital-manual.skoda-auto.com/

 

HTH.

Edited 4 September, 20241 yr by nta16

Opening the bonnet to check the battery voltage will give a false reading as the canbus will be awoken, if you wait several hours it will remain awake and significantly discharge in terms of the 10ths of volts that you are looking for.

 

The only practical way to do it is close the bonnet catch using a screwdriver or similar and lock the car, take a voltage reading straight away (this will be a false low one due to the parasitic discharge) and another 20 or 30 minutes later which will be a little higher and the one to use.

My last four or five cars have had start/stop and none of them have worked according to the manufacturers guidance, from Audi to Ford to Peugeot  and back to Skoda.

 

Do I care?  Nope, I know that for the system to work the stars have to align and the gods have to be smiling.

 

Seriously, don’t waste another second worrying about it.

 

If your car runs ok otherwise then direct that start/stop worry elsewhere.

I’ve just taken delivery of a brand new Kamiq after owning a Scala for 3 years. The stop/start is working regularly when engine is up to operating temp. I have noticed the engine restarts every time I take my foot off the brake pedal.  

3 hours ago, David19666 said:

I’ve just taken delivery of a brand new Kamiq after owning a Scala for 3 years. The stop/start is working regularly when engine is up to operating temp. I have noticed the engine restarts every time I take my foot off the brake pedal.  

Which is what it's meant to do.

To clear any doubts, I tested the system in every way, even charged the battery overnight, but to no avail. Still have the same behaviour.

 

Should I take the car to service? Just get a new battery?

If you've taken note of previous posts and followed them then you will have the figures for you to decide if the recharging was sufficient and/or you want to buy a new battery but I'd suggest you get someone else to drive the car whilst you are with them and see if what happens when you drive the car also happens when someone else drives the car.

 

A new battery is best 'coded' when fitted or as soon as possible after, particularly if the new battery is "bigger" or different type to factory original battery. 

 

You can check the operation of the start/stop system (and lots more useful info) by reading and referring to the car's Owner's Manual, you can view this on the following link 'START STOP' is under 'Starting and driving'. - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models

 

If after above you still have the issue then if you have warranty on the car take it in, if so, or not, check there are no outstanding "recalls" on the car particularly about the battery, the charging or start/stop systems on your car.

 

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

 

So, the battery was swapped for a new one under guarantee on an official garage, but the problem persists. Any idea?

Are you keeping your foot off the brake once you have braked hard to stop?

 

With a 2020 car can you simply disconnect the start stop at the battery negative terminal so not have to worry about it?

 

Quick thoughts - 2020 car, was it made during covid, have VWŠKoda got any updates or Recalls on this, others owners seem to have similar issues, have you got DSG, do you use heated this, that and t'other, have you got a scan tool report on this - that's me out of ideas.

 

ETA: have you or anyone before you added anything to the car particularly electrical perhaps?

 

 

Edited 1 December, 20241 yr by nta16

I have a 2022 Kamiq but always turn stop/start off. Got into the habit on my wife's 2018 Karoq. Can't see the point of even having it, just simply a way of manufactures claiming an extra percentage point in fuel economy.

Edited 1 December, 20241 yr by sussamb

2 hours ago, sussamb said:

Can't see the point of even having it, just simply a way of manufactures claiming an extra percentage point in fuel economy.

As per various other threads on this very website, my mate with a Superb reckoned that it was worth several mpg in town and with a hot engine.