That Annoying Engine Shut-off

4315 Views 189 Replies 41 Participants Last post by AstroKats, 39 m ago

Acre

Discussion Starter · 17 d ago

Anyone who has ever had the experience of forgetting to press the magic button and having the car shut off just as one presses the gas pedal knows the feeling. It's like sitting atop a mountain lion while it coughs up a furball. Apart from being disconcerting one thinks "this just CAN'T be good for the engine."
Does anyone think that if enough of us complained Subaru might offer an optional software upgrade that turns the button into an "on" button with not shutting off the default?

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101 - 120 of 190 Posts

MA Subie

· #101 · 7 d ago

AstroKats said:
This thread is about AS/S. Maybe you stopped at a light, the engine dies, and you want to turn the wheels because you're about to turn. Since the powered steering is electrical, not hydraulic, it could be powered when the engine is not running. I would expect it to only work with the ignition on. It's all speculation at this point. Perhaps someone could test it?

Neither one of us really knows since we don't have a car with AS/S. I believe trying to turn the wheel starts the engine as well as letting up on the brake pedal.

Reactions: 1

AstroKats

· #102 · 7 d ago

MA Subie said:
Neither one of us really knows since we don't have a car with AS/S.

Be thankful for small mercies...

Reactions: 3

charliefreeman

· #103 · 6 d ago

Speculating here, but maybe the AS/S "issue" has been improved with the 2024 models. I've had my 2024 Premium for about 3 weeks and find that to engage AS/S I need to push real hard on the brake pedal. If I simply put light, normal pressure, enough to keep the car fully stopped, AS/S doesn't engage. Stated differently, IF I want AS/S I need to actively work for it.

I recently had a Lexus loaner for a week or so, 2023 model, and the AS/S system on that car seemed to come on most the time whether I wanted it to or not. So perhaps Subaru "fixed" this starting in 2024. It will be interesting to see how this discussion evolves as more 2024's hit the streets.

Reactions: 2

Lonelydriver_95

· #104 · 6 d ago

This thread brings to mind that power steering on my '24 (and my '21 if I remember right) seems to still be active for a couple seconds after the engine is off. I'm also curious why it requires the engine be on. I would guess more on the side of it drawing a lot of power and not wanting to discharge the battery.

AstroKats

· #105 · 6 d ago

Lonelydriver_95 said:
This thread brings to mind that power steering on my '24 (and my '21 if I remember right) seems to still be active for a couple seconds after the engine is off. I'm also curious why it requires the engine be on. I would guess more on the side of it drawing a lot of power and not wanting to discharge the battery.

Could you test that? I'm really curious...

sashakoul

· #106 · 6 d ago

Lonelydriver_95 said:
This thread brings to mind that power steering on my '24 (and my '21 if I remember right) seems to still be active for a couple seconds after the engine is off. I'm also curious why it requires the engine be on. I would guess more on the side of it drawing a lot of power and not wanting to discharge the battery.

As AstroKats said earlier, the starter draws a lot more than just turning your wheels… and a decent battery should be able to crank the motor for quite some time before running out of juice.
That being said, I don’t have any other reason for why the engine needs to be running. I’ve been in many other vehicles with electronic power steering and it is common for the wheels to turn with only the ignition turned on. Probably why lots of Subaru owners think that they have a hydraulic system, because it behaves like one.

AstroKats

· #107 · 6 d ago

With my old Jags you couldn't go full lock because the Lucas pipes would burst and then you'd have a bigger problem...

Bryce919er

· #108 · 6 d ago

Blue Bendite said:
Auto Start/Stop saves between 4% and as much as 15% of fuel used in city driving. Even at 4%, that's not infinitesimal. However, the additional use of the battery, starter and other systems is minimal and more than offset by fuel savings.

90% of statistics are made up on the spot.

Reactions: 1

Blue Bendite

· #109 · 6 d ago

Bryce919er said:
90% of statistics are made up on the spot.

Those were from 5 minutes of internet research. All the studies showed the same general range, usually from 4% - 10%, some as high as 15%.

AstroKats

· #110 · 6 d ago

Bryce919er said:
90% of statistics are made up on the spot.

Lies, damn lies and statistics...

Reactions: 2

AstroKats

· #111 · 6 d ago (Edited)

Blue Bendite said:
Those were from 5 minutes of internet research. All the studies showed the same general range, usually from 4% - 10%, some as high as 15%.

I can see it saving some gas in city driving if you spend a long time sitting at traffic lights. I still wouldn't want it though, based on my experience with it in a rental and as others have said, the shudder and lurch when it starts up.

Reactions: 1

MountainJoe

· #112 · 6 d ago

AstroKats said:
I can see it saving some gas in city driving if you spend a long time sitting at traffic lights. I still would want it though, based on my experience with it in a rental and as others have said, the shudder and lurch when it starts up.

Up awfully early in Santa Monica, aren't we? Or late, maybe.... I got up at 6 Eastern to meet up for a group run at 7:30 and thought I was the only one on at this hour.

Yeah, nothing like forcing an unwanted feature on all of us because a small number of owners have a use case where it might save them a noticeable amount of fuel. Thank goodness there are gadgets to turn it off for good.

MA Subie

· #113 · 6 d ago

Bryce919er said:
90% of statistics are made up on the spot.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein.

Reactions: 3

AstroKats

· #114 · 6 d ago

MountainJoe said:
Up awfully early in Santa Monica, aren't we? Or late, maybe.... I got up at 6 Eastern to meet up for a group run at 7:30 and thought I was the only one on at this hour.

Yeah, nothing like forcing an unwanted feature on all of us because a small number of owners have a use case where it might save them a noticeable amount of fuel. Thank goodness there are gadgets to turn it off for good.

Yeah, I fell asleep early then woke up at 3am, grrr

I'd recommend buying a classic, before AS/S was invented...

Reactions: 1

MA Subie

· #115 · 6 d ago

AstroKats said:
I'd recommend buying a classic, before AS/S was invented...

Or better yet, find a used MT which doesn't have it.

Reactions: 1

AstroKats

· #116 · 6 d ago

MA Subie said:
Or better yet, find a used MT which doesn't have it.

That, too, LOL!

Reactions: 2

R P

· #117 · 6 d ago

Ahh, what we don't miss when we drive electric...

AstroKats

· #118 · 6 d ago

R P said:
Ahh, what we don't miss when we drive electric...

Replacing it with the anxiety of almost running out of juice and not finding a charger nearby, or that it's occupied, and having to wait an hour to "fill up"...

Reactions: 2

R P

· #119 · 6 d ago

AstroKats said:
Replacing it with the anxiety of almost running out of juice and not finding a charger nearby, or that it's occupied, and having to wait an hour to "fill up"...

No need for that, if you understand how to drive and charge an EV. Never happened to me in the 4 years I have owned a BEV. Nor my son who did a road trip with his family from Vancouver all the way to FL and back during spring break last year. But of course this narrative excuse will hang on with the anti-EV crowd. And you forget that 90+% of EV charging is at home.

Have had my Solterra for 5 months now (just passed 10K kms on the odometer) and love it. Hoping to get my trip EV car, the long range fast charging Ioniq 6, next month. Will be passing down my Crosstrek to my son (to replace his aging Forester) and be completely ICE-less after that. Life is good...

Anyway, off topic and have beat this one to death many times in the past here. So probably no point it continuing this discussion here.

Reactions: 2

AstroKats

· #120 · 6 d ago

R P said:
No need for that, if you understand how to drive and charge an EV. Never happened to me in the 4 years I have owned a BEV. Nor my son who did a road trip with his family from Vancouver all the way to FL and back during spring break last year. But of course this narrative excuse will hang on with the anti-EV crowd. And you forget that 90+% of EV charging is at home.

Have had my Solterra for 5 months now (just passed 10K kms on the odometer) and love it. Hoping to get my trip EV car, the long range fast charging Ioniq 6, next month. Will be passing down my Crosstrek to my son (to replace his aging Forester) and be completely ICE-less after that. Life is good...

Anyway, off topic and have beat this one to death many times in the past here. So probably no point it continuing this discussion here.

Your comment was WAY off topic. This thread is about AS/S, not for you to preen about EVs which may work for you but are not practical for most people yet!

Reactions: 1

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