The TRUTH Behind Subaru Auto Start Stop Technology

Today we're uncovering 4 Myths Behind Subaru's auto start stop technology.

What is auto start stop technology? Auto start-stop, also known as stop-start technology, is a vehicle feature that automatically shuts off and restarts the engine when the car stops and starts moving again. This can help reduce fuel consumption and emissions, especially in congested cities where vehicles often stop at traffic lights or in traffic jams

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[TreborUSCG]

Owner of a 2023 Forester. My routine when starting the engine: Put on seat belt; place foot on brake; push start button; turn off auto turn it off every time I start engine.

[Evangel-zm]

I wish I could disable this feature permanently.

[donz]

My wife and I just want to thank you for all your videos. My wife purchased a 2025 Subaru Forester PREMIUM just 10 days ago and we have watched your videos before and after picking up the Forester.
Don from Milwaukee Wi

[jackcoyle]

Glad you have the option to turn it on or off. As for me I HATE IT and shut it off every time I start the car. It’s the worst option that is in cars lately

[boost]

Funny I stumbled on this. I formulate automotive lubricants, viscocity modifiers, detergents and anti wear agents for a living. Start\stop is something we have done a lot of testing on and actually helped create a few formulas dedicated to helping these engines. The truth is that start\stop DOES in fact cause excessive wear. Evert time an engine starts wear occurs. Even though the internals of the engine will still be covered with oil after a short stop that isnt what actually gives proper lubrication. Their needs to be oil pressure to separate the moving parts off of their bearings to actually protect the engine. Every time the engine starts it takes a few seconds to build up oil pressure. So those few seconds ARE causing wear. Whether or not it will matter to the owner depends on how long they typically own cars and their driving style. It isnt going to ruin the engine in a month or a year, but it does significantly reduce the life, specifically of the crank bearings. It is absolutely not worth the $1 in fuel savings you may get per year.

[relwod]

Auto Start/Stop is literally the worst feature. It needs to be optional, not mandatory.

[ussdrewstewart]

Of course I'm a Subie. And Alex's channel updates are always like a note from an old friend. Really appreciate your efforts Alex!

[riggerw]

Not sure how you are "used to it" when it feels like the engine is about to fall out of the bay. it's a VERY rough startup/stop on my 23 Forester wilderness

[sciencerules]

Auto stop/start, what a great idea. You save $100 a year on gas then every two years you get to spend $1500 replacing the worn out starter motor.

[JohnWilliams-vygw]

Needs to be a way to permanently disable. It's annoying.

[tammymossholder]

Totally hate it because I do 90% city driving and is a complete pain. Worst part, when it restarts when at a complete stop, there is a huge lurch forward. Anyone else experience that?

[EdGreenberg]

My objections to the auto stop start features include: My 2019 came with a low quality, low capacity battery. If you go out on local streets, the car doesn't really run long enough to recharge the battery from the initial start. The constant restarting keeps that battery from ever being fully charged. I had to replace the battery in 2022, with low miles, and I really felt let down. Also, I find that the car hesitates off the stop line. I am not a race car driver, but sometimes when you put your foot on the gas you need to go, for example making left turns. You only have so large a window to get out between the approaching traffic. That extra half second adds an element of fright that I just don't need. I basically turn it off every time, along with the sensor that yells at me if my eyes are not where it thinks they should be. Imagine scratching your nose and having the car beep at you in protest.

[garystevens]

When Subaru learns how to make it a smooth restart instead of a rough restart then I “might “ use it. Can’t figure out why the auto start restart is much rougher than the manual start. Idles rough off of restart too.

[roscored]

upgraded battery and starter motor, so if you disable stop start permanently then in theory both battery and starter should last a lot longer.

[AndyByerley]

I've learned over time to press lightly on the brake (though obviously hard enough to stop the vehicle) if I know I'll be stopped for just a few seconds and don't want the auto stop to engage. That's made it tolerable for me.

[janjackson]

I think they should rename it the, "WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH MY CAR?" button. When we were test driving our Crosstrek, I learned about this really annoying little feature at the first stoplight I came to. No one had told us about it and we thought the car was broke. :D Wow, are we ever ignorant! The guy at the dealership looked at me like I had just crawled out of a cave and into daylight when I told him I was a little concerned. We have had this car for three months and love it. About half the time we turn it off and the other half we just forget about it. Thank you for your explanations! I wondered if it might wear out the started earlier than needed, but am glad that's not the deal. Your videos are FANTASTIC! Thank you!!

[-G-Mac-]

I hate it and I wish I could permanently disable it. I also wonder if the gas savings is less than the cost of replacing the starter motor more often.

[CrankyGrandma]

It’s dang annoying. I hate it. We call it the car farter. And this only saves fuel if you live in a congested area. Many do NOT. This device is horrible if you live in an area with 4 way stops. Or few cars but many stop signs. The whole country is not an urban clogfest. One size does not fit all. I truly hate this device.

[mgv]

Installed the eliminator after a couple of years. So worth it.

[jimgrant]

I use mine in conjunction with the AVH (automatic vehicle hold) and think it really works well. When I come to a stop and the auto start/stop stops the engine, I can take my foot off the break and wait for traffic. Traffic starts moving, foot on the accelerator and off I go.