How to Use Your Subaru Vehicle’s Auto Start-Stop Feature

Newer Subaru Forester® and Crosstrek® when equipped with CVT transmission vehicles feature Auto Start Stop technology, which can help gas mileage by managing the engine to save fuel. This overview will explain how the system starts and stops the engine, what the dashboard icons mean, and how to turn off or disable the feature.

For Select Models and Trims:
• 2019 and newer Forester
• 2020 and newer Crosstrek when equipped with CVT transmission

2020 Subaru Forester Touring model shown.
Features may vary by models and trims.
Check your owner’s manual for details.

[solutionswithryan]

There should be a class action lawsuit against this feature in the 2019+ Forster. The car shutting off in the middle of a left hand turn is the biggest hazard to driving. The amount of times my Forster has stalled and failed to restart the engine is absurd. Put it park, shut the car off entirely, restart the car. Oh but the Subaru dealers say this is expected behavior. Pretty sure my car coming to a grinding halt in the middle of an intersection is not expected behavior.

[zuluzebra]

There should be an options in vehicle settings to enable/disable this feature (and operate that way until/if it is changed again in settings). It shouldn't be something you have to disable every time you get into the car.

[yvonbegin]

Need a disable button in settings like the outback, very annoying to have to push that button every time you get in the car

[MrNizeGuy]

I smell a class action to cover the additional wear & tear from making this feature default on.

[drbichat]

This is the most annoying feature ever created. My 2019 Crosstrek doesn’t have it, but the loaner that I got when my car went in for a recall had it. I found out that if you come to a stop and quickly release and press the brake you can prevent the feature kicking in. I don’t know what will I do in a few years when is time to get a new car because is definitely a deal breaker for me

[rollingstones]

Auto start stop is the most annoying thing on my forester

[mr-alexknight]

I test drove the 2020 Outback last august. I didn't think twice I was took to a Outback that was already running. The Outback didn't shut itself off at any point of time during my test drive. Infract when I bought the car I remember it was running as well for me to drive off. I didn't notice the annoyance of it until I took the kids to the park later that day. So in other words the sales people realize it's so annoying that thy make SURE the car is running before you step into it whenever they go on a test drive. They KNOW it's so bad it could be a deal breaker.

But other then that I love my Subaru. But yeh they need to come up with a option for us to permanently disable it. Even to this day there are times I forget to shut it off and it's like "S$HIT!

[djanitatiana]

Hey Subaru, listen to your consumers FFS. READ OUR LIPS - PERMANENTLY DISABLE.

[DavGreg]

So as the frustrated owner of a 2021 Outback, who thought this aggravating mess was something anybody would actually want?

[woolfy]

I just got my 2021 Crosstrek and this feature is frustrating. (Almost feels like a gimmick). Coming to a stop in a parking space, I didn't even get a chance to put the car into park, when the engine shut off. (Foot on brake to prepare to put it in park) Put the car in park, and the engine starts back up. lol.

From what I know it can't be permanently disabled, which sucks. Closest thing I got is turn it off for each trip. I really can't see anyone wanting this.

[rollingstones]

This is totally annoying. I hate it on my 2020 Forester.

[marksantare]

I bought an after market product to turn this off feature off. I agree with everyone else that its very annoying. Cost was about $100. Hated to spend good money to disengage a wonderful "feature" as this but was driving me crazy. And am skeptical that it does no harm to the vehicle in any way.

[glennstewart]

I am surprised this feature made it onto US vehicles. In many countries, the tests required for calculating fuel economy do include a period of start-stop. Under Japan's JC08 mode test cycle (represents driving in congested city traffic, including idling periods and frequently alternating acceleration and deceleration) for example, a good start-stop system can save as much as 10% of fuel.

In the US, there is one US EPA Test Cycle (FTP-75) with two supplemental high speed driving (US06), and use of air conditioning (SC03). None of these really show the impacts of a start-stop system, so some brands will add their start-stop system to all global vehicles, but delete it from the US vehicle. An example of this is Mazda.

That said, all start-stop systems are not made equal. Ironically Mazda's system is one to pick out here despite not being exported to the US, because it was designed at a point in time when Mazda was obsessed with human behaviour studies related to mechanical and ergonomic processes (they literally have hired psychology professors to work in Hiroshima for this). Although these studies produced a lot of data (kudos to the Japanese for being fastidious), one bit of data was the time at which a driver becomes annoyed at a delay.
.... in short, Mazda asked the question "What is the longest that a human can tolerate between the pushing of a button and an action occurring?". The answer in their study was at most 300ms (just under 1/3 of a second).

It was this result alone that backed up Mazda's decision to exclude CVT's from all vehicles (except for rebadged JDM Kai cars), because on average the time between pressing the accelerator and having the expected acceleration occur was often longer than 300ms. OUCH!

But that also led them to complete change the start-stop methodology as well. Almost all start-stop systems use the starter motor. But the whole process can drag its feet, taking as much as 700ms (over 2/3 a second). And as per Mazda's study, this more than double the annoyance time.

So Mazda instead, fuel is directly injected into a cylinder while the engine is stopped and ignited to generate downward piston force. The result is a quick and quiet engine re-start compared to other systems. The Mazda system is 350ms, which is 1/2 the time of starter engine systems.

Although I have not tried the Subaru system, if it's taking 700ms to activate, then obviously it is going to be an annoying feature.

The YouTube channel "Engineering explained" showed that you need a minimum of 7 second stopped to gain the fuel back. This amount should vary, but the gains will be more on larger engines than smaller ones.

[riverboatsam]

I'm in Texas, which means it's Summer for 60% of the year. So when I stop at a light, the engine turns off, and then - because the air conditioner is running, it will start up again before the light has a chance to change. I like the gas-saving feature, but I wish there was a solution to on/off/on problem with every stoplight.

[keepgrindingup]

The only thing about my 2024 limited I don't like but all cars are this way I'm going to grab one of them dongles to turn it off for good. It's only to pump up the numbers for EPA purposes. Mechanics that work on these newer Vehicles will tell you the beefed up parts are a bunch of horse hockey the damage to the engine overtime is incalculable

[HSkyler]

This is the most aggravating, stupid feature anyone could imagine. How can it be PERMANENTLY disabled?

[Mountainsmakeway]

It looks like I’m not the only one that had this gripe after buying a brand new forester, how is there no permanent off setting, the minimal savings and gas is not worth cramming 10 years worth of start stops into less than two and adding exponentially unnecessary wear and tear. Suburu made this feature standard and cannot be turned off and yet they’re not extending warrantees to cover the wear and tear. They are causing to the vehicles. This is my only complaint about our new Forrester but it’s a big one trying to find a way to permanently disable it or it may just get rid of the car after a couple years and not keep it long term due to it not being viable

[Brandon-swjz]

Love my 2016 Legacy w/ 62k miles... been researching which trim level of '22 Legacy or Outback to get as a replacement. Caught this stop start thing somewhere... wow it's true. Not buying a new car now just because of this.

[kengur]

2019 Forester 2.5 s. I heard a short buzz sound when stopped in traffic and clicked the "Auto start stop system button " to prevent my car turning off every time during this traffic jam.
What could this be?

[jozeccav]

The stupidest thing ever on a 2liter engine how much do you actually save. This is probably a good idea for big engines v8, V6's but a small 4 cylinder that gets great gas mileage . And not giving you a the option to turn it permanently off is bull shit. And I'm sure that puts a strain on the egine from the restarts, battery, alternator and starter can't be good I'm sure you will be replacing them more often. I test drove a crosstrek today and when you hit the gas there's a delay then car jerks as it starts up and the crossterk doesn't even have a turn off button you have to go into the settings to turn it off every time. what? this was a deal breaker for me. Going to look elsewhere sorry subaru but it's definitely a no deal for me. Im on my 2nd subaru and will not get another if it has this feature