The Stop Start Shuffle

In the ‘70s cars would sometimes stall out in traffic – but not on purpose. You’d push on the gas – but the car wouldn’t go. Horn honking frustration would ensue as the driver of the conked out car tried to get it going again.

Today – undoing decades of refinement – cars conk out on purpose at every red light and even in traffic. The moment they stop moving, the engine stops running. And it’s not just the engine that cuts off. Engine-driven accessories such as the air conditioning also cut off.

This isn’t a defect. It is touted as a feature.

And it’s becoming de facto standard equipment in new cars – not an option you can skip.

The feature is something called automatic engine stop/start, which can be handily acronymized as ASS. Its stated purpose is to “save gas” (and reduce the emissions of gas – carbon dioxide) by killing the engine whenever the car isn’t actually moving . . . along with every engine-driven accessory, like AC. Stupid Car Tray - Fron... Buy New $34.95 (as of 03:04 UTC - Details)

When the driver takes his foot off the brake, the engine automatically chuffs back to life – with a noticeable “paint shaker” effect. But at least the AC – and cool air – comes back on.

This on-off cycling can happen a dozen or more times during each drive – as many times as the car stops, so does the engine – unless the driver turns the ASS off. But in most cars, the ASS is default on – meaning the driver has to remember to turn it off each time he goes for a drive.

If he forgets, ASS is on – and the engine will turn itself off.

The aggravation is compounded when the driver stops on purpose – to park. He rolls into the spot, the engine automatically cuts off – and the driver reflexively pushes the engine stop/start button (most new cars no longer have keyed ignition switches) to kill the engine, which is already off because of ASS.

And the engine comes back on.

Or – more dangerously – the driver forgets to push the stop/start button – because ASS killed the engine. In a rush – or just not paying close attention – the driver leaves the parked car with the ignition on. After awhile, ASS automatically restarts the engine – and fills the garage (and house) with carbon monoxide, permanently turning off people.

At least two dozen deaths associated with push-button ignition and ASS have been reported.

Unreported is why ASS.

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