Should we turn stop-start off?

My 22 year old granddaughter has just bought her first car (on a pcp). It’s a Toyota AygoX automatic. I’ve been given to understand that it has the stop/start technology. I’ve read that this type of car can develop problems if the system is used continually and if the special battery has to be replaced it’s very expensive and not covered by the car’s warranty. Am I right about this?

She doesn’t spend much time in stop, start traffic because we live in a semi-rural area.

My feeling is that it would be best to turn the system off for most of the time, but I don’t want to give her the wrong advice.

Asked on 9 August 2022 by Chris Harper

Answered by Andrew Brady

We haven't heard of any issues with the stop-start system in Toyota models. Toyotas tend to be very reliable. We'd recommend using the stop-start system as intended by the manufacturer. It will save fuel and help reduce emissions when stopped for short periods.

Tags: stop-start

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