Skyactive i-Stop engined cars - ALTERNATIVE BATTERIES.

**ecport** · November 7th, 2019 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by oj88

Spend a ton to save a few drops of fuel at a stop?

That's just a rhetorical question. I'm curious if the i-Stop feature can be turned off.

If there is a lesson here, don't buy cars with i-Stop! Not worth the hassle. I will never buy a car with this feature again, as long as I drive in Manila. Batteries are expensive and do not last that long, and with our traffic, it's not practical. You don't want your car starting and restarting in bumper to bumper traffic. I wish I could permanently turn it off.

**travajante** · November 7th, 2019 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by ecport

If there is a lesson here, don't buy cars with i-Stop! Not worth the hassle. I will never buy a car with this feature again, as long as I drive in Manila. Batteries are expensive and do not last that long, and with our traffic, it's not practical. You don't want your car starting and restarting in bumper to bumper traffic. I wish I could permanently turn it off.

You can permanently turn it off, sir. Just flip the bonnet latch switch to fool the system into thinking 'open'. The trick is reversible.[emoji4]

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**newbie0703** · November 7th, 2019 08:03 PM

Will changing the battery outside the dealer void the warranty? i still have 6 months under yojin but my i-stop have already stopped working due to failing battery.

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**travajante** · November 7th, 2019 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by newbie0703

Will changing the battery outside the dealer void the warranty? i still have 6 months under yojin but my i-stop have already stopped working due to failing battery.

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What's keeping you from swapping in a new proper EFB/AGM & investing in a CTEK to squeeze the worth out of that pricey batt? The iStop Relearning is DIYable, if you wanna skip the dealership.

Try this procedure post-swap:

1. Warm the engine up. Turn everything electrical off that you can - radio, A/C, lights, chargers, etc. Bring it close to electrical load.

2. Switch the ignition off.

3. Switch ignition to on but dont start engine. Long-press the i-stop OFF switch for 3 s within 5 s after switching the ignition ON.

4. Start the engine.

5. Press the i-stop OFF switch. Verify that the i-stop indicator light (green) flashes and stays flashing. If it does not flash, go back to Step 3.

6. Allow the engine to idle for 10 minutes, or until the i-stop indicator light (green) turns off. Mine didnt stop flashing so after 10 minutes or so i just went to step 7.

7. Switch the engine off. Wait a minute or two.

8. Start the engine. Go for a drive, and check that the i-stop system operates normally. Those with i-stop will know that you may need to drive a mile or two until it activates. Remember that i-stop will not operate when (a) for diesels...when engines are in DPF regen mode, and (b) in those other conditions stated in the manual. Also, if a new battery was fitted, it may take some time for the new battery to fully charge up before i-stop will start working. Go for a decent drive so it gets fully charged.

9. If i-stop operates as normal, relearning is done.

Note: Should iStop become faulty & the car is found to be using a regular nonEFB/AGM batt, don't count on warranty to bail it out.
Cheap batteries costing drivers with stop-start cars - Green Flag

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**Walter** · November 7th, 2019 11:16 PM

You really don't save enough to recover the cost of a new battery and you're not really saving mother earth by using start-stop technology ... It's just so vehicle companies can claim lesser consumption for government classification and tax advantages ...

Engine stop-start Vs idling in traffic: How much can you save? | Auto Expert John Cadogan - YouTube

**travajante** · November 7th, 2019 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by Walter

You really don't save enough to recover the cost of a new battery and you're not really saving mother earth by using start-stop technology ... It's just so vehicle companies can claim lesser consumption for government classification and tax advantages ...

Engine stop-start Vs idling in traffic: How much can you save? | Auto Expert John Cadogan - YouTube

I'm not sure there's any owner out there who bought the car because of the feature. You're right, it won't save earth. The damage we've done is far irreversible....But it's there to not add up to pollution while it's on.[emoji4] Think of it as an insincere act of contrition...imagined by manufacturers for end users to feel good about.[emoji13]
Oh well, more tech=more dealership dependence...all boils down to $$$$[emoji2957]

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**Dr.Kamiya** · November 7th, 2019 11:44 PM

I hate any kind of start-stop tech on conventional engines. I don't believe anyone feels good about it, the manufacturers just put it there because it improves their theoretical fleet emissions numbers and keeps them compliant for whatever Euro or CARB regulation, but they also know people mostly disable it.

If the car has even a mild hybrid system start-stop works much better.

**dr. d** · November 7th, 2019 11:56 PM

i used to click off my non-mazda engine during long traffic stops.
my battery died a month after the warranty ran out.
i figure, the cost of the new battery pretty much out-weighed the fuel savings.

i wonder, by how much can that battery charger extend the battery's life, if i use it but not stop turning off the engine at long waits??

**oj88** · November 8th, 2019 12:42 AM

I did some Googling earlier and came upon a post from a guy whose iStop-equipped Mazda, at the date of his posting, has just reached 10,000 km. The app on his phone says that the iStop system, after driving 10,000km, saved him 24km worth of gas. lol... That's like 0.24% fuel savings. So on average, for every 50L of fuel you've used up, you're saving 125ml or about P6.25.

How can you recover enough money to replace the battery every so and so months?

I know part of the idea behind this feature was to go green... That, I am aware of. But come on.... all that inconvenience and expense to save an almost negligible amount of fuel?

Granted, YMWV depending on who's driving. Well, I just thought it was funny.

Here it is: How to disable i-stop PERMANENTLY in 1 seconds | 24 to 216 Mazda 3 Forum and Mazdaspeed 3 Forums

**travajante** · November 8th, 2019 12:54 AM

Originally Posted by dr. d

i used to click off my non-mazda engine during long traffic stops.
my battery died a month after the warranty ran out.
i figure, the cost of the new battery pretty much out-weighed the fuel savings.

i wonder, by how much can that battery charger extend the battery's life, if i use it but not stop turning off the engine at long waits??

Hehehe...Mazda's iStop, unlike other systems, doesn't use the starter to restart the engine. The higher spec'd batt is there for loads other than recranking.
I've been using trickle chargers on regular cars w/ regular batts, doc. Though they've proven to double the average Motolite life, I still lost faith in that batt brand. Without the charger, they seem to last, kinda precisely, as long as their warranty....it's amazing.[emoji13]

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