Very true, it does not say EPA approved, but since it does not override any programming or change any emissions output and it only overrides the button for better user control, I don’t see how it would be illegal, kinda like a loop hole or gray area that EPA is not concerned about (hopefully lol)…
Enforcing Compliance Strategy
As you can imagine, meeting the nation’s clean air standards is easier to establish than it is to effectively enforce. EPA has continuously improved and revised their compliance monitoring strategies and while the primary responsibility of enforcing the clean air standards lies with each individual state. The EPA monitors each State Implementation Plan (SIP) to ensure they meet each and every statutory requirement. Failure for states to comply with EPA risk receiving a temporary suspension of state funds. Areas that do not comply with this act are known as “non-attainment areas” and are required to implement EPA standards. If failed to do so, violators will be subject to penalties up to $45,268 per non compliant vehicle/engine, $4,527 per tampering event or sale of defeat device, and $45,268 per day for reporting and record keeping violations. The Clean Air Act 1990 amendments also require that non-attainment areas will be stripped of federal permits and/or financial assistance in all amendment areas that do not comply.
The device overrides the ECU turning it Off every time you start the car. And the system was installed specifically to reduce CO2 emissions from an idling engine so both seem to be a violation.
Look at it like an EPA bureaucrat and it seems like a likely target.
This is a telling statement. They admit they have no constitutional authority to do what they do. The enumerated powers leave the rest to the states. They enforce it by witholding federal money that came from us in the first place. The game continues in many other areas, until people get mad enough to throw the bums out.
The first is fact, the second is my opinion. I hate stop start and the extra expense of the battery and starter. Plus at the first start of an engine, pollutants are the highest.
What is the fix? Eliminate the government incentive and allow the vehicle manufactures decide if the cost of the auto stop/start equipment is worth the fuel economy gain.
Auto stop/start is not a government mandate, just a burden placed on vehicle manufactures by the EPA, semantics.
You seem to advocating the abolition of the EPA and all national environmental regulations. What a disaster that would be. I don’t think the founding fathers considered the need for such an organization, do you? Or could conceive of our shared environmental issues.
Ironic that when a state like California does take independent action on environmental regulations they get criticized by the same folks criticizing the EPA for overreaching their authority.
Because the EPA has no real enforcement capability at the ground level, they go after the manufacturers and installers of these products. Little risk to the individual.
Those 14 states (?) that mirror California in their inspections and repair might find and decide to enforce their interpretation of the the EPA rules. In that case, the individual car owner is at risk.
Those of us that live in states not controlled by CA rules and inspections have little to no risk of discovery or subsequent fines. I live in one of those states so no worries!
I think you could license an Igloo cooler with an engine and 4 wheels in the state of Florida… Probably a YouTube video of that!
Not most PHEV’s that I know of. My Chevy Volt runs on electric only for up to 60 miles without the engine running at all. There is no “start-stop-start” like a hybrid (like the Prius and many others).
When a plug-in hybrid’s battery gets down to a low level the engine starts up and runs until you stop and plug in and charge up the battery for a while. Usually at home over night, so I start every day with a full battery. On a long trip I can choose to use just the engine and leave the battery alone.
You mention the starter. Most hybrids I know of don’t have a conventional starter. The engine is started by the same motor that propels the car. The electric motor just starts the engine when needed and then propels the car. It turns into a generator to provide “regen” braking, which sends the kinetic energy back to the battery. That’s one reason electric cars get so good mileage and their brakes last so long! Lots of good stuff!
Read it again. I stated that when I drive in HV mode, the gas engine engages at ~12 mph. If I keep it in EV mode–in which I do almost all of my driving–it runs for up to 56 miles on battery… depending on the season. In the winter, it goes down to 42 miles.
Ok, your PHEV uses different terms than my Volt. Your HV mode sounds like the Volt’s “Hold” mode, meaning hold the battery where it is and use the ICE. My “Normal” mode is your EV mode, meaning drive electric till the battery is down to (in my case) 20%, then use the ICE.
What’s with this that they like to waste money? I like the fact that my engine doesn’t continue to run and waste money while I’m not moving. It restarts with barely a notice before I even touch the gas.
Not sure what your question is or if you’ve never looked sat the tail pipe while starting. At any rate Paul brand former auto talk host and race car driver used to tell about bearing wear. They would put new bearings in and run the car around the track once and pull the bearings. The wear from just the start up was noticeable. So remains to be seen what is saving money in the long run. Everyone should do what they want but not be forced into stupid.
I think the cold start up is where a tiny bit of wear happens. When your engine is hot and it stops for 10 seconds at a light, I don’t think that’s a problem.
No one is being forced into anything. It can be shut off.
I’ve got two years of auto shop and never heard before that it increases emissions as you say. To back me up I Googled searched “stop start and emissions” and it says it reduces emissions. Here’s two.
by L Gaines · Cited by 44 — NOx and THC emissions from restarting are larger, but at least an order of magnitude lower than those from starting a cold engine (Table 2). • For short stops, …
Jan 25, 2024 — Start-stop technology reduces auto emissions and provide fuel savings of as much as 10% over traditional ICE platforms.
For all the other readers still unsure check out the fact that the Prius and all hybrids have had start stop since the 90s. And are used by taxis in New York and all other big cities because they are the most reliable. That’s very good evidence that they last long and save money.
I’ve used the red neck version of stop/start on my fun car at long red lights before, I cut the key off and then restarted.. I could even turn ign off and coast to a stop…
On a more serious note, on a non hybrid, doesn’t just leaving the A/C on also override the Stop/Start??? asking for a friend… lol
But yeah, I would be one that would find a way to bypass the stop/start…
I just think it really sounds stupid when someone does custom exhaust so you really hear the vehicle stop/starting…
Yeah, something like that, I don’t remember. I just kept my foot on the gas so it wouldn’t shut off. I also get that sinking feeling when engines shut off. I figured the easiest was to jimmy the hood ajar switch so the computer thought the hood was ajar and didn’t signal stop start. Then I guess black tape over the hood ajar message. I quit buying though until they work all this crap out like four cyl engines with double turbos instead of a six etc. the misery these people have caused.
