Hi everyone,

Got a quick question, does ECO mode really save gas. I've heard the contact start/stop engine will waste more gas. Also, what kind of gas do you guys use for your F-Type? Those 'supreme' gas or just normal gas?

Thanks!
Ron

 

Premium gas. The system may save gas but I don't really care. The start stop mode is really annoying and abrupt. The system feels as if the car "died" and passengers who arnt used to such systems get nervous when they feel the motor shut down. Plus, in Florida, the AC stops blowing cold air so quick that you can feel it almost instantly.

 

It does save gas in a stop and go traffic at the expense of increased component wear.

However, stop and go mode is an unwanted feature on a $100K car. We all can afford the fuel. On F-type it is also very badly implemented - engine shudders quite a bit.

 

Yes, but if the AC says it's getting warm, time to kick on - it will and will start the engine again.

 

Mine appears to have stopped working. Or maybe I just automatically don't brake hard enough to activate it.

But then, it has always spun the rear tyres while using too much loud pedal, and did once immobilise itself due to the main ECU getting confused as a result of a "bad earth".

So...

 

I drive a Ford Fusion for work and it has the exact same button in it. I'd bet it's the same SKU. When I was buying the Jag, it almost stopped the sale. Not really.. lol.. but I did pause for a minute. I can't believe anyone would put that in a v8 sports car.

I only drive in dynamic mode and the eco switch setting seems to be remembered there, so it stays off.

 

It has been discussed before, but the stop-start is required to meet regulatory requirements which makes no distinction between family cars and weekend sports cars. In due course the ability to switch it off via a button will almost certainly be removed and it will be active all of the time.

There should be no notable additional wear on the engines or associated components from the stop-start function as the components were designed with it in mind from the start. Press releases claim it saves an average of 5% of fuel in typical town driving. Obviously that will vary based on how and where you drive. My commute to the office for example has only one set of traffic lights with smooth traffic flow so I typically only stop the once. Around town I stop a lot more often. It's always cold and miserable in England so I've never noticed the AC dropping out, but that would be annoying in hot climates! First world problems...

I use supermarket fuel, and run extra additives through every couple of months. There is no premium fuel locally and I'm not driving 15 minutes to buy some at motorway service station prices.

 

Ah. 'Premium' fuel in North America refers to octane rating and not the brand name or quality and quantity of other additives.

It's very confusing also as your (UK, Euro) lowest octane fuel (95 RON) is usually the highest we can get (91 AKI), referred to as super, premium, ultra, or supreme etc. purely as a marketing tactic.

The cars were certified to achieve full rated performance on 95RON/91AKI fuel so using higher or lower octane than that is a different and well beaten kettle of fish.

 

I have discovered that the ECO will not engage if the heating/cooling fan speed is manually set.

 

Thanks guys! Going to find a way to remove the startup setting of automatically turning ECO on!

Wonder when they will have an update where they allow to start the car up with the exhaust open option on.

Cause right now the default start up setting is ECO on, Exhaust closed...

 

Not 100% sure, but I think if you turn off the ignition in dynamic mode, it will start in dynamic mode - with the exaust open.

 

Easy fix - don't start the car immediately, just turn the ignition on and put it in Dynamic mode (then put your seatbelt on, sunnies on, open the garage door, whatever), then start the car. Hey Presto, it starts with the exhaust valves open and Eco turned off!

 

Yes, for 6 hours then it reverts back to normal

 

I should have been clearer. The compressor stops and therefore the dehumidifying properties of the AC system immediately stops as well. The air is still "cool" but it becomes rather humid almost immediately. This is just one of the issues. The main issue is I feel like the car "dies" instead of simply going into a pause mode. It just feels unsettling and I don't like it.

 

I see you have a 2014.
If so you should have the secondary battery stop/start system, which is a piece of cake to completely disable.
Simply remove the positive lead from the secondary (smaller, on the RHS of the trunk) battery and tie it up out of the way. No effect on anything else, no codes, no warning messages.

 

I have a 2014 and the car does not start/stop.

After purchasing the car used, I took it in for a service and to replace a few worn items under warranty (start button, mirror cladding). The tech replaced a faulty connector on the ECo mode and said it should be in working order now. But I have yet to hear it cut off and restart. I think I am going to call it good and NOT take it back again.

 

My startup sequence is similar, but I start the car immediately and let it drop from fast to normal idle before I drive. That's just enough time to buckle in, switch to Dynamic, set TracDSC, and turn off start/stop.

I don't mind start stop in some cases and turn it on when I think it will provide benefit without annoyance. I feel differently now than originally though. It took some getting used to.