Home/Installation/i-Stop and Auto Hold
Disabling i-Stop and Auto Hold
The factory start-stop system kills the engine at every traffic light, and Auto Hold holds the brake until you touch the throttle. Both can be switched off with a button in the cabin — and both come back on at every start. I make it so you never have to press that button.
The problem
Almost every car with this system has a button to switch it off. The catch is that the manufacturer deliberately does not remember your choice: shut the car down, and at the next start the system is active again. The same goes for Auto Hold.
Over a winter this turns into pressing two buttons every single time you get in. And if you forget, the engine cuts out in traffic, while in the cold the starter and battery take on extra cycles.
How I solve it
The switch-off is built into the logic of the security system: the command is sent automatically after every start — both a manual one and a remote one.
No interference with the engine control unit and no ECU reflashing. As far as the car is concerned it is the same button press you used to do by hand. That is why no dashboard errors appear, and factory behaviour can be restored at any point through the system settings.
What else I do
FAQ
Is this an ECU reflash?
No. I do not touch the engine control unit. The command goes over the factory bus, exactly as if you pressed the button in the cabin.
Will dashboard errors appear?
No, for the same reason: to the car this is a normal action, not an intrusion.
Can it be reverted to factory behaviour?
Yes, it is switched off in the system settings — no need to take the interior apart.
Does Auto Hold get disabled too?
Yes, if yours is controlled by a factory button. Send the model and year and I will check your car before any work starts.
Is this a separate job or part of the install?
Normally it is done as part of the custom install. If you already have a StarLine system that I fitted, I can add it separately.
What does it cost?
The price depends on the car and the set of functions. Send the model, year and trim — I quote an exact figure before the work starts, with no surprises later.
Let’s talk about your car
Send the make, model and year — I’ll tell you which functions can be wired on it, how long it takes and what it costs.