EPA deregulation to kill Auto Start Stop (ASS)?

[Blue Max]

I’ve had my Bronco almost ten months and I still forget to press that damn button at least once every day. It’s annoying.

You really should purchase the ASS eliminator. I bought mine before I even picked up my Bronco because I knew I would never remember to hit that button EVERY single time I started the car. Installation was a breeze.

Sponsored

 

[JL8jeff]

To those writing that the Ford Performance Tune turns off ASS, I thought that ability was removed during an update. Did you not get the update (i know a bunch of people tried to stop any updates) to the tune or am I mistaken? I would love to turn it off on my 2024 WT.

I think it was removed part way through 2023 but it works on my Jan built 2023 and I have never updated the Procal since I initially installed the tune in Dec 24. I would have thought the A.S.S. disable would have been removed by then if it was going to be removed. I wonder if FPP will add that functionality back in so it works on the later 23 through 25 trucks, it shouldn't be that hard since it was once there in the code.

 

[rbell2267]

I find it funny that so many get all worked up over the AS/S. I hardly ever notice it. The functionality in my 2021 has never been an issue. When vehicles started rolling this out, the engine wouldn’t restart until you hit the gas. That was terrible and worth the argument. The Bronco restarts with even the slightest release of pressure from the brake, without even disengaging the brake. I can actually control it a lot of times while sitting at a light. It did take some getting used to in the beginning but I do not even notice it anymore.

 

[TLO]

Maybe going forward, the default option is ASS off, and you have to hit the button every startup to enable it

 

[ScottyC]

Yeah would you mind, I'll be starting my Bronco at around noon today, stop by then.

I expect a coffee - get some brewed up and be waiting by the door.

 

[crenca]

I was having a discussion with my father in law this morning, who a couple of months ago purchased his first vehicle with ASS (slightly used Infinity something-a-rather). He was bitching about how it makes the vehicle hesitate ever so slightly and more importantly the AC less effective when ASS kicks in.

He did not even know what the "A" button did, but I explained he would have to engage it at startup every time but with a cheap part could fix even that.

He mentioned now that the EPA overreach has been corrected that dealers should now install these $50 parts when requested, they could have charged him $500 and he would have gladly payed it.

He then suggested that I should sell our medical practice, purchase a local corner lot and a billboard, and open a business that just installs these ASS eliminators for a few hundred bucks. He thought people would be lining up for the service and we could retire in the next few years.

I think he might be right. Sure, there is always the person who says "it's just a button - push it!" but they are just the exception that proves the rule: A far larger majority sees these sorts of things for what they are - purposeful annoyances designed to direct your behavior for the benefit of a minorities idea of efficiency, moral/public good, etc.

 

[Lcubed]

He mentioned now that the EPA overreach has been corrected that dealers should now install these $50 parts when requested, they could have charged him $500 and he would have gladly payed it.

IIRC, ASS was never mandated by the EPA.

ASS was the car manufacturers attempt to get a better score on the EPA driving cycle and the CAFE.

there are other ways, but this was the low hanging fruit

(FORD would have been required to retest with ASS turned off if that was the default startup condition of the vehicle.

FORD didn't want to spend the extra bucks...)

 

[crenca]

IIRC, ASS was never mandated by the EPA.

Yes it was. The "it was never mandated" is just rhetoric. If you incentive corporations by giving them significant $credits$ for doing something, and thus withholding millions and millions of dollars for not doing something, it is a de facto mandate. Corporations will never tell their shareholders "we gave up millions of dollars because technically it was not a "mandate"". As you admit, it was $low hanging fruit$. In our economic system that is a mandate all day long, every day of the year...

 

[Lcubed]

Yes it was. The "it was never mandated" is just rhetoric. If you incentive corporations by giving them significant $credits$ for doing something, and thus withholding millions and millions of dollars for not doing something, it is a de facto mandate. Corporations will never tell their shareholders "we gave up millions of dollars because technically it was not a "mandate"". As you admit, it was $low hanging fruit$. In our economic system that is a mandate all day long, every day of the year...

exactly!
the corporations don't like being told to use someone else's technology (instead of in-house)
that's why stellanis' vehicles with ASS/hybrid use a funky second battery that causes many issues (but it was invented there...)

the ultimate version of how badly things can go when given a performance requirement and no guidance on how to get there is the US Navy's failed LCS program.

 

[rbell2267]

Haha. “No! You need to push the button” is such a childish argument.
I do agree though that it should be a setting. It should be automatically on when you get the truck, but there should be a setting to turn it off. You should not have to hit the button every time you start the truck. That is reasonable.

 

[Lcubed]

Haha. “No! You need to push the button” is such a childish argument.
I do agree though that it should be a setting. It should be automatically on when you get the truck, but there should be a setting to turn it off. You should not have to hit the button every time you start the truck. That is reasonable.

from the OEM's perspective, the cheapest solution (with maximum benefits to them) is to leave things in the current state aka do nothing

 

[MilesTeg]

I find it funny that so many get all worked up over the AS/S. I hardly ever notice it. The functionality in my 2021 has never been an issue. When vehicles started rolling this out, the engine wouldn’t restart until you hit the gas. That was terrible and worth the argument. The Bronco restarts with even the slightest release of pressure from the brake, without even disengaging the brake. I can actually control it a lot of times while sitting at a light. It did take some getting used to in the beginning but I do not even notice it anymore.

In my manual, the engine is restarted and ready to go well before I even get into gear to get going (and I'm pretty snappy). It starts before I have the clutch fully depressed.

 

[MilesTeg]

Yes it was. The "it was never mandated" is just rhetoric. If you incentive corporations by giving them significant $credits$ for doing something, and thus withholding millions and millions of dollars for not doing something, it is a de facto mandate. Corporations will never tell their shareholders "we gave up millions of dollars because technically it was not a "mandate"". As you admit, it was $low hanging fruit$. In our economic system that is a mandate all day long, every day of the year...

Only about 2/3 of new vehicles even have ASS. So the claim that corporations will never not do it is not true, and the broader claim that it's some any kind of mandate is also not true.

ASS is a good feature that saves you money and reduces pollution. Some implementation suck, but even a mid car company like Ford has been able to make a reasonably good implementation. The one and only thing wrong with it is that you can't permanently select it being on or off.

 

[crenca]

he broader claim that it's some any kind of mandate is also not true.

It's as true as the sky is blue, up is up and down is down, and death and taxes.

Your claim that ASS is (or rather was until recently) not a mandate is as Orwoodian as @ScottyC 's girlfriend.

 

[Roger123]

I think it’s ironic that Ford “allows” me to turn off the seatbelt reminder so that I can drive around all day with no belt on and no annoying warning but I have to push the stupid ASS button every time I drive my car, well not me personally cause I installed the dongle.

Sponsored