Turning Off the Engine at a Stoplight

 

With the high price of fuel in the summer of 2022, it may be tempting to turn off the engine when your car or truck is stopped at a stoplight to save fuel. But is that a good idea?

Some new cars and trucks like the Dodge Durango, Challenger, Charger and some Ram trucks include automatic Start Stop technology that will stop the engine when the vehicle is at 0 mph and the brake pedal is fully depressed. The engine restarts when the brake pedal is released. The Auto Start Stop is estimated to save 5% to 15% in fuel if you drive mostly in city traffic.

If you’re driving an older vehicle without that technology, it’s not advised to turn the engine off when stopped at a stoplight when traffic is otherwise flowing normally. Turning off the engine requires putting the vehicle into park or neutral, then restart the car and shift back into gear. All of that puts additional wear on many components. If your battery is not at optimal strength, it also may result in the car not starting. 

Some vehicle manufacturers recommend not turning off the engine if the stop is 3 minutes or less. Long periods of idling is also not ideal.

So even though the price per gallon of fuel is at near-record highs, it’s not advisable to turn off the engine when at a stoplight. Instead, consolidate your trips, remove any extra weight from your car, and most importantly, decrease your speed a bit and watch the rapid acceleration.

If you’re in the market for a new or used car, truck or SUV, including models with the automatic Start Stop technology, contact Melloy Dodge on Coors in Albuquerque.