How To Disable Engine Auto Stop-Start In 2016 Cadillac CTS
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The 2016 Cadillac CTS with the 2.0L Turbo LTG and 3.6L V6 LGX engines introduced automatic engine stop-start, a feature that automatically shuts down the engine when the vehicle is stopped (such as at a stop light) and restarts it when the driver begins to lifts his or her foot off the brake pedal. The goal is to improve fuel economy and conserve fuel, which sounds great in theory and works well, in our opinion, too. But some owners find the feature to be unnerving and annoying. So if that’s you, then this how-to is for you.
Disabling the engine auto stop-start is very simple: locate and press (touch) the auto engine stop-start button located to the left of the CUE infotainment system. The button features an “A” encapsulated in a semi-circle.
Upon pressing the button, the vehicle will display a notification in the driver information center (DIC) stating that engine auto stop has been disabled. In addition, the indicator light on the switch will illuminate when the system is operational; by contrast, the indicator will not illuminate when the auto stop-start system is not operational.
Unfortunately, the system defaults back to “on” at each ignition cycle. meaning that if you turn auto stop-start off, shut off the vehicle, and then restart it, then auto stop-start will re-eanble itself. You’ll have to press the button again to disable it.
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Didn’t they tell us years ago startup was the most damaging time for an engine, no oil lubricating the top of the engine .
Most others have a button so off is OFF
They did indeed. Though I keep hearing that this no longer applies to modern engines with modern technologies like direct injection.
That said, I would like Iike to see the setting changed so that the off button persists.
The damage applies to an engine sitting for several hours and the oil for the most part has drained into the oil pan. An engine will still have oil in the bearings, journals, oil passages and etc after sitting at a stop light for a couple minutes.
i would like to think the engineers at GM are smart enough to know not to do something that is going to destroy an engine.
For people that change their oil every 3,000 miles turning off Auto Start-Stop will be a nice feature.
The factory or the government does not care if you ruin your engine.
That is why you use Mobil 1. Lubrication at Start up. It is the Very Best, worth every cent.
This start stop thing has been working its way into the manufacturers for years, pressured by the same people that bring you Global Warming. All of the studies I have seen say that it uses More fuel than just letting an engine idle for 5 minutes. It is a rather annoying item.
GM already uses synthetic oils for new and every oil change (if you go to a GM dealer to change)
Evidence, not rumors. Toyota Prius and other hybrids have stop/start plus electric motors that can power the vehicle up to a specific speed or increased rate of acceleration. ZERO issues as to starter or batteries. If that does not convince you, people have been changing starters and batteries since the birth of the technology and it has nothing to do stop/start but as to the quality of the materials and design of these devices. My 2008 Mercury Mariner hybrid as 105,000 miles with zero issues as to starter, batteries, etc. My friends, this is evidence. With modern oils and fuel injection and computer controlled engine management, issues of the past, sorry, myths of the past, do not apply. As to GM, I used to be a GM customer but after flawed paint jobs, head gaskets, exhaust systems, fuel pumps and AC systems, I went European until years ago buying this Mercury Mariner hybrid. So, if there are issues with GM’s stop start, starters, etc. it is not the technology but the GM engineering specs that, to save money, is not designed properly.
I would like to know if this auto stop start off feature is available in other Cadillacs and GM cars. I for one would not be fond of this feature no matter how seem less the operation is.
Off the top of my head… every Cadillac either has or will have it going forward. The Malibu, the new LaCrosse… this isn’t just unique to GM. Most other automakers will also begin incorporating auto stop, if they haven’t already.
I may not have worded my question correctly. I was asking if there will be a auto/start disable shutoff button for other GM cars other then just the CTS.
Oh, I may have misunderstood you.
It’s defeatable on every vehicle equipped with it.
I had asked the question about the 2016 Malibu in the first drive thread, and was told that it was not defeat-able there. SO, it is then?
I rented a 2015 Impala (base 4-cylinder model) and the herky-jerky stop-start feature was annoying and it was NOT defeatable. Horrid. Totally inexcusable omission.
Alex Luft,
Please elaborate on your statement “It’s defeatable on every vehicle equipped with it”
You can turn off the 2-bit system but it is defaulted to come on again with each start.
You need to be able to turn off systems or even remove those you do not use, like Stop-Start.
Nope it is not defeatable on every model with the stop start system, the Cadillac xt5 it is not controllable defeatable. Wish I could afford to burn the car I hate it so bad, and true to form forget getting any help from elite Cadillac or from the art of engineering GM which is one mistake right after the other.
I have developed a non invasive module to turn the stop/start off on the XT5. For more info email me at [email protected]
Tom
I just drove the XT5 and from what I was told and what I’ve read the auto stop is not able to be deactivated as was the case in several of the Cadillac cars. While I did not drive the XT5 for a great distance I did not like the feeling that it had died or was about to. As someone who drives mainly in stop and go traffic this feature would definitely make me reconsider getting one when my SRX lease ends.
The XT5 is about 10 times the better ride than the XRS. Much smoother, better acceleration and better fuel economy. The 8 speed tranny is well worth it. You’ll get over the autostop within a week.
Chris
I have had an XT5 since July and I can tell you I can not stand the auto stop. I have learned if I set my air conditioner down to low and close all vents when not needed it won’t stop but don’t know if reverse will help in winter with the heat. Very disappointed I do not have option to cancel it
I have a 2016 CT6 Premium Lux $66k with stop start and it will be my LAST Cady that has this feature.
If was worried about gas mileage I would not be buying a car that depreciates over $1,000 per month for the first 3 years. It is a TOTAL waste BESIDE the model I have with the 3.6 liter you have to have ALL WHEEL DRIVE which REDUCES your gas Mileage by about 2 MPG anyway.
I have an XT5 and I really like the auto stop. It saves gas. Mine however has stopped working! I have taken it in to the dealer twice. Both times they have told me it is working, but guess what, it doesn’t function at all right now. The second time at the dealer, they suggested that it was due to my driving habits, that I am having too many start and stops, and that maybe my battery isn’t at full voltage (it shows 14.4 volts prior to startup). They say that it is functioning perfectly by not functioning at all! My BS meter is pegged on that one! I’ve had the car for 8 months. In that time it has had a recall, and the check engine light has come on twice (with a nice email reminder from onstar), and now the auto stop doesn’t work. So much for high priced American engineering and automaking.
Dis connect the negative battery cable for 20 minutes or so and it will probably work again when you hook it back up. Worked for another guy
If I disconnect it for a week would it make it never work again, cause that is what I would
be looking for.☺
Beautiful car sans start/stop.
If you don’t want it to work don’t disconnect the battery. LOL
I didn’t say it had stopped working. lol
Ok, I thought it was yours that stopped, it was george’s.
My mistake.
I have developed a stop for my XT5 so I can shut that stupid system off. Much smoother car now. Love it.
ooops, apologies from me for butting in without clarification,
So cool that you came up with a solution.
Tom – Can you please provide details on how to defeat the XT5’s Stop-Start system?
Dan, I have developed a small bolt on box that plugs into an existing connector that eliminates the auto stop. it comes complete with a switch if you want to turn the auto stop back on. If you want more information email me at
“[email protected]”
On the CTS it will also eliminate the need to turn it off every time you start the engine.
As for the start stop damage do not worry about it.
#1 The oil is much better today and generally most of them are syns that leave a coating in places so there is no damage.
#2 you have fuel injection that gets little gas in the oil because there is no choke involved. DI just makes it better.
#3 The engine tolerances are much better today and it reduces wear. Also roller rockers and such have less drag.
To be honest I have seen engines driven with out oil for a good distance and not suffer much damage over the years. I would not recommend it but most times you can take things to the extreme and get away with it.
As for the Start Stop if some one could make a disable feature that remains off I think you could make a lot of money like the skip shift delete people did.
Some components of the engine are made tougher and the starter of the engine is bigger.
This should for 6 to 8 years give the engine the same wear and tear as a standard engine.
Driving a lot in city traffic will shorten this period.
But after this period things will change.
These engines will not last as long as your average engine.
Buying these cars out of waranty is not a good idea.
And the comment from scott3 about driving with engines without any oil and things being just fine, is just complete BS.
Just look at the Corvette engine problems.
Even not changing the oil after the break in period will destroy these engines, let alone driving without any oil at all.
That’s just ludicrous!
Alex you need to learn that often with todays oils there is enough tension in the oil a level of lubrication is retained on the bearings and you in many not all cases can start a car with no oil and get away with it. I have seen some driven a short distance and still come out with no major damage.
Too many people think all engines will die with just a start up with no oil and that is not true.
The thing with cars there are no absolutes and some pretty increditble things so happen. As I said I would not recommend no oil but it is far from a death sentence to start woith no oil.
If you have really spent much time around racing or engine building you will have seen this happen.
FYI the oil in the Corvettes has metal in them and it was contaminated. Not the same things a beling low or out of out.
As normal you are not being honest or fully informed. Merry Christmas.
FYI, that’s not me above. 🙂
Merry Christmas, folks!
I did not think so the real Alex as he has no photo and I believe you would have understood my context.
I had a fake scott3 here that used a capital to put up fake post.
Merry Christmas!!!
I just bought a 2017 Cadillac XT5, and I hate the start-stop feature!!! It would have been a deal-breaker if I had realized the car had this. Is there any way to disable it, either permanently, or with every trip? I find it makes the ride rough, and it is distracting. I do NOT like it!
You didn’t notice this when you test drove it before buying?
David,
I know two owners that drive/own the Chevy Cruze, I’m not shocked at
all to hear that Coleen didn’t catch it at ‘test drive’ .
Not only did the two owners (and the only people I know that drive
these cars) I talked to not catch this at ‘test drive’ ,
they still did not know anything at all about the feature, they didn’t know it existed.
I am the one that asked both of them if they liked the feature and knew
that is saved gas (1-2 mpg ☺) . I had to explain it to them and mutually verified
the features inclusion in their cars after explaining the rpm gauge and what
it reads when they sit at a traffic signal (zero) .
And what are the odds, that 100% of the owners I discussed this with had no
idea they had stop start, and of course did not catch it at test drive…….
I wouldn’t buy this technology on a bet , it is a deal breaker for me and why
I chose not to buy the Cruze or the Malibu, both absolutely nice cars imo
otherwise. I estimated payback on the Malibu on this system to be after
200,000 + miles , if at all, not to mention there are a multitude of ‘other’
engineering options to implement for the purpose of saving fuel.
put the trans on L6 when driving in town, this prevents the auto shut off from
shutting down the engine, and the car drives as normal. HWY use Drive.
I just test drove the xt5 this weekend and didn’t know it had this feature until researching today. Salesman never mentioned. hmmm…will not be buying!
How long do you think the starter will last? This seems to be the 1st part to wear out. On a trip it seems that starting the car many, many times across town will cause it to wear out prematurely.
I’ve wondered about that, too, because my 2013 BMW 328i has an auto start/stop feature. I’m guessing that the engineers have worked this out. If they really thought it would destroy the starter in just a few years, they wouldn’t have rolled them out. If this were 1983, maybe, but not today.
all you people who voted for Obama 2 times can blame no one but yourselves as his EPA is putting in all the MPG rules that bring this about. the world is awash in oil and the govt mandates more MPG but it really about global warming so you will get so PO at the internal combustion engine you will buy a electric car.
I wish we could blame this on the Bamster but it is deeper than just him. Even if you voted ever left tree hugger out of office little of these regulation would change.
I would expect there will be companies that will deal with this. It is not an emissions issue just a MPG issue like the skip shift feature and a reprogram of the computer should put a change in that would eliminate the reset.
I’m glad to see that it is at least possible to disable the auto stop start feature. The only use I can see for it would be to engage it while sitting for and extended period like at a railroad crossing. Otherwise for me it would have to be off all the time. I can’t see using something like that in stop and go traffic. Just doesn’t seem like a good idea.
I don’t believe it is as ‘readily’ defeatable’ as you may think, the best I’ve seen is that ‘SOME’ of these stop
start vehicles can be defeated , but only if you do it each time you turn on your car, not a feature I could live
with.
I took our 2014 XTS in for service and was given a new loaner with start/stop. At a light I took my foot off the brake momentarily and the engine started. I reapplied the brake and the engine kept idling. I tried this procedure at each light and it worked perfectly.
How much gas can you possibly save with this feature? If you’re doing a lot of stop and go, heavy traffic driving, I’m sure that you’ll be very familiar with starter replacement before too long. I’m also curious as to reaction time when the light changes. How seamless is it?
Merry Christmas everyone.
In my BMW, it’s totally seamless. Just as you start to lift your foot off the brake, the engine starts. Like, immediately. It’s pretty amazing, really. Although, to be honest, I usually disable it — but only because the weather is getting warmer here in Arizona, and the A/C isn’t quite as robust when you’re in stop mode.
Correct me if I’m wrong (your cue, scott3 🙂 – but is technology a variation of the ‘eAssist’ feature advertised for the 2012 LaCrosse? Or a renaming of eAssist? It upped mileage to 36, and they talked about the stop/start underpinnings.
Then it stopped being advertised – guess it’s back …?
Yes, it is the same technology. Also seen on the 2.5L Malibu.
This system goes back even farther to the Chevy trucks two gens back.
I remember the first one I drove was at the GM ride and drive event and it was a full size truck extended cab that they offered this option on.
Now keep in mind things have improved on these latest systems to be lighter and more efficient.
These things drive just like a golf cart. On the gas the engine stop it shuts off yet you retain AC, Power steering and brakes.
The one area in need of work over the past ones was space in the trunk was taken up with this system. The Regal lost a lot of room. I expect the new one will take up less space.
These systems really feel odd at first but over time I expect we all will adapt to them. I really expect this to become a standard feature on most cars as well as many will get the hybrid systems standard as cost drop. It is like Anti Lock Brakes. It was an option and later became a standard feature as cost dropped.
There are nothing wrong with these systems but I am old school and when a car stops at a light if the engine stops that is a programed in major issue with me. Just habit and something I will just have to adjust to.
Just rented a Malibu 2.5L two weeks ago for a 10 day biz trip…Las Vegas to San Diego and back. It had, as Alex Luft mentioned, the start/stop “feature”. Caught me by surprise the first few stops…thought the engine was stalling but the tach was at 800+ rpm. The Malibu system is crude…in comparison to other systems in other rental cars I have driven. In particular is the stumble that occurs as it goes from running to stopping and back up to running. ..noisy, shutters and does not do much to instill confidence in componentry or GM engineering prowess. Cannot imagine how long the motor mounts will last. (car had 12k on the clock).
What was really disconcerting is that several times as I was approaching a stop sign and creeping to look both ways (not a Calif stop but to see around parked cars or bushes/trees) I would accelerate just as the engine wanted to stop. I had no power for that split second as the engine/system appeared to be deciding if I was stopping or going. Agree with Scott3…next SEMA show there will surely be a disable chip/mechanism to avoid the need to hit the “a” icon every time you fire up the unit.
Is this really the state of our country’s effort at fuel savings? Getting rid of some of the heavy exhaust manifolds (headers are too much to ask for) would probably do as much to gain a bit of mpg (weight reduction) and might also yield a bit of HP as well!
I’m glad to see that this feature is present (unlike in the Malibu), and hope it will be present in every auto start-stop vehicle going forward. I find it unnerving that eventually it’s not going to restart, and not only will I be stranded, but I’ll be blocking the road and perhaps in a not so good part of town. Not only that, I’m concerned the hesitation of the system to reengage is going to get me killed. I’ve already had a few close calls with the electronic throttle where that split second hesitation was almost too much.
Now, I’m happy it can be turned off, but less than thrilled that it will be a manual step every time I drive, and make no mistake it will be disabled every time I drive. I can’t think of a time when I would want this to be engaged. While I’m sure the GM engineers have done their best job optimizing the system, it is far from seamless, and make no mistake it will wear excessively on certain components causing premature failure.
My co-workers girlfriend has a Mercedes C-class, and he says that he has to manually select “sport mode” every time he drives to override the start-stop. It’s kind of like the fog lamps in the newer cars, I have to manually turn the fog lamps on every time, vs. in my older car that had a rocker switch that could be left in the “on” position so that whenever the headlights came on, the fog lamps would come on too. If my headlights are on, I want the fog lights to be on too. More light=good.
Personally, I would be willing to pay big money to permanently disable the start-stop. There has to be an easy way to bypass or trick the system.
BOYCOTT the new cars with this system.. I REFUSE to buy any NEW car with it as right now we have a 2016 CADY CT6 that has msrp of $66k with stop/start and I also just bought a 2017 GMC TERRAIN without it and we drive the Terrain more than our TWO 2016 CADY cars..
I have told my CADY dealer I will not buy any car with this system OR ANY CTS etc with the RUN FLAT $500 a piece tires either with NO Donut Spare either or a place to put one so you can switch the tires..
Well, aside from potential issues like oil and starter wear-out, I’ve driven two stop-starts.
First was a LaCrosse. It worked ok.
Second was a Cayenne – and that was a little weird. Like, a little throb of unintended acceleration when it was go time. Made for an interesting trip in the drive-thru.
I don’t dismiss it as a bad idea. But it felt like transitional technology – good idea, perhaps, but maybe they don’t have all the bugs worked out? Nice to have the manual override, but that’d mean you’re paying for technology you’re not using.
I think I’ll be a mid-adopter on this one.
Starter issues are a non issue here. Also Oil issues are non issues. GM has this worked out as well as anyone and the components they are using are more than up to the task. These are not the same starters and the same oils use have been using.
This is just one of the reasons GM has their own standard on oil today. They need to make sure it has the qualities they need to keep your car alive. Same for the use of oil on cam advance today to.
Oils today do much more than just lubricate. They cool, Adjust the timing, cool pistons, Lube Turbo’s and many other things they really did little of or did poorly at.
As For the GM system the bugs are worked out as they hav already sold a ton of these. How many complaints have you seen or hear of?
Like the Cylinder drop today GM has about one of the best systems out there today.
Computers also pla y a big part in this as computer technology today is very amazing in these cars and much more advanced them many realize.
As for on off switches I prefer the ability to control them at will. There are times I could see like getting stuck in the snow where you would like to kill off the engine stop as well as traction control to get out of trouble.
It is just annoying to have a car that you know you can get out of trouble but can not because you have no control over a system.
No matter how well they add these new systems or even self driving a skilled driver generally can adapt to more instances to bring them out of trouble.
Even NASA found this out early in the Shuttle Program. The used auto landing for the first couple flights. Till they found out no one had considered a strong tail wind.
It appears that the system would put the landing gear down as a specific air speed. Well with a tail wind it was higher and they came with in 3 seconds of belly landing. Good thing the grat comes down fast. From then on the pilot handled the gear and monitored the system so they could take care of the craft if an unknow came around.
Ford Escape has a soft button that once pressed the start stop is disabled until you enable it again. That is more like it. Another issue is that the battery is going to take a beating. New batteries, AGM, are going to be used to take the abuse of the start stop feature. Also know that there is additional electric pump to supply the heater core with hot coolant during cold weather. More hoses, and pump to fail. I understand that the auto companies are being forced into this, but let the driver turn this stuff off, if they want. Bet you can’t wait to but a used one of these…
TK
I just test drove the Cadillac CTS V6 with this start/stop system today and I must say it may be a deal breaker for me, I disliked it that much. I was just about ready to buy one because I really liked the look, ride, handling and powertrain but I already dislike run flat tires (that was a compromise for me) and now this stop start system has made me think I’ll check out some other vehicles before committing.
I felt the same way about the XT5 when I found out it could not be disabled. I cannot imagine ever getting use to the feeling that your car has died in rush hour traffic.
Wish I would have test drove the XT5 before I drove it, I knew of the start stop system but was dumb enough to think they were all controllable, well the XT5 cannot be controlled, nor can you get any help from Cadillac to rectify the dilemma. I absolutely more than hate this car, which I could afford to junk it. Even offered to pay for a service change to correct this miserable feature. Have wasted my time with GM and Cadillac. I am in advanced years and would have had a car that dindn’t drive me nuts.
There is a simple work-around for the stop start on the XT5. When the engine stops, just lift your foot momentarily off the brake (or even just release your foot far enough so the brake pedal is about at the top of its position. The engine will restart. Then press down on the brake again and the engine will not stop again no matter how long you are sitting at that light (until the next light). This is what I do on my wife’s XT5 when I drive it. She says the stop-start does not bother her at all, it is that smooth.
But that work around doesn’t eliminate the worn out starter, from a million unnecessary starts, that fails two weeks after the warranty is up. LOL
Myles, I just bought a 3.6 CTS and the autostop feature is downright awful. I feel like I dumped 50k+ down the drain. Jerks and stops at every stop and start. It is truly horrendous. My couple passengers so far as incredulous. I highly recommend test driving a car with the feature (for a while) before purchasing. I wish someone had told me this. It is insane that the default is ‘on’ and not an option or disable-able. I will shout this from the rooftops on every forum I see from here on out. Good luck with your car shopping.
I did indeed test other vehicles and eventually settled on a Subaru Outback 3.6R. It’s not a sedan as I had previously considered but there’s no stop/start function, no run flat tires and it uses regular unleaded fuel. It rides as well and is nearly as quiet as most of the luxury vehicles I tested and after 10,000 km I can say I’m very happy with my choice. I could live without the “eyesight” and “I’ve turned off the lane departure warnings” but the adaptive cruise control and lane assist are nice functions on long trips.
I honestly would have purchased the CTS V6 had it not been for the start/stop function, it became the deal breaker, and will re-consider it next time, in about 6-7 years.
Just to chime in, we traded in our 2015 Mercedes C class because of the start stop system. Not having A/C when the engine shuts off is just too much.
We ended up getting a BMW because their start stop system can be permanently disabled. Once I turn it off, it stays off until I decide to turn it back on. The salesman said it’s because BMW has a couple of electric cars which increases their fleet MPG to meet the new CAFE standards, so they don’t need to rely on the start stop system. We also test drove a Audi Q5 and a Porsche Macan; both of these start stop systems could also be permanently disabled as well. Appears Cadillac and Mercedes are just too cheap to invest in electric cars to raise their fleet MPG. Bottom line, get a BMW, Audi, Porsche or Lexus if you hate this tech.
David J, do you know if the start stop feature were able to be disengaged (even if it had to be done each time the car started) would that assist with meeting mileage requirements? I suspect that it would not hence why the XT5 and this car have no way to disable it. I’ve just never gotten a straight answer at the dealership as to whether the ability to disengage might be a future modification but I’m doubtful. Although I have loved my SRX I’m fairly certain I could despise the XT5 and any improvements would not outweigh start stop annoyance.
I had a Mercedes SL Roadster ($106k) and the Maintenance was UNREAL $250 for an oil change $600 for front brakes , $2500 for 4 tires I had enough of ALL German cars as my neighbors with them BMW AND AUDI also found the same thing…BEFORE you buy any GERMAN car CHECK what they charge for the Maintenance..
The oil filter I priced even at auto zone was $21..
Alex Luft — please elaborate on disabling stop/start on 2016 models.