Auto Stop by shifting into N
 

The other day I was stuck in stop and go and got to a point where when I stopped the Auto Stop did not engage. So heeding advice from folks on here, I shifted to N to reduce fuel usage. As soon as I did that it engaged the Auto Stop! I've gotten myself into that situation a few times before but this was the first time it responded that way. Just curious if anyone knows why it would've engaged it that one time and not the others.

BTW, just 3 days of ownership and loving it so far! Currently at a little over 49mpg, trying to get to 50 on my first tank!

Re: Auto Stop by shifting into N
 

Its wierd like that, but in most cases Auto Stop will engage when you reach a stop. However, if your battery charge is low or the temp outside is extreme or A/C on is high then your motor won't shut down since these factors require a substantial amount of battery charge in order for Auto Stop to engage.

From my experience, driving the HCHII my driving habits have changed dramatically to the point where the pedal USE TO meet the metal to the pedal meets the fairy's foot. :P It's like I've based my driving on reaching that Auto Stop and charging the battery most of my trips.

Welcome to the club!!!

Re: Auto Stop by shifting into N
 

The car's programming is a little more willing to enter AS mode when the transmission is in neutral as compared to drive, but not that much more. If you're borderline, neutral can sometimes get you over the hump. But if your SOC is low, temps are wrong, or something else doesn't meet the program's requirements, neutral won't do it.

Re: Auto Stop by shifting into N
 

I was just going to make a post about this. I would usually turn off my engine if I knew I was going to idle there (without auto stop) for about 30 seconds or more, then I remember I could to that in neutral and was like "Holy crap this is awesome!!!". What kind of things do you do differently in a hybrid to improve mpg's even more than you would in a regular car?

Re: Auto Stop by shifting into N
 

If you are in stop and go traffic the HCH will not, quickly, go into auto stop if your speed does not exceed 5mph with your foot off the break. I have noticed this with my car and am still fooling around with this.

Re: Auto Stop by shifting into N
 

Weird. At times I have shifted into neutral while coasting and the car won't autostop until I put the car back into gear. And at times, while stopping in gear, it won't autostop until I put it into neutral. Both are exception cases, but I wonder if when you are just outside the autostop threshold, it's looking for any kind of interaction to give it permission.

Re: Auto Stop by shifting into N
 

Thanks for the tip. It works for me if the autostop "sticks" on.

Re: Auto Stop by shifting into N
 

Another confirmation about auto stop in neutral, this time from me.

Re: Auto Stop by shifting into N
 

I have now found that it does not work ALL the time. I do not know yet what keeps it from working, but it's probably the AC, given the temps around here recently.

Re: Auto Stop by shifting into N
 

I read somewhere that brake system vacuum pressure and the temperature of the catalytic converter (emission control system) are other variables which factor into whether the car will engage the auto stop. Honda must have determined that it would be a bad thing for auto stop to cut the ICE whenever the brake vacuum pressure was too low. Those factors are in addition to the battery SOC, the ambient temperature, the difference between your interior temp and your auto AC set point temperature, and even the coolant temp of the ICE.

If this is correct than any one of those factors would influence whether or not the auto stop engages. This almost seems like rocket science, doesn't it?!:D