November 18, 2024 at 8:49 pm

Mechanic Warns That The Auto-Start Feature On Vehicles Can Actually Damage Your Vehicle

by Michael Levanduski

Source: TikTok/@captainlugnut Source: Shutterstock

Just about every vehicle sold in recent years comes with the auto stop/start feature that turns the engine off when you are at a red light.

TikToker @captainlugnut is a mechanic who thinks this is a terrible feature, that causes damage to some vehicles, so he made a video showing what he sees.

The video starts out with a close-up view of the flywheel, which is clearly damaged. He says, “2018 Chevy Traverse with the auto-start feature on it.”

Source: TikTok/@captainlugnut

He continues, “And this is why that technology is crap!”

As he moves the camera around, you can get a good view that the flywheel teeth are worn down significantly.

Source: TikTok/@captainlugnut

He points it out saying, “See all the chewed-up teeth on the flywheel.”

That looks like an expensive repair to me, but I’m no mechanic.

Source: TikTok/@captainlugnut

He wraps up the video by saying, “It’s literally what the starter is doing when you try to start it, just grinds up on the teeth.”

I hope that isn’t true of all vehicles, but this sounds like a serious problem to me.

That feature is kind of annoying anyway.

Take a look at the full video to see for yourself.

@captainlugnut

♬ original sound – dylanolivas1997

Check out what the people in the comments had to say.

Here is another mechanic who questions whether this is true.

Source: TikTok/@captainlugnut

This person wonders if the feature is worth it.

Source: TikTok/@captainlugnut

Here is someone who had a car with a bad starter because of this.

Source: TikTok/@captainlugnut

I’ve always hated the auto stop-start feature.

Now that you’ve read that story, check out this one about a delivery driver who took a $400 grocery order back because she wasn’t given a tip.