How to Disable BMW Auto Start/Stop? Short Guide

To deactivate the Start-Stop on a BMW, you may turn to Sport mode, move the gear shifter into manual, program the vehicle with Bimmercode, or press the A OFF button if you have it. In this article, I'm going to tell you more about each of the possible ways to deactivate the auto Start-Stop in your Bimmer.

Car software settings problems highlights

• Howcommon:very common
• Main reasons:hard-to-operate software, glitch, hardware issues
• DIY diagnosis:possible
• DIYrepair:possible
• Solutions:resetting, learning how to set, asking for professional help
• Can you drive?yes
• Price in dealership:$150 - $250

Why will you want to disable the Start-Stop?

When you are driving a BMW, you shouldn't think a lot about fuel economy. But you should have access to a wonderful start, quick acceleration, and all those great perks that this vehicle gives you. With the Start-Stop system activated, you will not be able to accelerate as fast as you may want to.

The system is there to fit the new BMW models into emission rules in different countries. BMW understood this and provided us with the A OFF button that was usually placed right under the engine start button. This was a simple option to quickly deactivate the Start-Stop and enjoy driving. But in newer cars, they betrayed us and took this button away.

Here are some things that you may find bad in the Start-Stop system in your BMW:

• the acceleration from the red traffic light is not as fast as it could be;
• the engine gets extra wear every time it starts;
• your 12V battery is tortured if the vehicle is not mild-hybrid;
• the mild-hybrid battery is dying faster if you have this system in your Bimmer;
• there is little to no advantage in terms of fuel economy;
• you just hate it when your car stalls at every corner.

Although the feature is quite modern and needed to legally sell vehicles in many countries now, people don't like it. I've seen literally hundreds of threads in forums that were asking for a good way to permanently deactivate this feature.

In this article, I'm going to provide you with the answers. Also, I couldn't find the proper guide online, so all the information presented below is gathered from reputable forums, BMW owners, and also BMW mechanics from independent shops.

How can you deactivate the Start-Stop on your own?

When saying "on your own", I mean without difficult programming, OBD scanners, special software, and also going to the shop. There are several ways you can drive without this nasty Start-Stop feature shutting off the engine every time you stop for more than a second.

Here are the obvious and easy ways:

1. Press the A OFF button

If you have the pre-2022 BMW and it still has the A OFF button under the engine start button, you may press it each time you start the car. Just make it a routine and it won't be a hard task for you.

Whenever the amber light on the A OFF button is illuminating, the Start-Stop feature is off. Now, you can drive without thinking about those shutoffs.

But when you change the transmission mode from Normal to Eco, for example, the Start-Stop system may be activated automatically and you will need to press that button again. Also, BMW doesn't remember your choice to deactivate the Start-Stop feature and will activate it the next time you start the car.

2. Choose the Sport mode

Your transmission in the BMW has the sport mode. It allows the engine to rotate higher while the transmission keeps the lower gear longer. But there is one more little thing that the Sport mode is doing in your transmission - it's turning off the Start-Stop mode.

So, if you don't care about several drops of fuel that you will waste when driving in Sport mode, you may just use it at all times and forget about the inconveniences with the Start-Stop system.

3. Move the transmission to the manual mode

It doesn't mean that you will have to shift the transmission manually. The transmission will keep shifting automatically and will only allow you to shift if you want by using the selector. But what happens in the manual mode, is your Start-Stop system stops working. It will not shut off the engine when you stop the vehicle.

Interestingly, this is something not so many BMW owners know about. This is one of the easiest ways to deactivate the Start-Stop in vehicles that don't have the A-OFF button.

More complex ways to deactivate the Start-Stop permanently

The ways that are described above won't require any money or time from you. But if you want to drive your BMW in any mode and still not be disturbed by the Start-Stop feature, this may not be enough for you. You may want much more than just adjusting the transmission mode and limiting the functions of your wonderful car to avoid the engine shutoff at every corner.

Here's what you may try:

1. Bimmercode or any good scanner

You can use almost any good (not the cheapest) code scanner and also some free or cheap software to change some settings in your BMW. The Bimmercode option is much more convenient because it gives you an understandable interface.

So, you may change two things that have something to do with the Start-Stop system:

• the default setting - you may change it so that the Start-Stop will be off by default and you may turn it on by pressing the A OFF button;
• the Start-Stop memory - activating this setting will allow your car to remember which settings of the Start-Stop were before you shut off the engine.

In newer cars, you will be able to deactivate the Start-Stop feature permanently using the Bimmercode interface. Just two clicks will allow you to solve the problem and keep driving your BMW without worrying about the battery health and other things.

2. Going to the independent BMW shop

While the dealership may not agree to program your car in terms of deactivating the Start-Stop function, the independent shop will be happy to help.

They will use professional BMW scanners and software to change all the settings that you want. The options are vast - you may set the Start-Stop feature for every transmission mode or program it the way you may want to use it.

Also, the professional mechanic may lock or unlock almost any other functions in your BMW. Many functions are available in your car but locked due to the trim level. Sometimes, they may be unlocked without buying any additional equipment.

Fortunately, this will not cost you a fortune. Of course, the eventual price will depend highly on the chosen shop. But even the most luxurious and expensive place will not charge thousands for such work.

Why may you regret turning off the Start-Stop?

Surprisingly, many BMW owners go to the shops and ask to activate their Start-Stop function after they had it deactivated earlier. First of all, this is an emotional thing. Something was developed by Bayern engineers in Germany and it's now not working in your car. You may start thinking that you don't get the full comfort and pleasure of driving your BMW.

In most cases, the trigger for activating the Start-Stop feature is the talk to a friend who also drives a BMW and is happy with how the Start-Stop works in their car.

Here are the reasons to get this feature back:

• driving in the city with the Start-Stop feature on will save some fuel - up to 5%, but it's still significant if you count the gallons per year;
• your vehicle will emit less gas into the atmosphere, so you will leave a less significant footprint in the ecology of the place you live in, this is huge;
• the Start-Stop Off pictogram on your dash may be annoying you and constantly making you think that there is a problem with the car;
• the amber light on the A OFF button may disturb you on the road and even irritate you, especially when driving at night.

So, based on these ideas, you may want to have the Start-Stop function back into your Bimmer. Or you may decide to not deactivate the function permanently. But even if you did, there is the option to get it back - just go to a good BMW shop and they will code it so that your car will shut off the engine once you stop.

Final thoughts

Although I hate the Start-Stop feature in all non-hybrid cars, I still think it's important to use it. Pollution in our cities becomes unbearable, so buying a 12V battery a little more often and getting used to the Start-Stop behavior are not the things that are too hard to accomplish. Also, you will get a little fuel economy as a bonus!

So, think twice before you decide to deactivate the Start-Stop feature permanently.