‘I turn it off every time because I am convinced that it wears out my starter’: Woman says nothing upsets her like this button on her car. What’s it even do?

Do you have an auto start-stop button? New cars are increasingly equipped with the feature, but one TikToker has had it.

In a video complaint, Victoria Alese (@victoriaalese) says that the "Auto shut should never have been invented." She hates the feature, but is it useless or not?

Her video, posted on Saturday, has a lot of viewers agreeing with her. The video now has over 1.3 million views, and many viewers comment that the feature is unnecessary and disliked.

She hates it

In her video, Alese states firmly, "Nothing pisses me off more than this button right here." She further indicates her distaste in the video's on-screen caption, which reads, "Get rid of it ASAP."

Her camera shows the auto start-stop button, indicated by a capital "A," found just below her starter button.

"Who invented this?" she loudly demands.

"I don't want it," she concludes.

What is the auto start-stop button?

So, what is this mystery button? It's known as an auto start-stop button, and it's becoming increasingly more common.

The device purports to increase fuel efficiency, but many drivers find it annoying.

According to CJ Pony Parts, the auto start-stop button "Shuts off your vehicle’s engine when idling, then automatically starts it again when your foot leaves the brake pedal. This helps save fuel you’d otherwise waste sitting in traffic."

However, the site also notes, "A lot of drivers … hate the feeling of their engine suddenly cutting off."

That said, the device has its benefits. Drivers lose a lot of gas while idling, and the auto start-stop feature saves that money.

"If you’re a driver plagued by red lights, stop-and-go traffic, and traffic jams, you’ll save a considerable amount. Some estimates say as high as 5% of your current gas usage," per the CJ Pony article.

"If you spend a lot of time driving around town on errands or stuck in traffic, auto start-stop is a cool piece of technology that can save you a good chunk of money."

That said, many drivers are put off by the feature. Autostop Eliminator states, "In many newer cars, the auto stop-start feature is viewed by some drivers as a minor inconvenience, prompting them to disable it."

Should I turn it off?

It depends on your driving habits.

CJ Pony states, "If you frequently have to manage junctions and turns where you can’t spare a quarter-second without getting t-boned, it’s a good idea to turn it off."

However, it also notes, "Auto start-stop is much better for engines than constant idling. And if most of your driving is on the highway, auto start-stop will have no effect on your vehicle."

That said, there are ways to disable the function, but they aren't built in.

Third-party auto-start eliminators are available. Auto Stop Eliminator offers several options, including "Dodge, Subaru, Kia, Hyundai, Lincoln, and GM vehicles."

Viewers agree

A majority of Alese's viewers absolutely agreed with her opinion.

Char (@cevan2020) wrote in the comments, "As soon as I put my car into drive I immediately push that button off. I’ve driven too many unreliable cars in my lifetime so I panic a little when my engine stops idling. LOL!"

Another viewer commented, "Glad everyone in the comments agrees. You should have to turn it on not off. Makes no sense why that would be the default for it to be on."

"I get so mad when I forget to turn it oooooff!" another viewer added.

The Daily Dot reached out to Alese via TikTok comment and direct message for a statement.

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