Back in May I bought a brand new Ford F-150 Platinum. This truck is hands down the best vehicle I have ever owned. I replaced the worst one, a new Toyota Tacoma with constant transmission problems. The new F-150 design and features are so well thought out that there is no doubt in my mind why it is the best selling truck. However, its not quite perfect. It comes with one of the most annoying features on the planet: Auto Start Stop Technology, and it sucks! But now I have made it the perfect truck again with the discovery of the Autostop Eliminator!
Disable Auto Start-Stop on the Ford F-150 Permanently
You see Ford really screwed the pooch on this design (I suspect under pressure from the EPA to meet CAFE standards). They designed the system so that Auto-Start stop can only be disabled by manually pressing the auto-start stop button at the beginning (or during) your current trip. Each time you shut off the vehicle Auto Start-Stop is reset to the on position. Even though there is nothing preventing Ford from adding a menu option to disable Auto Start-Stop permanently, they have chosen not to do so!
The auto-start stop is just software. In fact, if you have a 
Autostop Eliminator for the Ford F-150
Then along comes this device. The Autostop Eliminator for the Ford F-150! The device is pure genius. This device works by plugging in-line behind the auto-start stop button on the dash and basically presses the button for you (electrically) after the vehicle starts. And it gets even better. The Autostop Eliminator remembers your preference. If for some reason you don’t want to disable auto-start stop permanently just press the button on your dash and auto-start stop is re-enabled. Whenever you shut off the truck the device remembers the last setting and keeps it in place!
Since the Autostop Eliminator does not change any of the programming or in any way change the vehicle, it won’t void your warranty. If they try the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act of 1975 will make it very difficult for them to succeed; auto manufactures bear the burden of proof that a device you added caused a defect or damage to the vehicle. Not that this matters because it is incredible simple to remove the device before taking it to the dealer and its prior presence would be completely undetectable! Again, all it does is electrically press the button on your behalf.
The Autostop Eliminator takes about five to ten minutes to install. It was incredibly simple. Pop three clips loose across the top of your dash, unscrew two screws and then plug in the device. It’s that simple. They even have a great video showing how it’s installed.
The Autostop Eliminator adds the functionality that Ford should have included from the factory!
Why Auto-Start Stop Sucks
Inevitably when I mention disabling auto start-stop permanently, there’s someone in the crowd who wants to know why it bothers me so much. I’ve even been accused of being a climate change denier because I don’t support this feature (I am not). Let me break down for you why this technology is incredibly stupid as it exists today and the reasons why I can’t stand it.
Auto Start-Stop Almost Definitely Does Not Save Fuel
There has been study after study on the merits of auto-start stop technology and whether or not it actually saves any fuel. Additionally, there are many YouTube videos where this is put to the test. The problem arises in how the EPA tests fuel economy. It is a specific set of tests under specific driving conditions. Auto start-stop is designed specifically to pass that test with flying colors. It’s like you’re a school kid with the answer sheet at test time. Of course you passed. However, in the real world that’s randomized the test results are far from stellar. If auto start-stop actually does save fuel, it’s almost definitely not enough to actually matter.
Auto Start-Stop Is Bad for your Battery
Again, there have been test after test done on this so don’t trust me, Google it! The use of auto start-stop technology will shorten the life of your battery. The auto manufacturers will tell you they designed for that in their specifications and that battery life meets the specs. Of course it does! They designed the battery to last three years with the technology on, but it might last four years with it off. The replacement cost of the battery alone will pay for any fuel savings you might have gotten from auto start-stop along the way! Disabling auto start-stop permanently is good for your battery!
Auto Start-Stop Ruins the Driving Experience
Permanently disabling auto start-stop on my Ford F-150 makes it a pleasure to drive: it behaves normally! The engine doesn’t clunk to a stop and then shake the vehicle when it starts again a few seconds later. My power steering works at a stop. I don’t have to let off the brake and give it gas to turn. My air conditioning continues to cool properly on a hot summer day. My radio doesn’t seem to get louder or softer as the motor starts and stops.
Permanently disabling auto start-stop on the Ford F-150 makes it a real delight to drive and I would recommend to anyone with an F-150 to do this quick and easy upgrade!
Disable Auto Start-Stop Permanently on the F-150
So go ahead and do it! Disable auto start-stop permanently on your F-150! You’ll be glad you did. There are other tricks out there for disabling auto start-stop, but I can’t recommend any of them. Jumping the wire is not safe electrically and will most definitely void your warranty. Using the trailer plug hack is flat out dangerous (it disables other safety features like rear cross traffic detection, your anti-sway programming will be off, and your blind spot monitor will not detect cars properly), don’t even think about doing that!
I didn’t think of battery life, but good point. My bigger concern is starter life. Starters are a lot more labor intensive to change than a battery. Is there a reason you didn’t mention starter life?
Nope. That’s a fair observation.
Starter life is also my concern.
cancel my warranty my ass
While I get your jab, the reality is that manufacturers have and continue to cancel warranties over nonsensical items like this. Well, they refuse to warrant anything they can tie to programming changes. They might warranty a rear axle bearing, but they can definitely say your computer is not warrantied if you have flashed it. And people have had engine claims denied because they manufacturer will say the programming change caused the damage. Like it or not, it is reality.
My F-150 has a coyote engine have 98,000 0nit now just had 3 variable timing sensors and chain tensioner the button is a real pain started getting code telling me the learning process has expired ??? What learning process since I bought new i get in start turn auto start off drive it like im at the race track and it still stutters like when you stop mine will be tuned in another 2000 miles extended warranty up
Question, the link to the product you attached claims it only works with the button that is used for the hazard indicator/Start stop button. But your picture shows the button with just the Start Stop feature. Is your truck a 2019 Platinum?
Just got the manufacturer’s website and order there.
Nice review. I too think auto start/stop is a ridiculous concept that offers no real benefits whatsoever. Like you stated, it definitely has a negative impact on the driving experience, starter and battery life, so what’s the point? However, I might, possibly have to disagree with you on tuning. There are many reputable tuning shops out there like 5 Star who make their bones just tuning trucks. I can’t backup their research, but they claim that their custom tunes which are either done with a dyno or uploaded through a hand held device such as an SCT or Bully Dog will absolutely NOT void your warranty. I’ve had 5 Star tune my last two F150s. You can disable the pesky features you want any time with the tuner and it will not affect the running config/tune. I can tell you first hand that if you think the driving experience is fun now, you wouldn’t believe what a tune can do for an Ecoboost! Both of my trucks were tuned right when I bought them. One was traded in with 154K and the current has 89K(I’m a road warrior with my career). I’ve never had an issue. So if anyone’s worried about tuning, do your home work, but my experience has been great.
This is not correct. Ford has even issued bulletins about this.
Willie Burnett – Anyone who states their opinion as if it were a fact need not be regarded seriously.
Notice I didn’t state it as fact which is why I said “I might possibly have to disagree with you on tuning”. My point is that it seems to be kind of ambiguous. Ford may make that claim to deter people from messing with their ECU, but I’ve even talked to my Ford dealer’s repair shop about it. Their statement is that if they can’t prove that the tune caused the problem at hand then the warranty is not void. My point is that for anyone who’s not sure I can confidently say the tuning has worked exceptionally well for me. Not saying the product you’re reviewing here isn’t good, but just a rebuttal to the statement that tuning may be a dangerous option. Peace.
What I stated as fact is THE FACT that my experience with tuning has been great.
So it’s just too much work to hit the disable function upon starting this truck? Really?
You need to think about your post. Fill in any other thing you want left alone and ask if it is too much trouble to change it back to the way you want it every time you start your truck. How about seat position? For example, If your seat moves all the way to the rear every time you shut off your engine, “..it’s just too much work to [move your seat back to where you want it] upon starting this truck? Really?”
You can turn it off in the menu on the dash. Read the manual.
No. You can only turn if off per drive. It is not permanent.
There is a very easy way to disable start stop and effects nothing else that i know of.
Please enlighten us.
You bet! Try doing a LOT of city driving that includes a lot of places where you shut the truck off. Every single time you shut the truck off, it gets re-enabled. It is a major PITA. Unless you want to let your truck idle when you go into a store for just an item or two I guess. Then you still get the wrath of the environmental people for letting it idle, among other things.
I have an Edge Insight on my 2012 F150. Before that I had the equivalent from Bully Dog, both just electronic gauges, no programming capability although they look the same as a programmer. Years ago, when the truck was still under warranty, the tech at the purchasing dealership told me I had had a programmer on it, that their scan tool showed it. I never have had and never would have while under warranty, factory or aftermarket. The tech told me my warranty was void and I would have to pay to get my truck fixed, I don’t remember what was wrong now. I just told him, the service advisor, and the service manager, that if that was the way they wanted to handle it, fill out the paperwork and file it through Ford. My answer would be meeting them in court with the owner of the aftermarket shop that I got everything that was not from the factory installed at. The next day I got a call from the dealership with an appointment to bring my truck back to get it fixed under warranty. They knew they couldn’t prove anything and just the gauges I had meant nothing as it made no change to the programming of the truck.
When I told the owner of the aftermarket shop about it, all he said was to let him know when the court date was. He’d bring all my work orders with him and testify that I never had any such thing and that he had even talked me out of it for that reason.
Lot of concerns with this feature, when your engine stops all the time you loose engine oil pressure, coolant flow on some vehicles with mechanical pumps. Also how many decades did engineers tell everybody that frequent starts and stops were the worst for a engine? Now all of a sudden its perfectly fine to create a system that in stop and go conditions which by the way are the worst for engines anyway. That shutting down a engine and restarting it makes good sense for anything let alone fuel economy. Clearly this was a deal between car makers and the EPA to somehow gain credits on their Café standards. Mainly because makers like Ford and GM mostly sell bigger vehicles that don’t have good MPG’s. If you plan to keep one of these start stop featured vehicles any length of time, I would immediately disable this feature for good. Your entire drive train and your sanity with thank you.
Technically anything that even temporarily defeats a certified emissions for a certain vehicle it would officially violate a federal emissions law. We all probably remember how much VW got into trouble with those software tweaks. I do not think the start stop feature is of any benefit to the owner. This is more about the car maker getting Café points on MPG averages. GM now offers no official way of even temporarily defeating the start stop feature. So as a owner if you want to defeat it you will have to buy a third party device. But don’t expect a State emission inspector to pass you with it, or a dealer to work on your vehicle with it installed. They most likely will ask you to remove it while in their shop. What’s interesting is that this feature isn’t widely used so I suspect only the car makers desperate to improve their Café numbers are doing this. Will they finally decide this hurts customer satisfaction over any benefits they get? Time will tell.
Should not have to.
MODERATOR COMMENT: DO NOT DO THIS. SEE REPLY
Just plug in a trailer light tester and your truck will THINK that you’re hauling a trailer, which, for under $7 from Walmart for the 4-prong flat tester, you can get either an open-ended one (so you can just hook up your trailer lights to it while it’s testing), or one with a dummy end that still fakes out your Ford to think it needs to disable the auto stop/start function (because you’re pulling an invisible trailer).
This is incredibly bad advice. DO NOT DO THIS. This hack also disables many of the safety features of your vehicle and re-calibrates others like your anti-lock breaks to work like a trailer is behind you. Your rear cross traffic alerts will also stop working.
In addition to breaking safety features it also will recalculate your fuel mileage numbers to compensate for a trailer, as well the shift points in your transmission making the truck drive less efficient.
Please do not pass on terrible advice like this others!!!
There is a white module just above the brake pedal on the wall.Just pull the bottom black lead out and you are done .Plug it back in if you want to enable again.After you plug it back in,do not touch the button on the dash or it will enable the start stop again.All that is an electric pump that keeps the transmision fluid pumping .No stop engin,no need for the pump.
Will this also work on the Ford Expeditions?
Yep.
I just changed the starter in my ’17 F-150 Lariat 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost twin turbo. NOT EASY!
I have a 2022 Ford Ranger with auto stop/start. Twice now, when i have lifted my foot from the brake to restart the engine, the vehicle has suddenly accelerated before my foot even touches the gas pedal. The first time, i thought it must have been my fault and although scary, i braked before any damage. The second time, i was only 5 feet from a car wash sliding door and the truck drove right into it before i could stop it. Have you heard of this with other Ford Rangers, or with any other vehicle with this auto s/s feature? I now religiously turn it off and there have been no more occurrences.