Auto stop eliminator

docskeet1 said:

Watch this video & see the plug.

Click to expand...

Worked flawlessly, and saved me $100 (as I was about to buy the can opener).

5mith5 said:

Worked flawlessly, and saved me $100 (as I was about to buy the can opener).

Click to expand...

Just tried it.
The topper foiled the effort.
The brake light on the cap stayed on when I turned the truck off.

lawdog said:

Backup cam, rear sensors, etc. all work just fine on my 2018 802a SCREW.

Sorry, but no reason to do anything other than pull the plug for $0.00.

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Yep just pulled my plug last night, and so far loving it! No need to push the dash button every time I start the truck, and didn't need to drop $100. Thanks guys for the suggestion!

(edit) I did not write this up intending to be an ad for the Autostop Eliminator, but reading it I can see where it might come across that way. I am not connected to the company that makes this device in any way, I am just a, so far, satisfied user.


Auto-start-stop is a feature that seems to be a trigger point for some. Both my 2018 Raptor and my wifes first 2018 Lincoln had it (the second 2018 Lincoln does not). My wife and I both dislike it, but really, it generally works so seemlesly it is hard to justify why. Justification or not, I don’t like the auto-start-stop. And you can’t convince me that this does not cause extra wear and tear to the starter and battery. My wife had the grandkids trained so that whichever one was in the front seat had the tasking of shutting off the start-stop feature.


What really confuses me is why Ford puts what appears to be an override in the Settings menu of the vehicle, seemingly a software switch you can select to turn this on or off, but that switch seems to do nothing. In reality it is nothing more than a software version of the hardware switch on the dash.


So I looked at the options out there.


Run the vehicle in Sport mode all the time? Yeah, but then why have the other modes at all? And besides, sometimes I want it to have a tamer feel.


Jumper the Start-stop button contacts? Basically free, easy, and quick. But, no ability to turn start-stop back on if you want it. I can’t imagine wanting it, but some people might have a use for it.


Plug in a trailer adapter / light tester at the back of the vehicle? But then cross traffic and backing warning does not work and the plug is not closed / sealed much of the time.


Pull the trailer light plug under the wheel? Works fine…but I do sometimes trailer. So I would have to plug it back in when needed. Sorry man, I don’t want to dive under the dash every time I want to trailer, and back under again when I don’t trailer. While free and easy this just seems a little clunky to me.


Canopener? Not too bad, but since the vehicle is still under warrantee I am a bit reluctant to do anything that involves changing programming. And no option to turn back on easily, other than run Canopener again.


Forscan? The same issues as the Canopener, just more complex and greater opportunity for operator error. Don’t get me wrong, after my warrantee is up I plan on playing with Forscan a bit, but not until then.


So I built up a system of my own. A programmable time delay relay and a small enclosure, all of $22 in parts from Amazon or $13 in parts from Ebay with longer (slow boat from China) delivery times. When the ignition is turned on the system waits 5 seconds and then momentarily closes a relay in parallel with the dashboard switch. Essentially, 5 seconds after engine start the TDR pushes the dashboard button for me. Or rather, that is what it was going to do. I built it all up (20 minutes effort) tested it, and was ready to splice it into the harness, dragging my feet at that last thought. While I could do it pretty seamlessly it would still be spliced in, drawing switched power from someplace and in parallel with the start-stop switch. I could use OEM plugs, if I could find part numbers and sources for them, making it all plug-and-play and leaving no evidence it had ever been installed.


Enter Autostop Eliminator. It does not impact OEM programming. It does not change the way trailer lights work or the way the vehicle sees a trailer when trailering. It is easy to install, and while you do have to disassemble part of the dash during install it plugs right into the factory harness, using OEM style plugs, with no modifications (and took me less than 10 minutes to install, I had had the dash apart before for a radio install and knew what to expect). Removing it (if you want to) leaves no evidence it was ever installed. And it remembers your last commanded state. If the last time you shut the vehicle off the start-stop was active, when you restart the vehicle it will be active again. By the same token, if the last time you shut the vehicle off the start-stop was deactivated it will be deactivated the next time you start the vehicle.


This is roughly the way Ford should have made the system work. The last state you commanded it to is what it stays in, drive cycle after drive cycle, until you change the condition. While certainly not the cheapest option, the Autostop Eliminator feels like the most “factory” option to me.


So far I am very happy with the device, and unless something happens to change my mind it appears likely to be the best $100 I will spend on this truck. Less than a tank of gas.


T!

docskeet1 said:

Watch this video & see the plug.

Click to expand...

Nice, super simple and easily reversible!! Thanks for the link docskeet1, much appreciated!!

Just played with the "unplug option" for a bit.

The cap wiring seems to have an effect not mentioned in the video.

A single click on the lock button leaves the brake light on the cap lit.

A double click on the lock button (beep beep) a good result, no cap brake light left on.

Lock truck with key pad and no brake light, on cap, left on.

So, do I risk a dead battery and count on my memory to lock the truck with the key pad or double click?

Or, **** it all and just push the stupid button on every start?

Does the cap brake light go out after awhile? It might be exterior lights delay function. You can shut it off in Settings. My exterior lights stay on for 30 seconds unless I double click the lock button then they go off immediately.

Drove it all day today--no issues. Loving life.

I've driven mine this way since November, zero issues.

I pulled the plug under the dash 2 years ago. No problems since . Pretty sure I could reconnect it in under 10 seconds if I ever decide to pull a trailer.