Secret car button could stop ‘engine wear’ with petrol and diesel owners under threat

Motorists have been urged to deactivate their car's start/stop mode (Image: Getty)

Leading mechanic Scotty Kilmer has urged all petrol and diesel owners to press a secret button located on the dashboard immediately. 

Mr Kilmer warned that not pressing the crucial button which is found in most modern vehicles could cause serious damage to key components such as the engine, battery and starter motor. 

Newer cars have a start/stop mode which turns off the engine for a short period of time when a vehicle is at a standstill. 

This could kick into life in traffic jams or even waiting at traffic lights with the engine fighting up as motorists press their foot on the throttle. 

However, Scotty admitted this could backfire with major consequences for some of the vehicle's most important parts. 

The mode turns off engines in traffic but may be causing damage (Image: Getty)

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Scotty said: “You see this little button here that says ‘A-off’. Well, guess what, make it a habit to push the ‘A-off’. 

“Now it won't turn the engine off when you come to a stop. It will continue to work like a normal car and won’t keep turning itself off, starting itself up.

“Most of the wear on your engine occurs when you start the car. The oil’s in the bottom of the engine, the oil pump has to spin, pump the oil to the top of the engine to start lubricating. 

“Every time you shut the car off the oil goes back down, it’s got to be pumped back up again.

“Do you really want to be starting and stopping your car all the time? It will wear the engine out faster, it will wear the starter out faster, it will wear the battery out faster.”

Motorists can deactivate the mode by pressing the ‘A off’ button which is usually found on their dashboard close to the gear stick. 

Some vehicles may require road users to press a deactivation switch or manually turn off the mode through the car’s infotainment system.

Experts at CarBase suggest that the tool could reduce pollution and save fuel but admitted it could take some time for road users to understand and trust the system.

However, they did accept that some parts would likely reach the end of their life quicker if the tool is left on.

They commented: “Stop-start technology requires powerful components. Although the lifespan of these components shouldn't be shorter than those in a regular car, they can be more expensive.”