NHTSA Complaint #11103732 — 2017 ALFA ROMEO GIULIA

THE AUTO START/STOP FEATURE INTERFERES WITHOUT WARNING WITH THE DRIVER'S ATTEMPT TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF, AND CAN MAKE THE DRIVER BELIEVE THE CAR IS OFF WHEN IT IS NOT. THIS CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO RESTART AND MOVE FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN THE DRIVER BEGINS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. EXPERIENCE: I ENTERED THE DRIVEWAY AND CAME TO A STOP. I PUSHED THE IGNITION STOP BUTTON AND THE CAR APPEARED TO TURN OFF AS EXPECTED. IN FACT, THE AUTO START/STOP SYSTEM HAD STOPPED THE ENGINE TEMPORARILY AT ALMOST THE EXACT SAME MOMENT I PRESSED THE STOP BUTTON. BELIEVING THE IGNITION TO BE OFF I BEGAN TO EXIT THE CAR NORMALLY BUT AS SOON AS I MOVED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND THE VEHICLE MOVED FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY, ALMOST HITTING THE PARKED CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE AUTO START/STOP SYSTEM TAKES VARIOUS FACTORS INTO ACCOUNT WHEN DECIDING WHEN TO PAUSE THE ENGINE, BUT IT FREQUENTLY TURNS THE ENGINE OFF WITHIN ONE TO THREE SECONDS AFTER A STOP -- THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME A TYPICAL DRIVER WILL BE ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF WITH NO OBVIOUS VISUAL OR AUDITORY CLUES AS TO WHAT HAS TURNED OFF THE ENGINE (THE DRIVER OR THE AUTO START/STOP SYSTEM) THE DRIVER CAN BE UNAWARE THAT THE CAR WILL RESTART AND MOVE FORWARD WHEN HE TAKES HIS FOOT FROM THE BRAKE. THIS CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO THE DRIVER OR PASSENGERS WHO MAY BE EXITING THE CAR, AND TO PEDESTRIANS IN FRONT OF THE CAR. FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE: TWO OR THREE TIMES WEEKLY. *TT