Petrol and diesel drivers are at serious risk of damaging their engines by pressing a common button found in many new cars.
Leading mechanic Scotty Kilmer has warned using start/stop technology to save fuel could backfire with parts likely to “wear out more”.
Start/stop tools completely turn off a car engine when stopped in traffic and are found in most modern combustion vehicles.
The system is built-in to reduce fuel usage with motorists likely to see a small drop in their mpg compared to engines which idle.
The start/stop tool can usually be activated or deactivated through a button on the centre console or using the car’s infotainment system.
However, Scotty has stressed the small savings on offer are not worth the risk with engine parts and the car battery under threat.
Speaking on his YouTube Channel, Scotty explained: “Today I’m going to tell you why the start/stop feature on your car is a bad thing for your engine.
“When your engine is running, your oil pump is pumping oil from the bottom of the engine to the top and lubricating it.
“But if you’ve got one of those annoying start/stop systems that stops the cars when you come to a stop to save gas mileage, your engine shuts off.
“The oil pump stops, oil pressure goes to zero. When it restarts itself it’s got to pump the oil to get back to the top of the engine.
“Internal parts of your engines are going to wear out more as will your battery and your starter.
“Now the manufacturers claim they are putting in stronger starters and stronger engine-bearing parts but it’s still nonsense.
“They are going to wear out faster, I don’t like the stop/start technology to save a tiny bit of gas.”
According to WhoCanFixMyCar, repairing a damaged engine is likely to put a dent in many road users finances with average prices likely to fall to around £218.
However, the RAC warned that concerns that stop/start technology would damage an engine are merely a myth.
The breakdown experts claimed modern cars are designed to “withstand frequent engine restarts” due to further advances in technology.
They commented: “If you’re stuck in traffic for a minute and your engine switches off, the lubricants will not cool down to damaging levels.
“If you find yourself stationary for a longer period of time, the system is designed to start the engine automatically before lubricant temperatures drop too dramatically.”
