Zeldin’s EPA Overhaul Signals End of Federal Push for Start-Stop Engines
By removing climate-based micromanagement from everyday life, the EPA has opened the door for consumer preference and market demand to reclaim their rightful place in shaping innovation.
Last month, I noted that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin rescinded a policy known as the “Endangerment Finding“.
Back in 2009, the policy was used by the EPA to begin regulating six key greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide, methane, and others) by asserting they endanger both public health and welfare. It laid the groundwork for hyper-regulation that restricted both prosperity and personal liberty.
Subsequent rules promulgated by the EPA allowed the agency to essentially wage a “War on Fossil Fuels,” a “War on Appliances,” and a “War on Meat.” Biden’s ludicrous “Inflation Reduction Act” further fueled this inanity by codifying the “Green New Deal.”
Among the other travesties promoted via the “Endangerment Finding” was the installation of stop-start engines in new cars. These engine systems automatically shut off the engine when a car is stopped (for example, at a light) and restart it when the brakes are released. Theoretically, it saves fuel and reduces emissions.
However, all it really did was cause stress and annoyance.
With the life-essential gas carbon dioxide no longer treated as a toxic chemical, the credit for buying cars with this setup is going away… which will effectively kill this irritating feature.
The start/stop feature, which is today widely used in newer vehicles, shuts off gas engines when cars idle, such as when they’re stopped at a red light or stuck in traffic. The Environmental Protection Agency described the technology as “almost universally hated” in its Thursday announcement about the broader overhaul.
About two-thirds of cars are now manufactured with the start/stop feature, which is aimed at making internal combustion engines more fuel efficient while reducing carbon emissions. One analysis found that the feature can improve fuel economy by between about 7% and 26%, depending on driving conditions.
While that may seem like a benefit to drivers who want to cut down on fuel costs, the Trump administration has linked such features to a sharp rise in automobile prices in recent years. In comments at the White House on Thursday, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the regulatory overhaul will help save consumers an average of $2,400 when they purchase a new car.
“There will be no more climate participation trophies awarded to manufacturers for making Americans’ cars die at every red light and stop sign,” Zeldin said. “It’s over, done, finished.”
The start/stop concept in vehicles is almost universally DESPISED. So, the Trump EPA has now REMOVED the ridiculous climate participation trophy the Obama Admin created to get this hated feature installed. The incentives for manufacturers to make your car die at every red light… https://t.co/cToRBlsybr
— Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) April 8, 2026
Drivers across the country are celebrating the demise of the stop-start engine.
Alek Komarnitsky, a self-described retired “longtime computer nerd” from “the Republic of Boulder Colorado,” has been a Subaru driver since 1998. But when he got his 2024 Outback, the stop-start feature quickly turned him off.
“It’s super noticeable,” said Komarnitsky, 62. “The car makes noise, and it has some vibration.”
His younger brother, who lives outside Seattle, also can’t stand stop-start, including in his 2022 Outback “with all the fancy bells and whistles and cameras.”
“You got better, other things on your mind than worrying about the car, turning it off and turning it on,” said Kurt Komarnitsky, 60, who is often on the road.
Keeping cool while Making America Hot Again. 🏁
Auto start-stop is officially dead. pic.twitter.com/9th5fq6wwF
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 13, 2026
Though the start-stop engine was never mandated, the incentives were such that by 2024, approximately 58% of new gasoline non-hybrid cars had the systems installed.
Now, customer feedback will dictate which features stay in new cars.
Hyundai’s statement was the most specific we received, pointing out that the EPA’s rule changes simply remove incentives for automakers to use this technology, rather than banning it: “Start‑stop technology has never been federally mandated, and the EPA’s recent action removes regulatory incentives associated with it rather than prohibiting its use. Hyundai continues to comply with all applicable emissions regulations and regularly evaluates vehicle technologies based on customer feedback, regulatory requirements, and overall efficiency. At this time, we will continue to assess future developments as regulations evolve.”
Based on the joy expressed in this announcement, I suspect the end is nigh for the start-stop nightmare.
The rollback of the Endangerment Finding marks not just the end of a destructive regulatory era but also a broader philosophical shift. By removing climate-based micromanagement from everyday life, the EPA has opened the door for consumer preference and market demand to reclaim their rightful place in shaping innovation. Whether on the road or in the energy sector, Americans seem eager to trade regulatory overreach for practical freedom.
For drivers weary of stop-start frustration, that change can’t come soon enough.
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Comments
This “feature” beats the heck out of starters and batteries, costing the consumer far more than any projected fuel savings.
Add in cylinder deactivation, which is literally destroying engines, not to mention EGR for Diesel engines, which simply clogs them up and causes unnecessary wear.
Never let the pols decide engineering issues or make stupid practices “normal.”
Add in that it takes about 10 idle seconds on average just to break even on fuel savings and your car restarts even if you leave your foot on the brake and slightly move the steering wheel.
They aren’t even a fuel savings. How many light trips do you stop just to start up again? That’s 10 seconds of fuel wasted with your starter and engine and AC controls all f****d with.
I worked for a trucking company a number of years ago that came up with the same plane. Turn off your truck at stop lights to save fuel. The increase in maintenance costs tied decreased longevity of batteries and starters caused them to abandon it. The start/stop feature neglects to mention one thing. Every vehicle already has one. If you want to do that just put your vehicle in neutral or park and shut it off. I’ve never met one person that liked the feature. Wife rented a car with it and said it was beyond annoying. She also said the vehicle would allow you to turn it off.
It is one of the most insane, idiotic, counterproductive requirement since the nonsense of ethanol in gasoline.
People have already proven the data – it depends to some degree on the engine and care, but basically, the car has to be turned for AT LEAST TWO MINUTES for it to use less gas and produce less carbon than idling the engine for that time.
And that’s just gas and carbon. Not even taking into account the strain on the starter, batteries, and engines, which when taken into the equation and what they take to manufacture, means the feature will never, EVER actually be worth it.
The left doesn’t care. They did it anyway.
I just hit the off button after starting on both of our vehicles. Another Obama era diktat tossed in the trash. Good!
Yes, but it’s a waste of your time, which adds up over the years.
I installed a bypass from Amazon. Best 20 bucks I ever spent.
Always forget the stupid button until the car already does the annoying crap. Finally ended up pulling the switch out of the dashboard and wiring the terminals together permanently. Problem solved
Everyone should be more concerned with the auto off feature the government has mandated that allows them to track and turn off your vehicle any time they want for example, during a Covid style emergency when people just won’t stay home like they demand.
As both Dimsdale and Olinser have noted, Dems never, ever, consider the consequences of their actions. One of the reasons why any leftist initiative should be reflexively opposed.
I, for one, will be delighted to get rid of the Obama switch when I get a new vehicle!
I, for one, alway use my middle finger when I turn off my Obama Switch. Here in Dallas, for most of the year they’re valueless in terms of saving gas. Our traffic signal system is pretty good at keeping traffic moving, and if for some reason you are stopped for more than a couple minutes the Texas heat restarts the engine to run the air conditioning.
According to CHATGPT the cost for replacing the battery with installation is $500 to $900 installed. You (almost?) have to do it at the dealership because
• BMW requires battery registration/programming after installation
So even if you get an an aftermarket battery, you are still paying BMW for an hour of their time; about $200 here.
Did I mention that I hate system?
Obama Switch:
In 2008, the Democratic Party switched their support from their front-runner, Hillary, to Obama due to:
1. Obama’s vast intellect, experience and wisdom.
2. Hillary’s lack of personality
3. DEI
4. Fate
5, My vote in the MA democratic primary.
Hilldog has lots of personality. But it’s all annoying, arrogant, and thoroughly corrupt.
The problem is the cost of it in the first place. It helped raise the price of a new vehicle. They are already so expensive I’m amazed people buy one and not a used vehicle. I just saved $10k buying a used vehicle with 30k on it so it’s essentially a new vehicle.
“new car”
which means the next admin will undo it before you see a benefit.
Eapaa should encourage manufacturers to issue a software update today that disables it in the “normal” configuration for vehicles on the road.
Otherwise, this really is just virtue signaling. Manufacturers have no plans to update models. They will wait to see whether this survives 2029.
I have a Subaru and at least they gave us the “A” button which I hit every single time.,
and yet the government is legalized to continue to
jerkusoff
No any more.
Can it be disabled? If not, the used car market for those cars will likely tank.
On most cars it can be disabled with a software patch. The issue is whether the manufacturerers will issue the patch. Unlikely without some incentive.
That one tiny button is not going to tank the used car market, lol. Its annoying, but not a show stopper, especially when a new car is 35k or more. The average price of the new car sold today is around 50k.
I also very much doubt manufacturers will rush to disable or eliminate these in new cars. They’ll wait to see whether this sticks. Spending money on even a slight redesign and factory retooling is very, very expensive. A few model years from now, you will start seeing these gone. Maybe.
you can buy modules for many vehicles to disable it.
on many models, you dont really need a “module” just access to the dealer scan software to change a config switch.
Wife said the car she rented had an on/off switch on the dash which she flicked to off.
luckily on my 2019 silverado 1500 rst (new body style) has a large button easy to hit every time I press start button. am in habit of just turning it off when starting. could buy 100$ wire harness to bypass but I have the console style front seating and its a PAIN to get at back side of the button.
Gee, why didn’t they just add the auto start/stop button to lawnmowers, snowblowers, weed wackers, and leaf blowers?
I’d bet a $million that the “Beast”, the Presidential limo doesn’t have this foolish feature.
But the “little people” have had to suffer with it…
Because government can just outlaw gas powered yard machines like those and force you to use electric ones like California did.
On Honda Accords you can disable it but there are some circumstances when it gets reenabled. However the side effect of disabling is an annoying message that made no sense to me for the longest time that pops up in the dashboard.
I hated this feature with a passion. I also hate that if I’m not careful I enable auto steer assist from a button on the steering wheel. At that point I have to fight with this feature when I wish to steer the car my way. Fortunately I can pop the button again and it turns off but I wish I could disable it permanently.
All this crap they keep adding drives up the cost of cars unnecessarily,. Now that it what I find most annoying, Stop adding features and strip out many of the ones previously added and make cars cheaper or at least stop increasing their price,
It keeps you from thinking about the kill switch they are putting in cars, why do cars need kill switch in cars?
The Democrats/Leftist want it to manage the Proles drving. They could hve it shut off your car if you don’t obey their asinine dictats.
I installed an aftermarket kit. I also refurbished old dishwashers and toilets. I took the arresters out of shower heads. I put recyclables in regular trash, use bootleg freon in my ac and pull the tags off those pillows.
I am an old dinosaur, bigot, opinionated and proud of it.
I was OK until it came to taking the tags off pillows.
Haha
Were you the escaped convict that Pee Wee Herman met?
“Yeah, I have a real bad temper.”
Some actor, I forgot, who thought that he had put his vehicle into park when he stopped to get his mail. The car reversed and pinned them against. I think the mailbox and killed him. The manufacturer of the car did a nationwide recall and installed a new shift mechanism that was far more safe.
Even though those shift mechanisms basically went away, someone at one of the safety administrations decided that it would be a good idea to do the following: if you open your car door, the vehicle automatically shifts into park. The problem with this is a carjacker yank your door open the car goes into park you can’t accelerate away.
Remember, the government knows what is best for you. And they have the badges and guns to enforce it.
That was the guy who played Chekov in the Star Trek reboot of 2009. His name was Anton Yelchin. His vehicle was a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
I had a Dodge Charger with that same “rocker” shifter, and yes. The damned thing was both dangerous, and the answer to a question no one was asking.
I am not such an antique I despise innovation. But, a straightforward selector, or push-buttons like Chrysler had until Uncle Safety took them away worked just fine. Even the “twister” shifter on my Hyundai Palisade Hybrid only takes about 10 seconds to figure out.
If you open your car door, when you’re going 50 miles an hour and the vehicle automatically shifts into park you better hope you have your seat belt on and the air bag works.
And, prepared to hear some very expensive noises.
Want something exciting? Most new Semi trucks come with adaptive cruise control and crash avoidance. It if detects something in front of you it will put on the brakes and slow you down. The problem is it will sometimes read an overhead bridge or stop sign/metal railing on a tight enough curve as an object to avoid and slam the brakes on. I’ve almost lost control several times because of this.
Something like this will do well.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/236383114009
Just find one for your vehicle and install behind button
The meaning of the term “regulate commerce” meant “make commerce regular,” that is, to make legislation assuring the smooth flow of goods from one State to another by improving transportation and eliminating obstacles. (Giving Congress exclusive legislative jurisdiction over interstate commerce was meant to facilitate this by taking away from the States the authority to make their own rules governing interstate commerce, which would have created a hodge-podge of conflicting and self-serving rules and would have interfered with interstate commerce.)
The term was not meant to authorize the micro-management of manufacturers in the production of their wares. It was meant to apply to their products after they have been manufactured and while in transit to their destinations. The products’ movement from State to State was the object of the term “regulate interstate commerce,” not their manufacture.
My PoS volvo doesn’t have turn off switch. You have to come to a stop, then lift your foot off the brake and slam it back down.
Get the EFF out of my car all you nanny state electronics ********.
I don’t need lane keeping assist, I don’t need emergency braking which has slammed on multiple times as I back out of my garage, I don’t need most of the semi automatic nonsense gov and volvo seem to think I need.
Auto braking will kill someone when a gas truck crossed the yellow line some day as the car sees it and slams on the brakes to be sure you cook up dark as night when the gas hauler slams into you.
And don’t forget that stupid coffee cup time for a break image. Have they ever been in farm country swerving around raccoons, squirrels and other animals because when I’m trying not to run them over that stupid coffee cup image shows up.
I’m going to stop here before I get to calling them the names I hope they’re listening to when I’m in the telling their listening device what I think of them.
Many commenters here think they actually own their car. In reality, the car manufacturer and the government own it, and do whatever they want with it.
Same thing for your phone.