Nissan forced to withdraw Micra advert due to faulty stop/start system

Many cars have a stop-start function that saves fuel by switching off the engine when the car is idling, but what happens when it doesn’t work?

It turns out there are numerous conditions in which the system will not function in some cars — with no less than 22 such conditions in the case of the Nissan Micra.

One Micra customer was so angered by the system malfunctioning in his car that he complained to the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB), resulting in Nissan being forced to withdraw all references to an idle stop/start function from its advertising for the car.

The customer submitted that the feature didn’t work outside the coastal region, and in particular Gauteng, where most vehicles are sold.

He bought the pre-owned car at Bidvest Nissan Randburg but was disappointed when the idle stop-start function failed to work. He contacted the ARB and provided copies of correspondence between himself and the dealership, which confirmed there are several conditions that affect the vehicle’s ability to operate the fuel-saving function. Neither the customer nor the dealership representatives were able to get the functionality to work, despite all diagnostic tests indicating that the vehicle was operating within specifications.

In response, Nissan SA confirmed the stop/start functionality in the vehicle will not activate when certain conditions are present. These were explained to the customer by the dealer following the investigation, and are also listed in the owner’s manual, it said.

The 22 conditions include:

1. When the engine is kept idling without any driving after the engine is turned on,
2. When the engine coolant temperature is low,
3. When the battery capacity is low,
4. When the battery temperature is low,
5. When the vehicle is moved,
6. When the vacuum in the brake servo decreases,
7. When the engine bonnet is opened with the engine running,
8. When the engine is turned on with the engine bonnet open,
9. When the driver’s seat belt is not fastened,
10. When the driver’s door is open,
11. When the stop/start system indicator blinks at a low speed,
12. When the fan speed control is in any position other than OFF (0) while the air flow control is in the front defogger position,
13. When the front defogger switch is on,
14. When the temperature inside the vehicle is too high or low (when the air conditioner is off, the Stop/Start System will operate),
15. When the fan speed of the air conditioner is set to the maximum speed,
16. When the Stop/Start OFF is turned on,
17. When the power consumption is large,
18. When the vehicle is travelling at altitudes higher than 2,000m [Gauteng is at around 1,600m — Ed],
19. When the shift lever is in any position except the N (neutral) position,
20. When the clutch pedal is depressed,
21. When the intelligent Key is not in the vehicle,
22. When the electric power steering warning light, the ABS warning light, or the stability control warning light illuminates.

The complainant has since returned the vehicle and been refunded, but the ARB ruled that Nissan must cease advertising that the Micra has a start/stop functionality as it misleads consumers.

“A reasonable consumer would interpret the advertising to mean that, when the vehicle comes to a stop (for example, at an intersection or traffic light), the engine would switch off, and remain off until the driver starts driving again, at which point the engine would automatically start, and proceed to drive. The complainant appears to have interpreted the claim in this manner, but was unable to successfully get the vehicle to operate as expected,” said the ARB ruling.

“It is important to acknowledge that driver behaviour can have a substantial affect on vehicle performance. The ARB accepts this, and understands that advertisers cannot account for every conceivable eventuality once a vehicle is given to its new owner. Having said this, it is concerning to note that the advertiser has not provided any coherent reason to explain why the complainant’s vehicle appears to not perform its idle stop/start function as advertised.”

The ARB’s findings are usually binding across the board, which means this ruling will serve as a caution to all other advertisers making similar claims.

Nissan SA says it acknowledges the ruling made by the ARB and confirms that further diagnostic testing on the vehicle will commence on September 29. This is in addition to diagnostic testing conducted by the dealership before the ARB investigation which confirmed that the function was operating within its specifications.

The company says it will follow an appeal process, and that it is the first complaint that has been recorded on the Micra’s stop-start system.

“Nissan SA remains committed to providing our customers with the peace of mind that is synonymous to our vehicles. Our continued commitment extends to complying with advertising standards in respect of all our vehicles to ensure our advertisements are not misleading, are not a misrepresentation of our vehicles and correctly reflect our vehicles functionalities,” the company told TimesLIVE,