Mechanic reveals the “most useless” car feature that adds “10 more expensive parts” for no reason

A viral video has car lovers debating, but mostly agreeing, on the “most useless modern car feature” that exists in the year 2025. The footage shows an Accurate Automotive employee panning the auto start/stop function for causing more damage to the car than it was supposed to prevent, among other problems.

Auto start/stop: A good idea that works poorly in practice

Accurate Automotive originally posted the video on TikTok and Instagram on May 13, 2025. In 42 seconds, the worker explains why the auto start in his least favorite feature in modern cars.

“It’s like 10 more additional parts in your car that tend to go out,” he explained. “They are all crazy expensive.”

@accurateautoinc Modern Car Features That Make ZERO Sense 😭#cars #automotive #mechanic #automobile #repairshop #cartok #carrepair #repair #mechanicsoftiktok #ford ♬ original sound – AccurateAuto

“The idea is to save the environment and put less wear and tear on the engine, but really all you’re doing is you’re starting your car like 20 more times a day, so it wears things out a little bit faster.”

Apparently, this is even more annoying with Jeeps than with other vehicles.

The auto start/stop system shuts the car off when it detects a complete stop, such as at red lights. It then starts the vehicle back up when you release the brake or press on the throttle. This was supposed to reduce emissions and waste less fuel, which meant that car companies could get tax credits by including the feature in new vehicles.

Unfortunately, any benefit to the environment may not be worth the engine wear or the extra cost incurred when something in that system breaks down. The feature proved unpopular enough that it caught the attention of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin right around the same time as this video came out.

“Start/stop technology: where your car dies at every red light so companies get a climate participation trophy,” he wrote on May 12. “EPA approved it, and everyone hates it, so we’re fixing it.”

“Western innovation”

Commenters widely agreed that this feature should be axed back in May and did so again when X user @financedystop reposted the video on Monday. Many reported that they disable the function every time they drive, because it can’t be disabled permanently without a special part.

“There are bypass harnesses that are sold that I plan to buy,” said @jeg083158 on Instagram. “I turn mine off every time I start.”

On X, many reported that they guessed the useless feature correctly before the guy said it. The EPA chief appears correct in terms of how popular it is.

“I knew that’s what he was talking about,” said @UniverseNY. “These modern starters sometimes are placed inside the engine. Very difficult to get out, pricey and just an overall idea that’s nice in theory, but not amazing in execution.”

“None of these cars will start in 10 years,” predicted @SwagneyG. “Western innovation.”

Some went as far as claiming that the auto star/stop system was never about reducing emissions or fuel waste.

“They’re designed to fail and wear out fast. Forcing you to purchase again and again,” wrote @HamsterSick. “The system is designed now to keep you paying in perpetuity. As it thrives upon debt. Your debt.”