Activate or Deactivate the Start/Stop

The Kia Picanto JA (2017–present) with the 1.0L petrol engine has an Idle Stop & Go (ISG) system that switches the engine off when you’re stationary and restarts it the moment you press the clutch or release the brake. It’s on by default at every start; one button press disables it for the current trip.

What the Start/Stop Button Does

The button is a per-journey toggle, not a permanent setting. Every time you start the car, the system reverts to ON. Press the button once to disable it for that trip; the next start it’s active again. There’s no menu setting on the Picanto JA to make the OFF state permanent — a deliberate manufacturer choice tied to fuel-economy ratings.

Before You Start

• No tools needed — it’s the single Start/Stop OFF button on the centre console next to the gear lever.
• Deactivate start/stop before doing any work in the engine bay — an engine that restarts itself while you’re touching a belt or accessory is a real hazard.
• Deactivate before a ramp, garage or car wash so the engine doesn’t cut out at an inconvenient moment.

Deactivating the Start/Stop System

1. Switch the ignition to ON or start the engine normally.
2. Locate the Start/Stop OFF button on the centre console next to the gear lever — it’s marked with a stylised “A” inside a circular arrow.
3. Press the button once.
4. An amber warning light will illuminate on the instrument cluster (the same “A” with arrow symbol) and a brief text message will confirm deactivation on the multi-info display.
5. The engine will no longer cut out at stops for the rest of this trip.

Reactivating the Start/Stop System

1. Press the Start/Stop OFF button again.
2. The warning light on the cluster will go out.
3. The system is active again for the rest of the trip.

Reactivation also happens automatically every time you restart the car — so if you’d rather leave start/stop active, just don’t touch the button.

When the System Won’t Engage

Even with the system enabled and the warning light off, the engine may refuse to cut out at a stop for one of these reasons. This is normal behaviour, not a fault:

• The 12V battery is below 75% state of charge (cold mornings, lots of short trips, or a battery near end-of-life).
• The engine is not yet at operating temperature.
• The air conditioning or heater is working hard to bring the cabin to the set temperature.
• The driver’s seat belt is unfastened or a door is ajar.
• The bonnet is not fully latched.
• The steering wheel is turned past a certain angle (system holds off if a parking manoeuvre is in progress).
• The vehicle is on a steep gradient.
• The previous engine-off period exceeded the maximum allowed by the system (usually 3 minutes — after that the engine restarts itself to maintain accessory power).

Troubleshooting

• The Start/Stop OFF light is illuminated permanently — even after pressing the button. A stable amber light usually means the system has been disabled by the car’s electronics, not by you. The most common cause is a weak 12V battery. Have it load-tested at a parts shop; replacement typically restores normal operation.
• The warning light flashes intermittently while driving. Flashing indicates a fault detected by the ISG ECU — usually a sensor input (alternator output, battery temperature, crankshaft position). Have the body-CAN codes read with a scan tool.
• I keep forgetting to disable it for the car wash. Many Picanto owners use a piece of black electrical tape over the cluster’s auto-stop icon as a visual reminder, or fit an aftermarket “memory” module that holds the OFF state across ignition cycles. The aftermarket modules are widely available and reversible.
• The engine stops but won’t restart automatically. Press the start button (keyless) or turn the key fully on its own — this is a fallback restart path. Have the ISG starter and dual-mass flywheel inspected; the ISG-spec starter on the Picanto is rated for many more cycles than a standard starter, but it does wear out eventually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does start/stop damage the engine or starter?

No — the ISG system on the Picanto uses a heavy-duty starter motor and reinforced engine bearings designed for the extra cycles. Manufacturer testing rates them for 300,000+ restarts. The conventional concerns (oil starvation at shutdown, ring wear from cold restarts) are managed by the ISG software, which holds off restarts when conditions would be harmful.

Will deactivating start/stop every drive hurt my fuel economy badge / VED?

The CO2 figure on your registration document was measured with start/stop active on the test cycle. Disabling it for everyday driving has no effect on the official figure or the VED band — those are set by what the car achieved on the standardised test, not what you do in practice.

Why does my car keep deactivating start/stop on its own in cold weather?

Below about 5 °C the system holds off because cold restarts are harder on the engine and cabin heater demand is high. This is by design and self-corrects once the engine and cabin reach normal temperatures.

A normal Auto Stop & Go standby message is not a fault. If your Picanto stores an actual diagnostic trouble code behind a warning light instead, you can decode it on autodtcs.com.