Electronics, modules, and computers...great when they work, a nightmare when they don't.
I traded that Volvo back to Enterprise for a '23 RAV-4, which is MUCH more normal, and fairly likeable for a new vehicle.

FWIW on Hynudai/Kia: around here in the inland PNW - and possibly everywhere - dealers can only order parts from the factory once/week.
Pre-COVID, one Kia parts dept told me that a lot of stuff takes 2 weeks to arrive.
So unless the parts are in stock, downtime can be a factor.

And to wear out the starter faster.

We agree good point!

The start-stop deal is for CAFE standards test as much as anything.
The starter engagement is often a starter-generator thing at the flywheel, I think.
There's no starter sound on the '23 RAV-4 rental I have, but I turned it and another nanny off.
At a stop, if you just exert enough pressure on the brake pedal to hold the car, it keeps idling.
Push harder, or turn the nanny on, engine stops 'til you push the go pedal.
Pretty seamless, but I'm not a fan.
And that stuff's gonna be spendy when it breaks.

With all the different cars I drive at work with that feature I've found that once you're stopped and it shuts off lift and repress the brake pedal quickly and it will start again without needing to press the gas pedal and will stay running. I keep trying to find a way to come to stop and keep it running but nothing I've tried has worked so far.

I suppose you could experiment with selecting N and using the handbrake - if the vehicle has one - at low speeds.
I would guess that system is activated by some combo of brake switch & vehicle speed sensor.
This RAV-4 knows when it's sitting still, but like I said, pedal pressure can activate the stop/start even with that feature switched off.

Very few of the newer cars have an actual handle for an emergency brake. Most all of them have an electric parking brake only which just immediately locks up the brakes which if used in an emergency would most likely cause the loss of control. One other so called safety feature is when the car is put into reverse the side view mirrors turn down so that the only thing you can see are the rear tires and I do understand why that's done. But with the mirrors pointing down I can't really see where I'm backing beyond the end of the car. Some will say that's what the cameras are for but call me old school, I don't trust the camera's, they are pointed directly behind the car, and if they get dirty you won't have a clear view. I want to see directly down the side of the car to see what's next to me. You can't do that when it's pointed down the the rear tires..

Thanks for sharing all the interesting work-arounds.. I'll try remembering the next time I rent an unfamiliar car..


I had an infuriating near-disaster in a rental 2023 Kia SUV this last summer...

I was at a tight city intersection during rush-hour, I did not have the right of way, and I was waiting forever to turn right. There was a looong line of traffic coming my way from the left.. So I watched carefully for a decent gap, and timed it JUST right, but as I pulled into the gap, I was so close to the car I was going to follow that the Kia AUTOMATICALLY PANIC BRAKED, making the next car coming from the left almost @U^#Q$&U^$%@%&R$^% rear-end me!

I was so angry at the F@!%#%G rental Kia!.

.. at the next red light intersection I walked back and apologized to the driver behind me. He was fine with it.

Did I say I absolutely HATE those "smart" driving features?
- Art

I am still waiting to rent a “George Jetson family car”

If you use the turn signals it won't do that. Or at least that has been the case for every car I have driven with lane keep assist.