ECO/ACT Activation

[GeoffGeoff]

Hi all,

Just a quick one but my 68 plate FR Sport shows an ECO symbol in a circle which I was told when I bought the car means it’s in 2 cylinder mode.

Barely touching the throttle (barely/not even keeping car at constant speed on a flat road) deactivates the icon and presumably calling for all 4 cylinders.

Doesn’t seem to be worth having the tech as it’s basically active during coasting (where they don’t use fuel anyway).

Is this correct function or is it not working properly?

Thanks!

 

[Lozzy15]

ACT only kicks in if certain criteria are met. If the ECU deems it needs more power output from the engine then it will turn ACT off. Modern engines do use some fuel even while coasting, with ACT on it would use a little less. Mine kicks in alot once then engines has been running for around 5 minutes. It is also rev dependent. The engine has to be over 1.5k revs for it to kick in if I remember correctly.

 

[GeoffGeoff]

ACT only kicks in if certain criteria are met. If the ECU deems it needs more power output from the engine then it will turn ACT off. Modern engines do use some fuel even while coasting, with ACT on it would use a little less. Mine kicks in alot once then engines has been running for around 5 minutes. It is also rev dependent. The engine has to be over 1.5k revs for it to kick in if I remember correctly.

Cheers Lozzy,

It does seem to kick in a fair bit once warm as you say but the slightest touch of throttle cancels it...I wouldn’t have thought that maintaining a steady (ie 30mph) speed on a flat road using about 5% throttle would have called for all 4 cylinders? Maybe I am expecting too much on the fuel saving.

Cheers for the reply

 

[Sword]

Learn the engine, take inclines into account so your in the right gear at the right time and use cruise control.

Bit of practise and you will learn how to maximize the ACT.

I always get up to the speed I want to be doing asap and stick the cruise control on, works well for me.

 

[GeoffGeoff]

Learn the engine, take inclines into account so your in the right gear at the right time and use cruise control.

Bit of practise and you will learn how to maximize the ACT.

I always get up to the speed I want to be doing asap and stick the cruise control on, works well for me.

That’s exactly how I drive (up to speed quick then maintain set speed) but ACT turns off as soon as trying to maintain speed...as for cruise it’s never been on while in cruise unless coasting down hill in gear but that doesn’t use fuel anyway to my knowledge.

Wasn’t sure if it’s just my car or just how they are...seems there is a tiny window where it is active...and most of that is when it shouldn’t be using any fuel anyway.

Gear prompt always tells me to change up to keep revs under 1500...although I tend to ignore it and maintain 1800-2000 generally as 1500 bit low in my opinion in most situations and makes the ACT deactivation even worse.

Just wondered if others were the same and it’s normal or it was cutting off too soon.

Cheers

 

[Orguss]

Is yours a DSG?
Doesn't the ECO just mean the car is coasting, at least thats what it is in the Cupra, i know no ACT so maybe its for both but the symptom described sounds like the car coasting then engaging gear again when you touch the accelerator

 

[GeoffGeoff]

Is yours a DSG?
Doesn't the ECO just mean the car is coasting, at least thats what it is in the Cupra, i know no ACT so maybe its for both but the symptom described sounds like the car coasting then engaging gear again when you touch the accelerator

No mate mines the kangarooing 1.5 Manual

 

[BigJase88]

the computer itself is stupid

yesterday sitting at 30mph the car was telling me to change up to 5th from 4th gear, never in my puff has 5th gear been acceptable at 30mph, but I thought hey ho i'll give it a try, 5th at 30 mph no ACT as revs are too low sitting around 60 mpg, changed back to 4th being a stupid driver I am then ACT engages and i'm getting 120 mpg or something daft.

so conclusion is, I am smarter than a computer

 

[martin j.]

Yesterday with storm David pushing me along a dual carriageway the act was in full flow, going back against it was of course a different matter, i too get up to speed and engage cruise, let the computer do the work.

 

[GeoffGeoff]

the computer itself is stupid

yesterday sitting at 30mph the car was telling me to change up to 5th from 4th gear, never in my puff has 5th gear been acceptable at 30mph, but I thought hey ho i'll give it a try, 5th at 30 mph no ACT as revs are too low sitting around 60 mpg, changed back to 4th being a stupid driver I am then ACT engages and i'm getting 120 mpg or something daft.

so conclusion is, I am smarter than a computer

I find myself questioning the computer all the time (same in all other cars as well not just the Leon).

They seem to want to you drive round everywhere at tickover

 

[GeoffGeoff]

Yesterday with storm David pushing me along a dual carriageway the act was in full flow, going back against it was of course a different matter, i too get up to speed and engage cruise, let the computer do the work.

Maybe it’s the roads I’m on or the tyres but it’s on and off light a Christmas tree light...don’t think it’s stayed on for more than 10 seconds even when speed hasn’t changed.

Ill try again tonight and try to monitor it closely (when safe) see what happens.

 

[Stef73]

My Act is on as soon as I get on motorway every night and morning to and from work, set cruise control to 73 put in 6th and stays on till I come off motorway .
In town not so much then any straight roads it comes back on .

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

 

[GeoffGeoff]

My Act is on as soon as I get on motorway every night and morning to and from work, set cruise control to 73 put in 6th and stays on till I come off motorway .
In town not so much then any straight roads it comes back on .

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

Cheers Stef...that’s good to know...I’ll try a similar run tonight...set the cruise and see how she goes.

do you find certain speeds / gears / revs keep it active longer?

maybe I just need to get used to the characteristics of the engine as ‘Sword’ mentioned above...little bit less power in this than I’ve had previous but not to the point I’d expect it to be labouring along and certainly doesn’t feel like it while driving.

 

[Sword]

Any slight incline and the ACT cuts out, if the roads near you are flat it works a lot better.

Motorway is where it works best, rumour has it ACT works up to 86 mph, not tried it myself of course

 

[motty225]

the computer itself is stupid

yesterday sitting at 30mph the car was telling me to change up to 5th from 4th gear, never in my puff has 5th gear been acceptable at 30mph, but I thought hey ho i'll give it a try, 5th at 30 mph no ACT as revs are too low sitting around 60 mpg, changed back to 4th being a stupid driver I am then ACT engages and i'm getting 120 mpg or something daft.

so conclusion is, I am smarter than a computer

If I have the gearbox in E my s4 goes into 8th at 38mph! Seems daft to me

 

[GeoffGeoff]

Any slight incline and the ACT cuts out, if the roads near you are flat it works a lot better.

Motorway is where it works best, rumour has it ACT works up to 86 mph, not tried it myself of course

Nice one thanks Sword,

To be honest the roads do rise and fall on my daily commute but only very slightly and not enough that I wouldn’t classify it as a flat road but maybe I’m expecting too much (excluding the hill which I wouldn’t expect 2 cylinders to be sufficient for).

like you say just gotta get used to how it works to maximise it i was just a bit surprised it was so sensitive to the littlest bit of throttle I thought id ask see how sensitive everyone else’s is.

cheers guys

 

[GeoffGeoff]

If I have the gearbox in E my s4 goes into 8th at 38mph! Seems daft to me

Must be coz of all that power and torque...stop rubbing it in haha.

but 8th does seem a bit extreme at those speeds even in an S4!

 

[Rooster]

To get the best out of the ACT, (in the Leon and Golf) i find that it is better to let the engine spin on a light throttle in a lower gear rather than using a bit more throttle in a higher gear if that makes sense? I still find it a bit of wizardry that you can do 70mph on a flat motorway using only two cylinders and 700cc (with a 1.4 engine) I can usually "beat" the cruise control mpg by using this technique, and i probably should get out more!

 

[Mr Pig]

If you use cruse control the ACT will activate a lot more often.

 

[Yern]

the computer itself is stupid

yesterday sitting at 30mph the car was telling me to change up to 5th from 4th gear, never in my puff has 5th gear been acceptable at 30mph, but I thought hey ho i'll give it a try, 5th at 30 mph no ACT as revs are too low sitting around 60 mpg, changed back to 4th being a stupid driver I am then ACT engages and i'm getting 120 mpg or something daft.

so conclusion is, I am smarter than a computer

Mine is exactly the same as this so stays in 4th most of the time unless in 40mph limit.