ECO start/stop feature
#51
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2012 CLS63
My Porsche has it and I don't mind it. We all must do our bit.
At my house I am installing LED where possible and more florescent bulbs. I also live in a city where recycling is mandatory. So what! If it helps a little and millions of people conform, it becomes significant.
Why are some people so anti anything progressive?
At my house I am installing LED where possible and more florescent bulbs. I also live in a city where recycling is mandatory. So what! If it helps a little and millions of people conform, it becomes significant.
Why are some people so anti anything progressive?
then again the AMG button does solve the 'problem' too
maybe people are afraid of change versus being progressive........
#52
Junior Member
eco drive should not be forced on us
after almost 30 years of driving Mercedes and having bought 3 for my wife and kids in the last 18 months, I am now so disgusted by Mercedes forcing eco drive down my throat, without the ability to permanently turn it off, that I will not buy a Mercedes this fall for myself..instead I will be looking for cars from more intelligent companies that may give a damm about our preferences and understand that I don't live in Europe and have no intention to do so.. Mercedes can contact me when they start listening to people and their preferences as expressed by many others on this forum... I can only hope that they give a damm...
#53
Junior Member
My Porsche has it and I don't mind it. We all must do our bit.
At my house I am installing LED where possible and more florescent bulbs. I also live in a city where recycling is mandatory. So what! If it helps a little and millions of people conform, it becomes significant.
Why are some people so anti anything progressive?
At my house I am installing LED where possible and more florescent bulbs. I also live in a city where recycling is mandatory. So what! If it helps a little and millions of people conform, it becomes significant.
Why are some people so anti anything progressive?
#54
MBWorld Fanatic!
after almost 30 years of driving Mercedes and having bought 3 for my wife and kids in the last 18 months, I am now so disgusted by Mercedes forcing eco drive down my throat, without the ability to permanently turn it off, that I will not buy a Mercedes this fall for myself..instead I will be looking for cars from more intelligent companies that may give a damm about our preferences and understand that I don't live in Europe and have no intention to do so.. Mercedes can contact me when they start listening to people and their preferences as expressed by many others on this forum... I can only hope that they give a damm...
Why don't you tell your sales guy this? The feature is just a control switch in the program that they can change not to be ON as default. If the car sales hangs on this the dealer most likely will do it for you.
And if they do, sign your name on the sales document after it has been done and you have tested it really has.
If I was your dealer I would do it for you in a heart beat.
#55
Junior Member
Why don't you tell your sales guy this? The feature is just a control switch in the program that they can change not to be ON as default. If the car sales hangs on this the dealer most likely will do it for you.
And if they do, sign your name on the sales document after it has been done and you have tested it really has.
If I was your dealer I would do it for you in a heart beat.
And if they do, sign your name on the sales document after it has been done and you have tested it really has.
If I was your dealer I would do it for you in a heart beat.
#56
Senior Member
Not to mention CFLs aren't really the cleanest thing in the world either. What some call "progress" is sometimes just a way to steer business to Chinese sweatshops and make mysteriously affluent and easily offended middle aged western guilted greenies feel better about themselves.
Regarding start/stop, I had an A8 rental in Germany with this. I didn't mind it other than that sometimes I would need instant response to get into urban traffic, and you don't get that with a non-running engine. I learned to modulate the brake so the engine wouldn't shut off, or would start before I needed to move. I too worry about the longterm wear consequences on some parts, but I suspect the electrical systems on these cars will collapse before a few mechanical parts.
Regarding start/stop, I had an A8 rental in Germany with this. I didn't mind it other than that sometimes I would need instant response to get into urban traffic, and you don't get that with a non-running engine. I learned to modulate the brake so the engine wouldn't shut off, or would start before I needed to move. I too worry about the longterm wear consequences on some parts, but I suspect the electrical systems on these cars will collapse before a few mechanical parts.
#57
MBWorld Fanatic!
#58
MBWorld Fanatic!
thanks that is the best news in have got so far.. I actually walked out of the dealership this weekend after I had picked out a great e350 2014 model, after he said that he did not know how to do that.. Do you have any details on how to do this so that I can share this with Hendricks Mercedes in Charlotte?
Sorry I have no details how to do it but I can guarantee you it can be done. It is just if they are willing to do it.
MB USA may not tell them how do go about it but if they have a programmer, like they do probably have several of them, he can find the options in the program if he wants to spend time with it.
As a business owner I would not accept MB not to help with this if I was to lose a very long time and good customer.
And it should not be too difficult to build a simple relay that does what the button does to disable the ECO function. This relay would connect or disconnect the leads for a moment for example from the starter motor voltage, i.e. each time the engine starts the relay would pull and disable the ECO function but I am absolutely sure it is just a simple check box in the program to select if the ECO function is ON by default at start up or not.
#59
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2014 Mercedes-Benz E550 4Matic, 2010 Subaru Legacy 3.6R
It is possible to design an engine for long life with a start-stop system. For example, Federal Mogul has a new engine bearing that is expressly designed for long life under start-stop conditions. It is red in color and is on some Fords and the new Chevrolet direct fuel injection v8 engines. Probably on others as well, but I have not read of all engines using the new bearings.
As for starters, one source said that Mercedes-Benz had increased starter life by a factor of ten to cope with additional starter use.
As for starters, one source said that Mercedes-Benz had increased starter life by a factor of ten to cope with additional starter use.
I think that we have to keep trying different technologies to save gas and the environment. Start/stop technology has been around more than 60 years. There is no facts available to support shorter mechanical lifetimes as a result of this technology. Time will tell. If you are truly worried about the reliablility of this technology, buy a vehicle that does not have it.
#60
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2010 E350 Luxury Sedan, Engine 272 (V6)
Not proven by their warranty
It is possible to design an engine for long life with a start-stop system. For example, Federal Mogul has a new engine bearing that is expressly designed for long life under start-stop conditions. It is red in color and is on some Fords and the new Chevrolet direct fuel injection v8 engines. Probably on others as well, but I have not read of all engines using the new bearings.
As for starters, one source said that Mercedes-Benz had increased starter life by a factor of ten to cope with additional starter use.
As for starters, one source said that Mercedes-Benz had increased starter life by a factor of ten to cope with additional starter use.
BTW, do all the computers, COMAND, etc. die when it shuts down? Do they switch to battery and what effect will this have on battery life?
#61
Junior Member
Re: eco drive
Sorry I have no details how to do it but I can guarantee you it can be done. It is just if they are willing to do it.
MB USA may not tell them how do go about it but if they have a programmer, like they do probably have several of them, he can find the options in the program if he wants to spend time with it.
As a business owner I would not accept MB not to help with this if I was to lose a very long time and good customer.
And it should not be too difficult to build a simple relay that does what the button does to disable the ECO function. This relay would connect or disconnect the leads for a moment for example from the starter motor voltage, i.e. each time the engine starts the relay would pull and disable the ECO function but I am absolutely sure it is just a simple check box in the program to select if the ECO function is ON by default at start up or not.
MB USA may not tell them how do go about it but if they have a programmer, like they do probably have several of them, he can find the options in the program if he wants to spend time with it.
As a business owner I would not accept MB not to help with this if I was to lose a very long time and good customer.
And it should not be too difficult to build a simple relay that does what the button does to disable the ECO function. This relay would connect or disconnect the leads for a moment for example from the starter motor voltage, i.e. each time the engine starts the relay would pull and disable the ECO function but I am absolutely sure it is just a simple check box in the program to select if the ECO function is ON by default at start up or not.
#63
I like the eco start stop on my E550. I wish our ml also had it. It works great imo and make things nice and quiet at drive thrus and dropping kids off at school lines. If it means I can drive my twin turbo v8 even further before refueling then that is just a nice bonus.
#64
MBWorld Fanatic!
I like the eco start stop on my E550. I wish our ml also had it. It works great imo and make things nice and quiet at drive thrus and dropping kids off at school lines. If it means I can drive my twin turbo v8 even further before refueling then that is just a nice bonus.
I agree, at first, I did not like it, but I got use to it after a while. This is my 3rd car with auto start stop, in some situations, it is best not to have it on, I have no issue with pushing a button to turn it off, not sure why so many people make such a big deal about pushing a button.
#65
If you adapt your driving habits to use the brake hold feature whenever you stop for more than a 5 seconds then I don't know what is not to like about the eco start stop. The two features together are the best in the business for saving gas while not interfering with the driving experience and the endless pursuit of fun on 4 wheels.
#66
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2014 E350 also restored: 1969 Camaro convertible SS 1957 Chevy Belair 2dr hardtop
I believe that the ECO feature is the worst feature I have ever seen that is a permanent standard feature on a car. Those of you that believe that it is really saving you money on gas are blowing smoke up you butt. What will eventually happen is someone making a left turn at a light is going to get killed because of the hesitation that is caused by this feature. If you bought a Mercedes Benz to save a couple of cents on gas you probably should not have bought the car because you probably cannot afford it. The ECO was one of the first features I had disconnected when I bought the car and I have never looked back at the terrible feature. And yes if left on it does interfere with driving when it causes a hesitation.
Last edited by dbldpr; 02-07-2017 at 10:11 AM. Reason: typo
#67
In sport mode with 4matic on the 550 biturbo with the engine off it will dang near snap your neck when you punch it. I didn't look for it to save any money but if it means I can drive longer without having to stop for gas well that is just a nice bonus.
#69
I do have a interesting way to fail the system, let your main battery die a few times. I didn't do this on purpose but an auto body shop did this when doing a headlight repair on my car and the main battery would never get back to the 95% level during driving so the system would never go green. The main battery still had plenty of life left to start and operate the car, I drove this way for months so for those who don't like the button and can't bring themselves to push it there is hope.
#70
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2014 E350 also restored: 1969 Camaro convertible SS 1957 Chevy Belair 2dr hardtop
I do have a interesting way to fail the system, let your main battery die a few times. I didn't do this on purpose but an auto body shop did this when doing a headlight repair on my car and the main battery would never get back to the 95% level during driving so the system would never go green. The main battery still had plenty of life left to start and operate the car, I drove this way for months so for those who don't like the button and can't bring themselves to push it there is hope.
#71
Senior Member
I believe that the ECO feature is the worst feature I have ever seen that is a permanent standard feature on a car. Those of you that believe that it is really saving you money on gas are blowing smoke up you butt. What will eventually happen is someone making a left turn at a light is going to get killed because of the hesitation that is caused by this feature. If you bought a Mercedes Benz to save a couple of cents on gas you probably should not have bought the car because you probably cannot afford it. The ECO was one of the first features I had disconnected when I bought the car and I have never looked back at the terrible feature. And yes if left on it does interfere with driving when it causes a hesitation.
Is it worse than the feature on my 2013 E550 that 'decouples the driveshaft' while at a stop to save .0000000001 MPG?
#72
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2010 E550 P2 w/AMG Sport Package + Pano, 2015 Nissan Pathfinder
An extremely clunky feature. I'm surprised so many say they can barely tell. I felt it was very noticeable on the restart. It even felt like a slight shake of the car as well. Maybe they'll smooth it out over time but this was in 2 different 2016 models.
#73
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2014 E350 also restored: 1969 Camaro convertible SS 1957 Chevy Belair 2dr hardtop
Had a 2017 E 300 loaner and it had the hesitation. Could not find the button to shut it off. Not getting better but worse
#74
MBWorld Fanatic!
If you adapt your driving habits to use the brake hold feature whenever you stop for more than a 5 seconds then I don't know what is not to like about the eco start stop. The two features together are the best in the business for saving gas while not interfering with the driving experience and the endless pursuit of fun on 4 wheels.
#75
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2014 E350 also restored: 1969 Camaro convertible SS 1957 Chevy Belair 2dr hardtop
Mid city engineering in Chicago has a module that turns it off unless turned on. They ship all over the world and ship the instructions on how to install it. Love mine.