jtsnatl

I got a new C300 this weekend and wanted to see what others thought about the start/stop feature. I know it can be turned off, but it seems to activate more aggressively than in some friends BMWs. The car shuts off immediately upon stopping, such as just trying to come to a complete stop at a 4 way stop when you know you're going to go right away. Then in stop and go traffic, the BMW system doesn't activate until you go over 10 mph after it's restarted. In the C300 in stop and go traffic it turns off again even if you've just inched forward slightly.

PeterUbers

This topic has been discussed to death, let me recap and then you can search to get more info

1. Some love it, most hate Eco
2. No you can not permanently disable it
3. Yes, other brands have better techniques of implementing it
4. Get used to switching off Eco in a situation like bumper to bumper traffic or the scenario you described
5. Aftermarket tuners can disable eco forever but it could void warranty
6. It probably doesn't save much gas on a c300 or much of the rainforest on planet earth
7. Some people's Eco works more consistently than others'
8. Yes it's more wear and tear on the starter but Benz claims starter is 8x more reinforced than previous non Eco starter
9. Some people have no rhyme or reason as to how their vehicles have determined it's achieved the optimal time to go "green" with Eco
10. Most get used to disabling Eco at the start of a drive and no it cannot retain the setting of the last drive, Eco on or off

Hope this helps

PeterUbers

Oh and congrats!

c4004matic

The start stop feature might be useful if you live in an area where traffic is an issue and you are sitting minutes rather than seconds stopped at stoplights or traffic. In my neck off the woods (literally) its a waste and a hassle. From what I read the C's is probably the less obtrusive in the market, but that does not make it transparent. Personally I wish there was a way to turn it off permanently. I wish Mercedes had only made active in ECO mode.

MB205

I've got my W205 on order but I'm sure when I had it on demo you can control this by how much pressure you put on the brake pedal. For example in stop and go traffic if you just touch the brake enough to stop you from rolling forwards the engine doesn't turn off, but if you apply more pressure it does? This is how it has worked with every other stop/start car I have driven.

bzliteyear

I wish the "agility" would allow the transmission to be in sport or sport+ rather than eco, though I'm ok turning off start/stop. Also, the "i agree" button for navigation is a PITA too for each use.
PL

djf119

With my W204 C300 4matic, I often average below 15 m.p.h. on my 17 mile commute, resulting in 12-15 average m.p.g. OTOH, I get 18-20 m.p.g. in my bigger, more powerful W212 wagon with this feature. I am looking forward to getting the W205 to improve the mileage, as well as to have silent, vibration-free stoplight stays. I understand why some people may not like the feature, but I think it is pretty unobtrusive in heavy traffic, and it will be a big improvement for me.

StanNH

It's really not that intrusive at all ... I don't even pay any attention to it anymore. If it bothers you, a simple press of a button disables it.

At its worst, it's a minor nuisance; at its best it can save about 1 mpg in some situations.

Jonobigblind

Keep the aircon on for your climate control. I find that permanently disables the start stop in my C250.

PeteInGilroy

I was wondering how the stop/start works when you have the A/C blasting. Say it's 100 degrees out and you come to a red light (a long one...several minutes). Does the engine shut off and then the battery powers the A/C?

c4004matic

No the, compressor stops the fan continues.

c4004matic

BTW sport plus turns the system off. I wish sport would too.

6G Schnell

There is Individual setting where one can define own preferences, as well as disabling ECO
So don't understand why people are making such a big deal about feature that can be disabled easily..... Of course, for those that don't want it

PeteInGilroy

WOW, great info. This will be the first thing I do when I take possession of my C300. Thanks much!

StanNH

It's such a small thing, and one which is so easily turned off, that I'm always amazed at how many comments this feature brings out on every car board.

Over on the Porsche forum I frequent, there are dozens of threads about the auto off/on feature ... and on the Porsche it can be turned off and left off with a simple push of a button.

Reading this thread, and the recent one about windows staying wet after a car wash, my conclusion is that many folks just are happiest when they have something to complain about.

Jinzen

The Individual Setting would be nice if it could set as default. But it's not, so it's basically useless.

Flick switch up three times for "I" setting or hit ECO once.

Eilers

The amusing thing, is that the feature works really well on this car. Not intrusive at all.

This feature has been common place for many years in Europe now. I almost forget how it works in detail, but i believe the starter motor is either assisted or beefed up, making it able to handle the added workload for years and years.

As far as I know life expectency of the starter motor is not affected. I doubt many Europeans switch the system off.

c4004matic

In our car its a beefed up starter, according the MB the starter is 8 times sturdier that a normal one.

HelenR

If you select if to be off in the individual settings of the 'agility', does it stay off when you return to that mode?

c4004matic

No. Its like whack a mole. For me its a pain. What many people don't recognize that Germans don't really put it there to save gas. Since the gas saved in a less than 10 second idle is wasted on starting the engine again. Germans are fanatical about noise and pollution though, the FE increase is secondary to those concerns. Since diesel is so prevalent in Europe, star/stop decreases the downtown diesel stink, not to mention the idling clatter. In the old times Germans simply turned off their engines in traffic jams or very long lights, that is one of the reasons lights turn yellow before green, so you have time to crank the engine.

PeteInGilroy

So, if it doesn't stay off in the Individualized Setting, does the Individualized Setting save any of the settings you may select as your preference?

floridadriver

Can someone verify if this is actually true?

I heard differently...that individual in agility would save Eco off, just when turn on the car it returns to 'comfort'. If you just went back to individual in agility after starting, it remembered all your agility settings.

vic viper

It does save gas, do you really think a running engine would consume less than one standing still? think again!
This is not a CSB Engine which has looked just about the same since the mid 50.s,
the direct injection system in the Merc.s engines does not consume any extra fuel on a warm start, and since the start/stop function only activates while all specific terms are fulfilled there is no problem OR increased consumption.


Idling clatter?, yes maybe 20-30 years ago, have you even listened to a modern common rail diesel engine?


Diesel stink?, see above.


You need to get your stories straight before typing.

vic viper

Car will return to Comfort after a specific time limit, afraid I dont know how long but it is at least 5-6 hours, during this period the car will remember your last Agility setting when starting.

floridadriver

Thanks VicViper, I was 99% sure that what c4004matic wrote wasn't right, it never really is. Either way, with the start/stop feature, the concern in summer sunshine here is stops with AC compressor off. It seems easy enough to put into the agility individual setting and switch to that, or just shut it off during those months after start up though.