Just picked up my new 2020 C43 a couple of weeks ago, so I can actually participate here instead of just reading posts about the C43

Mine has the Performance Exhaust included in the build.

Liking the car a lot so far but noticed some oddity to the way the exhaust behaves. It's always been loud on start up (fine with me), but driving around in comfort, I noticed at light part-throttle the growl is unusually... "noticeable", a bit in your face, louder than any music playing. Keep in mind, I also have my "sports" cars on the side... this is my DD sedan. I've had 3 generations of Cayman S with various aftermarket exhausts, had a Lotus Evora S w/ aftermarket exhaust, a BMW M235 with performance exhaust, and now a '19 Corvette with... you guessed it, performance exhaust. So, you get the picture... I'm not a stranger to loud exhausts, but this behavior seemed unusual.

So, anyway... the other night, it had been a really, really long and stressful day at work, really tired, burnt, foul mood, got in the car and started driving in traffic and, I have to admit, at one point I was just like "man, I wish this thing would just SHUT UP."

I was in Comfort, the light on the exhaust button was off, and just completely randomly, I just decided to hit the Exhaust button anyway to see how much louder it would actually go.

I was at idle when I did this and, to my surprise, it momentarily got QUIETER when the light came ON. I applied light throttle, and with the light still on, it was not *quite* as loud as before. When I really got on the throttle, it was definitely fully awake and popping. So I clicked the button OFF, and suddenly, things got *significantly* quieter than before, and stayed that way, at all revs and throttle inputs. When I switched back ON, was definitely louder, but never as loud at part-throttle as it was initially.

I turned car off when I reached grocery store... turned back on, same exact scenario. It's like it's at it's absolute loudest on startup, and any adjustment to the switch changes it henceforth, and it's still quieter in EITHER mode at light part-throttle than after startup.

That said... car only has 150 miles on it. Maybe it's still adjusting and learning something.

Anyone experience this ever?

 

I have a 2020 sedan with performance exhaust and dont believe ive experienced this issue, but i remember reading someone posted this exact same problem you described on this forum. Let me try and find it.

 

https://mbworld.org/forums/c450-c43-...-symptoms.html

I found that thread with similar symtoms to yours, however there was no explanation if it was ever fixed. Are you in the US?

 

Yeah the valve controllers are just really odd. There is one in each muffler and one in the h-pipe as well. It is the latter that frequently changes based factors like time and temperature.

Apparently the C43 has a sound module that "pumps" exhaust noise through the speakers into the cabin. I can't confirm if this is true, but it would make sense as to why the exhaust gets really loud all of a sudden on light throttle. I have experienced something similar.

edit: no valve in c43 PE. Must be all in the computers then.

 

There is no valve in the H pipe for the C43.

 

The C43 has no such module that sends noise through the speakers.

 

Not true......

 

we've researched this thoroughly . There is no sound module for speaker- engine noise in the W205 C43.
Also the valves in the AMG PE are only located in the rear mufflers.

 

Take a look at this thread: https://mbworld.org/forums/c450-c43-...ine-noise.html

Specifically posts #16, 19, 21, and 35. May be engine sounds or some sort of noise cancelling imbalanced tuning but there is a lot of information out there that points to having sound being pumped through the speakers.

 

Definitely sound is pumped via speakers on the FL cars.
i had a faulty speaker and it would crackle at the exact frequency generated by the sound module.

 

Can you clarify what you mean? I don't understand

 

The voice coil on the speaker was faulty, causing vibrations at certain frequencies. One of those frequencies happened to be the low engine note piped linto the cabin via the speakers.
hence proving that an induction sound / exhaust note “sound simulation” is fed into the cabin via the speakers.

 

Thanks for the cross ref... you succeeded where I failed at search!

Yes I'm in the US and that post does sound pretty much exactly the same.

I kind of wonder if it has something to do with some regulation in EU I thought I heard about... I had heard (maybe it's not true), Porsche started putting Performance Exhaust on some of their cars because EU (or maybe German authority) passed a rule where you could not put a device on the car which made it louder... so the solution was to make car loudest option at startup and any "device" like the PE would only make it quieter in order to pass the regulation.

I have no idea whether this is true or has anything to do with this, but does make me wonder...

 

I am the reference poster who raised this issue with my 2020 AMG C43 sedan...I sold the car at 5K miles....I really grew to hate the PE...honestly, it had a mind of its own to include an obnoxious noise level and tone that was markedly louder than the PE 'on' mod. Engine temperature made no difference...the car would sometimes choose to start in this obnoxious level, sometimes not. When it did start at that level, I had to push the PE button (on) and then push it off...that regimen brought it to a normal quiet mode, and pressing it again to engage the PE would bring the slightly more aggressive tone. I really did tire of having to push buttons.. Hard to get the dealer's attention on this when one chose the PE option, but clearly there was a malfunction in the system from day one. Other than that issue, the car performed flawlessly for the time I owned it....just returned (happily) to an S4 which I've owned in the past....just the experience I prefer.

 

Cool, thanks for chiming in. Definitely understand and glad you were able to get back to the experience you wanted (and weren't stuck in something you weren't happy with for too long). I know how that goes and, though I actually am very pleased with the C43 so far, I have definitely been in your shoes with other cars, where couldn't bond with it for one reason or another. It and can drive one insane, and I'm deeply thankful that I've had the financial means to switch out quickly when that happens (as it sounds like you have).

I suppose I'll go pester the dealer when a second something crops up.

Enjoy your S4 in good health

 

It might be the "Happy Start" option. up/down paddle + start button = vroom! Higher revs at startup. Its not just the car thats happy either, I am grinning too.

 

except there is no “emotion start” on the C43. Must be just placebo for you :-))

 

"Emotion Start" was added on the c43 2020 model and I have it. I will get a burble or a pop or two sometimes but always a head turning awesome growl when starting in sport plus WITH a paddle held down. One of my favorite options on the car honestly.

 

I have the same "issue" you are referring to here as well. Mine is a 2020 C43 Wagon here in Canada. I have only done 150miles or so as well. Exact thing happens when I push on the exhaust button, that it will quiet down and when i re-push it to get back to "blue", the exhaust is now VERY quiet (the way it should be in comfort).

I will report back if anything changes over time as the car breaks in. I do also find this a bit odd for this is suppose to be a comfortable wagon with a bit of power.

 

I did rtfm lolz and was pleasantly surprised when it worked, and that popcorn sound, It ain't no placebo

 

Just took delivery of our 2020 C43 yesterday. Dealer delivered it and took away our 2017 C43

First thing I noticed, the PE wasn't working the same as PE on our 2017. Very quiet with no real noticeable change between PE on and off.

I've written the dealer asking if this was normal. Still waiting a reply.

 

I can now confirm i am experiencing this exact same issue. Did you ever resolve this or did dealer give a fix? I am a 2020 c43 sedan in US.

 

I believe it is normal. The newer the car from AMG, the more muffled/quiet the exhausts are getting due to the regulations. There's always aftermarket options if it's that important for you.

 

Its plenty loud when PE is turned on. The issue is during cold start with PE OFF it doesnt quiet down. You have to cycle the PE on and off to get it to be at normal decibels for comfort/PE off.

 

I had an '18 sedan before switching to a '20 (both with the PE). In my case, there is definitely still a difference in sound (and volume) between PE on/off, but I have noticed a few changes:

1) The '20 is louder on cold starts (irrespective of whether the PE is on or off when starting), especially from inside the cabin. The Emotion Start (which is available on the '20) is great.

2) The pops and crackles when braking/decelerating are mostly the same in the '20.

3) The '20 is a bit quieter when cruising around in C or S (haven't utilized S+ yet - only 200 miles). This car has the pano roof, unlike my last one. I don't know whether it's better sound insulation or the introduction of the particulate filter, but there is a subtle difference.

4) There is noticeably less drone at cruising speeds in C (PE on) with the '20.

Really prefer the quad oval tips on the '20, too.