Almost stalls - anyone else?
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Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 215
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From: Seattle
2001 ML320
Almost stalls - anyone else?
Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this and if so if it is within the range of normal or something to be concerned about.
I have a W211 E320 now with about 2500 miles. Drives GREAT and no problems. I park my car in a multilevel underground garage at work. When I leave in the afternoon and am driving up the ramps, the car will occasionally hesitate as if is about to stall and then revs up and goes. This ONLY happens if I enter an up ramp going VERY slowly. No other problems. Doesn't happen anywhere else. Seems kind of strange but as I said, it never actually stalls, just seems like it is about to and then drives off fine. Perhaps it may have something to do with the fact that the engine is always cold when I leave my garage at work. Maybe it is in 'warm up mode' and operating in 2nd gear and the hill takes it by surprise.
Just looking for any similar experiences, feedback, thoughts.
I have a W211 E320 now with about 2500 miles. Drives GREAT and no problems. I park my car in a multilevel underground garage at work. When I leave in the afternoon and am driving up the ramps, the car will occasionally hesitate as if is about to stall and then revs up and goes. This ONLY happens if I enter an up ramp going VERY slowly. No other problems. Doesn't happen anywhere else. Seems kind of strange but as I said, it never actually stalls, just seems like it is about to and then drives off fine. Perhaps it may have something to do with the fact that the engine is always cold when I leave my garage at work. Maybe it is in 'warm up mode' and operating in 2nd gear and the hill takes it by surprise.
Just looking for any similar experiences, feedback, thoughts.
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From: Long Island
'07 Porsche 997TT
my E500 does the same exact thing. In fact I was in a garage the first time I noticed it. going real slow, almost no gas, it does lunge and feels like it will stall, but I don't think it will stall. Not sure why it does it
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From: NC
'03 Mercedes E320
I have a steep driveway entrance, but I approach nearly straight-in from a cul-de-sac, and it does seem to pause a little on occasion, depending on my approach speed. I assume it's a combination of downshifting and the electronic throttle waiting for the gear to be engaged before adding a little gas. Very slow speeds. I had it on a '01 C320 as well.
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WOW!
This sounds exactly to what happens to my 2002 ML 500! In fact it just started happening, the past couple of weeks. It's been very cold here in NYC, battery had to be replaced last week, thought it would fix the problem, but still there.
My car is in a garage. When I start it, I drive over the small speed bumps in the garage. It feels as if it stalls or brakes for 1-2 secs, then releases and sometimes revs up forward. Once I get on the street, any minor/major bump seems to trigger it. It can be annoying at slower speeds, below 30 mph and all the way up to 4th gear, below 2500rpms.
THought the car needed warming up, but no, after driving 1 hour on highway, was in Manhattan, and then bump on one pot hole, happened right away. No ETS engagement, no lights, just weird stall/break then immediate rev up. Weird! Had the car for almost 11 mos and driven same roads and same holes, first time happening.
I took it to the dealer, described it, and dealer curse, I couldn't replicate it there partly because they have such smooth roads in the burbs.
If you hear any info on this, let me know...
This sounds exactly to what happens to my 2002 ML 500! In fact it just started happening, the past couple of weeks. It's been very cold here in NYC, battery had to be replaced last week, thought it would fix the problem, but still there.
My car is in a garage. When I start it, I drive over the small speed bumps in the garage. It feels as if it stalls or brakes for 1-2 secs, then releases and sometimes revs up forward. Once I get on the street, any minor/major bump seems to trigger it. It can be annoying at slower speeds, below 30 mph and all the way up to 4th gear, below 2500rpms.
THought the car needed warming up, but no, after driving 1 hour on highway, was in Manhattan, and then bump on one pot hole, happened right away. No ETS engagement, no lights, just weird stall/break then immediate rev up. Weird! Had the car for almost 11 mos and driven same roads and same holes, first time happening.
I took it to the dealer, described it, and dealer curse, I couldn't replicate it there partly because they have such smooth roads in the burbs.
If you hear any info on this, let me know...
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Joined: Nov 2002
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From: NC
'03 Mercedes E320
clarification
Just to clarify, mine does not rev up beyond what I expect, etc., it just hunts a little bit as I approach the steep drive under certain speed conditions. Then it recovers just fine. 'Not any problem I've been concerned about.
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Senior Member
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From: Ohio
2003 E320
I have similar experience with E320 when Winter driving mode is on. Although I would call it hesitation rather than stalling. I can feel it when driving very slowly, both uphill and on the level road. I posted a similar question on this forum and got this response . Apparently, normal behavior.
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Newbie
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Vancouver, BC
Mercedes C240X
What you are derscribing is perfectly normal. There is nothing wrong with your engine or transmission.
The reason that the engine hesitates is because the tranmission is in second gear when the catalytic converter is still cold. When going up ramp or hill, while you are in second gear when the catalytic coinver is still cold, you need to apply a lot pressure on the gas pedal to get the car going.
On cold weather or after I have stop the engine for many hours, I usually wait for 3 MINUTES after I start the engine before driving off. The 3 minutes time will allow the catalytic converter to warm up to about 35 degree celcius. After waiting for three minutes, when I strat driving, the transmission will not stick to second gear.
The reason that the transmission will stick to second gear, you have to apply more load to the engine to warm up the catalytic converter faster. That's MB engineering, you can't change it, since they want the catalytic converter to be warmed up a lot faster so that the engine emits less exhaust emission. But, I do not like applying heavy load on the engine when it is still cold, since reving the engine all the way to 3,000 rpm is too much for a COLD engine; thus, putting a lot of wear-and-tear on the engine when it is still cold.
This is the nature of all MBs cars.
mrfu
The reason that the engine hesitates is because the tranmission is in second gear when the catalytic converter is still cold. When going up ramp or hill, while you are in second gear when the catalytic coinver is still cold, you need to apply a lot pressure on the gas pedal to get the car going.
On cold weather or after I have stop the engine for many hours, I usually wait for 3 MINUTES after I start the engine before driving off. The 3 minutes time will allow the catalytic converter to warm up to about 35 degree celcius. After waiting for three minutes, when I strat driving, the transmission will not stick to second gear.
The reason that the transmission will stick to second gear, you have to apply more load to the engine to warm up the catalytic converter faster. That's MB engineering, you can't change it, since they want the catalytic converter to be warmed up a lot faster so that the engine emits less exhaust emission. But, I do not like applying heavy load on the engine when it is still cold, since reving the engine all the way to 3,000 rpm is too much for a COLD engine; thus, putting a lot of wear-and-tear on the engine when it is still cold.
This is the nature of all MBs cars.
mrfu
Senior Member
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From: Ohio
2003 E320
Originally posted by mrfu
On cold weather or after I have stop the engine for many hours, I usually wait for 3 MINUTES after I start the engine before driving off
On cold weather or after I have stop the engine for many hours, I usually wait for 3 MINUTES after I start the engine before driving off
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Seattle
2001 ML320
Besides, how many among us have 3 minutes to spare when we get into our car? I'm also quite sure that sitting at idle for 3 minutes contributes more to pollution than getting going right away and at least moving while the catylatic converter warms up. I have also never heard of a sound reason why pushing the engine to 3000 rpm would cause any problems with wear and tear under normal conditions. Perhaps if it were 50-below zero or something extreme but certainly not in a typical garage.
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From: Ohio
2003 E320
Originally posted by Barney
I have also never heard of a sound reason why pushing the engine to 3000 rpm would cause any problems with wear and tear under normal conditions. Perhaps if it were 50-below zero or something extreme but certainly not in a typical garage.
I have also never heard of a sound reason why pushing the engine to 3000 rpm would cause any problems with wear and tear under normal conditions. Perhaps if it were 50-below zero or something extreme but certainly not in a typical garage.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 215
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From: Seattle
2001 ML320
Yes I understand about the oil viscosity and all that stuff. My point is that the vast majority of drivers never bother to do this and when did you ever hear about someone having premature engine failure because of related cylinder wear, etc.?
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From: Ohio
2003 E320
Right. I am not involved with any mechanical work on the engines, so can't tell you why engines fail, but I think if you are giving it some time to warm up (3 minutes seems excessive), the engine will perform better as years pass. Is there someone mechanically inclined to confirm this?
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The manual states the range of temp. reqired to operate the car. I believe that the gauge in the dash shows this range. So as soon as you can see one bar on the gague, its within spec'ed temp. for driving. I heard some cars give a squirt of oil to the cyl. before start-up to preserve engine life. I'm not sure that the MBs do this.
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The manual states the range of temp. reqired to operate the car. I believe that the gauge in the dash shows this range. So as soon as you can see one bar on the gague, its within spec'ed temp. for driving. I heard some cars give a squirt of oil to the cyl. before start-up to preserve engine life. I'm not sure that the MBs do this.
In fact, I had
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 285
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From: Ohio
2003 E320
Did anyone consult with the dealer ragarding loss of power? A service interval is approaching and I'd like to let them look at this issue... Still annoying, and cannot be pinned on S/W switch being in W.
Almost a Member!
Joined: Mar 2003
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E500 SPORT
guys,
My E500 does the same exact thing. Feels like I'm driving a car with manual transmission:
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...0&pagenumber=1
This might be a "tourque converter" problem.
My E500 does the same exact thing. Feels like I'm driving a car with manual transmission:
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...0&pagenumber=1
This might be a "tourque converter" problem.
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 19
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04 e320
Our 04 e320 has developed a similar problem now @ 45000 miles.. first it was almost stalling, and this morning for the first time it just completely stalled.. lights came on, and then mysteriously it started back up again on its own.. taking it to the dealer today.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 440
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From: Oakland, CA
2014 E350 Estate Wagon 4Matic
Have them check you EGR valve. My 04 E320 did a similar thing and after 3 or 4 visits to the dealer, they found the EGR valve wasn't operating well. Now, it's been perfect.
