ECO STOP/START
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 36
Likes: 1
From: RI
2022 MB C300 4MATIC
ECO STOP/START
After driving new 2014 E350 Sport 4-Matic for four weeks now, I seem to turn off the Stop/Start feature more often than not.
I don't like being in traffic with my engine not running, doesn't feel right.
I can't believe I'am saving much gas since I don't drive much in traffic.
I've owned 8 new MB's in the last 24 years and I wouldn't be buying MB's if I were trying to save on gas.
What does anyone else think about this feature?
I don't like being in traffic with my engine not running, doesn't feel right.
I can't believe I'am saving much gas since I don't drive much in traffic.
I've owned 8 new MB's in the last 24 years and I wouldn't be buying MB's if I were trying to save on gas.
What does anyone else think about this feature?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,851
Likes: 196
From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
I like it in theory but have never experienced it. Makes sense...why pay for gas and produce emissions when you don't have to? From what I've read it's seamless as well......is it? What I don't get is you like the engine vibration at idle? Is there any downside to ECO other than something else to maybe require maintenance and the initial cost?
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 971
Likes: 182
From: DFW, TX
2014 E350 Wagon, 2025 GLC 350e, 2026 E53 Wagon
I drive my dad's Touareg with the Eco start/stop feature and it didn't bother me until it was blowing hot air in the city. That was the point when I turned it off.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,851
Likes: 196
From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
Are you sure it uses the starter motor? Or does it use a hybrid starter/generator flywheel like some other manufacturers?
I don't see this as a problem as the condenser takes longer than a few minutes to warm up and the AC fans keep running. I'm sure they accounted for this in their plans.
I don't see this as a problem as the condenser takes longer than a few minutes to warm up and the AC fans keep running. I'm sure they accounted for this in their plans.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,046
Likes: 1
From: Chicago, IL
2011 E550 4Matic, 2002 M3 Vert
Personally, I like it. In fact, I get pissed when it doesn't shut the engine down in traffic or at a light. It's kinda erie though when you're sitting at a light with no engine on. Nobody buys a Benz to save gas but then again if they make it more efficient is anyone gonna reject them and demand the gas guzzler? No chance.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,494
Likes: 334
From: Europe
223.168 & 213.012 & 906.633 & 214.005
Are you sure it uses the starter motor? Or does it use a hybrid starter/generator flywheel like some other manufacturers?
I don't see this as a problem as the condenser takes longer than a few minutes to warm up and the AC fans keep running. I'm sure they accounted for this in their plans.
I don't see this as a problem as the condenser takes longer than a few minutes to warm up and the AC fans keep running. I'm sure they accounted for this in their plans.
^^^^ could have been my words.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,362
Likes: 936
W212 FL
I have not found anything remarkable in regards to fuel eco with ECO button turned on vs turned off , it's all down to driving habits rather than a magic little rectangular button .I like it though .
A/C keeps blowing cold air but lowers fan speed and you have a second battery to feed the system
A/C keeps blowing cold air but lowers fan speed and you have a second battery to feed the system
Trending Topics
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 971
Likes: 182
From: DFW, TX
2014 E350 Wagon, 2025 GLC 350e, 2026 E53 Wagon
"How the ECO start/stop system works in detail: as a general principle, the engine is switched off every time the vehicle comes to a standstill (auto-stop function. Restarting the engine (auto-starting function) takes place almost imperceptibly; and moving off without any noticeable time lag compared to a stationary vehicle with its engine running. This rapid action is attributable to two special features: a crankshaft Hall sensor which is able to identify the rotational direction of the crankshaft enables the engine control unit to identify the cylinder in which the piston is ideally positioned for starting. The fuel is injected into this cylinder first, thereby speeding up the starting process. An additional electric transmission oil pump supplies the clutches of the automatic transmission with oil pressure prior to starting, so as to enable a swift resumption of the journey after direct starting of the combustion engine via the ECO start/stop function. The starter motor (starter) has also undergone thorough modification: it is now designed to cope with eight times as many starting procedures, ensuring that it will last a car's lifetime in continuous urban driving involving frequent auto-starting. In addition, the on-board electrical system is supported by a second battery."
Sounds like a starter motor to me... It copes with 8x as many starts as a regular one. So if on average it gets used more than 8x on your daily journey it will wear out prematurely.
As for the A/C, I spoke of experience. The car starts to feel humid and warm after a short while. At least the Touareg does. And it wasn't even in Texas, it was in August in Europe.
Last edited by GregTR; Oct 4, 2013 at 07:22 AM.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes Teases Updated EQS With Steer-By-Wire and a Yoke
Verdad Gallardo
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 971
Likes: 182
From: DFW, TX
2014 E350 Wagon, 2025 GLC 350e, 2026 E53 Wagon
The system actually should monitor A/C demand and disable auto off based on that.
"But the start/stop function can think beyond that: it is also able to start the engine automatically as an intelligent comfort and safety function. The engine control unit starts the engine automatically, without any intervention on the part of the driver, when one of the following conditions is met:
"But the start/stop function can think beyond that: it is also able to start the engine automatically as an intelligent comfort and safety function. The engine control unit starts the engine automatically, without any intervention on the part of the driver, when one of the following conditions is met:
- A vehicle-related precondition for the auto-stop function, such as the conditions pertaining to air conditioning, the on-board electrical system, the brake system, the chassis and other vehicle-related influences, is no longer met.
- The driver releases his seat belt or opens the driver's door. Automatic starting takes place in order to prompt the driver to actively switch off the engine by turning the ignition key to position 0, prior to leaving the vehicle. This ensures that the ECO start/stop system is safely deactivated when the vehicle is parked."
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,851
Likes: 196
From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
Do you do a lot of city driving? Since emissions are closely related to gas consumption that wouldn't change much either in your case. I wonder what the ideal situation for ECO activation is? I'm guessing rush hour city with lots of pedestrian traffic to slow the flow. The claim is 3 - 5% gas savings and if you do the math on a large scale that's a lot of gas and emissions savings.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 971
Likes: 182
From: DFW, TX
2014 E350 Wagon, 2025 GLC 350e, 2026 E53 Wagon
Do you do a lot of city driving? Since emissions are closely related to gas consumption that wouldn't change much either in your case. I wonder what the ideal situation for ECO activation is? I'm guessing rush hour city with lots of pedestrian traffic to slow the flow. The claim is 3 - 5% gas savings and if you do the math on a large scale that's a lot of gas and emissions savings.
It has to be stop and go traffic. Steady slow moving traffic does nothing. It also has to be extended periods of stops for the system to make sense. A E350 probably uses about 0.3 gallons per hour for idling so it's the equivalent of about a mile driven for every 10 minutes of sitting in traffic. A typical red light is probably around 60-80 seconds in length so you need to stop the engine 8-10 times for every gallon of fuel to better your consumption by 1 mpg which would be about 4% more efficient. So if your average commute involves about 10 miles and you have 4-5 red lights where the car stops your engine then you will see a 4% or so improvement in your fuel consumption. Interestingly it is also less than the 8x more reliable starter motor so it sounds pretty legit to use it.
My commute is 13 miles, mostly highway with 3 traffic lights. If I have to stop at every one of them I would see a saving of 2-3% in fuel consumption by using the system. But I will most likely hit some of those lights green on some days so it's more like a 1-2% saving for me. As always, your mileage may vary....
Super Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 684
Likes: 1
From: Leesburg, VA
2014 E550 4Matic with P1/LED/Pano
it's great for normal driving. when we get into stop/go, I turn it off. I've got the same thing on our BMW and its 10x more intrusive whereas its barely noticeable on the Merc....I chalk that up to twice the cylinder count and less motor vibration (i.e. more balanced).
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 13,799
Likes: 3,228
2014 E63S; AMS 100 octane ECU dyno tune; EDOK TCU tune; BB intakes; sprintbooster
call me paranoid, but I turn ECO off when I'm taking a left turn against traffic .. something deep inside me says - the engine should be running right before I'm about to make this turn... I wish the ECO engineers could sense somehow that I'm taking a turn against traffic and disable ECO during these periods of time. Also I don't like it during incline driving.. hate that rollback briefly while it starts up... like driving a manual
oh, and 8x a trip--?? The engine starts/stops at least 20-30 times some local trips I make... I have the good sense to turn it off when it's just a nonsense situation to keep it on -- stop and go traffic, etc. I'm glad I have an extended warranty with this ECO... I wonder if the cost of a starter replacement or other parts therein would offset any fuel savings over the course of 50k miles if your starter were to go out after the b2b warranty...
oh, and 8x a trip--?? The engine starts/stops at least 20-30 times some local trips I make... I have the good sense to turn it off when it's just a nonsense situation to keep it on -- stop and go traffic, etc. I'm glad I have an extended warranty with this ECO... I wonder if the cost of a starter replacement or other parts therein would offset any fuel savings over the course of 50k miles if your starter were to go out after the b2b warranty...
Last edited by PeterUbers; Oct 4, 2013 at 01:56 PM.
Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 232
Likes: 0
From: Chicago Suburbs, USA
2014 E350 4Matic, 2012 Kia Soul+
I do pay attention to gas mileage when I spend 60K+ on a car. It is a factor when I compare cars. I wanted the E250 but in Illinois only B20 is readily available and that voids the warranty, so I got the E350.
I would probably turn off the ECO feature downtown or stop and go traffic, but for suburbs with their long red lights, I'm game.
Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
W212 E350
I like the feature since I do like the idea of being a little "green". It does in fact get hot when you are stopped with the engine shut off, the air does not get cold when you are on an ECO stop. Once you get going, you feel the cold air pretty quickly...
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 815
Likes: 2
From: Fla. Snowbird.
Porsche 911 Turbo S 2014! E63S 14, Audi S8 13, CLS63 12, E550 12, C63 09, all tuned
If you get your car tuned, you can have it disabled.
Another thing they have figured out in Germany on how to save fuel. Yield signs instead of stop signs. There is very few stop signs. Coming to a full stop when it is safe to just yield saves a massive amount of fuel.
No, I am not going talk about fuel saving by using round abouts too.
Another thing they have figured out in Germany on how to save fuel. Yield signs instead of stop signs. There is very few stop signs. Coming to a full stop when it is safe to just yield saves a massive amount of fuel.
No, I am not going talk about fuel saving by using round abouts too.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,362
Likes: 936
W212 FL
Do you do a lot of city driving? Since emissions are closely related to gas consumption that wouldn't change much either in your case. I wonder what the ideal situation for ECO activation is? I'm guessing rush hour city with lots of pedestrian traffic to slow the flow. The claim is 3 - 5% gas savings and if you do the math on a large scale that's a lot of gas and emissions savings.
call me paranoid, but I turn ECO off when I'm taking a left turn against traffic .. something deep inside me says - the engine should be running right before I'm about to make this turn... I wish the ECO engineers could sense somehow that I'm taking a turn against traffic and disable ECO during these periods of time. Also I don't like it during incline driving.. hate that rollback briefly while it starts up... like driving a manual
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 13,799
Likes: 3,228
2014 E63S; AMS 100 octane ECU dyno tune; EDOK TCU tune; BB intakes; sprintbooster
I forgot I also shut it up when parking in the garage... can't stand it shutting off and on as I negotiate the 360 view monitor to get the car just right, also I do not like how it'll be on eco-off, and i'm ready to turn the car off so I hit the park button and then the start/stop button sequentially and everything is silent -- just is unsatisfying .. guess it'll take some getting used to. I also think that if the 360 view camera is active, it should keep ECO off, understanding that I'm negotiating a parking maneuver, so keep the engine running.
hopefully software upgrades for future E class owners
hopefully software upgrades for future E class owners
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,123
Likes: 1,288
From: Southern US
2010 E550, 273 Engine: 2012 S550, 278 Engine
"How the ECO start/stop system works in detail: as a general principle, the engine is switched off every time the vehicle comes to a standstill (auto-stop function. Restarting the engine (auto-starting function) takes place almost imperceptibly; and moving off without any noticeable time lag compared to a stationary vehicle with its engine running. This rapid action is attributable to two special features: a crankshaft Hall sensor which is able to identify the rotational direction of the crankshaft enables the engine control unit to identify the cylinder in which the piston is ideally positioned for starting. The fuel is injected into this cylinder first, thereby speeding up the starting process. An additional electric transmission oil pump supplies the clutches of the automatic transmission with oil pressure prior to starting, so as to enable a swift resumption of the journey after direct starting of the combustion engine via the ECO start/stop function. The starter motor (starter) has also undergone thorough modification: it is now designed to cope with eight times as many starting procedures, ensuring that it will last a car's lifetime in continuous urban driving involving frequent auto-starting. In addition, the on-board electrical system is supported by a second battery."
Sounds like a starter motor to me... It copes with 8x as many starts as a regular one. So if on average it gets used more than 8x on your daily journey it will wear out prematurely.
As for the A/C, I spoke of experience. The car starts to feel humid and warm after a short while. At least the Touareg does. And it wasn't even in Texas, it was in August in Europe.
Sounds like a starter motor to me... It copes with 8x as many starts as a regular one. So if on average it gets used more than 8x on your daily journey it will wear out prematurely.
As for the A/C, I spoke of experience. The car starts to feel humid and warm after a short while. At least the Touareg does. And it wasn't even in Texas, it was in August in Europe.
Where did this technical writing come from? It is missing some info.
For the control system to know which cylinder is at firing position the crank shaft sensor alone is not enough. Information from the cam shaft position sensor also is needed.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,123
Likes: 1,288
From: Southern US
2010 E550, 273 Engine: 2012 S550, 278 Engine
What I also noticed the vents kept blowing cool air for several minutes, at least four minutes, while the compressor was off.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 971
Likes: 182
From: DFW, TX
2014 E350 Wagon, 2025 GLC 350e, 2026 E53 Wagon
The discussion was more in reference to whether a starter motor is utilized or not (it is), not what other smarts and sensors are needed for a system. But I'm glad you pointed out that the information was partial in that reference, it makes a whole lot of difference in the discussion....
