Raron

Have a 13 Bluetec. Does the S button form shocks, steering, sharpen trans or what?

reckrab

Adjusts the transmission shift points only.

cc16177

Is that really all it does? I know it does that, but I seem to get the impression the throttle has better response as soon as I switch it from E to S. Even if i'm at 2k RPM when I change to S it just seems to react differently...

I could be wrong though.

bob2011

I also noticed that S mode sharpens up throttle response. We can't all be crazy, right?

GuestFromTampa

Page 120-121 in the manual

g4benz

Agreed and I created a thread on this. My car in S mode drives more aggressively than in C mode.

2010 E550

mnje350

S mode starts you off in 1st gear, as opposed to 2nd in comfort/economy mode. It also changes the shift points in that it holds in the lower gear longer. Both of these things will give you more throttle response as well as make the car snappier. I like S mode. Wish I could set it to stay in S mode. I am sure the tire companies would like that too.

Comfort/Economy mode satisfies the EPA people both here and their equivelent abroad.

Alf Barnet

Definitely tightens the steering up.

jahquan3

It's like a totally different car when I have it in S. I have the RWD E550 so when it's in S any sort of mash of the pedal is definitely making a scene and screeching down the road lol.

Tonycpa

The reason you believe the throttle response is improved is because in Sport mode the vehicle's shift point change which increases your RPMs. If your RPMs are higher than in E mode, you will be closer to the RPM range where your car makes more HP/TQ and therefore will accelerate faster

Raron

I also think it stiffens steering! But why isn't this button listed in manual?

cc16177

I understand that, and i'm not really trying to argue, but i'll be driving down the highway at 80-90 in E so i'm sitting about 2k RPM. I'll press the gas a little and see how it responds, then press the S button (the RPM doesn't change, i'll still be at 2k) and then press the gas, and it definitely seems to respond differently.

I have no explanation for this because I don't know much about how cars "actually work" but this has been my perception.

mnje350

The button is listed in the manual on page 120 and the function is described on page 121. In sport mode, "S means that upshifts occur later." That's all it says. It says nothing about the suspension, steering or any other function.

mikemargolis

I've owned my car since Feb 12 and have put 60K miles on it.

Have never once used the S button.

It's a diesel and highway cruiser. I've already got 400 pounds of torque.

jahquan3

From my understanding the pounds of torque can be misleading and often doesn't correlate with fast 0-60 times. Or any other basic timing pattern associated with actual power numbers for the car fan. I'm no expert though, so I could be wrong.

jahquan3

I just read back what I just wrote again and I don't want to sound disrespectful towards your torque statement. I'm just more so inquiring why you would sort of poo poo the S button when we all think it makes a huge difference. Just to clarify and not sound like a douche or anything.

SteveE400

A lot of us old drag racers say "Horsepower sells cars; torque wins races." Torque is the "twisting" power that translates to acceleration. The lower the engine speed at which maximum torque is developed, the more impressive the car seems to feel. Try driving one of the newer MB turbo (gas) engines for a real-time demonstration.

mikemargolis

I guess it's because I am 55 years old, not a "car guy," don't drag race, and would rather have better gas mileage than faster time to 60mph.

I bought my car with the Luxury package, not the Sport, and I want comfort.

If I'm going 50 and need to get around someone, and mash the pedal to the floor, the car does what I want.

I'm more excited about beating my miles per tank record than beating the snot nosed kid in the Camaro at the stoplight.

Call me old....

mleskovar

Shift points mean a LOT less when you have diesel torque. Gas engines need to be wound up to get to the sweet spot of the power band.....diesels are there already.

SteveE400

Sometimes. . . but I have the turbocharged engine, which develops max torque at around 1,400 RPM, so by your logic the changing shift points wouldn't make much difference -- but it DOES. In Sport mode, it seems to always have the transmission in the proper gear for best/max performance anyway.


I say try it. If you like it, use it. If not, don't. We all have different expectations from similar cars, and the cars are sophisticated enough to meet most of our needs.

Tonycpa

How SOFT have you become!

Just kidding brother. If it's mpg you want, God bless

If everyone were the same life wouldn't be interesting. Enjoy!

jahquan3

Definitely wouldn't call you old. I hear you, I can't knock you for that at all.

jahquan3

Interesting, I've never heard it put that way. I'll def. try and educate myself a little more on this theory.