E mode vs S mode
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Atlanta, GA
2016 E400 4Matic
E mode vs S mode
I have a 2016 E400 and I have a friend who has a 2016 E350. Both of us drive in E mode. When my car is in E mode, it starts off in 2nd gear from a stop. His car starts off in 1st gear. Is that normal. I thought if it was in E mode, that it was supposed to start off in 2nd gear which means that my car is displaying normal behavior.
Also, I've owned my car for a month now and drive it 60 miles per day and not once has the auto start/stop feature activated. I definitely find that abnormal.
Also, I've owned my car for a month now and drive it 60 miles per day and not once has the auto start/stop feature activated. I definitely find that abnormal.
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From: Dallas-Ft.Worth,TX
2016 E350 Sport
I have a 2016 E400 and I have a friend who has a 2016 E350. Both of us drive in E mode. When my car is in E mode, it starts off in 2nd gear from a stop. His car starts off in 1st gear. Is that normal. I thought if it was in E mode, that it was supposed to start off in 2nd gear which means that my car is displaying normal behavior.
Some conditions, like climate control, seem irrelevent to this operation, but are included. When the weather gets cooler this Fall, I intend to drive some without the A/C on, just to see if that condition de-activates ECO On/Off.
I pull into my garage very slowly. Once parked where desired, ECO On/Off will often engage before I have a chance to put the tranny in PARK. I find this VERY annoying, and I have trained myself to watch this very carefully to avoid an undesired re-ignition, or roll-off.
Last edited by DFWdude; Sep 17, 2018 at 09:49 PM.
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From: S JERSEY/PHILLY
2007 mercedes e63, 2006 bmw 530 Xi with Mtech kit , 2005 ford expedition
I have a 2015 e400 and when I have car on E mode the car takes off on 2nd gear all the time .. Dont recall it ever taking off on first gear... I also have issues with eco mode ..it comes on sometimes after 45 min s or so .. sometimes it just doesn't... Very random... But when it finally decides to come on it works on evert stop...
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In drive mode S the car should move out in 1st gear all of the time. In drive mode E the car will move out in 2nd gear all of the time unless it has not achieved proper operating temperature, wherein it starts in 1st.
Your trunk battery is more than likely in need of replacement if your ECO START/STOP is not coming on. You won't get a warning. Replace it.
Your trunk battery is more than likely in need of replacement if your ECO START/STOP is not coming on. You won't get a warning. Replace it.
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Joined: May 2007
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From: S JERSEY/PHILLY
2007 mercedes e63, 2006 bmw 530 Xi with Mtech kit , 2005 ford expedition
I was thinking of replacing mine but read alot of people get the aux malfuctnion warning on display and my HOLD feature still works ... So most of the time when battery goes bad there's no warning of dead aux battery ?
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If you let it go long enough, you will get an auxillary battery malfunction warning, but by that time it probably hasn't been working for quite some time. When the ECO START/STOP is non-functioning or the dash light turns itself off, the battery is unable to support a full state of charge and should be replaced. A quick check of the SOC should verify it is on the way out.
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From: Dallas-Ft.Worth,TX
2016 E350 Sport
From page 172 in the 2014 E350 Digital Manual...
Drive program E (drive program C on AMG vehicles) is characterized by the following:
- the vehicle pulling away more gently in forward and reverse gears, unless the accelerator pedal is depressed fully
- increased sensitivity. This improves driving stability on slippery road surfaces, for example
- the automatic transmission shifting up sooner. This results in the vehicle being driven at lower engine speeds and the wheels being less likely to spin
Drive program S (or, in the case of AMG vehicles, drive programs S and S+) is characterized by the following:
- sporty engine and automatic transmission settings
- the vehicle pulling away in first gear
- the automatic transmission shifting up later
- the fuel consumption possibly being higher as a result of the later automatic transmission shift points
I know I've read it somewhere (maybe just at MBWorld?) But I cannot find anywhere in the manual that it says that E mode starts from 2nd gear. As mentioned earlier -- based on what I've read here -- I have watched the MFD after coming to a stop at lights, to see my E350 downshift and sit in 1st gear as I wait for the light to change.... even after 40 mile long drives when the engine is fully at operating temps.
Is it possible that the E350 performs differently than the E300/E400? They do have different engines and presumably different transmissions.
Drive program E (drive program C on AMG vehicles) is characterized by the following:
- the vehicle pulling away more gently in forward and reverse gears, unless the accelerator pedal is depressed fully
- increased sensitivity. This improves driving stability on slippery road surfaces, for example
- the automatic transmission shifting up sooner. This results in the vehicle being driven at lower engine speeds and the wheels being less likely to spin
Drive program S (or, in the case of AMG vehicles, drive programs S and S+) is characterized by the following:
- sporty engine and automatic transmission settings
- the vehicle pulling away in first gear
- the automatic transmission shifting up later
- the fuel consumption possibly being higher as a result of the later automatic transmission shift points
I know I've read it somewhere (maybe just at MBWorld?) But I cannot find anywhere in the manual that it says that E mode starts from 2nd gear. As mentioned earlier -- based on what I've read here -- I have watched the MFD after coming to a stop at lights, to see my E350 downshift and sit in 1st gear as I wait for the light to change.... even after 40 mile long drives when the engine is fully at operating temps.
Is it possible that the E350 performs differently than the E300/E400? They do have different engines and presumably different transmissions.
Last edited by DFWdude; Sep 10, 2018 at 06:02 PM.
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Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 304
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From: Atlanta, GA
2016 E400 4Matic
If you let it go long enough, you will get an auxillary battery malfunction warning, but by that time it probably hasn't been working for quite some time. When the ECO START/STOP is non-functioning or the dash light turns itself off, the battery is unable to support a full state of charge and should be replaced. A quick check of the SOC should verify it is on the way out.
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From: S JERSEY/PHILLY
2007 mercedes e63, 2006 bmw 530 Xi with Mtech kit , 2005 ford expedition
I believe the 14 thru 16 it mite b different..I think previous 212s the color has to change for eco to work and has eco on cluster at all times .. on my 2015 a green eco pops up when it turns off the car.. other tHan that u won't see any eco on cluster...I just pulled up to work and it came on twice ..
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From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
The 2nd gear start depends on the engine.
My 2014 E250 BT starts always on 1st.
The ECO lights on the cluster changed over the MY. I see older models had ECO ( I think in yellow) showing the car is ready, when there is no indication on my 2014 model.
My 2014 E250 BT starts always on 1st.
The ECO lights on the cluster changed over the MY. I see older models had ECO ( I think in yellow) showing the car is ready, when there is no indication on my 2014 model.
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From: Atlanta, GA
2016 E400 4Matic
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The green light is on down where the button is where you can turn the start/stop function on or off but I have no light at all in the instrument cluster where the speedometer is. I had a 2014 E350 and the word ECO would always be on. It was kind of a yellowish color and then when the system was actually ready and active the word ECO would turn green and the car would start and stop. I have no ECO word showing at all in the E400. I’ve owned the car for a month now and have never seen the word ECO appear even in the yellowish color.
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 261
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From: S JERSEY/PHILLY
2007 mercedes e63, 2006 bmw 530 Xi with Mtech kit , 2005 ford expedition
I don't think the facelift 212 works that way ...I've seen a few 2015 and 16 212 videos and don't recall having the yellow Eco word on screen mite b on the 2014 .. But who knows I mite b wrong as both of our e400s eco mode not working properly anyways .. but I'm going to source a battery and see what happens as my wife likes the crappy Eco mode
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From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 304
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From: Atlanta, GA
2016 E400 4Matic
I'm taking the car in anyway around the first week of October so I will have them put a new battery in the trunk. I'll let you know what happens.
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2014 E350 4Matic
My 2016 E350 starts off in 1st gear while in E mode almost all the time. I think I've seen it start from second, too, but only on rare occasions.
Honestly, though, the ratios are so close together and the shifting smooth enough that there is seldom any feedback that prompts me to notice.
If your 60 miles a day is 30 miles to work and 30 miles back home, then you should see the ECO auto stop/start function once the engine warms up and while at a FULL stop at a light. If your 60 miles comprises one short hop after another, you may will not see it function. There is a list in the manual describing more that a dozen conditions that must occur for it to work.
Some conditions, like climate control, seem irrelevent to this operation, but are included. When the weather gets cooler this Fall, I intend to drive some without the A/C on, just to see if that condition de-activates ECO On/Off.
I pull into my garage very slowly. Once parked where desired, ECO On/Off will often engage before I have a chance to put the tranny in PARK. I find this VERY annoying, and I have trained myself to watch this very carefully to avoid an undesired re-ignition, or roll-off.
Honestly, though, the ratios are so close together and the shifting smooth enough that there is seldom any feedback that prompts me to notice.
If your 60 miles a day is 30 miles to work and 30 miles back home, then you should see the ECO auto stop/start function once the engine warms up and while at a FULL stop at a light. If your 60 miles comprises one short hop after another, you may will not see it function. There is a list in the manual describing more that a dozen conditions that must occur for it to work.
Some conditions, like climate control, seem irrelevent to this operation, but are included. When the weather gets cooler this Fall, I intend to drive some without the A/C on, just to see if that condition de-activates ECO On/Off.
I pull into my garage very slowly. Once parked where desired, ECO On/Off will often engage before I have a chance to put the tranny in PARK. I find this VERY annoying, and I have trained myself to watch this very carefully to avoid an undesired re-ignition, or roll-off.
I wonder why the engine restarts because I have removed my seatbelt? Weird!
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 261
Likes: 10
From: S JERSEY/PHILLY
2007 mercedes e63, 2006 bmw 530 Xi with Mtech kit , 2005 ford expedition
This is what mine does that drives me nuts. I pull into my garage and when I come to a complete stop, the engine turns off (because the ECO is green). I take my seatbelt off and the engine restarts. I then immediately turn the engine off (because I am in my garage at home). Drives me nuts. So now, when I think about it (which is most of the time), when I am pulling into my driveway, I remove my seatbelt before I get into the garage and come to a complete stop.
I wonder why the engine restarts because I have removed my seatbelt? Weird!
I wonder why the engine restarts because I have removed my seatbelt? Weird!
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From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
The issue is even funnier when you go via security checkpoint.
You pull over and stop - engine shuts down. The security ask you about ID, so you unbuckle to reach for your pocket - engine restarts.
The checkpoint guys sure look funny at the moment.
You pull over and stop - engine shuts down. The security ask you about ID, so you unbuckle to reach for your pocket - engine restarts.
The checkpoint guys sure look funny at the moment.
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2014 E350
I have a 2016 E400 and I have a friend who has a 2016 E350. Both of us drive in E mode. When my car is in E mode, it starts off in 2nd gear from a stop. His car starts off in 1st gear. Is that normal. I thought if it was in E mode, that it was supposed to start off in 2nd gear which means that my car is displaying normal behavior.
Edward
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2013 SL550, 2016 GLE350, 2016 GLC300
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Compatibility
ECO205
C Class sedan 2015-2018
C Class coupe 2016-2018
GLC 2015-2018
E Class 2017-2018
ECO212
C Class sedan 2012-2014
C Class coupe 2012-2015
CLA 2015-2018
CLS 2013-2018
E Class 2012-2016
G Wagon 2014-2018
GLK 2012-2015
GL 2012-2016
GLE 2016-2018
GLS 2016-2018
GLA 2015-2018
ML 2012-2015
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SL 2013-2018
SLK 2012-2016
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S Class 2014-2018
GT S 2014-2018
ECO221
S Class 2012-2013
CL 2012-2013
Last edited by midcityeng; Sep 20, 2018 at 05:10 PM. Reason: Formatting
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 304
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From: Atlanta, GA
2016 E400 4Matic
Just wanted to give an update as I said that I would as far as the start/stop system not working. Took it in today and they found the auxiliary battery bad and replaced it. It worked several times on my home from the dealership. I knew something was wrong as I have driven it 2k miles since I got the car a couple of months ago and not once did the start/stop feature work. Also, I never received any type of message saying that the battery was bad.
