I Confess
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Albuquerque
'10 CL550, '12 GL550
I Confess
With all the "Toyota talk" about electronic (drive by wire) accelerator pedals, I've realized some of my discontent with my GL may be self-inflicted.
The upshot is that Toyotas do NOT have the feature that if brake pedal is simultaneously pressed with accelerator pedal, the accelerator pedal input is ignored. This IS the (safer) feature on Mercedes.
As a longtime left foot braker, I feel I'll have to rethink my technique. I have previously complained about instances where I've come to a stop and then wanted to immediately accelerate away and got zero throttle response. Well, duh.
It's a bit uphill into my garage and clearances are tight, so it's a throttle/brake dance and is a bit jerky and frustrating at times. Well, duh.
So here I am a guy whose self image is he's all "modern" and everything and maybe instead I'm driving my GL like it's some old timer. Being (he fantasizes) super at rpm matching on manual transmission cars doesn't apparently equate to "legendary" footwork with the two pedals in the GL, either.
The upshot is that Toyotas do NOT have the feature that if brake pedal is simultaneously pressed with accelerator pedal, the accelerator pedal input is ignored. This IS the (safer) feature on Mercedes.
As a longtime left foot braker, I feel I'll have to rethink my technique. I have previously complained about instances where I've come to a stop and then wanted to immediately accelerate away and got zero throttle response. Well, duh.
It's a bit uphill into my garage and clearances are tight, so it's a throttle/brake dance and is a bit jerky and frustrating at times. Well, duh.
So here I am a guy whose self image is he's all "modern" and everything and maybe instead I'm driving my GL like it's some old timer. Being (he fantasizes) super at rpm matching on manual transmission cars doesn't apparently equate to "legendary" footwork with the two pedals in the GL, either.
Super Member
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15 GL550
lkchris, your GL (at least the 09's) should be holding the brakes briefly when you are on an incline and moving your foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator. Maybe it's "jerky" because you're confusing the system by applying brake and throttle pressure at the same time while being on an inlcline??
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Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Minnesota
2008 GL 320 CDI Black/Black
Are you in a 12 step program with Tiger? haha - my old man is a left/right foot driver too. I rarely felt safe with him at the wheel in heavy traffic! But he never did crack up a car...
Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 210
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From: Louisville, KY
2014 Black SLK 55 AMG, Black 2015 GL 550, 2011 Blue GLK 350
Silly me, I thought you could only GO or STOP at one time, but not both. Hey I just teasing. In reality, I have followed two footed drivers and the brake lights stay lit the whole time and if on long drives eventually go off. Why would you want to drive this way? I think you just get comfortable with your left foot there and don't realize it is actually pushing on the brake pedal. The previous poster is right about the brakes holding on an incline. Just feather the accelerator pedal without the brake and you should be fine. Good luck.
MBWorld Fanatic!
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1989 Toyota Tercel EZ - dyno'd @ 70whp/77wtq
). So no need to do brake/gas balance like a manual car 
As for Toyota, I heard it was the other way around - brakes are ignored if both are being pressed - even after the fix. Not sure whether it's true or not... am careless, at least until I'm considering buying a toyota
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15 GL550
That's odd. They must have changed the setup for 09 because the 09 manual actually says that the Hill Start Assist system holds the brakes for 1 second after you have released the brake pedal. I guess they wanted to give us the ability to roll backward while in drive???
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Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Northern California
MBs
This is copied from the MBUSA model year 2007 owner's manual, page 199.
As far as I know Hill Start Assist did not change between the model years?
PS. I like using this feature.
As far as I know Hill Start Assist did not change between the model years?
PS. I like using this feature.
Automatic Transmission - Hill Start Assist System
On uphill grades with a gradient angle of
more than 5°, the hill start assist system
maintains the pressure in the brake system
for approximately 1 second after you
have released the brake pedal. Therefore,
you can start off smoothly without the
vehicle moving immediately after releasing
the brake pedal.
The hill start assist system is inactive
- when starting off on a level road or downhill grades
- with the transmission in neutral position N
- with the parking brake set
- if the ESP® has switched off due to a malfunction
http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/data/p...7_gl_class.pdf
On uphill grades with a gradient angle of
more than 5°, the hill start assist system
maintains the pressure in the brake system
for approximately 1 second after you
have released the brake pedal. Therefore,
you can start off smoothly without the
vehicle moving immediately after releasing
the brake pedal.
The hill start assist system is inactive
- when starting off on a level road or downhill grades
- with the transmission in neutral position N
- with the parking brake set
- if the ESP® has switched off due to a malfunction
http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/data/p...7_gl_class.pdf
Last edited by Wolfgang; Mar 5, 2010 at 07:16 PM. Reason: spelling
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Super Member
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From: Northern California
MBs
The supplier of the GL-Class braking system also explains Hill Start Assist on their website, which hopefully wont produce confusion.
http://www.conti-online.com/generato...cs/hsa_en.html
http://www.conti-online.com/generato...cs/hsa_en.html
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MBWorld Fanatic!
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1989 Toyota Tercel EZ - dyno'd @ 70whp/77wtq
Not sure what the manual says... but I know for sure my car could hold more than 1-2 seconds unlike the above chart. May be my car has its own mind or was modified by previous owner (who owned an MB dealer, BTW)? 
Who wants to place a bet? LOL
Who wants to place a bet?
LOL
