Distronic Question
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Joined: Oct 2004
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'05 SLK55, Obsidian, black/red, light and premium pkg., COMAND with nav, airscarf, Sirius
Distronic Question
On many, if not most vehicles when you order Adaptive Cruise Control regular (non radar) cruise control is deleted. When you order Distronic on a GLC is regular cruise control deleted?
I like having both as sometimes I prefer to use regular cruise control. I know, for example, that on many Chrysler products, including Jeeps, when you order Adaptive Cruise Control, regular cruise control is not deleted.
Thanks in advance for your help.
I like having both as sometimes I prefer to use regular cruise control. I know, for example, that on many Chrysler products, including Jeeps, when you order Adaptive Cruise Control, regular cruise control is not deleted.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Member
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 79
Likes: 6
From: Boston, MA
2017 GLC300 Coupe
On many, if not most vehicles when you order Adaptive Cruise Control regular (non radar) cruise control is deleted. When you order Distronic on a GLC is regular cruise control deleted?
I like having both as sometimes I prefer to use regular cruise control. I know, for example, that on many Chrysler products, including Jeeps, when you order Adaptive Cruise Control, regular cruise control is not deleted.
Thanks in advance for your help.
I like having both as sometimes I prefer to use regular cruise control. I know, for example, that on many Chrysler products, including Jeeps, when you order Adaptive Cruise Control, regular cruise control is not deleted.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 165
Likes: 9
'05 SLK55, Obsidian, black/red, light and premium pkg., COMAND with nav, airscarf, Sirius
While I do like ACC (with stop and go) in bumper to bumper traffic, as well as when the traffic is very light, for example on a two lane (one lane in each direction) road if the car in front of me is slowing and turning off the road and there is no deacceleration lane, ACC of course does not recognize the car in front of me has it's turn signal on and brakes far more than needed. Also in moderate traffic (on a two lane road or on an expressway) if someone passes you and changes lanes a bit too closely in front of you, ACC will needlessly deaccelerate and/or brake. And there's likely other scenarios that don't immediately come to mind. Finally I've a had a couple of instances where ACC has not be operable because the radar unit on the front of the vehicle needed to be cleaned. Would have been nice to have regular cruise control as a backup versus nothing.
Candidly if I had to choose one or the other I'm not sure I'd chose ACC again. Unfortunately on the GLC, ACC is bundled with some other options I'd like to have.
Last edited by Shark; Mar 8, 2017 at 10:19 AM.
Member
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 79
Likes: 6
From: Boston, MA
2017 GLC300 Coupe
I have ACC on one of my vehicles now, and wish I had the choice between both types.
While I do like ACC (with stop and go) in bumper to bumper traffic, as well as when the traffic is very light, for example on a two lane (one lane in each direction) road if the car in front of me is slowing and turning off the road and there is no deacceleration lane, ACC of course does not recognize the car in front of me has it's turn signal on and brakes far more than needed. Also in moderate traffic (on a two lane road or on an expressway) if someone passes you and changes lanes a bit too closely in front of you, ACC will needlessly deaccelerate and/or brake. And there's likely other scenarios that don't immediately come to mind. Finally I've a had a couple of instances where ACC has not be operable because the radar unit on the front of the vehicle needed to be cleaned. Would have been nice to have regular cruise control as a backup versus nothing.
While I do like ACC (with stop and go) in bumper to bumper traffic, as well as when the traffic is very light, for example on a two lane (one lane in each direction) road if the car in front of me is slowing and turning off the road and there is no deacceleration lane, ACC of course does not recognize the car in front of me has it's turn signal on and brakes far more than needed. Also in moderate traffic (on a two lane road or on an expressway) if someone passes you and changes lanes a bit too closely in front of you, ACC will needlessly deaccelerate and/or brake. And there's likely other scenarios that don't immediately come to mind. Finally I've a had a couple of instances where ACC has not be operable because the radar unit on the front of the vehicle needed to be cleaned. Would have been nice to have regular cruise control as a backup versus nothing.
Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 18
From: Spain
MB GLC43 AMG
On many, if not most vehicles when you order Adaptive Cruise Control regular (non radar) cruise control is deleted. When you order Distronic on a GLC is regular cruise control deleted?
I like having both as sometimes I prefer to use regular cruise control. I know, for example, that on many Chrysler products, including Jeeps, when you order Adaptive Cruise Control, regular cruise control is not deleted.
Thanks in advance for your help.
I like having both as sometimes I prefer to use regular cruise control. I know, for example, that on many Chrysler products, including Jeeps, when you order Adaptive Cruise Control, regular cruise control is not deleted.
Thanks in advance for your help.
when would you not want adaptive on?
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2004
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'05 SLK55, Obsidian, black/red, light and premium pkg., COMAND with nav, airscarf, Sirius
See post #4 above.
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Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 96
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From: Spain
MB GLC43 AMG
I don't know if this is different, but with Distronic Plus you can determine the distance between your car and the front car.
In my experience, the car has never braked in a situation I considered it not to be necessary.
Check this one
https://youtu.be/RCsyk-KajCQ
In my experience, the car has never braked in a situation I considered it not to be necessary.
Check this one
https://youtu.be/RCsyk-KajCQ
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Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 165
Likes: 9
'05 SLK55, Obsidian, black/red, light and premium pkg., COMAND with nav, airscarf, Sirius
I don't know if this is different, but with Distronic Plus you can determine the distance between your car and the front car.
In my experience, the car has never braked in a situation I considered it not to be necessary.
Check this one
https://youtu.be/RCsyk-KajCQ
In my experience, the car has never braked in a situation I considered it not to be necessary.
Check this one
https://youtu.be/RCsyk-KajCQ
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 165
Likes: 9
'05 SLK55, Obsidian, black/red, light and premium pkg., COMAND with nav, airscarf, Sirius
I should also mention that in the instances I described in post #4 above several times drivers behind me had to slam on their brakes because ACC needlessly applied the brakes and/or applied them harder than I would have, despite me having the ACC set at minimum distance.
While in general I like the idea of Distronic, I guess all systems like this have their limitations. All they know is what they can "see". For example, if there is a rapid slow down of expressway traffic, Distronic is not going to see the traffic several cars in front of you start to hit their brakes...it's focused only on the vehicle immediately in front of you.
While in general I like the idea of Distronic, I guess all systems like this have their limitations. All they know is what they can "see". For example, if there is a rapid slow down of expressway traffic, Distronic is not going to see the traffic several cars in front of you start to hit their brakes...it's focused only on the vehicle immediately in front of you.
Member
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 79
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From: Boston, MA
2017 GLC300 Coupe
I should also mention that in the instances I described in post #4 above several times drivers behind me had to slam on their brakes because ACC needlessly applied the brakes and/or applied them harder than I would have, despite me having the ACC set at minimum distance.
While in general I like the idea of Distronic, I guess all systems like this have their limitations. All they know is what they can "see". For example, if there is a rapid slow down of expressway traffic, Distronic is not going to see the traffic several cars in front of you start to hit their brakes...it's focused only on the vehicle immediately in front of you.
While in general I like the idea of Distronic, I guess all systems like this have their limitations. All they know is what they can "see". For example, if there is a rapid slow down of expressway traffic, Distronic is not going to see the traffic several cars in front of you start to hit their brakes...it's focused only on the vehicle immediately in front of you.
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Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 96
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From: Spain
MB GLC43 AMG
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Posts: 266
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From: Australia
GLC 250D
I agree that the Distronic Plus is not perfect, and there are situations where it's overly cautious, and others where it doesn't 'see' far enough ahead, but overall I'd much rather have it than not. Once you understand its weaknesses you can adjust for them. We recently picked up a well-optioned B200 as a second car, and Distronic Plus is one of the C-class features that I really miss (otlhers being HUD, 3D camera, and electronic steering wheel adjustment).
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2004
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'05 SLK55, Obsidian, black/red, light and premium pkg., COMAND with nav, airscarf, Sirius
I agree that the Distronic Plus is not perfect, and there are situations where it's overly cautious, and others where it doesn't 'see' far enough ahead, but overall I'd much rather have it than not. Once you understand its weaknesses you can adjust for them. We recently picked up a well-optioned B200 as a second car, and Distronic Plus is one of the C-class features that I really miss (otlhers being HUD, 3D camera, and electronic steering wheel adjustment).
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 25
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GLC300
I wish the Distronic had a fall back mode to go into regular cruise control.
Over Christmas I was driving through a storm and the Distronic Plus went off line. I could not stop and had to drive without any cruise control until I found an area where I could pull off. A leaf stuck to the sensors in the grill star area causing it to fail.
if you get a warning that the sensors are out and you now have just "normal" cruise control, I would rather have the normal cruise control rather than losing all cruise control. In other words a graceful degradation rather than a total failure FWIW.
Over Christmas I was driving through a storm and the Distronic Plus went off line. I could not stop and had to drive without any cruise control until I found an area where I could pull off. A leaf stuck to the sensors in the grill star area causing it to fail.
if you get a warning that the sensors are out and you now have just "normal" cruise control, I would rather have the normal cruise control rather than losing all cruise control. In other words a graceful degradation rather than a total failure FWIW.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 165
Likes: 9
'05 SLK55, Obsidian, black/red, light and premium pkg., COMAND with nav, airscarf, Sirius
I wish the Distronic had a fall back mode to go into regular cruise control.
Over Christmas I was driving through a storm and the Distronic Plus went off line. I could not stop and had to drive without any cruise control until I found an area where I could pull off. A leaf stuck to the sensors in the grill star area causing it to fail.
if you get a warning that the sensors are out and you now have just "normal" cruise control, I would rather have the normal cruise control rather than losing all cruise control. In other words a graceful degradation rather than a total failure FWIW.
Over Christmas I was driving through a storm and the Distronic Plus went off line. I could not stop and had to drive without any cruise control until I found an area where I could pull off. A leaf stuck to the sensors in the grill star area causing it to fail.
if you get a warning that the sensors are out and you now have just "normal" cruise control, I would rather have the normal cruise control rather than losing all cruise control. In other words a graceful degradation rather than a total failure FWIW.
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 24
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From: Mesa, AZ, USA
2012 Audi A6, GLC 300 4Matic
Mercedes is not the only manufacturer with adaptive cruise control (ACC) with no backup. I currently drive an Audi A6 and on a cross country trip last summer got into heavy rain, sensors got dirty and ACC quit working, no regular/legacy cruise as a backup. I believe the manufacturers do this because of liability. If people get used to the ACC braking for them and maintaining distance to car in front, then those features become unavailable possibility for rear end collision increases.
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 25
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GLC300
Mercedes is not the only manufacturer with adaptive cruise control (ACC) with no backup. I currently drive an Audi A6 and on a cross country trip last summer got into heavy rain, sensors got dirty and ACC quit working, no regular/legacy cruise as a backup. I believe the manufacturers do this because of liability. If people get used to the ACC braking for them and maintaining distance to car in front, then those features become unavailable possibility for rear end collision increases.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 165
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'05 SLK55, Obsidian, black/red, light and premium pkg., COMAND with nav, airscarf, Sirius
Not so sure about that. If that was the case I really doubt Chrysler's attorneys would allow them to market cars with both systems. It would be especially risky if most other manufacturers don't offer both systems together because if Chrysler was ever sued due to an accident Plaintiff would no doubt point out the other manufacturers that don't offer it.
Can't say that I've thoroughly looked to see who else offers it but the only other car I've seen it on other than some Chrysler products was a Mazda.
Can't say that I've thoroughly looked to see who else offers it but the only other car I've seen it on other than some Chrysler products was a Mazda.
Last edited by Shark; Mar 9, 2017 at 02:14 PM.
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Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Delray Beach, Fl
GLC SUV 350e Verde Silver Metallic
I use it a lot but I am very aware that it can make mistakes or rather misjudgments that only us humans can correct. Ex. Car stopped at a light. You are doing 35 mph. If I didn't have it turned on I would take my foot off the petal long before ACC starts to slow. That said in slow and go commuting it's great in keeping a fixed distance between cars.
