I have had the Stop Start feature on several cars including my 2017 E350 4matic which was turned in at lease end. I feel that the Stop Start feature on my 2020 GLE 350 4matic is more intrusive than any other car I have had with that feature. The car "jumps" when it restarts at a light. It is not dangerous as I have the brake applied but it is more intrusive that I would like.

Anyone else experiencing this?

 

I notice it more when the A/C is on.

 

Simply get in the habit of pushing two buttons to start the car, and the problem will go away. Oh, and also release the parking brake.

 

mjs, it is definitely not smooth. My 2017 E300 was smoother, but not exactly polished. it was very unobtrusive on my 2019 E450. I think the small engine/big vehicle makes it harder to conceal. Also - the E classes used to start from a stop in second gear in Comfort mode, which I think minimized that "jump" you describe - the GLE350 starts in first gear in Comfort mode, which I think makes the "jump" more prevalent.

 

I have a 2020 GLC and can also attest to the fact that the stop/start feature kicks in really sharply on this model too...not smooth at all. I've only had the vehicle for a few months but it never ceases to take me by surprise (and not in a good way). And unfortunately I don't always remember to cut it off before it provides an unpleasant reminder that I've left it on. There have actually been times when I think the car has been bumped from behind by another vehicle....that's how harsh the "jump" (as you described it) is. I have had at least two other brands of car with the stop/start feature and it operated much more smoothly in both of them.

 

Maybe not. Our E63s “jumps” too.

 

Great for wearing out the engine mounts early along with a bunch of other stuff .

 

If it's that bad I am glad I bought a 450 where it is seamless.

 

Yes, it is very noticeable. While I'm sure more knowledgeable people can comment better than me on this, I really feel like the 350s engine is underpowered and unrefined for a SUV as expensive as the GLE. There were very few 450s available when I purchased. Even now, I see ten 350s before I see one 450 on the road. The problem is the acceleration is pretty good and deceiving when you hit the gas hard, however, in normal driving it seems lacking.

 

I have the 450 and test drove the 350 many times before I bought the 450. I felt the 350 was a bit sluggish and a bit noisier. The stop start was also intrusive. The 450 solved all of those issues for me.

 

I, like you, couldn’t find a 450 last spring when the factories were closed. I must say that overall I am very pleased though. Though some feel it’s underpowered, I still find myself well over the speed limit & passing others on the NJ Tpke and the local Beltways. And you are correct, 450’s only account for a small overall percentage of GLEs. You may as well appreciate the $$$ savings and move on ....

 

The stop/start "feature" is a pain in the ***. Another example of government over reach in to things they have no business in. I turn it off as soon as I stat the car. Those who complain the 350 is under powered shouldn't buy one and stop looking down on those of us who are satisfied with it.

 

Yes I agree for those of us enjoying the 350 ....it’s no secret that in Europe smaller engines are de rigeur.

 

I agree that the stop/start feature is a pain...I also turn it off (when I remember to) right after I start the car. But I disagree with your government overreach comment. Automakers are happy to sell all these high profit SUV's but not so happy when they have to find ways to make them more efficient and less harmful to the planet. To me the stop/start tech is just a gimmick (and probably cheap for automakers to produce comparatively speaking) and/or a way of finding a loophole (as companies love to do) that's more of a band-aid than a real solution for making their vehicles more efficient.

 

"Just a gimmick," like certifying the CAFE requirement with skinny tires and small mirrors, to reduce the Frontal Area part of the drag equation, or installing 10 speed gearboxes with four overdrive gears, or selling 1200cc loss leaders with 40mpg to "beat" the CAFE.
The little four cylinder GLE is pretty darn efficient for any automobile, despite it's heft. Did you stop to think that seven people in one auto is more efficient than two in a tiny-mobile?
And that Mercedes builds extremely recyclable vehicles?
On the other hand, I hope you are aware that the too-strict emissions / fuel economy standards in the EU has caused increased air pollution, to the point that many cities are banning all IC vehicles, EVEN DELIVERY VEHICLES, in the cities? (reason- new vehicles so expensive that only worn out 30-year-old cars are affordable)
I am surprised that you, with your concern about the Planet, actually turn off a Planet-saving feature that you should applaud....

 

It's BS mate...

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I would just make a few points. One is that my comments were in response to someone making a blanket statement that the stop/start feature was "an example of government overreach into things they have no business in." People like to do that a lot on these forums. Make some snarky comment and then "walk" away from having a real discussion. Another point is that some folks get so passionate in their defense of Mercedes on these forums that they want to pick a fight....when no one was trying to start a fight. All I said (and I stand by it ) is that the stop/start feature doesn't seem like auto manufacturers' best effort at improving efficiency, economy, and emissions for their vehicles. In my GLC (and some GLE's judging by the thread comments) the operation of the feature is so clunky that it kind of defeats the goal of having people use it. I'm not some "eco warrior" who is being a hypocrite by not using the feature (as you implied). I was simply saying that Mercedes in particular did a bad job of executing this feature and they can probably do better. And that automakers in general could probably come up with better ways than this feature to improve efficiency. And of course government entities can sometimes make their regs a little too strict and hurt the cause instead of helping it. But in some ways they're trying to make up for lost time in terms of how they have handled some of these problems in the past.

 

It’s about emissions, fuel economy, legal requirements and oriented too much toward the large Metropolitan areas, IMO. Much of the US doesn’t need it. Here’s a brief cut & paste from the web....

”The reality about how much fuel you’ll save with a stop-start system depends on your commute and how many stoplights or intersections you hit. When you consider that idling achieves exactly zero miles per gallon, any reduction in idle time will bring benefits. As to the myth that restarting an engine uses more fuel than idling, it doesn’t apply to a modern fuel-injected engine that’s fully warmed up. The same goes for those who worry about startup wear and tear due to a lack of oil pressure; the oil will remain in contact with even the most upper and remote engine parts for several minutes after shutdown, so restarting an engine after a two-minute wait at a traffic light will not cause any excess wear.



One of the biggest benefits from a stop-start system is the drop in vehicle emissions. As no gasoline or diesel engine in use today has an emission system that operates fully at idle, when you’re stuck at a traffic light your auto’s tailpipe is spewing a lot of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxides and nitrogen oxides along with other chemicals. This is the primary reason many municipalities across the country have enacted anti-idling bylaws.



The main complaint from some consumers is the roughness from the powertrain and drive-line when taking off. For most vehicles, once you get used to the stop-start feature and adjust your throttle foot pressure to accommodate, they operate quite seamlessly. If you’re a true hot-rodder and like the thrill of a hard throttle take-off from time to time, you can simply push the stop-start defeat button when the mood strikes.’

 

My comment was not snarky, it's on you if you feel a little butthurt. I have no desire to have a "real discussion" with you or anyone else here about something political, there are other places for that. If you're that worried about the planet, maybe you should have bought a Prius instead of a Mercedes.

 

I agree that the Stop-Start feature in our GLC, and GLE350's that I have driven, is coarser than I would like. However it's better than a many, and the fact that the engine re-starts When You Lift Your Foot off the brake - instead of when you press the throttle, like most manufacturers, is a better approach.
And I like it that you don't have to drill down through several menus to disable the S-S function, as on many autos.

But the feature is there, it helps manufacturers improve their CAFE compliance, so I can live with it. Until the Feds do some Rule-making that is in touch with the real world, but that looks like an even more remote chance now.

If you need a fast launch, you can either 1. switch it off, or 2. use the Hold function as kind of a launch control, or 3. stand on the brakes and launch by lifting off the brake. (In my earlier days, everybody used the "sidestep the brake" to launch our family sedans.)

 

In additional to that, if you have the 48v system, and with ECO mode selected, it will also turn off the engine while coasting, further improving the fuel efficiency (an off engine is better than a running run). This is what Mercedes call the Glide mode.
The 48v system make the stop start much smoother and almost un-noticeable during glide mode, and during the traffic stop, the system handles the startup much smoother than traditional system (although from my experience, it is still noticeable from time to time from a dead stop)

 

Yeah, it actually was snarky and so was your latest comment to me. But it's cool. It's my fault for expecting people to put a little more effort into their comments but I guess it's just a car forum so why bother...right? And I don't think it's being "political" to say that maybe Mercedes and other automakers could come up with something a little better than the stop/start to be more efficient and less harmful to the planet since they're already trying to do that anyway.

 

Again, please take your climate change theory to the Prius forum.

 

Only if you take your snarky comments somewhere else too. Not a good look. And it's too bad cause most of the people on here are pretty civil and thoughtful in their feedback. But there always has to be someone like you to spoil it....

 

“Saving the planet” is just some inside-the-Beltway BS that doesn’t resonate with the 72 million of us deplorables who live out in the sticks. Rest easy.