2013 GLK ECO
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 831
Likes: 13
From: N.C. USA
2015, ML250 BlueTEC
ECO Start
about being concerned about ECO. Turn on the radio and enjoy the car for 30 days and don't think about it every time. ECO will fade away as a big problem. Plus we both enjoy the better gas mileage we get in city traffic.
Welcome to the brave new world of driving.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 268
Likes: 8
From: Calgary, AB
2016 Golf R, 2014 GLK
The ECO mode is really just fine. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big performance guy and I've owned many sports cars but when I drive my wife's GLK I leave it in ECO 90% of the time. In fact I just tried sport mode on the way to work today and I really don't find it is needed. If you want to go a bit quicker just depress the accelerator a little more 
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Pacific Northwest
2011 ML 350 - 2013 GLK
I spent several months trying to get used to it and a careful comparison of fuel economy showed I got better results with it off. That was over the several months comparing a repeat business trip with it on or off for the week. I learned to tolerate it but never like it. An incident pulling out into heavy traffic where it lurched forward after restarting, started bucking like someone trying to learn how to drive a standard shift for the first time then shot forward made me decide it was time to get rid of the car. This was not the first time it did this but it was the worst and caused a near collision.
My wife convinced me to go back to the ML and she would drive the GLK. Her routine is to start it and turn off the ECO every time she gets into it. She has also experienced the same issue I have when forgetting to turn it off and trying to quickly start from a stop sign. She said if she deliberately slows down moving her foot from the brake to the accelerator it doesn't do it but we both feel we shouldn't have to. I consider the ECO a safety hazard because of this issue. She believes it is something she can live with by just remembering to turn it off.
In parking lot conversations with other GLK owners the ECO system appears to be universally loathed with only one owner stating he loves it. Judging by the Greenpeace, Stop Global Warming and similar bumper stickers all over his car he wouldn't admit it if he didn't like it. Most of the conversations revealed that other drivers have had the same lurch forward, buck and takeoff experience I have. All have commented on rough starting and stopping. My wife loves the car except for the ECO and she just turns it off all the time, we have agreed that we will not buy another MB vehicle if it comes equipped with an ECO that can't be defaulted OFF.
My wife convinced me to go back to the ML and she would drive the GLK. Her routine is to start it and turn off the ECO every time she gets into it. She has also experienced the same issue I have when forgetting to turn it off and trying to quickly start from a stop sign. She said if she deliberately slows down moving her foot from the brake to the accelerator it doesn't do it but we both feel we shouldn't have to. I consider the ECO a safety hazard because of this issue. She believes it is something she can live with by just remembering to turn it off.
In parking lot conversations with other GLK owners the ECO system appears to be universally loathed with only one owner stating he loves it. Judging by the Greenpeace, Stop Global Warming and similar bumper stickers all over his car he wouldn't admit it if he didn't like it. Most of the conversations revealed that other drivers have had the same lurch forward, buck and takeoff experience I have. All have commented on rough starting and stopping. My wife loves the car except for the ECO and she just turns it off all the time, we have agreed that we will not buy another MB vehicle if it comes equipped with an ECO that can't be defaulted OFF.
Member
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
2010 911 Turbo Cabriolet, 2014 Mazda3
I spent several months trying to get used to it and a careful comparison of fuel economy showed I got better results with it off. That was over the several months comparing a repeat business trip with it on or off for the week. I learned to tolerate it but never like it. An incident pulling out into heavy traffic where it lurched forward after restarting, started bucking like someone trying to learn how to drive a standard shift for the first time then shot forward made me decide it was time to get rid of the car. This was not the first time it did this but it was the worst and caused a near collision.
My wife convinced me to go back to the ML and she would drive the GLK. Her routine is to start it and turn off the ECO every time she gets into it. She has also experienced the same issue I have when forgetting to turn it off and trying to quickly start from a stop sign. She said if she deliberately slows down moving her foot from the brake to the accelerator it doesn't do it but we both feel we shouldn't have to. I consider the ECO a safety hazard because of this issue. She believes it is something she can live with by just remembering to turn it off.
In parking lot conversations with other GLK owners the ECO system appears to be universally loathed with only one owner stating he loves it. Judging by the Greenpeace, Stop Global Warming and similar bumper stickers all over his car he wouldn't admit it if he didn't like it. Most of the conversations revealed that other drivers have had the same lurch forward, buck and takeoff experience I have. All have commented on rough starting and stopping. My wife loves the car except for the ECO and she just turns it off all the time, we have agreed that we will not buy another MB vehicle if it comes equipped with an ECO that can't be defaulted OFF.
My wife convinced me to go back to the ML and she would drive the GLK. Her routine is to start it and turn off the ECO every time she gets into it. She has also experienced the same issue I have when forgetting to turn it off and trying to quickly start from a stop sign. She said if she deliberately slows down moving her foot from the brake to the accelerator it doesn't do it but we both feel we shouldn't have to. I consider the ECO a safety hazard because of this issue. She believes it is something she can live with by just remembering to turn it off.
In parking lot conversations with other GLK owners the ECO system appears to be universally loathed with only one owner stating he loves it. Judging by the Greenpeace, Stop Global Warming and similar bumper stickers all over his car he wouldn't admit it if he didn't like it. Most of the conversations revealed that other drivers have had the same lurch forward, buck and takeoff experience I have. All have commented on rough starting and stopping. My wife loves the car except for the ECO and she just turns it off all the time, we have agreed that we will not buy another MB vehicle if it comes equipped with an ECO that can't be defaulted OFF.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe most (if not all) cars equipped as such will have the feature active by default. Unless you are talking about performance-oriented models where there is a switch you can toggle (and keep locked in place) for "Sport" mode (i.e. AMG models, etc.).
