I am considering the purchase of a 2016 GLE 250 Diesel later this year. I have never driven a car with Eco-Start so I am unfamiliar with it. Seems to me there would be some awkward hesitations and tremendously more wear and tear on the starter system.

Is there someone out there who actually owns the ML250 and is willing offer their opinions?

Do you use it routinely or keep it turned off?

Does it hesitate when pulling away from a stop?? Any noticeable or problematic hesitations?

How about in heavy traffic with frequent stops?

What's the downside?

General opinion/comments?

I am presently driving a 2012 ML350BTC. I love it.

Thanks

Al

 

Its a ridiculous Rube Goldberg type of system that all your fears are correct about to one extent or another. It is a little intrusive, and in warm climates/hot days, your A/C blower keeps going and drops to low speed, but the compressor is obviously not turning, so the inside temperature immediately begins to go up noticeably. The car somehow seems to crank and start in an instant, (seemingly faster than when you turn the key to start it yourself.)

I predict that manufacturers will leave it in cars in the event that some drivers aren't annoyed by it, and it eeks outs a few more feet per gallon for Washington DC... but I do foresee manufacturers making it possible for an owner to press a button one time and disable it until that button is pressed again some other day restoring the function.

Its a great time to buy starter futures... I think its a pain in the a$$.

 

I have seen this garbage in suposed action in Europe. The MB taxi in Denmark, hic-upped and farted before moving out on a greenlight. It sounded like the grinding of an still engaged starter motor.
Its purpose is not to reduce fuel use, its used to reduce exhaust pollution while not moving. However, the diesel manages to belt out gobs of unburnt diesel, when the car starts to move. I guess there is less pollution for 2 or 3 nano-seconds. I understand the device was invented by a petroleum corp.

 

Eco-Start-Stop is mandated on new cars in EU - so we had better become accustomed.

The "Eco" button allows to turn off the system for the balance of the drive.

Eco is also setup where it will not activate/turn-off unless system says instant restart is possible... also has default program in stop and go driving where system goes" off-line after 5 short cycle starts...

As compared to the BMW and Audi system I have driven - Mercedes has a "tri-point" mechanical starter re-engagement - where the BMW and Audi share a "one-point" re-engagement clutch, much rougher on restart..

 

I drove one today and bought it. The system works great. According to the dealer the starter is not involved in the restart. I see no problem with it, as long as it works forever. What a great driving car.

 

Great feedback !

 

I have this in my A6 TDI and don't mind it at all - took a little while to get used to how to modulate the brake pedal to control it to stop/start when I wanted it to. Not sure about MB, but the A6 has a button to disengage the feature so at least drivers have the option to turn it off if they don't like/want it.

 

It's a great feature to have, why would you want to hear a running engine especially when it's a diesel at traffic light?

 

With the windows closed an idling diesel is awfully quiet, and is not a bother.

 

Love my ML250. Forget all the socalled negatives. The system works well. In the great scheme of things in my life this is the least of my concerns.

 

I have a new ML250 BT, the Eco-start-stop works great and I love it ... except: when I pull in the driveway at home and brake to a stop, the engine shuts down. And then put the vehicle in Park (foot still on brake) the engine starts again. What's with that?

 

You stopped, it shut down. Works as designed.

 

I think the question was centered on the fact that the engine re-started in the driveway when shifted into park.

 

The A/C was probably still so it required the engine to run.

 

I hate it and disable eveytime to Sport everytime I drive the vehicle. Apparently the default to on can be removed with ECM software tweak...don't recall but one performance tuner took a friends ECO out when he had it tuned.

 

I was referring to the fact that the engine re-started when shifted into park, sorry didn't make that clearer. Makes sense that the A/C might be causing that, it was on. Have to see if the restart occurs with the A/C off. Either way it's not enough of an annoyance to make me to disable ECO, I still like it.

 

Is your seatbelt still fastened when you put the car in park? I have this feature in my 2012 C350. In that car, when I stop in the car the car will stop, then if I leave my foot on the brake I can put it in park with the engine still off. But the car will start if I remove my seatbelt. So I have mostly learned to take off my seatbelt after I turn off the car.

 

How can the starter not be "involved"?

 

I guess I shouldn't have believed a salesman, but he made a valiant effort to explain. He said the computer threw the Hall Effect sensor knows which cylinder is at the right spot in TDC and injects extra fuel to ignite and start the engine. I think all this is true except the starter is involved. Now, they say that the starter will handle eight time the normal use. Anyway, it works seamlessly. Here's a quote from someone on another forum:
Cars with this system usually have a starter-generator and a regular starter in addition for cold starts. The 250 uses the starter-generator to restart. You don't hear it crank, it just bumps back into action. So starter motor wear is not affected at all.