Distronic Plus question (s)
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 485
Likes: 74
From: Marina Del Rey, CA
2015 MBZ S 550
Distronic Plus question (s)
Hi all,
Just curious if you all share the same experience with Distronic Plus that I do...
I find that it tends to not be super smooth when it comes to slowing down and braking. Maybe I'm just a more cautious person than most, but I like slowing down and braking giving myself plenty of time to do this. Feels like with D Plus, it doesn't slow down quick enough and brakes at the last minute. Not jerky, per se, but not as smooth as I would do it.
I've never owned a car that has this feature, so I have nothing to base it against. Is this normal? Is there a software update to smooth this out a bit? Or, something I just need to get used to and live with?
On a very related note... have you ever experienced it when traffic comes to a very abrupt stop and it feels like the D Plus doesn't realize and keeps on speeding up to stopped cars? Have you ever not trusted that it will stop in time and applied the brakes yourself?
As always, thank you all in advance!
Steve
Just curious if you all share the same experience with Distronic Plus that I do...
I find that it tends to not be super smooth when it comes to slowing down and braking. Maybe I'm just a more cautious person than most, but I like slowing down and braking giving myself plenty of time to do this. Feels like with D Plus, it doesn't slow down quick enough and brakes at the last minute. Not jerky, per se, but not as smooth as I would do it.
I've never owned a car that has this feature, so I have nothing to base it against. Is this normal? Is there a software update to smooth this out a bit? Or, something I just need to get used to and live with?
On a very related note... have you ever experienced it when traffic comes to a very abrupt stop and it feels like the D Plus doesn't realize and keeps on speeding up to stopped cars? Have you ever not trusted that it will stop in time and applied the brakes yourself?
As always, thank you all in advance!
Steve
Last edited by Socalsteve; Mar 2, 2017 at 02:49 PM.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 38
Likes: 3
S550
Hi all,
Just curious if you all share the same experience with Distronic Plus that I do...
I find that it tends to not be super smooth when it comes to slowing down and braking. Maybe I'm just a more cautious person than most, but I like slowing down and braking giving myself plenty of time to do this. Feels like with D Plus, it doesn't slow down quick enough and brakes at the last minute. Not jerky, per se, but not as smooth as I would do it.
I've never owned a car that has this feature, so I have nothing to base it against. Is this normal? Is there a software update to smooth this out a bit? Or, something I just need to get used to and live with?
On a very related note... have you ever experienced it when traffic comes to a very abrupt stop and it feels like the D Plus doesn't realize and keeps on speeding up to stopped cars? Have you ever not trusted that it will stop in time and applied the brakes yourself?
As always, thank you all in advance!
Steve
Just curious if you all share the same experience with Distronic Plus that I do...
I find that it tends to not be super smooth when it comes to slowing down and braking. Maybe I'm just a more cautious person than most, but I like slowing down and braking giving myself plenty of time to do this. Feels like with D Plus, it doesn't slow down quick enough and brakes at the last minute. Not jerky, per se, but not as smooth as I would do it.
I've never owned a car that has this feature, so I have nothing to base it against. Is this normal? Is there a software update to smooth this out a bit? Or, something I just need to get used to and live with?
On a very related note... have you ever experienced it when traffic comes to a very abrupt stop and it feels like the D Plus doesn't realize and keeps on speeding up to stopped cars? Have you ever not trusted that it will stop in time and applied the brakes yourself?
As always, thank you all in advance!
Steve
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 254
2014 S550 AMG, 2017 XT5
1. Make sure your distance is set to MAX. On the stalk you can rotate it to increase/decrease distance between cars.
2. If you are far away from stopped cars (like at the light about 15 car lengths ahead) and set D+, it will not treat it as moving traffic, it will treat it like running into a brick wall or a dead car in the road in front of you. It will apply emergency braking at the very last moment, and may NOT stop in time.
3. If you have it set while traffic is moving, it should work very well and keep track of the car in front of you.
I cannot live without this feature in bumper to bumper traffic or very slow moving traffic. I have had pretty good results.
Hope this helps....
2. If you are far away from stopped cars (like at the light about 15 car lengths ahead) and set D+, it will not treat it as moving traffic, it will treat it like running into a brick wall or a dead car in the road in front of you. It will apply emergency braking at the very last moment, and may NOT stop in time.
3. If you have it set while traffic is moving, it should work very well and keep track of the car in front of you.
I cannot live without this feature in bumper to bumper traffic or very slow moving traffic. I have had pretty good results.
Hope this helps....
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 485
Likes: 74
From: Marina Del Rey, CA
2015 MBZ S 550
1. Make sure your distance is set to MAX. On the stalk you can rotate it to increase/decrease distance between cars.
2. If you are far away from stopped cars (like at the light about 15 car lengths ahead) and set D+, it will not treat it as moving traffic, it will treat it like running into a brick wall or a dead car in the road in front of you. It will apply emergency braking at the very last moment, and may NOT stop in time.
3. If you have it set while traffic is moving, it should work very well and keep track of the car in front of you.
I cannot live without this feature in bumper to bumper traffic or very slow moving traffic. I have had pretty good results.
Hope this helps....
2. If you are far away from stopped cars (like at the light about 15 car lengths ahead) and set D+, it will not treat it as moving traffic, it will treat it like running into a brick wall or a dead car in the road in front of you. It will apply emergency braking at the very last moment, and may NOT stop in time.
3. If you have it set while traffic is moving, it should work very well and keep track of the car in front of you.
I cannot live without this feature in bumper to bumper traffic or very slow moving traffic. I have had pretty good results.
Hope this helps....
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 254
2014 S550 AMG, 2017 XT5
The bad part about D+, it can only handle slight curves a any speed. You will drift over a lane divider and into side traffic if you let it. It cannot handle anything over a very slight curve....
It also does better at speed, say 55 to 75.... In slower traffic 40 to 50, it will often give you the Drunken Sailor ride, it will want to stay left then right and back again to stay in the lane.
I drove about 100 miles non-stop doing between 65 to 80 heading back from Ohio when I first got the car. If you rest your wrists on the bottom of the wheel, the car will do just fine steering and you will almost never receive the "Place Hands on Wheel" your wrists keep enough tension on the wheel just resting there to let the car do its thing....
Give it a try its actually pretty cool... Long fairly straight runs....
Trending Topics
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 8,156
Likes: 4,381
From: Corona Del Mar, CA
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
The Driver's Assistance Package in general and Distronic Plus in particular, are, IMO, "THE" best options ever offered on any car. I will not buy another car without them or another maker's equivalent. That said, the features are still relying on relatively new technology and are not all the way "there" yet. I am sure that these systems are being tweaked, massaged and constantly improved upon by engineers and that every new model, if not every model year, we will see improvements. In the mean time, I keep my eyes on the road and my foot at the ready, while confident that there are another pair of eyes watching out for my safety, should I get distracted.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 485
Likes: 74
From: Marina Del Rey, CA
2015 MBZ S 550
The Driver's Assistance Package in general and Distronic Plus in particular, are, IMO, "THE" best options ever offered on any car. I will not buy another car without them or another maker's equivalent. That said, the features are still relying on relatively new technology and are not all the way "there" yet. I am sure that these systems are being tweaked, massaged and constantly improved upon by engineers and that every new model, if not every model year, we will see improvements. In the mean time, I keep my eyes on the road and my foot at the ready, while confident that there are another pair of eyes watching out for my safety, should I get distracted.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 254
2014 S550 AMG, 2017 XT5
The Driver's Assistance Package in general and Distronic Plus in particular, are, IMO, "THE" best options ever offered on any car. I will not buy another car without them or another maker's equivalent. That said, the features are still relying on relatively new technology and are not all the way "there" yet. I am sure that these systems are being tweaked, massaged and constantly improved upon by engineers and that every new model, if not every model year, we will see improvements. In the mean time, I keep my eyes on the road and my foot at the ready, while confident that there are another pair of eyes watching out for my safety, should I get distracted.
just for map updates on a 2014, don't think that day will ever come....
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 485
Likes: 74
From: Marina Del Rey, CA
2015 MBZ S 550
I agree with you, I cant live without it.... Its like TiVo with commercial skip.... It would be great if the manufactures have the ability to update the firmware / modules to allow upgrades similar to Tesla has free downloads. Seeing that they charge $300- + just for map updates on a 2014, don't think that day will ever come....
just for map updates on a 2014, don't think that day will ever come....
