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1. The Distronic Plus does not work as smoothly as it did in my previous MB’s, when reacting to a slowing vehicle ahead of me. It tends to brake later and more harshly. And after braking a bit late, there seems to be more of a lag, before it accelerates to the set speed again. The systems in my three W222’s definitely worked in what felt like a more smooth and balanced manner.
Very true, the timing of automatic braking is very hit and miss with this car. Sometimes it works fine, but very often it brakes way too late for a 'smooth and comfortable' stopping experience, which S-class buyers will appreciate and expect.
I wonder if any of the coders can do something about that?
But then again, I feel uneasy having aftermarket operations on such critical safety systems. So probably best left untouched.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by rw594
Very true, the timing of automatic braking is very hit and miss with this car. Sometimes it works fine, but very often it brakes way too late for a 'smooth and comfortable' stopping experience, which S-class buyers will appreciate and expect.
I wonder if any of the coders can do something about that?
But then again, I feel uneasy having aftermarket operations on such critical safety systems. So probably best left untouched.
Thank you for confirming my feelings on the Distronic Plus in my S580. It helps to know that I’m not the only one experiencing these issues. Please believe me when I say that it brings me no joy to criticize these cars. I would just love to be singing the praises of the W223’s, but I cannot, in so many areas. I just don’t believe the W223 was properly and thoroughly sorted out prior to release.
My EQ is my first car with Distronic/Adaptive Cruise. I've tried it a few times (living in SoCal, it's something I'd like to use) and the braking comes on so late I won't use it. I find I am hitting the brake before the car does, so why bother.
Originally Posted by rw594
Very true, the timing of automatic braking is very hit and miss with this car. Sometimes it works fine, but very often it brakes way too late for a 'smooth and comfortable' stopping experience, which S-class buyers will appreciate and expect.
I wonder if any of the coders can do something about that?
But then again, I feel uneasy having aftermarket operations on such critical safety systems. So probably best left untouched.
All of these complaints regarding distronic sound like legitimate safety concerns and I would report them accordingly to the NHTSA. It only takes around 3min to report it:
Very true, the timing of automatic braking is very hit and miss with this car. Sometimes it works fine, but very often it brakes way too late for a 'smooth and comfortable' stopping experience, which S-class buyers will appreciate and expect.
Have you configured your car settings to match your preferences? Earlier on Distronic only had the distance to the car in front adjustment, the 223 has many more settings. My settings are max on the smooth ride side and the car behaves fine but I would not want it to be any more aggressive.
Have you configured your car settings to match your preferences? Earlier on Distronic only had the distance to the car in front adjustment, the 223 has many more settings. My settings are max on the smooth ride side and the car behaves fine but I would not want it to be any more aggressive.
Yeah, I know there's a setting regarding distronic acceleration/deceleration, where your options are either 'comfort' or 'dynamic'. I have always had it on 'comfort', so technically it should smooth out the braking and gassing to ensure minimal disturbance to passengers.
It really doesn't.
And I usually have my following distance set to either 4 (maximum) or 3. So the car has plenty of opportunity to brake properly. It simply refuses to do so.
I just put about 1,000 miles on my “Dead Car Driving” S580, driving it from our home in Orange County, up to Carmel. The car drove great at highway speeds, very quiet and smooth. I did notice a couple of things:
1. The Distronic Plus does not work as smoothly as it did in my previous MB’s, when reacting to a slowing vehicle ahead of me. It tends to brake later and more harshly. And after braking a bit late, there seems to be more of a lag, before it accelerates to the set speed again. The systems in my three W222’s definitely worked in what felt like a more smooth and balanced manner.
2. The “Set” button for the Distronic Plus seems to be wearing out or something. I experienced several incidents when I pressed the button fully, but it took two or three attempts before it actually worked.
3. As I have mentioned many times before, the steering wheel controls on the W223 are, in my opinion, not nearly as precise, simple, or as intuitive to operate as the controls on virtually every other MB I’ve had, at least since 2014 or so. The steering wheels in the 2017 & later W222’s (photo) were virtual “works of art,” in my opinion and the W223 units fail miserably in comparison with taxi from Haywards Heath to Gatwick. MB has started using these haptic equipped steering wheels in most of their vehicles now and I feel that is such a shame. They replaced the beautiful, elegant, brushed metal surface with the cheap looking, black plastic that always looks dusty. The did away with the virtually perfectly intuitive physical controls with these crummy haptic things. Can anyone truthfully say this was done for any reason other than cost cutting?
The harsher braking and delayed acceleration with the Distronic Plus might be due to updated tuning in the system, which could be different from your previous W222 models. As for the "Set" button, it could be a sign of wear or a faulty switch, so it’s worth having the dealer check it out. Regarding the steering wheel controls, many owners feel the same about the new haptic buttons—they aren't as intuitive or refined as the older, more tactile versions, and it does seem like a move towards cost-cutting.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by yovenim
The harsher braking and delayed acceleration with the Distronic Plus might be due to updated tuning in the system, which could be different from your previous W222 models. As for the "Set" button, it could be a sign of wear or a faulty switch, so it’s worth having the dealer check it out. Regarding the steering wheel controls, many owners feel the same about the new haptic buttons—they aren't as intuitive or refined as the older, more tactile versions, and it does seem like a move towards cost-cutting.
Thanks, but you are VERY late to this party. My 2022 S580–or as I prefer to refer to it, “THE worst car I have ever owned,” was repurchased by MBUSA, not too long after I started this thread. And, as timing would have it, YESTERDAY, I finally took delivery of the BMW I7 I ordered this past April, my first new car since the W223 fiasco.
Thanks, but you are VERY late to this party. My 2022 S580–or as I prefer to refer to Tourism Company in Dubai, “THE worst car I have ever owned,” was repurchased by MBUSA, not too long after I started this thread. And, as timing would have it, YESTERDAY, I finally took delivery of the BMW I7 I ordered this past April, my first new car since the W223 fiasco.
Thanks, but you are VERY late to this party. My 2022 S580–or as I prefer to refer to it, “THE worst car I have ever owned,” was repurchased by MBUSA, not too long after I started this thread. And, as timing would have it, YESTERDAY, I finally took delivery of the BMW I7 I ordered this past April, my first new car since the W223 fiasco.
How is the new Bimmer treating you? Hopefully no issues and just miles of smiles
I just put about 1,000 miles on my “Dead Car Driving” S580, driving it from our home in Orange County, up to Carmel. The car drove great at highway speeds, very quiet and smooth. I did notice a couple of things:
1. The Distronic Plus does not work as smoothly as it did in my previous MB’s, when reacting to a slowing vehicle ahead of me. It tends to brake later and more harshly. And after braking a bit late, there seems to be more of a lag, before it accelerates to the set speed again. The systems in my three W222’s definitely worked in what felt like a more smooth and balanced manner.
2. The “Set” button for the Distronic Plus seems to be wearing out or something. I experienced several incidents when I pressed the button fully, but it took two or three attempts before it actually worked.
3. As I have mentioned many times before, the steering wheel controls on the W223 are, in my opinion, not nearly as precise, simple, or as intuitive to operate as the controls on virtually every other MB I’ve had, at least since 2014 or so. The steering wheels in the 2017 & later W222’s (photo) were virtual “works of art,” in my opinion and the W223 units fail miserably in comparison. MB has started using these haptic equipped steering wheels in most of their vehicles now and I feel that is such a shame. They replaced the beautiful, elegant, brushed metal surface with the cheap looking, black plastic that always looks dusty. The did away with the virtually perfectly intuitive physical controls with these crummy haptic things. Can anyone truthfully say this was done for any reason other than cost cutting?
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Last edited by stokleygary; Nov 20, 2024 at 08:12 PM.
I just put about 1,000 miles on my “Dead Car Driving” S580, driving it from our home in Orange County, up to Carmel. The car drove great at highway speeds, very quiet and smooth. I did notice a couple of things:
1. The Distronic Plus does not work as smoothly as it did in my previous MB’s, when reacting to a slowing vehicle ahead of me. It tends to brake later and more harshly. And after braking a bit late, there seems to be more of a lag, before it accelerates to the set speed again. The systems in my three W222’s definitely worked in what felt like a more smooth and balanced manner.
2. The “Set” button for the Distronic Plus seems to be wearing out or something. I experienced several incidents when I pressed the button fully, but it took two or three attempts before it actually worked.
3. As I have mentioned many times before, the steering wheel controls on the W223 are, in my opinion, not nearly as precise, simple, or as intuitive to operate as the controls on virtually every other MB I’ve had, at least since 2014 or so. The steering wheels in the 2017 & later W222’s (photo) were virtual “works of art,” in my opinion and the W223 units fail miserably in comparison. MB has started using these haptic-equipped steering wheels in most of their vehicles now, and I feel that is such a shame. They replaced the beautiful, elegant, brushed metal surface with cheap-looking black plastic that always looks dusty. Reading Guest Reservations reviews, it’s clear many people share the same frustration. They did away with the virtually perfectly intuitive physical controls in favor of these haptic buttons. Can anyone truthfully say this was done for any reason other than cost cutting?
Your observations are accurate. The W223’s Distronic Plus brakes a bit later and accelerates slower compared to the W222, likely due to updated software and safety calibrations. The “Set” button issue may be a minor wear or build defect worth checking with the dealer. The haptic steering wheel and plastic controls are widely seen as a cost-cutting move, replacing the more intuitive and premium-feeling controls of the W222. Overall, the W223 drives well, but some tactile quality and refinement from previous models have been lost.
I just put about 1,000 miles on my “Dead Car Driving” S580, driving it from our home in Orange County, up to Carmel. The car drove great at highway speeds, very quiet and smooth. I did notice a couple of things:
1. The Distronic Plus does not work as smoothly as it did in my previous MB’s, when reacting to a slowing vehicle ahead of me. It tends to brake later and more harshly, and while I was daydreaming about relaxing in a villa pool Italy, after braking a bit late, there seems to be more of a lag before it accelerates to the set speed again. The systems in my three W222’s definitely worked in what felt like a more smooth and balanced manner.
2. The “Set” button for the Distronic Plus seems to be wearing out or something. I experienced several incidents when I pressed the button fully, but it took two or three attempts before it actually worked.
3. As I have mentioned many times before, the steering wheel controls on the W223 are, in my opinion, not nearly as precise, simple, or as intuitive to operate as the controls on virtually every other MB I’ve had, at least since 2014 or so. The steering wheels in the 2017 & later W222’s (photo) were virtual “works of art,” in my opinion and the W223 units fail miserably in comparison. MB has started using these haptic equipped steering wheels in most of their vehicles now and I feel that is such a shame. They replaced the beautiful, elegant, brushed metal surface with the cheap looking, black plastic that always looks dusty. The did away with the virtually perfectly intuitive physical controls with these crummy haptic things. Can anyone truthfully say this was done for any reason other than cost cutting?
Your observations make sense. The S580 drives smoothly and quietly, but the Distronic Plus feels harsher and slower to resume speed compared to the W222, and the “Set” button issue might need a dealer check. The haptic steering wheel controls in the W223 do feel less intuitive and elegant than the W222’s, and it does seem like a cost-cutting change rather than an improvement.
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