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Looks like the days or Start/Stop are numbered. Wonder if Mercedes will roll out an update that will allow us to disable or remember last setting in the US? Doubt they will disable across all countries, but for those that are rethinking the benefit - maybe?
Understood - and I've had Max code other options for me - but just wondering if Mercedes will make this change for all in the US.
I would be shocked if they did. We purchased our cars as they are. Mercedes will not even let COVID era cars missing equipment, that a credit was issued for, be refit with that equipment and enable it in the software. It is the same with in the US the NHTSA changed the rules for headlights. Mercedes is not and has not enabled the ILS for these vehicles. Because of the coders we know the ability in our vehicles exists hidden in the software. Not because Mercedes has enabled them.
You can already disable it or set it to remember the last used mode via simple coding.
My understanding is that the start/stop on the W223 can only be disabled.
If there was a way to have the previous setting remembered like my older BMW M cars did, I would've done that.
According to Max @EleBest , the only way is to disable that feature.
My understanding is that the start/stop on the W223 can only be disabled.
If there was a way to have the previous setting remembered like my older BMW M cars did, I would've done that.
According to Max @EleBest , the only way is to disable that feature.
For EZS223 cars like 223 206 214 295 297 236 232 etc. We can only disable *** now, have not find a way to remember last setting.
For older Mercedes models and BMW /Porsche codable models: Last memory is available.
I've coded *** off in my G550 and X7. BMW has just recalled another 90K vehicles for starters that can overheat and cause fires. The document filed with NHTSA states:
"In October, endurance (bench) tests were planned simulating large numbers of starting attempts, in
order to examine possible effects upon internal components after being subject to such conditions.
A tear down analysis, involving field return parts of starters, was conducted.
On November 27th, the first field return part, with indications of a build-up of metallic material in the
electrical relay chamber, was found.
On December 4th, the first bench test result with indications of a build-up of metallic material in the
electrical relay chamber, as a result of increased abrasion, was available.
Translation: Excessive wear of internal components was caused by many engine starts.
I've coded *** off in my G550 and X7. BMW has just recalled another 90K vehicles for starters that can overheat and cause fires. The document filed with NHTSA states:
"In October, endurance (bench) tests were planned simulating large numbers of starting attempts, in
order to examine possible effects upon internal components after being subject to such conditions.
A tear down analysis, involving field return parts of starters, was conducted.
On November 27th, the first field return part, with indications of a build-up of metallic material in the
electrical relay chamber, was found.
On December 4th, the first bench test result with indications of a build-up of metallic material in the
electrical relay chamber, as a result of increased abrasion, was available.
Translation: Excessive wear of internal components was caused by many engine starts.
Thanks for sharing the information.
Yeah, I never liked the auto start/stop features on ICE, non-MH vehicles.
However they beef up the start motor, constant operation would wear down all related components faster than just keeping the engine running.
Not to be confused with our ISG, though.
I've found the ISG to be much seamless in operation and I think the inherent design difference should make the ISG more robust against constant start/stops vs. regular starter motors.
My guess is the BMW starters have brass sleeve bearings instead of ball or roller bearings that would provide better service life. I haven't driven a MH equipped vehicle, but I would expect the ISG would provide smoother starts. The sacrifice is, of course, the 48 volt system that's still evolving. The new Lexus 700h is equipped with MH, but Toyota decided to use NiMH battery tech instead of lithium, and the car retains its starter and alternator, so a failure in the MH system doesn't brick the car.
To answer OP's question, MB won't update existing cars and disable Start/Stop. The cars were homologated as-is and altering anything regarding to the emissions control system essentially requires the EPA to get involved.
Start/Stop will also not go away in future vehicles. Pretty much all ICE vehicles moving forward will have to have at least mild hybrid. Euro 7 requires that engines run at lambda = 1 at all times. Running an engine rich or lean is no longer possible. Especially running it rich isn't gonna fly anymore due to the unburned hydrocarbons that are being emitted. Even if they are burned up in the cat, it's an imperfect combustion. This can pretty much only be accomplished via electric assist to take strain off the engine during times when the ECU would have to otherwise deviate from an ideal air/fuel mixture. Porsche's T-Hybrid is the first powertrain that I'm aware of that runs at Lambda = 1 under all scenarios.
The ISG as mentioned above makes Start/Stop much less rough and doesn't cause additional wear as it is constantly either used to recuperate energy or to assist the engine. It's also much more gentile for the engine as it essentially spins the engine up to a nominal rpm and then the ECU simply starts injecting fuel to resume combustion. There isn't the jarring effect of a starter motor coming in and cranking up the engine and then turning off again. They won't get a whole lot of credits for Start/Stop by itself, but stopping the engine is integral to using electricity instead to save fuel and reduce emissions.
On a related note, I recently had a CLA 250 as loaner. I usually reject these entry level cars as loaners, but they somehow screwed up my appointment, so I took what they had and it was only a standard Service A. In the past, the CLA was a dog, but this was a 2025 CLA which now has mild hybrid. I was pleasantly surprised by how it drove. It was the first regular MB loaner that I actually could stand in Comfort mode. The mild hybrid assist did away with the lag and the neutered throttle response that other regular MBs have in Comfort made in the name of fuel efficiency. This is the second positive experience I had with mild hybrid. Last October I spent a month in Europe with a new VW Golf. It also had mild hybrid and it was similarly surprising how it drove. The Start/Stop is unobtrusive and these things actually get up and go now when starting off the line. The thing with the Golf was also that it had a manual transmission, and with a manual transmission you get to control when the engine actually shuts off. If you keep the clutch disengaged, the engine keeps running, but if you put the transmission in neutral and take the foot off the clutch, it shuts off the engine, and then restarts as soon as you push in the clutch pedal. I've always liked Start/Stop on cars with manual transmissions, especially in Europe, where you are required to turn off the engine when stopped at traffic lights. So, controlling it with the clutch pedal is perfect.
Last edited by superswiss; Feb 11, 2026 at 05:41 PM.
Definitely curious what they have in store. Much of it feels late in the game. I think the ones that most people hate are the old ones that use regular starter motors and don't have at least mild hybrid. They are jarring and annoying due to the delay of restarting the engine and shaking the whole car, but (mild) hybrid kinda fixed all that. The engine comes in smoothly and almost unnoticeably with the electric motor providing initial propulsion and filling the torque delay. The industry has pretty much moved on from those old systems already.
Last edited by superswiss; Feb 12, 2026 at 12:53 PM.
So, it looks like we have our answer. Trump today announced the repeal of the 2009 "endangerment finding' and all subsequent emissions regulations that stemmed from it for model years 2012-2027. Apparently, CO2 emission is no longer an issue . The increase in storm intensities and droughts causing billions in damage is apparently less important than cars costing a bit more. Happy polluting everybody.
Not sure if this will actually change anything, though. Car manufactures who want to sell their products in Europe, will still have to meet Euro 7 and it's not very cost effective to develop multiple versions for different markets. Perhaps they will code out Start/Stop for the US market in the future and we won't get the particulate filters anytime soon. Maybe some manufacturers will fit different exhausts on US spec models, even. But as said, MB is unlikely to offer recoding of the existing fleet.
@superswiss while you are on the soapbox could you please explain to me exactly which car manufacturer took part in melting the glaciers that formed the Great Plains over the United States?
Oh, and don't forget an explanation for plate tectonics that involves a human cause.
@superswiss while you are on the soapbox could you please explain to me exactly which car manufacturer took part in melting the glaciers that formed the Great Plains over the United States?
Oh, and don't forget an explanation for plate tectonics that involves a human cause.
The argument that all of the pollution that we pump into the atmosphere doesn't impact the climate or the health of the planet just doesn't make any sense. Sit in a garage with a running car and see how that turns out...its just not good and pumping less of it into the atmosphere is better...just common sense.
So, it looks like we have our answer. Trump today announced the repeal of the 2009 "endangerment finding' and all subsequent emissions regulations that stemmed from it for model years 2012-2027. Apparently, CO2 emission is no longer an issue . The increase in storm intensities and droughts causing billions in damage is apparently less important than cars costing a bit more. Happy polluting everybody.
Not sure if this will actually change anything, though. Car manufactures who want to sell their products in Europe, will still have to meet Euro 7 and it's not very cost effective to develop multiple versions for different markets. Perhaps they will code out Start/Stop for the US market in the future and we won't get the particulate filters anytime soon. Maybe some manufacturers will fit different exhausts on US spec models, even. But as said, MB is unlikely to offer recoding of the existing fleet.
And what's repealed or eliminated today can be reinstated later. Sure car manufacturers and other industries know this and will move cautiously.
Limited services...but the first item on the list sure caught my attention, so I inquired. They come to me in a van (with 10 miles of Boston) and it's $70 to disable the start/stop OR have it remember the last stop/start setting on subsequent engine starts. Hmmm....
Coding start/stop either off or on is as easy as an OTA update, although I wouldn't expect this. I suspect manufacturers and dealers will avoid the issue for as long as most car owners remain ignorant of EPA actions (which is likely forever).
Limited services...but the first item on the list sure caught my attention, so I inquired. They come to me in a van (with 10 miles of Boston) and it's $70 to disable the start/stop OR have it remember the last stop/start setting on subsequent engine starts. Hmmm....
I suspect that 'remember' coding only applies to W222 or older models but interested in what you find out with this coder!
Please do share
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. The increase in storm intensities and droughts causing billions in damage is apparently less important than cars costing a bit more. Happy polluting everybody. 
