[Hal Adams]

Does anyone know if/how the Eco button can be permanently disabled? I cannot find anything where the user can do it - unless I have missed something, but could it be done by someone who knows their way around STAR?

I never appreciated what a rats-ass the 7G gearbox is until this car with the engine cutting in and out as it does, with the accompanying jerk up the backside each time because MB cannot/ will not get their gearbox sorted out.

I really pity those with a 55 too - its bad enough getting kicked underneath with 200 horsehoes, it must be hell with 400 of them..!

 

[jbanks15]

http://www.slkworld.com/slk-r172-ge...disable-eco-so-its-not-turned-started-up.html

https://www.google.com/webhp?source...ie=UTF-8#q=site:slkworld.com r172 disable eco

 

[Hal Adams]

OK Jeff - yep, I did not search anything first!
Interesting though.
The wretched car is up on four axle stands right now, so cannot try his suggestion for a few days, and as no one has verified that it can be disabled in the way suggested, I will post back later!

 

[Maurauth]

I just read every thread on the first page of Google results- what is this suggested method? I'll give it a go now and post the outcome. I can't see anything about it on Google..?

P.S. what cha doing on the axle stands? Brakes?

 

[jbanks15]

I use google to search our site
go to google
type
site:slkworld.com r172 disable eco button

 

[Maurauth]

I use google to search our site
go to google
type
site:slkworld.com r172 disable eco button

Yeah I used your link in your previous post and couldn't find any method of keeping eco turned off as suggested by the other poster.

 

[Hal Adams]

It was suggested in the previous thread on this that the car will start in whatever mode the Eco facility was in at shutdown - ie if you have the facility off at shutdown, it will start with it off. Great for me if it does as I just cannot do with it any more!

Try it and see...

Yes, on stands for brakes. I woke up and decided I want to throw some money away - and decided you can throw more away on new brakes than into the trash can..!

 

[Maurauth]

It was suggested in the previous thread on this that the car will start in whatever mode the Eco facility was in at shutdown - ie if you have the facility off at shutdown, it will start with it off. Great for me if it does as I just cannot do with it any more!

Try it and see...

Yes, on stands for brakes. I woke up and decided I want to throw some money away - and decided you can throw more away on new brakes than into the trash can..!

Doesn't for me, leave eco off, turn engine off, remove key, reinsert key and eco is back on unfortunately.

 

[JudgeMing]

In spite of the quote in the manual it doesn't work me either. Turning it off before shutting the down the engine isn't stored, so it's right back on on start up.

However, this system takes a number of inputs before it's active. If you fake one of these inputs to fall outside the parameters to allow it to engage it will not come on, ever....

Input:
Power level of the battery,
Engine temperature,
Cabin temperature compared to the airco setting,
ECO button, obviously

Maybe there is more.

Try this: set the airco inside temp to max. on a day the airco needs to heat the cabin and presto the ECO function will not come on. Reason? Heating the cabin takes a lot of power. When the engine is not running that power will come from the battery and the engineers have tried to prevent exhausting the battery by the ECO function.

So this is nice for a test run. How to get it to stay off permanently?
I'm afraid you need to delve into the software and tweak the parameters of the ECO system. Just tell it, it needs a battery voltage of 17 volts. Obviously the alternator will never get it there so the ECO stays off. Nice eh?

Now all that is needed is someone who can tweak the ECO parameters....:nerd:

 

[Hal Adams]

Doesn't for me, leave eco off, turn engine off, remove key, reinsert key and eco is back on unfortunately.

Maybe you should put thgis response into the original thread on this just to close it down - at least then the next unsuspecting soul on being rollicked for not searching can say s/he did, but there was no answer...:laugh:

We briefly had a Fiat500 that would not work on eco shutdown from day one. As Judgeming says, eco will only shut down knowing it can start again. They replaced the battery twice and jiggered with a few other thing before reckoning it to the ECU incorrectly reading something.

I have no problems with it shutting down, just to the kick under my backside when the gearbox takes up the strain...

 

[CHELZEE]

Being a new owner of an R172 I quickly discovered that the idiot that thought of the idea has never driven in a major city. Once I start the car I immediately turn it off as a matter of course now. I think MB seriously need to go back to the drawing board on this one, although I believe the engine will for the 55 will be different and probably won't need the 'eco' button.

 

[oldmercman]

The ECO button is to satisfy those tedious conservationists & tree hugging twits who think that having a car engine forever switching itself on & off will save the planet. Dam silly dangerous gimmick as the momentary delay when trying to move way quickly in traffic is not only disconcerting but could be the difference between hitting something or being hit. I too switch it off as soon as I start the car.
My understanding that the smug Swiss have for many years insisted you switch off the engine at traffic lights to help keep the Alpine air pure - a lot of b....s!

 

[AMG-UFO]

I agree that the Start/Stop function is an exercise in frustration and confusion. ECO4/8 cylinder deactivation, on the other hand, actually works.

I did a 22+ hour drive over two days on U.S inter-state highways this past autumn. 1410 miles at an average speed of 63mph. Gas mileage for an R172 SLK55: 27.6 mpg...which is very close to MB's advertized 28mpg figure. And performance was perfectly fine for a long boring trip on congested roads.

So...take the two seconds needed to flip it off when you're in stop-and-go traffic or some other situation where hesitation could be a problem.

Cripes, we fiddle with everything else in the car...volume control, media selection, nav, temp, and on and on..so what's the big deal about this?

 

[wja96]

I've been driving stop/start for at least 7 years and, while you may not like Mercedes implementation, it's MILES better than VW/Audi groups way of doing it.

In the VAG car, as soon as you take your foot off the brake the engine starts. Which is exactly what Mercedes do, but with Mercedes you can engage HOLD and take your foot off the brake, which switches off the brake lights, and the engine stays off. With VAG, there is no HOLD, so you have to sit with your foot on the brake the whole time or have the engine running where the car wants to creep forward. Again, that's the same on the Mercedes but the Mercedes has a conventional torque converter automatic so it's OK to cover the brake, the fluid just gets diverted off and the car goes nowhere. In the VAG car, they almost always use their dual-clutch automated manual shift and holding the car on the brakes is frowned upon because it burns out the clutch packs.

So, in my view, I quite like the Mercedes stop/start now. As soon as you engage HOLD, the engine is off and the handbrake is on. Touch the throttle and the car moves forward. If you choose not to engage HOLD then as soon as you lift off the brake the engine starts and the car creeps forward. Maybe it's not so good with manual transmission but it works very well for me. In fact, I don't even switch it off anymore!

 

[Just1MoreDave]

I think manual transmission cars don't have the start-stop mode. Anyway, our car doesn't have it. I didn't mind it that much with a loaner car when I was driving. It is seriously irritating with someone else driving who has the bad habit of stopping well short, then creeping up on their actual stopping point. Sometimes these people are in the next lane, cluelessly lurching along.

 

[wja96]

I have no problems with it shutting down, just to the kick under my backside when the gearbox takes up the strain...

I don't feel anything "kick" when mine starts up. I accept that maybe I'm more accepting of vibration because I drive diesels all the time but I'm pretty sure it doesn't "kick". Possibly worth getting it checked out or driving another car to see if it's the same?

 

[wja96]

I think manual transmission cars don't have the start-stop mode. Anyway, our car doesn't have it. I didn't mind it that much with a loaner car when I was driving. It is seriously irritating with someone else driving who has the bad habit of stopping well short, then creeping up on their actual stopping point. Sometimes these people are in the next lane, cluelessly lurching along.

It's amazing what irritates people. I prefer to just roll along slowly rather than accelerate, stop, accelerate, stop all the time.

They actually teach that technique for when you approach traffic lights in the UK as we have inductive loops in the road so if you slow down to a crawl as you drive up to a red traffic light the traffic management software thinks the junction is blocked and turns the traffic lights green. Strange, but it works!

 

[Alex 3]

I guess I am missing something here.
I have a button on the dash. If I want it off I just shut it off.
On start up ON is the default but it is 15 inches from the start key/button to the ECO switch to shut it off.
What's the issue?
As to the 7G box, I had it in my E350 4Matic and it was fine. This one seem OK too.
Not sure what that is all about.

 

[bastivock]

I hope Hal finds a satisfactory resolution to this, I know in the grand scheme of things it's not that big a deal to turn it off every time, but it would be nice if he didn't have to.

However, I don't think this whole stop start Eco caper is really about the consumer, sure it's touted as being beneficial for them, but it's more about the manufacturers "proving" their green credentials to the policy makers... In which case I can see why they wouldn't want owners to turn the "feature" off permanently.

I've got to say form my own experience I agree with WJA96 about the MB implementation of it being pretty good (or good enough for me to live with), my 250 CDi re-starts cleanly and moves off smoothly even when driving in heavy traffic congestion, I also own MINI Cooper (BMW) with manual transmission and stop start and that was truly horrible, it's only saving grace is that it virtually never shuts off any more so has done away with the issue all by itself. :smile:

 

[wja96]

However, I don't think this whole stop start Eco caper is really about the consumer, sure it's touted as being beneficial for them, but it's more about the manufacturers "proving" their green credentials to the policy makers... In which case I can see why they wouldn't want owners to turn the "feature" off permanently.

EC Regulation 443/2009 sets an average CO2 emissions figure for car manufacturers. Anything that brings down the average CO2 of all vehicles produced is acceptable. So Aston Martin rebadges tiny Toyotas and calls them Cygnets or something. Most manufacturers have jumped on stop/start because it cuts CO2 emissions.

In the UK the Vehicle Excise Duty (road fund tax) is calculated on a vehicles CO2 emissions so we do benefit a little but I agree wholeheartedly, it's a cunning manufacturer ruse to get around some green legislation.