E43 AMG owners thread

[indus]

Hi
I thought it might be useful having an owners thread for the E43. The car will have many things in common with other MB cars but somethings will be unique.

I've had the car 48hrs now and have configured the individual dynamic select as follows

1) Drive train = sports

2) Steering = sports

3) Suspension = sports +

In other cars sports + for suspension is usually too harsh for UK roads and best suited to track. However in this car sports + seems perfect and still more comfortable than the ride in my c63 AMG.

The problem I'm having is with the sports setting for drivetrain with the 9g gearbox. It seems to hang on to the gear for too long and not change up.

Just because I'm in sport mode doesn't mean I want to rev to the redline. My c63 seemed to be able to sense this and change up but the e43 doesn't.

For example, with drive train in sport mode I might give it some welly from a standing start at the lights but once I get to 40 mph I want to back off. The c63 would sense that I had backed off the throttle and change up but the e43 stays in the lower gear.

Anybody else find this?

Apart from this I'm really liking the car. In sport + suspension setting it really hustles, corners and changes direction so well for a big car whilst still retaining so much comfort.

 

[guhvies]

The 9g tronic needs to learn from you when to change gears. IOW, change up with the paddles when you want it to.

 

[indus]

The 9g tronic needs to learn from you when to change gears. IOW, change up with the paddles when you want it to.

Are you saying that if I use the paddles to change up a gear the gearbox will learn and remember this 'behaviour' in full auto mode?

Thanks

 

[Neiltodd]

I think that is what is supposed to happen

 

[indus]

I think that is what is supposed to happen

Thanks, will give that a go.

 

[guhvies]

@indus, yes. You need to 'train' it. It does take a while to adapt though

 

[indus]

@indus, yes. You need to 'train' it. It does take a while to adapt though

Thank you

 

[StuW213]

Hi from another E43 owner. Had a lot of hassle with mine as you will see if you search other threads. Love it when I have it though. Will definitely be trying to train that gear change.

 

[StuW213]

Btw anyone have any trouble with stop start? Does it work as you'd expect on most journeys after the car warms up? Mine NEVER activates except after a very long journey or a full charge and then works for one short journey.

 

[andreas_t]

Btw anyone have any trouble with stop start? Does it work as you'd expect on most journeys after the car warms up? Mine NEVER activates except after a very long journey or a full charge and then works for one short journey.

Yes, mine does the same. It looks like the battery seldom stays at full charge - and the stop/start doesn't kick in as a consequence.
Thought it was the winter weather - but it still does it now it's (much ?) warmer.
I put mine on a charger and it took a good 4 or 5 hours to fully charge - and then it was on 'not fully charged' within a couple of days. The start/stop 'feature' followed the battery charge trend.

I plan to give the battery a 'recon' - my charger has a program for that - and see if the performance improves.

PS. It's good to have this thread to compare experiences on the car's 'features'. Keep them coming

 

[StuW213]

Ah bad luck! Mine took a number of hours to charge also. I have the ctek mxs 5 charger which also has a recon mode. It also has AGM mode too but I am unsure as to whether the battery fitted is AGM or normal. Both recon and AGM mode charge at a higher voltage and the manual says to use only 14 point something voltage charger so i was wary of doing either, AGM and recon charge at 15.6 i believe.

 

[StuW213]

Ps mine goes to partly charged after one short journey!

 

[StuW213]

Yes, mine does the same. It looks like the battery seldom stays at full charge - and the stop/start doesn't kick in as a consequence.
Thought it was the winter weather - but it still does it now it's (much ?) warmer.
I put mine on a charger and it took a good 4 or 5 hours to fully charge - and then it was on 'not fully charged' within a couple of days. The start/stop 'feature' followed the battery charge trend.

I plan to give the battery a 'recon' - my charger has a program for that - and see if the performance improves.

PS. It's good to have this thread to compare experiences on the car's 'features'. Keep them coming

Did you buy it new or second hand and is it an early build? Mine was registered in January of 17. Thanks it's good to know I am not quite alone. There is at least one e43 owner who says it works normally for them.

 

[andreas_t]

Did you buy it new or second hand and is it an early build? Mine was registered in January of 17. Thanks it's good to know I am not quite alone. There is at least one e43 owner who says it works normally for them.

Mine is May '18 build. From what I can gather, it was used for less than 2 months - then sat somewhere relatively dry and warm (static demonstrator ?) for 5 months.
PS. I have the same CTEK as you.

 

[StuW213]

Ah well mine was very low mileage and I suspect therefore left for a period too. Somebody said that the manual says permanent damage is done to the battery if left for longer than 6 weeks. What setting do you use on the ctek?

 

[andreas_t]

Ah well mine was very low mileage and I suspect therefore left for a period too. Somebody said that the manual says permanent damage is done to the battery if left for longer than 6 weeks. What setting do you use on the ctek?

If it'spermanently damaged, then it will show up within the warranty - I have no doubts about that: just wait for the winter and it will rear its ugly head.
In as far as the CTEK is concerned, I have only charged in 'normal' mode - I don't believe in higher voltage charging as I think it affects the battery life anyway.

I'll let you know when I do the 'recon' - and if anything positive comes of it.

 

[StuW213]

Just taken mine in again this morning. I said I thought it had been damaged before I took ownership and he said that won't be covered under warranty however it will be covered as a problem within the first six months of purchase and therefore covered by the sales department. The recon mode I think uses a higher voltage, didn't know if you used the AGM mode but pretty sure the battery in mine is not an AGM one as I've heard it venting during charge (I Just use the non AGM car mode myself).

 

[StuW213]

Just got it back(again). They say they've changed the main battery and start stop now works as it should. Drove it all the way home, no start stop. Mercedes me now says starter battery charged but I wonder if they've just nobbled it to say that. Don't know what to do except give it back again.

 

[StuW213]

Didn't sleep much and went straight back to the dealer this morning. Apparently they replaced the battery under warranty, dartford mb have now given me the paperwork. Weird that it didn't come fully charged even though the paperwork says a recharge happened. I charged it partially last night (ctek stayed in phase 3 for 3 hours so it's really not charged) and today stop start has worked faultlessly for 2 journeys and many times during each of these. If it is fixed then I'm problem free for the first time since owning, three and a half months, and I will be so relieved. Have not yet had to wash the car myself.

 

[andreas_t]

Didn't sleep much and went straight back to the dealer this morning. Apparently they replaced the battery under warranty, dartford mb have now given me the paperwork. Weird that it didn't come fully charged even though the paperwork says a recharge happened. I charged it partially last night (ctek stayed in phase 3 for 3 hours so it's really not charged) and today stop start has worked faultlessly for 2 journeys and many times during each of these. If it is fixed then I'm problem free for the first time since owning, three and a half months, and I will be so relieved. Have not yet had to wash the car myself.

Hope it was worth the early start !
Did you get the opportunity to ask them about the front suspension / strut recall ?