Start-Stop is dead - MB350S

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Raimys

New Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2017
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1
Car
Mercedes S350
Hi there, Mercedes lovers,

I hope I might find help here.

Approximately 3 months ago Start-Stop function stopped working (Mercedes S350, 2015, ordered and bought from a MB dealer – still under MB 3 year warranty).

It just stopped working altogether, no if and buts – AC, music system, wipers, anything else on or off, hot or cold weather, local or motorway driving, coolant temperature cold or normal, the Start-Stop was just dead.
I have waited 2 months for it to be looked at, 3 full days with the dealership and a long awaited call to collect the car.

I was explained that its dedicated battery was discharged and this was rectified.
Started the engine (still at the dealership) and there appeared an amber encircled letter A, which is normally green.
I thought it might take some time to settle, to warm the engine, etc., etc. Drove all the way from the dealership (Loughton) to London. Still amber light, Start-Stop does not work.
I called the dealership, no one was available to talk to me about this; a receptionist promised that I would be called back.
Next day drove all the way from London to Braintree and back. Start-Stop did not work.
Received an email from the dealership today explaining the reasons why the Start-Stop does not always work. I am advised to drive the car for a couple of weeks and, if the Start-Stop does still off, to book an appointment again.

An interesting advice it is indeed: the Start-Stop had been dead for 3 months and it is expected to revive itself in a couple of weeks...

Thus:
1. If anyone knows more reasons that might cause Start-Stop failure (apart from those mentioned above) please kindly let me know.
2. I am really anxious about the fact that knowingly driving the car with a warning light on (implying that the fault needs attention) might invalidate my 3 years MB warranty. This is offset to some extent that the dealership released the car in such a condition, YET they can always argued that even in this case it was me who was aware of this fault and continued driving.
Anyone with some legal knowledge here?

3. If anyone can recommend me an MB dealership (from one’s own experience, in London or in vicinity) where the repairs are really done to the standards of MB).
The Loughton dealership is convenient for me distance-wise yet, since the car had been bought, I have had to constantly press them to do the repairs to the expected results.
This summer gave the car because a left rear tyre pressure was 15 psi different from the rest of the tyres. Yet, the manual digital AND mechanical pressure gauges showed the same pressure in this tyre as in other 3 tyres.
The dealership restarted the relevant software – no result. Advised to reinflate my tyres few times – no result. Advised that it was necessary to drive few miles until the air is warmed up in the tyre and it would show the correct tyre pressure in half an hour or so.
It was like a talk of a deaf with a dumb: I say that if 2 separate pressure gauges show the same pressure in ALL tyres and the computer shows that one tyre is different then it is something with the car.
Finally, complained to MB centre in the Netherlands, in a week everything was rectified – as appeared it was just necessary to change a faulty tyre sensor.

That is why I really do not believe the repair works quality in this dealership and hope there could be a better one...

Basically, the Mercedes brand, technology and a vehicle as such are great; yet the repairs and aftersales care are nightmare. I am really considering to do the service and repairs in Germany after my 3 years MB warranty will have expired.

If the repairs are like this during the warranty period I just dread to think what they will be when the warranty is not present...
 
Silly question probably but can it be turned off and has it been done accidentally somehow?
 
Mine can take an hour or more to go green when the weather is cold. The outside temp does affect it. Diving with it off is not a warning light as such just the car deciding that stop/start can't be active. Principal reason I believe is that of the battery e.g. It disables after half a dozen or so operations in a row to protect the battery and won't work if the charge is too low. There have also been software updates for the stop/start function. What your saying doesn't sound like this dealer know what they are doing. Sadly dealers are like people, some good, some bad. My local one is good for a simple oil change. Anything else and it's a headache.


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This time of year stop/start can take ages to work regularly, there is a button for turning off but it reverts back to default on at each restart.

With the journeys op is doing I would expect it to work though.

I normally switch min off though.


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