Distronic v Distronic Plus

[dldb]

Hi I'm looking to buy a CL500 or maybe an S class. I think all the CL500s in the UK from 2006 have either ordinary Speedtronic cruise or Distronic Plus. So none have Distronic non plus.

I am fairly sure the difference between Distronic and Distronic Plus is that the former works down to 20 MPH and the latter works all the way down to zero MPH.

So my question is do any have ordinary Distronic (non plus) and how can I tell? I have worked out how to tell Speedtronic from Distronic/Distronic Plus - the front grill shield on S Class and the front star on CL500's. Plus the vertical tapered white stripe inside the distance adjuster on the stalk.

The reason for all this is I want adaptive cruise but only want one that works down to 0 MPH (fussy I know).

 

[davidsl500]

Welcome. I suppose the easiest way is to get the VIN and then use www.lastvin.com or a similar decoder to check the datacard..

 

[V6Matty]

Distronic plus came in with the facelift 215 and then launch of the 221, so as long as you look for those you’ll be fine

 

[Woodleigh]

am fairly sure the difference between Distronic and Distronic Plus is that the former works down to 20 MPH and the latter works all the way down to zero MPH.

I've got Distronic Plus on my W205 Premium Plus.
It's Code 233 on the 'Oasis Vehicle Enquiry' sheet which is available from your friendly dealership.

 

[Botus]

guy on USA forum just bought a S500 in Japanese spec - seems the w221 over there only got the w220 Distronic, rather than the European Distronic Plus

he posted a few video's and I tried to explain how Distronic Plus works - what is puzzling is on his, it seems very similar and just forgets to brake at low speed - instead, just throwing a naff ambiguous cluster menu "Sensors Deactivated" and a missing - "so you'll have to do it yourself... even though I can clearly see eactly what to do... " as the radar info display (around the edge of the speedo dial) of what the other car is actually doing is clearly intact.... just like mine

my old BMW only coped down to 15mph, below this it assumed you had reached "town traffic" and like Distronic it needs the other two short range radars (you get on Distronic Plus cars) to cope with what others might do...

thus the main difference is one does stop start traffic in town down to 0 mph - the lesser system just goes on holiday

Option code

HIS - 219 PROXIMITY-CONTROLLED CRUISE CONTROL - (DISTRONIC)
MINE - 233 AUTONOMOUS INT. CRUISE CONT. PLUS - (DISTRONIC PLUS)

mine doesn't ever show this

 

[alexanderfoti]

guy on USA forum just bought a S500 in Japanese spec - seems the w221 over there only got the w220 Distronic, rather than the European Distronic Plus

he posted a few video's and I tried to explain how Distronic Plus works - what is puzzling is on his, it seems very similar and just forgets to brake at low speed - instead, just throwing a naff ambiguous cluster menu "Sensors Deactivated" and a missing - "so you'll have to do it yourself... even though I can clearly see eactly what to do... " as the radar info display (around the edge of the speedo dial) of what the other car is actually doing is clearly intact.... just like mine

my old BMW only coped down to 15mph, below this it assumed you had reached "town traffic" and like Distronic it needs the other two short range radars (you get on Distronic Plus cars) to cope with what others might do...

thus the main difference is one does stop start traffic in town down to 0 mph - the lesser system just goes on holiday

Option code

HIS - 219 PROXIMITY-CONTROLLED CRUISE CONTROL - (DISTRONIC)
MINE - 233 AUTONOMOUS INT. CRUISE CONT. PLUS - (DISTRONIC PLUS)

mine doesn't ever show this

Its probably missing the 24ghz radar in the bumpers, due to some local regulations etc

 

[Blobcat]

Its probably missing the 24ghz radar in the bumpers, due to some local regulations etc

Area 51 restrictions…

 

[alexanderfoti]

As a correction above, 216 and 221 have distronic plus
215 and 220 have standard distronic

Distronic plus works down to a stop

 

[alexanderfoti]

Area 51 restrictions…

There are many locations that the 221 radar disables itself, and looking in the manual, it's required to turn off around certain geographical locations!

 

[alexanderfoti]

Somewto note, distronic plus on newer cars (w204 etc) manage to do it all with one radar. It's also much improved, looking across to a different lane when you indicate etc.

The older d+ tends to sit in the empty lane for a while, before realising there is nothing in front and accelerating

 

[V6Matty]

There are many locations that the 221 radar disables itself, and looking in the manual, it's required to turn off around certain geographical locations!

Cambridge is a pain for this I remembered yesterday because of the radio telescopes there

 

[Botus]

There are many locations that the 221 radar disables itself, and looking in the manual, it's required to turn off around certain geographical locations!

it used to be like that

after the late 2007 telemtics update and (on mine) 2014 maps (both applied in Oct 2014 on my car) my Distronic Plus never cuts out any more.... except in 2019 when I had legit online merc SCN release on the Rear SAM and it messed up everything - if running 2214423300 or later Rear SAM software...... after high speed wipe more than x times, it cuts out cruise completely for 20 mins coming back after the rain dies back (its fxxxxxx annoying)

W221 Rear SAM software release iterations and timeline fiasco - THEY ARE CLUELESS HALFWITS !!!

221 442 1300 release version 2005
Distronic Plus - brakes like the best chauffeur in the world,
Distronic Plus - throttle application by lead footed halfwit suffering road rage,
Distronic Plus - quite overt braking reaction to large steering input can unsettle the car
Nav and TCM overlay audio fade functions beautifully, at ANY Volume level,
reports fake rear window blind error,
limited diagnostics

221 442 2400 31.10.2007
not sure

221 442 2600 20.12.2007
new part, upgradged hardware,
pre installed base software iteration
basic coding set up can't be SCN'd without updating to later iteration,
full manual vehicle coding not available (its just not there in this base iteration)
Distronic Plus - early model bug with BAS Plus knocking error comes back in driver footwell,
Distronic Plus - mild muddle up on distronic display on the cluster
Distronic Plus - less overt braking based on steering input
Distronic Plus - less overt throttle application
suspension rides really badly
audio fade overlay broken,
reports fake rear window blind error
better diagnostics than original build release

221 442 3300 6.6.2008
set up can be fully coded manually
Distronic Plus - rain stops play,
Distronic Plus - BAS Plus knocking fixed in driver footwell,
Distronic Plus - less overt braking based on steering input
Distronic Plus - less overt throttle application
suspension rides much better
audio fade remains broken,
fake rear window blind error gone
better diagnostics than original build release

9021400 16.1.2009
unsuitable facelift software wrongly believed by Merc to be OK

9021401 6.1.2009
unsuitable facelift software wrongly believed by Merc to be OK

9023903 1.6.2012
unsuitable facelift software wrongly believed by Merc to be OK

9024003 4.6.21012
unsuitable facelift software wrongly believed by Merc to be OK

9024903 03.04.2013
unsuitable facelift software wrongly believed by Merc to be OK

9024903 0003 SCN 15-0032 applied to my car 2019
unsuitable facelift software wrongly believed by Merc to be OK
Distronic Plus - cruise braking waits to last possible moment (if it remembers to do anything) often can't stop safely / doesn't react at all,
Distronic Plus - throttle application addressed from awful to not enough - holds up other traffic, its worse than the lead foot idiot it had when built,
Distronic Plus - can no longer be bothered to slow down / back off based on over enthusiastic cornering entry speed,
Distronic Plus - rain stops play,
Distronic Plus - cluster display from correct display of other traffic, to totally wrong (used to be representative of what you see out the windscreen),
Nav and TCM overlay audio fade still broken,
reports fake rear window blind error again,
further upgrades to diagnostics,

9024903 0009 SCN 90-001V re SCN'd to my car Jan 2021
left in all the dangerous and obvious driver known bugs
but resolves the rear window blind bug that wrongly showed in diagnostics

and YES all bugs stated above exclusively controlled by the Rear SAM - I'm now back on 221 442 3300