The “A” button on Mercedes A class dash

[Sarakh9]

Hello guys hope you are all doing well.
So I know the A button is the eco stop/start button, but how does it work?
I have it on (see image) and whenever I stop at traffic lights etc, the car doesn’t turn off.
I have the break pedal pressed and the clutch pressed and it is in first gear. I read in the integrated manual that certain conditions had to be met and as far as I know, they are met.
So why doesn’t the car engine turn off?
Am I doing something wrong?
the dash board advises me to put car in neutral but I read somewhere that it has to be in first gear for the auto stop/start to work.
What am I doing wrong?
Thank you for your help.

 

[Srdl]

Most of us on here have autos so not too sure about a manual gearbox, but, on my wife's last Mini, we had to come out of gear into neutral and take the foot off the clutch before the engine would cut out. The engine started again when we depressed the clutch. I have no idea whether the Mercedes system works the same though.

 

[sl500amgsport]

Disable it, most drivers are more interested in disabling it as there is some concern about premature wear and damage with constant stop starting, only brought in to placate the anti motorist brigade within the EU legislators.

Mercedes SL500 R231

 

[Sarakh9]

Disable it, most drivers are more interested in disabling it as there is some concern about premature wear and damage with constant stop starting, only brought in to placate the anti motorist brigade within the EU legislators.

Mercedes SL500 R231

Oh ok thank you

 

[Altamar]

Most of us on here have autos so not too sure about a manual gearbox, but, on my wife's last Mini, we had to come out of gear into neutral and take the foot off the clutch before the engine would cut out. The engine started again when we depressed the clutch. I have no idea whether the Mercedes system works the same though.

It's the same on every manual car I have ever driven with stop start. You have to put the car into neutral.

Once you press the clutch the car restarts

Personally I like the system on my (auto) Mercs and it is said to save up to 5% of fuel but some disagree

 

[Altamar]

the dash board advises me to put car in neutral

And that's why

PS you already know that other conditions have to be met before the system will work but it is very hard for the driver to know when they are all satisfied as they include battery condition and charge for example, as well as some which you can assess like engine temperature

 

[Sarakh9]

And that's why

Okay

 

[sl500amgsport]

And that's why

PS you already know that other conditions have to be met before the system will work but it is very hard for the driver to know when they are all satisfied as they include battery condition and charge for example, as well as some which you can assess like engine temperature

The little A light turns from green to amber when the other criteria is wrong, it can double up as a battery monitor, if permanently orange then your battery may need replacing....

Mercedes SL500 R231

 

[Sarakh9]

The little A light turns from green to amber when the other criteria is wrong, it can double up as a battery monitor, if permanently orange then your battery may need replacing....

Mercedes SL500 R231

Oh kkkk so the light is not amber...like ever. So maybe it’s the fact that I’m not putting it in neutral. It just seems like too much faff to be honest.

 

[sl500amgsport]

Oh kkkk so the light is not amber...like ever. So maybe it’s the fact that I’m not putting it in neutral. It just seems like too much faff to be honest.

Lol 5% fuel saving in an A class if your lucky over a year just not worth it, especially as it puts extra load on your engine over it's lifetime. If like my wife you put say £20 in your tank a week you might save around £40 a year if you are religious about it, if you end up replacing the battery a year earlier due to the extra load it would cost you more!

Mercedes SL500 R231

 

[ajlsl600]

It's the same on every manual car I have ever driven with stop start. You have to put the car into neutral.

Once you press the clutch the car restarts

Personally I like the system on my (auto) Mercs and it is said to save up to 5% of fuel but some disagree

Maybe but u spend the difference and maybe a lot more on timing chains, gears and starters, ring gears,
nothing convinces me that these components are made more durable to balance the extra use/ stress. For makers it's win win as the issues
statistically occur outside warranty.
So it's auto reflex to "off" stop start as soon as a get in car.

 

[littlebrooklyn]

We have an A Class although it's an automatic. When we first bought it the stop/start didn't work at all and we weren't bothered. After it's last service it suddenly decided to work! Have to say find it so annoying and try to remember to turn it off every time I drive, just wish I could find a way to keep it off all the time!

 

[Sarakh9]

Lol 5% fuel saving in an A class if your lucky over a year just not worth it, especially as it puts extra load on your engine over it's lifetime. If like my wife you put say £20 in your tank a week you might save around £40 a year if you are religious about it, if you end up replacing the battery a year earlier due to the extra load it would cost you more!

Mercedes SL500 R231

Yeh forget it

 

[ajlsl600]

We have an A Class although it's an automatic. When we first bought it the stop/start didn't work at all and we weren't bothered. After it's last service it suddenly decided to work! Have to say find it so annoying and try to remember to turn it off every time I drive, just wish I could find a way to keep it off all the time!

Do a search. I am led to believe a fuse removal solves that.. I just have not got around to that and pressing the button to off it don't stress me. I also believe that if DPF needs regen stop start don't work till that's done so maybe yr service people did that? , someone will correct me if I wrong.

 

[Uncle Benz]

When I was a learner, my instructor (lovely lady) told me if you are stopped for more than seven seconds put the gearbox in neutral and take your foot off the clutch or you will prematurely wear the thrust bearing. You could actually see her counting and getting the clipboard ready to clout me! She was right though, and it stuck with me. I take every opportunity to pass the message on, but I don’t take a swipe at anybody over it. Those days are gone

 

[Sarakh9]

When I was a learner, my instructor (lovely lady) told me if you are stopped for more than seven seconds put the gearbox in neutral and take your foot off the clutch or you will prematurely wear the thrust bearing. You could actually see her counting and getting the clipboard ready to clout me! She was right though, and it stuck with me. I take every opportunity to pass the message on, but I don’t take a swipe at anybody over it. Those days are gone

The instructors these days don’t teach that... atleast I was not taught that.

 

[Uncle Benz]

It was over thirty years ago. I think its veeeery different now

 

[EmilysDad]

It was over thirty years ago. I think its veeeery different now

..... just 30 yrs ago?

 

[Blobcat]

When I was a learner, my instructor (lovely lady) told me if you are stopped for more than seven seconds put the gearbox in neutral and take your foot off the clutch or you will prematurely wear the thrust bearing. You could actually see her counting and getting the clipboard ready to clout me! She was right though, and it stuck with me. I take every opportunity to pass the message on, but I don’t take a swipe at anybody over it. Those days are gone

Do you ever sit behind cars at traffic watching them roll back slightly then move forward and repeat until the light changes, riding the clutch the whole uptime.
I dread to think how long their clutch won’t last...

 

[Sarakh9]

Do you ever sit behind cars at traffic watching them roll back slightly then move forward and repeat until the light changes, riding the clutch the whole uptime.
I dread to think how long their clutch won’t last...

Oh... yeh that would be me..