E-Class Auto Smooth Brake To Standstill Problem
Discussion
Hi
I have found some related posts to this subject but not exactly what I'm looking for. This is my disclaimer in case I need to put Nomex on :-)
I will be driving a petrol E class with an auto box for a few days. I try very hard in a manual to be as smooth as I can with gear changing, braking etc. I'm slowing learning how to smooth out the auto changes in the Mercedes but I'm struggling to get a smooth brake to standstill. The only way I have managed what I would class a properly smooth brake to stationary is to put the car into neutral just before the vehicle stops. Otherwise when I stop the car there is a small jerk. Are there any other 'tricks' I can try? My problem is that the car moves relatively quickly, for an auto, when idling. I have to overcome the car's large automatic 'creep' under braking, which I'm finding much stronger than in other autos.
Thanks
I have found some related posts to this subject but not exactly what I'm looking for. This is my disclaimer in case I need to put Nomex on :-)
I will be driving a petrol E class with an auto box for a few days. I try very hard in a manual to be as smooth as I can with gear changing, braking etc. I'm slowing learning how to smooth out the auto changes in the Mercedes but I'm struggling to get a smooth brake to standstill. The only way I have managed what I would class a properly smooth brake to stationary is to put the car into neutral just before the vehicle stops. Otherwise when I stop the car there is a small jerk. Are there any other 'tricks' I can try? My problem is that the car moves relatively quickly, for an auto, when idling. I have to overcome the car's large automatic 'creep' under braking, which I'm finding much stronger than in other autos.
Thanks
Hi
From experience this is near enough impossible unless your on an incline to assist in overcoming creep. The only thing I can suggest is trying to anticipate reasons for complete stop and avoid it. Looking a long way ahead to try and arrive at lights on green or just going onto green. Baring that just infuriate 'manual' drivers by stopping well short and creep up the last bit of gentle inclines and smell their clutch.
From experience this is near enough impossible unless your on an incline to assist in overcoming creep. The only thing I can suggest is trying to anticipate reasons for complete stop and avoid it. Looking a long way ahead to try and arrive at lights on green or just going onto green. Baring that just infuriate 'manual' drivers by stopping well short and creep up the last bit of gentle inclines and smell their clutch.
Got the same problem with my Volvo 164. The best method I've found so far is to "aim to stop" 1-2 car lengths back from where one normally would, and use the extra distance to lose the last 1mph or so really really gently. I've managed to get the lurch down to just a gentle "unk" 
(The other related unsmooth stopping thing is the way the front end lurches into the air when I go from footbrake to handbrake... but the only way to avoid this without a four-wheel handbrake is to shift into neutral, and staying in drive is both mechanically kinder and uses less petrol (may not apply to a modern car)).
(The other related unsmooth stopping thing is the way the front end lurches into the air when I go from footbrake to handbrake... but the only way to avoid this without a four-wheel handbrake is to shift into neutral, and staying in drive is both mechanically kinder and uses less petrol (may not apply to a modern car)).
Pigeon said:
Staying in drive is both mechanically kinder and uses less petrol (may not apply to a modern car).
The Omega's fuel consumption display would agree with you there as far as modern cars are concerned; 0.2gal/hr in Neutral and 0.3gal/hr in Drive. I still leave it in gear though, as the cost of the petrol is probably less than the cost of the transmission dying an early death.
The biggest refinement I like on modern autoboxes is the torque convertor lockup; kicks in at ~47mph and the economy figure goes up about 10mpg. This makes people who drive along at 44mph doubly infuriating as not only are they costing you time, but also money.
I have driven an 05 plate E320 Diesel at work on driver training, I recall that if you brake to a stop firm first then easy off and then push the brake to the floor whilst stationary it applies a holding brake. Then you can gently accelerate off when the traffic or lights allow nice and smooth. There is a display that comes up on the dash to say the brake is applied. May help??
Thanks for everyone's input!
I have had the same experience as 3wheels3, if there is slight incline and the autobox is in 2nd then the brake to standstill is acceptable.
I enjoy driving a new car and learning, with my limited skills, to get the smoothest gear, steering and braking I can from it. 90% of the different hire cars I drive are manual. I am getting better at smoothing the E class autobox shifts but braking to a standstill is more of a struggle for me so far!
I can use the foot operated holding brake by pressing the footbrake to the floor, after stopping, to hold the car as blakeypj has also experienced.When this is activated the car displays: SBC-H. This does help with the jerk that Pigeon mentions when transitioning from footbrake to handbrake (as you aren't technically doing so!). If I activate SBC-H the car keeps its brake lights on, until the car pulls off again. I wish the E class turned the brake lights off when SBC-H activates, I was sat at a railway crossing tonight for more than five minutes at night and I wouldn't dazzle the guy behind me with brake lights showing for that long. Does anyone know how reliable SBC is compared to the normal handbrake?
I have had the same experience as 3wheels3, if there is slight incline and the autobox is in 2nd then the brake to standstill is acceptable.
I enjoy driving a new car and learning, with my limited skills, to get the smoothest gear, steering and braking I can from it. 90% of the different hire cars I drive are manual. I am getting better at smoothing the E class autobox shifts but braking to a standstill is more of a struggle for me so far!
I can use the foot operated holding brake by pressing the footbrake to the floor, after stopping, to hold the car as blakeypj has also experienced.When this is activated the car displays: SBC-H. This does help with the jerk that Pigeon mentions when transitioning from footbrake to handbrake (as you aren't technically doing so!). If I activate SBC-H the car keeps its brake lights on, until the car pulls off again. I wish the E class turned the brake lights off when SBC-H activates, I was sat at a railway crossing tonight for more than five minutes at night and I wouldn't dazzle the guy behind me with brake lights showing for that long. Does anyone know how reliable SBC is compared to the normal handbrake?
Chumpers I have exactly the same problem in my Merc ML320, I thought maybe there was something wrong with the box in mine ? must admit it's pretty annoying....brake nice and smoothly, slow down, just before the car stops there's a muted 'thunk' and a tiny lurch before finally stopping ?????
First time I've really driven an auto for any length of time, must say I love it apart from the 'thunk' and the fact that I always seems to be lifting off slightly to 'make' it change up a gear - anyone else find themselves doing this ?
First time I've really driven an auto for any length of time, must say I love it apart from the 'thunk' and the fact that I always seems to be lifting off slightly to 'make' it change up a gear - anyone else find themselves doing this ?
To smooth the braking I now get to less than 10mph and then put the gearbox in neutral and brake as with a manual to standstill. This helps the smooth stop but the trouble is if I need to pull away quickly it takes a couple of seconds for the autobox to get back in gear and I'm also technically coasting. I also can't use this method on a 'creep and peep' junction if I need to edge out to see the road. I wouldn't call this method a fix for the problem, I'm still trying to find a way to brake better. Has anybody else had more luck?
Chumpers said:
To smooth the braking I now get to less than 10mph and then put the gearbox in neutral and brake as with a manual to standstill. This helps the smooth stop but the trouble is if I need to pull away quickly it takes a couple of seconds for the autobox to get back in gear and I'm also technically coasting. I also can't use this method on a 'creep and peep' junction if I need to edge out to see the road. I wouldn't call this method a fix for the problem, I'm still trying to find a way to brake better. Has anybody else had more luck?
Can't use that on a advanced test either ...
A thought, get the brakes cleaned, shed load of brake dust can cause the brakes to grab slightly. My dads BMW had this issue, completly impossible to stop smoothly, got brakes cleaned, problem solved.
Martin
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