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"C" on dash display, what does it do or mean?

27K views 33 replies 10 participants last post by  wimpy 
#1 ·
#2 · (Edited)
C means Comfort mode.

On my van there's a button [ correction ] named DYNAMIC near the emergency lights button, to switch the transmission profile between Comfort, Manual and Economy. The van shifts differently, but MB wore me out with the fact that it defaults to C, every time I started the van and I just wanted E. So, I'm no longer doing the daily push to Economy. It is all in the right foot :)
 
#6 ·
While I initially disliked paddle shifters on our SUV and my van - like seriously we’re not going to the track ;) - they are handy when towing or loaded up. Once the break in period kind of had passed I started using them when I have a trailer in tow, or I am carrying a good load, I will coast down and use the - paddle / downshift to engine brake a bit in small steps, in combination with having my foot ready on the brake. Then just hold the + upshift to go back to full auto.
 
#7 ·
Surprisingly, Mercedes kinda encourages using the transmission for braking on grades, noting the extra brake wear from the downhill speed control cruise control. Back in the dawn of time, I was taught that "brake linings are cheaper than transmissions."

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#11 ·
Surprisingly, Mercedes kinda encourages using the transmission for braking on grades, noting the extra brake wear from the downhill speed control cruise control. Back in the dawn of time, I was taught that "brake linings are cheaper than transmissions."
I don't think anything has changed. Brakes are for deceleration, and gears are selected for the speed you want to maintain. You wouldn't want to ride the brakes to maintain speed on a long descent, then or now.
 
#10 ·
Great question -- not that I am aware of, but I've never actually checked. I am saying this based on the reaction of other drivers on steep downhills when I am holding speed right on the limit.
 
#15 ·
I learned to downshift stick shift while driving with a load, was told a bit of engine breaking doesn't hurt, so I have done some careful downshifting at times to come to a stop or to go down long downhill stretches, mostly with a manual and sometimes with an automatic. Especially when loaded or towing. Vehicles were in my possession passed onto the next owner with >100k km, 120k miles, 200k miles. No transmission issue.

If MB didn't want us to shift, why do they give manual mode and paddle shifters in possibly every vehicle these days??

99% of the time, I let the computer do its thing.
And, I have tried to drive in manual mode with the paddles ... my brain is not yet wired for it, if ever. LOL.
 
#16 ·
I learned to drive a manual at 13. I was instructed to drive the track as fast as possible without using the brakes. I'm ruined for life.

The biggest concern I have with the paddle shifters is that a driver that hasn't read the manual (everyone) wont know what happened or how to reverse it when they bump the shifter by accident. Also, the manual says don't down shift or put it in park incorrectly. Can't the computer prevent that? I have to over-warn people how to use the wipers to prevent breaking the transmission by hitting P by accident.
 
#19 ·
Down shifting on a hill is probably the only time my engine gets its revs up ... :D

If it is quite steep, I just combine the two, bit of engine braking, bit of wheel braking ... to also alert the folks behind that I'm not going to free wheel this, get a ticket in the process or lose control somewhere in a curve half a mile ahead. Some long downhills, you get a good overview and can just let her speed up and roll without having to worry about braking or slowing down ...

All in all, I thought a bit of engine braking was encouraged to save the brakes ... especially when towing. My utility trailer has some size and weight, but it doesn't have brakes. So, I just take my time getting up to speed, anticipate everything as much as I can, ...
 
#21 ·
I get it on towing with a heavy load. And "anticipate" is absolutely the name of the game for driving larger vehicles! Out of curiousity, do you get any benefit out of 5 & 6? I haven't noticed much in the way of speed control above 4.
 
#20 ·
Yes, anticipate. Slow down before the hill and gear down to help maintain your speed. If I start to speed up I apply the brakes intermittently to bring the speed down. The faster you go the faster your brakes heat up. If it's really steep go slower with a lower gear. Simple physics. Even with trailer brakes I don't want them overheating either.
Also, the engine gets its torque (and therefore power) because of the turbo boost. I don't think turbo will help with engine breaking so it's like any 2L engine.
 
#22 ·
Downshifting from 7 to 6 doesn't seem to do anything. It seems 5 or even 4 is where the engine braking speed reduction is at. Back during the busy days with stick shifting, I only had 5 gears on most modern vehicles ( it was up to four before then, some sports cars had six, but that was nowhere near my wheelhouse. ) and 5 4 3 down to 2 all worked well, one step at a time was easy and practically feasible ... if you wanted to keep the active gear ready to accelerrate again. With the 6 and 7 now, it seems you need to go down two gears to have a braking effect, then go from there, one at a time

I have yet to drive a 9 speed. Is that like 4 overdrive gears? ;)
 
#23 ·

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#24 ·
Letting cruise control maintain your speed on downhill grades will greatly accelerate rear brake wear. I don't do that. While at my dealership, I once saw a customer complaining about his rear brakes being worn out at less than 20K miles. On a long downhill grade (which we've driven a lot) I always use engine braking to help maintain a safe speed along with judicious application of brakes intermittently (do not brake continually on a long downhill grade, that's the quickest way to heat and fade). My 2016 PV is at almost 55K miles and still on the original brake pads. Just checked in mid June and still a ways to go before replacement is needed.
 
#25 ·
Good to hear about your brakes lasting well.

As far as I know:

Traditional Cruise Control
Only works on the engine throttle. No brakes are used.

Adaptive Cruise Control / Distronic / ...
Will use the brakes if more or fast deceleration is required, beyond what basic throttle control can do, just like a driver would step on the brakes to slow down or come to a stop.

So, I don't think using Cruise Control leads to faster brake wear inherently.

Now some vehicles may have rear brake bias to minimize nose diving, that could be factor in faster rear brake wear, vs front brake wear that is more typical.

For me, I think brake wear is all down to the right foot and the grey matter up top ;)

I looked at a 2 year old off lease SUV one time that a salesman insisted was a great buy, because it just had its brakes done at ~20000 miles. Instant skip. I didn't want a vehicle that had been driven that hard in metropolitan town and beltway conditions, where brake wear was > 50% and thus it already needed a brake service. I should have checked what the average mpg was. LOL. Anyhow it just made me feel like somebody used and abused the vehicle, because they were only essentially renting it for 2 years.
 
#29 ·
I'll refer you to this thread.

 
#26 ·
On the way home yesterday with the Curt controller on the trailer, I had cruise control on during a brief downhill and the trailer brakes came on. Since they are activated by the brake lights on the tow vehicle, I assume the van brakes were applied. There was no gearing down so engine braking would be negligible.
 
#32 ·
BTW while discussing the brakes on my Metris with my service advisor, I inquired about the costs for new pads to be fitted. He gave me price and said they would NOT do pads only. He said it was mandatory MB policy to replace the rotors when replacing the pads. So, a lot more work and cost than just pads. Anyone experience this and care to comment? I'm not asking for the rotors to be turned. The brakes work perfectly smoothly with no signs of warpage. I never ran into such a policy before.
 
#34 ·
I've never experienced this mindset in 50+ years of driving & maintaining cars & a limo fleet for 20 years. I can't imagine the reason for the policy. You check rotors for run-out & have NAPA or your neighborhood garage turn the rotors. When we were racing SCCA Showroom Stock, we seldom bothered to turn the rotors since we went thru pads fairly quickly. If the rotors had warpage (pulsing which you could feel), we usually replaced the rotors but sometimes just turned them.

We did always bed the brakes after installing new pads. You can Google this procedure, you're introducing heat into the pads to extend the life AND increase performance.
 
#33 ·
A second set of brake pads may out last the rotors, maybe? But as far as policy. I don't know. That sounds suspicious, unless there is very clear wear, severe rust, grooving, ... Vehicles used to have one or two sets of pads, and rotor true-ing ( or what it is called ) before new rotors.
 
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