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eco mode - default to off?

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Old 08-12-2014, 11:39 PM
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Default eco mode - default to off?

Hello, my f-type has eco mode and I assume that this is standard for all f types. Anyway, eco mode is always on by default when I start my car.

I really don't like the jolt of my car auto-restarting when I drive away from stoplights. Does anyone else here share this sentiment? I think the eco mode feature is beneficial in some cities where your car may literally be at a standstill for 5-10 minutes at a time during rush hour. However, for basic stoplights, I prefer a seamless experience over a few pennies in gas savings. Do you agree?

That being said, the first thing I do when I start my car is turn off eco mode. I was wondering if there was a way to turn eco mode *off* instead of on by default so eco mode will always be off when I start my car?
 
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Old 08-13-2014, 12:01 AM
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Old 08-13-2014, 12:14 AM
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very odd design decision. dynamic mode it remembers, but eco mode it resets. It can't be an EPA or government thing, because my 2013 911 has eco mode too and it remembers the setting. Was the 1st thing I turned off and never had to turn it back off. I don't actually want to completely turn it off or completely disable it, just have it remember the last setting!
 
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Old 08-13-2014, 12:30 AM
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Pulled the negative power cable to the small battery and never looked back!
 
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Old 08-13-2014, 12:45 AM
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I think the only time I would want my car to turn off automatically would be in somewhat exceptional scenarios, such as stopping for a train. In these types of scenarios it would not be a big deal for me to turn off the car manually, like people have been doing for the last 100 years.

I think auto-start would be better if it happened in half the time. Currently, it's too noticeable. Is it free to have the dealership disable eco mode?
 
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Old 08-13-2014, 10:58 AM
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Originally Posted by shift
very odd design decision. dynamic mode it remembers, but eco mode it resets. It can't be an EPA or government thing, because my 2013 911 has eco mode too and it remembers the setting. Was the 1st thing I turned off and never had to turn it back off. I don't actually want to completely turn it off or completely disable it, just have it remember the last setting!
EPA doesn't require ECO mode at all - it is a manufacturer design decision. However, the EPA mileage tests are performed in whatever mode the car defaults to. So to boost the EPA mileage estimates by 5-10%, most cars that offer ECO mode default to it on after every start. If they allow you to permanently defeat the ECO mode, then they would have to publish lower mileage estimates based on ECO mode being off.
 
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Old 08-13-2014, 11:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Optimus812
Pulled the negative power cable to the small battery and never looked back!
Where is the small battery located? I don't think I noticed it in the back - I only saw the large battery.
 
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Old 08-13-2014, 07:59 PM
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Its in the middle back of the trunk under the gray felt cover. Remove the middle cover piece and you'll see it. Disconnect the negative cable and you're set. I believe there is a picture floating around on this forum of it.
 
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Old 08-13-2014, 08:12 PM
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Originally Posted by another_geek
EPA doesn't require ECO mode at all - it is a manufacturer design decision. However, the EPA mileage tests are performed in whatever mode the car defaults to. So to boost the EPA mileage estimates by 5-10%, most cars that offer ECO mode default to it on after every start. If they allow you to permanently defeat the ECO mode, then they would have to publish lower mileage estimates based on ECO mode being off.
This is where it's puzzling, because why wouldn't Porsche reset it to "on" on every start? Porsche has made a big push for being green (look at all their hybrids), so if the EPA rating was based on it being "on" during every start, I would think Porsche would do what Jaguar did to get the higher rating. Also, with Dynamic Mode on, it disables ECO mode, and Dynamic Mode is remembered for 6 hours. So why not also at least have ECO remember for 6 hours. I just think it's a design oversight by Jaguar. Chalk it up to quirky British design.
 
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Old 08-13-2014, 08:26 PM
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Originally Posted by shift
Chalk it up to quirky British design.
I think you mean character
 
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Old 08-13-2014, 08:28 PM
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[QUOTE=shift;1035771I just think it's a design oversight by Jaguar. Chalk it up to quirky British design.[/QUOTE]

+1.
BMWs recall the setting also.
I think this would be easy to fix via software if Jaguar wanted to spend a little time. While they're at it, I'd like them to do the same for the latched recirculate setting on the climate control. It's annoying to have to hit that button and hold it to regain the setting every time I start the car. Another oversight.
 
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Old 08-13-2014, 08:52 PM
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Originally Posted by Optimus812
Its in the middle back of the trunk under the gray felt cover. Remove the middle cover piece and you'll see it. Disconnect the negative cable and you're set. I believe there is a picture floating around on this forum of it.
Since the dealer apparently can't shut the thing off (my SA tells me), and the "approaching-a-stop" maneuver is too much thinking for me, the battery solution seems the way to go..., if I knew what else that small battery might be powering.

Not saying the battery doesn't power just the ECO switch; but, a wiring diagram/service-shop manual would remove all doubt (which I have been unable to locate as of yet).
 
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Old 08-13-2014, 08:57 PM
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Mercedes eco mode behaves the same way as jaguar. There are similar threads on the MB forums with the same complaints I see here. To date, no one has reported being able to convince a dealer to disable the setting. On my ML63, Weistec modified the eco setting as part of the ecu tune I had done but to my knowledge no other MB tuner offers similar functionality. I only stumbled on it because I had the tune done in person and he just casually asked if I was interested because it isnt part of their stock tune.
 
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Old 08-13-2014, 09:17 PM
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Interesting...so MB and Jaguar resets but BMW and Porsche remembers. Need a tie breaker, what does Audi do? Love the concept of ECO mode but engine start is not smooth enough.
 
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Old 08-24-2014, 08:19 AM
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I went to my local jag dealer and one service advisor said that customers request to have eco mode disabled all the time and that there is no known technical way to do that. Another service advisor there said that jaguar deliberately makes it difficult to disable eco mode because of government regulations.

I checked my trunk the other night and there didn't seem to be any panels that could be easily lifted. All the panels seemed sealed shut unless there's a special latch I don't know about or a certain way I'm supposed to lift the trunk panels?
 
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Old 08-24-2014, 10:38 AM
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Originally Posted by shift
Interesting...so MB and Jaguar resets but BMW and Porsche remembers. Need a tie breaker, what does Audi do? Love the concept of ECO mode but engine start is not smooth enough.
My 2013 Audi A8 default ECO mode is off.
 
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Old 09-02-2014, 08:28 PM
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My 2c - I don't care about the jolt, but I don't see how ECO can be failsafe. Nowadays, I get in the car, put on my seatbelt, hit start, and then turn ECO off: that became my routine after ECO stalled the car out on me once in a 4-way stop - I was too fast moving from brake to gas for it to finish the shutdown cycle cleanly. It is not a quick restart process after that happens either - you have to brake again, hit park, hit start to shut down, hit start again to fire up, and then drop into drive. After someone gets t-boned when ECO stalls out a car turning left in fast-moving traffic and they are stuck doing that dance as a semi bears down on them, then I think the lawyers will override the fuel-economy folk, and force a change so the default setting is "safe". They reset DSC to "safe" every time for that exact reason, and ECO should be the same failsafe mode. If the customer wants to risk their neck by drifting or by saving fuel, then fine: on their head be it. The default setting should be "safe". You die, it was your choice to push that button, not ours. BTW, I heard through the grapevine, from a supposedly reliable source, that it would be a very minor software tweak to reverse the function of the switch, and that it is quite possible to do it.
 
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Old 09-09-2014, 02:25 PM
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Just noticed: if I'm in sport, stop-start seems to be disabled.
 
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Old 09-09-2014, 02:46 PM
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It's certainly disabled in Dynamic mode. I never use sport (gear selector to the left).
 
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Old 09-15-2014, 01:26 AM
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Originally Posted by DJS
It's certainly disabled in Dynamic mode. I never use sport (gear selector to the left).
really? switching to dynamic mode turns on my active exhaust. however, eco mode remains enabled. is there a config setting to associate the behavior? if so then can someone tell me what that is?
 


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