It could be a problem with your battery’s charge if you see the “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” message on your dash while driving a Mercedes-Benz. The message tends to go away after a few minutes if you pull over and wait, but it may remain on if other components are at fault. Read on to learn what to do if you encounter this error and what you can do to troubleshoot it.
Things You Should Know
- The “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” message indicates a problem with the charging system and that the vehicle’s battery is below 12 volts.
- Turn off any electronics in your vehicle when you stop in a safe area. The message will disappear after 10–30 minutes if you leave your engine running.
- Check your car’s battery, alternator, and wiring for worn or damaged parts and have them replaced if necessary.
What does “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” mean?
Your battery has low voltage, as indicated by the warning message. Mercedes-Benz dashboards display the message if the battery drops below 12 volts. The battery isn’t getting enough charge or isn’t getting enough power to start your vehicle.
- Several Mercedes-Benz models, including the C180, C250, C43 AMG, C200, E300, GLC300, and C300, display the “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” message.
- The Fix: Pull over and stop your vehicle when the “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” warning appears. Ensure that all lights, air conditioners, and other devices that draw power are turned off. The message will disappear after about 10–30 minutes if you leave your engine running.
- Is it safe to drive?: If you continue driving with the warning message, it may damage your engine.
Causes and Solutions for “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running”
Old or failing battery
Car batteries lose their ability to hold a charge as they age. You may see the “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” warning on your dashboard when either your main or auxiliary battery fails.
- Diagnosis: Check for leaks or damage to the battery. Connect the positive and negative probes of a multimeter to the battery terminals and test the battery. Test the battery again if the voltage is between 12.6 and 12.8 V. The battery is bad if the reading falls below 10 V.
- The Fix: Replace the old battery with a new one. There is a wide range of prices for batteries, depending on their size and power, but they are usually priced between $50 and $250 USD.
- Batteries for Mercedes last about 3–5 years before they need to be replaced.
- A cheap replacement battery can cause damage to Mercedes vehicles today because they are very voltage sensitive. Battery OEMs or their equivalents should only be used.
Use of excessive lighting and accessories
A vehicle’s battery receives power when it is turned on, or when it is plugged into multiple chargers and accessories. You will see the warning message if you drain too much power.
- Diagnosis: Recharge your car battery. Ensure that all chargers in your car are unplugged, the radio is turned off, and any lights in your car are off before you start driving. The accessories may be the problem if the message does not reappear.
- The Fix: Run the engine before plugging in accessories and turning on your lights. If you are not using a charger, unplug it. When you are driving for a short period of time, try not to use the radio and other electronics.
Parasitic power drain
You get parasitic drains when your vehicle’s electrical components draw power when they shouldn’t. You may receive the “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” error if the drain draws power from your battery.
- Diagnosis: Turn off your lights and unplug all devices before completely charging your battery. Using a multimeter, test the battery while removing one fuse from the fuse box at a time to locate the parasitic drain. Voltage drops significantly after removing a fuse, indicating the drain is coming from the circuit.
- The Fix: If the vehicle is not starting after finding out the circuit that is causing the problem, have a professional mechanic inspect the circuit as any part could be malfunctioning.
Defective alternator
While your vehicle is running, the alternator charges your battery. The error message appears on your dashboard when the alternator isn’t connected to the engine or battery.
- Diagnosis: A bad alternator can cause difficulty starting your engine, smell burning wires, make a whining noise, or cause other electronic problems.
- The Fix: Have the alternator replaced by a mechanic. You may be able to replace the alternator yourself if you feel confident working on your own car.
Bad voltage regulator
Voltage regulators limit the amount of voltage the alternator produces by connecting to it. Messages such as “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” can be triggered when the voltage regulator breaks or malfunctions.
- Diagnosis: If your car misfires or stalls, listen for it. Your voltage regulator may be malfunctioning if the error message appears right when your vehicle starts.
- The Fix: Replace your entire alternator, as the voltage regulator usually resides inside it.
Loose or faulty wiring
If your battery’s electrical wires are old or corroded, they may not form a good connection. It is possible for your dashboard to illuminate when one of these connections fails.
- Diagnosis: Look for damage or corrosion on any visible wires. Test any suspect wires by holding the probes of a multimeter against their ends. The wiring is bad if the resistance exceeds 1 ohm.
- The Fix: Check for any faulty wires and replace them. You may need to take your vehicle to a mechanic if the wires cannot be found or replaced on your own.
Damaged or slipped serpentine belt
All the accessories in your vehicle, like the alternator and other electronics, are powered by the serpentine belt, which connects to the engine. A slipping or broken belt will not provide enough power for your vehicle and cause an error message.
- Diagnosis: Locate your serpentine belt on your engine’s side. If there are any cracks or damage to your serpentine belt, you should replace it.
- The Fix: The damaged belt needs to be replaced.
Overheated transmission
Overheating of the fluid inside your transmission can cause problems when shifting between gears. The “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” message can appear when the fluid gets too warm.
- Diagnosis: Burning smells, gear slippage, unusual sounds, and a high transmission temperature gauge indicate transmission problems.
- The Fix: Top off the transmission fluid levels if they are low. A professional should diagnose and repair an leaking fluid under your vehicle if you notice it.
Can you drive with “stop vehicle leave engine running”?
Can you drive with the Mercedes warning message “stop vehicle leave engine running”? Your dashboard may display a warning message that asks you this question. If you want to determine whether or not it is safe to drive with this indicator, you need to understand what it means and why it appears. When the Low Battery Voltage message appears, an electronic stability program component has detected a fault.
It may be possible to resolve this problem by topping off fluids or jumpstarting the battery in some cases. Some vehicles, however, may require more extensive repairs before they can be safely operated.
How to get rid of “stop vehicle leave engine running”?
Is your Mercedes telling you to “stop vehicle leaving engine running” every time you try to start it? Mercedes owners often see this message, but there is a simple fix. The ignition system must be turned off properly, and all doors must be closed, before leaving your car.
In order to do this correctly, ensure the emergency brake is engaged on your vehicle while it is parked. When your engine shuts off completely, depress the brake pedal while pushing the start/stop button. Please make sure that all lights have been turned off and that any accessories, such as radios, are turned off.
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Conclusion
In order to protect your vehicle from theft, Mercedes displays the “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” message. There is no problem with your engine or car as indicated by this notification, and it can be easily reset. Take action when this message appears on your dashboard by securing your vehicle and resetting it.
A running engine left unattended can pose a safety risk and should never be left unattended. You should never leave your car unattended with the engine running if you notice this message on your dashboard. Before getting out of the vehicle, park safely and lock all doors. When you need assistance understanding why or how this message appears, contact a Mercedes technician.
