Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running Error: What Does It Mean? And 5 Common Causes 

If you’re a new Mercedes car owner, you might not have known about the “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” problem. This exclusive smart warning is only available on Mercedes-Benz cars, which explains why so many first-time Mercedes users worry when they notice the message. 

If you scratch your head for the problem, panic not. Today, Driverevole will explain this error’s meaning, its common causes, what to do in that situation, and the best ways to fix it! 

Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running: What It Implies 

This pop-up usually appears on Mercedes-Benz cars from 2015 and later, such as the C-class, CLS-class, GLC-class, E-class, G-class, SLK-class, SLS-class, CLA-class, and so on.

When the notification “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” shows up on the center console of a Mercedes-Benz, higher chances are that something is wrong with the vehicle’s batteries.

5 Most Common Causes Of ‘Why Does My Mercedes Say Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running?’

Keeping Headlights On For Too Long

One of the most common causes of faulty batteries is keeping the headlights on for too long, which usually depletes the backup batteries.

Put this way, the car battery powers the headlamps, and leaving them on for too long will consume a significant amount of energy, inducing electricity loss. As a result, your ECU notices a problem with your battery, and the error message appears.

You could solve this problem quickly by employing a handheld jump starter to jumpstart the car. If your car doesn’t start with jump, there might be another culprit causing the problem.

Excessive Use Of Gadgets

You may have a defective battery if you connect too many devices to your vehicle’s electrical sockets for a long time. For instance, say there are 4 people in your car, and all of them are simultaneously plugging their iPhones into your cigarette socket using an external USB extension cable.

Meanwhile, you also use your car radio; the A/C is working at full capacity; the driving distance is relatively short. Guess what happens? Not only will it not recharge your mobiles or other digital gadgets properly, but it will also drain your automobile batteries.

And inevitably, the “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” alert will show up at some points.

Recurrent Drains

Another cause of the “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” message could be a recurrent depletion brought on by various factors. It might be because the fixtures in the glove compartment remain “on” for a great while, or something goes wrong with the controller that it couldn’t shut off the cabin lights completely. 

The headlamps, underhood, and trunk lamps on your vehicle may all experience the same issue.

Defective Alternator

A faulty alternator might also cause battery problems, resulting in the mentioned Mercedes-Benz issue. 

Put simply, the car’s mechanism is predominantly powered by the alternator. It turns motor power into electricity in charge of topping up the backup batteries, ensuring there will always be enough power to operate the car.

 If your alternator fails, it will deplete the battery each time you turn on your vehicle, ultimately causing the battery to collapse.

A faulty or degraded alternator diode might also power the circuit incorrectly. This occurs even when the vehicle’s engine is turned off. Sadly, such a problem depletes the vehicle batteries and prevents cars from starting. It would cost less than $100 (from this best alternator brand list) if you replace the alternator by yourself, so replace it if you can.

Thus, if you notice the symptoms of a defective alternator, this might be the culprit of the “Stop Vehicle, Leave Engine Running” error.

Bad Voltage Regulator

If your Mercedes car shows the notification “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running,” it could be due to a faulty power regulator. If this unit fails, the power source will no longer be able to charge. This will unavoidably make your car’s batteries succumb.

The voltage regulator guarantees your vehicle battery sustained recharging voltages and electricity. It is also in charge of supplying proper power output to other electrical parts.

What To Do If This Message Pops Up 

What should you do when the “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” notification is on the center console? Here are 3 things you might do to handle the problem temporarily.

Drive Slowly And Carefully As You Pull Over

If you come across this, de-accelerate immediately and travel attentively as you pull over to the roadside. Ensure that you’re stopping in a safe spot; press P to ạdjust to Park Setting.

This is why, on a few models, the notification states, “Stop Vehicle Shift to P Leave Engine Running,” rather than simply “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running.” This way, you won’t forget to switch to the park configuration.

Turn Off All The Headlights, Air Conditioner, And Other Electronic Gadgets

Switch off all the lighting fixtures, the air conditioners, the car stereo, and any other devices that consume the vehicle battery. However, do not switch off the engine.

Allow Your Vehicle To Idle For 25 To 30 Mins

Allow your car to idle for 25 to 30 mins. This allows the vehicle battery to charge up. Afterward, go along the highway, where you can travel at higher speeds. The vehicle battery will recharge faster.

How To Fix Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running

Recharge the Car Battery

Have you been using your vehicle for decades using the same battery? If your answer is yes, it’s not surprising that the notification “Stop Vehicle Keep Engine On” appears on your center console.

Before purchasing a brand-new automobile battery, it is advisable to determine whether you can still top up your current battery. Here’s how:

• Stop your vehicle in a safe area.
• After that, switch off anything that uses battery power but leave the vehicle’s engine on. This means switching off the car stereo, the cabin and outer lamps, and the air conditioner. You must unplug or detach any cables if you are recharging any digital gadgets so that they won’t hamper the recharging operation.
• Afterward, operate your engine continuously for approximately 20 to 30 mins.
• If it’s permitted, start your car and ram up speeds. Keep driving your car for around an hour at high speeds. This will allow you to charge your vehicle battery more quickly.

Call a mechanic and let him handle the task if you’re not confident enough to check it yourself.

Replace The Car Battery

If the recharging strategy fails, it might be necessary to change the current battery. Purchasing a brand-new battery will cost a lot of money. However, this will spare you a bunch of time and keep problems at bay.

A cheaper solution can be an auxiliary battery. Several Mercedes vehicles come equipped with a pair of batteries; one is the primary starter battery located in the trunk, and the other is a smaller battery placed behind the windshield on the right side of the car. The car needs both batteries due to the necessary electrical power. Auxiliary batteries act as a supplement to your primary starter battery, and they can be used as a backup if your main battery fails.

Just make sure you get a reliable one. You will save a few hundred bucks with this option.

Wrapping Up 

No one should ignore the “Stop Vehicle Leave Engine Running” alert; in the worst case, your car would cease working entirely and leave you stranded out of nowhere! 

Once the message appears on your dashboard, visit a service center as soon as possible for a battery check or conduct the check-up yourself if you can.

For more posts like this, refer to our Fun Driving section.