warning: check your tire pressure after delivery.
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Super Member
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Kirkland, WA
c300
warning: check your tire pressure after delivery.
Maybe I'm just a one-off ... and usually I check this with every new car regardless, but this time I didn't ... but I ended up doing a couple of long trips with seriously ganked tire pressures.
When measured cold this weekend after my car'd sat all week (wife was out of town so I drove her Q7 ... I love that thing).
LF: 19.5psi
RF: 41psi
LR: 24psi
RR: 33psi
As testament to the platform though, I never felt anything to indicate my tire pressures were that wonky. No pulling, no tramlining, nothing. In my BMWs if you had one tire off by more than 1psi you'd get the car wandering in the opposite direction.
When measured cold this weekend after my car'd sat all week (wife was out of town so I drove her Q7 ... I love that thing).
LF: 19.5psi
RF: 41psi
LR: 24psi
RR: 33psi
As testament to the platform though, I never felt anything to indicate my tire pressures were that wonky. No pulling, no tramlining, nothing. In my BMWs if you had one tire off by more than 1psi you'd get the car wandering in the opposite direction.
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Joined: Sep 2007
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2008 C350WZ
Good advice!
Unfortunately, I didn't check the tire pressure when I got the car thinking that it must be set right, it "looked" okay.
So I drove it for the first 1000 miles without checking the tire pressure. Shortly after the first 1000 miles, I hadd the free "diagnostics" service performed by the dealer. The only thing they reported was that the tire pressures had to be set to 34 PSI. I only wish I knew what PSI they were at prior to that; were they way off or just a bit? Anyways, good advice.
Unfortunately, I didn't check the tire pressure when I got the car thinking that it must be set right, it "looked" okay.
So I drove it for the first 1000 miles without checking the tire pressure. Shortly after the first 1000 miles, I hadd the free "diagnostics" service performed by the dealer. The only thing they reported was that the tire pressures had to be set to 34 PSI. I only wish I knew what PSI they were at prior to that; were they way off or just a bit? Anyways, good advice.
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Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Los Angeles
2008 C300 Sports, AMG 18 inch wheels, MM package, 6000K HID Kit, 20% 3M tinted all around
When I got the car from the dealer, my tire pressure is 38 psi all around on my 18's AMG, but if you open the driver's door, you will see a sticker with Vin # and tire pressure psi info for your car, for the front, it should be 32 psi and for the rear, it should be 38 psi, I corrected it right away after i noticed, and I only had 60 miles on my car at that time.
I suggest everyone to check their tire pressure after they purchase from the dealer, sometimes dealer or factory is just careless.
I suggest everyone to check their tire pressure after they purchase from the dealer, sometimes dealer or factory is just careless.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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From: United States
2008 R350 & 2008 C300
I think some of you have some real bad service departments at your dealerships, checking tire pressure is something on their checklist weither it be new car prep, or even getting your oil changed. By the way, the user above mentioned he checked his sticker and it said a different tire pressure, but he also mentioned that he has the 18's which aren't standard and the sticker is refering to the standard 17's, I'm sure there is a difference, might want to check with the owners manual or call the service department and find out. I usually run lower than the recommended tire pressures anyway, gives it a softer ride over all those damn surface joints.
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From: Los Angeles
2008 C300 Sports, AMG 18 inch wheels, MM package, 6000K HID Kit, 20% 3M tinted all around
my sticker shows the correct psi info for my 18s amg only, not for 17s.
If you have 17s, I think you can still find your psi info on the stickers for your 17s, or you can call the dealer to find out.
If you have 17s, I think you can still find your psi info on the stickers for your 17s, or you can call the dealer to find out.
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From: SoCal
2008 C350 Sport, Black on Black
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From: Kirkland, WA
c300
It only kicks in if pressures deviate from what they are set at ... that's my understanding anyway.
So they probably slapped the wheels on there, didn't check and then as part of the process reset the tpms.
That would be my guess anyway.
So they probably slapped the wheels on there, didn't check and then as part of the process reset the tpms.
That would be my guess anyway.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Toronto, ON
2011 E350 4Matic Wagon, 2013 C350 4Matic Sedan
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From: Ontario, Canada
2008 - S550 4Matic, 2010 - E350 4Matic, 2010 - C350 4Matic
Some years ago, when I visited Germany, I noticed that some cars had red valve stem caps. I had no idea why and I asked.
Some people use over there gas in the tire and not regular air. So if a car had a red cap you make sure you would add gas and not air.
The benefit, I was told, is that under high speed driving, for long periods of time, tires filled with gas do not heat up like tires filled with air.
I know a big tire dealer here and I asked him why he would not offer that service? His reply was that when he sells you a new tire you don't want to pay for the gas and you want it free.
Have you ever heard about it?
Jorg
Some people use over there gas in the tire and not regular air. So if a car had a red cap you make sure you would add gas and not air.
The benefit, I was told, is that under high speed driving, for long periods of time, tires filled with gas do not heat up like tires filled with air.
I know a big tire dealer here and I asked him why he would not offer that service? His reply was that when he sells you a new tire you don't want to pay for the gas and you want it free.
Have you ever heard about it?
Jorg
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From: Toronto, ON
2011 E350 4Matic Wagon, 2013 C350 4Matic Sedan
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From: Kirkland, WA
c300
would have suspected that the thresholds for the TPMS should be set by the factory
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From: Toronto, On
2008 MB C300; 2007 Acura RDX
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From: Connecticut
2003 CLK55
I wish I had checked this thread earlier. Honey just had her free 1,000 mile checkup. Only thing wrong with the car was too much air in the tires. The Tech guy asked if we added air to the tires after delivery. Of course we didn't. He actually apologized saying this should have been checked at the pre delivery inspection. Not sure how much air was in them...he didn't say. Hope the tires are ok after 1K miles of too much air.
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From: North Jerzeee
Lexus IS 350 F Sport
Funny but one would think that checking air pressure on all 4 tires would be a "norm" on all PDI's ( Pre Delivery Inspection ) on all new cars at a dealership bit obviously its not 
of course its very minor however its these attention to details that sets one dealer apart from another 
of course its very minor however its these attention to details that sets one dealer apart from another
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From: Vancouver WA
'14 GLK250 Diesel
Yes, they're supposed to check the tires at PDI. No, that doesn't mean it always happens.
Two observations:
-The cars are shipped with 50-60 psi to avoid flat-spotting during the long time in transit. They're supposed to be reset at PDI. [I NEVER EVEN TEST-DRIVE A NEW CAR WITHOUT MY TIRE GAUGE, and always check before driving away from the dealership for any reason - the track record so far is that they're right less than 50% of the time.]
-On another thread, we're carrying on a debate about the value of TPMS. There is no way the system should not have posted an alert with the pressures described in the original post, regardless of when it had been last reset. Nothing could better illustrate for me the waste of money that this whole business of TPMS represents.
Save yourself time, money, and potential heartache - buy a tire gauge and use it at least twice a month. You may be very surprised at what you discover.
Two observations:
-The cars are shipped with 50-60 psi to avoid flat-spotting during the long time in transit. They're supposed to be reset at PDI. [I NEVER EVEN TEST-DRIVE A NEW CAR WITHOUT MY TIRE GAUGE, and always check before driving away from the dealership for any reason - the track record so far is that they're right less than 50% of the time.]
-On another thread, we're carrying on a debate about the value of TPMS. There is no way the system should not have posted an alert with the pressures described in the original post, regardless of when it had been last reset. Nothing could better illustrate for me the waste of money that this whole business of TPMS represents.
Save yourself time, money, and potential heartache - buy a tire gauge and use it at least twice a month. You may be very surprised at what you discover.
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From: SFV CA
2008 Black Out C350 Saks Edition / 87 VW GTI
Maybe I'm just a one-off ... and usually I check this with every new car regardless, but this time I didn't ... but I ended up doing a couple of long trips with seriously ganked tire pressures.
When measured cold this weekend after my car'd sat all week (wife was out of town so I drove her Q7 ... I love that thing).
LF: 19.5psi
RF: 41psi
LR: 24psi
RR: 33psi
As testament to the platform though, I never felt anything to indicate my tire pressures were that wonky. No pulling, no tramlining, nothing. In my BMWs if you had one tire off by more than 1psi you'd get the car wandering in the opposite direction.
When measured cold this weekend after my car'd sat all week (wife was out of town so I drove her Q7 ... I love that thing).
LF: 19.5psi
RF: 41psi
LR: 24psi
RR: 33psi
As testament to the platform though, I never felt anything to indicate my tire pressures were that wonky. No pulling, no tramlining, nothing. In my BMWs if you had one tire off by more than 1psi you'd get the car wandering in the opposite direction.
Good advice
What kind of gauge did you use, I would not trust anything that is not digital
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From: Kirkland, WA
c300
There is no way the system should not have posted an alert with the pressures described in the original post, regardless of when it had been last reset.
On the other hand though, I can remember a lot of times I've adjusted the tire pressures without resetting it and never gotten a warning.
Also, I park outside because my garage is currently full of remodeling supplies. The system would have to have a big variance built into it to handle stone cold tire pressure vs hot weather pressure.
So yeah, I've talked myself into agreeing that the systems suck.
But I guess it's somewhat important for the 99% of idiots on the road who have no idea that they're driving around on a flat tire.
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From: Connecticut
2003 CLK55
Saying I'm slightly dissapointed with the dealership for not checking tire pressure is an understatement. It really makes you question their ability to do things right. My confidence in my dealership is not what it used to be.
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Vancouver WA
'14 GLK250 Diesel
Since we're on this topic, keep in mind that each 10 degree F change in air temperature [up or down] will change the tire pressure, on average, 1 psi.
We're entering a time of year when ambient temps can change pretty dramatically over the course of a week.
We're entering a time of year when ambient temps can change pretty dramatically over the course of a week.
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Joined: Jan 2008
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From: SF Bay Area, USA
08 C300 Sport
I have been using Accutire gauges and am quite happy with them.
