Flat tire from pothole -- Car is now pulling right.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 757
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From: LI, NY, U.S.A.
2013 GLK 350 4M (Iridium Silver), 2010 E350 Coupe (Iridium Silver)
Flat tire from pothole -- Car is now pulling right.
So, I hit a pothole in the middle lane of 495E and immediately got a flat front driver's side tire. Speed approximately 60-65 mph.
Pulled over onto the shoulder, changed the tire and was on my way in about 10 minutes flat. (The jack point and the jack are pretty good).
The car pulls to the right now. I corrected the spare tire psi from 48 to 60 but it didn't fix it. All other tires were at the correct psi.
I'm going to the dealer first thing in the morning, but any of you guys have any ideas?
I tried pushing down on the hood on the affected tire, no strange noises and it bounces back fine.
Pulled over onto the shoulder, changed the tire and was on my way in about 10 minutes flat. (The jack point and the jack are pretty good).
The car pulls to the right now. I corrected the spare tire psi from 48 to 60 but it didn't fix it. All other tires were at the correct psi.
I'm going to the dealer first thing in the morning, but any of you guys have any ideas?
I tried pushing down on the hood on the affected tire, no strange noises and it bounces back fine.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Feb 2010
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From: LI, NY, U.S.A.
2013 GLK 350 4M (Iridium Silver), 2010 E350 Coupe (Iridium Silver)
Thanks for the quick response. That was my first guess. Should I get it towed to the dealer?
I tried to get one of the MB roadside reps to tell me whether or not there was a risk of damaging the car from driving with the front end misaligned but I couldn't get a straight answer out of him.
15 mile trip @ avg speed of 35 mph and no faster than 45.
I'm not going to hold you guys liable...so feel free to give your two cents.
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From: SEATTLE WASHINGTON USA
'08 C300 Lux Barolo Red Beige Leather P2 MM 18" wheels '84 944
No big deal
So, I hit a pothole in the middle lane of 495E and immediately got a flat front driver's side tire. Speed approximately 60-65 mph.
Pulled over onto the shoulder, changed the tire and was on my way in about 10 minutes flat. (The jack point and the jack are pretty good).
The car pulls to the right now. I corrected the spare tire psi from 48 to 60 but it didn't fix it. All other tires were at the correct psi.
I'm going to the dealer first thing in the morning, but any of you guys have any ideas?
I tried pushing down on the hood on the affected tire, no strange noises and it bounces back fine.
Pulled over onto the shoulder, changed the tire and was on my way in about 10 minutes flat. (The jack point and the jack are pretty good).
The car pulls to the right now. I corrected the spare tire psi from 48 to 60 but it didn't fix it. All other tires were at the correct psi.
I'm going to the dealer first thing in the morning, but any of you guys have any ideas?
I tried pushing down on the hood on the affected tire, no strange noises and it bounces back fine.
You can certainly drive it and with a new tire installed, then worry about misalignment.
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From: Virginia+
2009 C350, 2008 X5 4.8i
I know what you mean man. 495 here in NVA and DC is just a mess with pot holes. A MESS.
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From: Atlanta, GA
2008 C300 Sport 6 Speed Manual, 1953 Chevy Bel-Air, 2015 Audi allroad, 1963 Chevy Apache
For future reference, if you can get some pictures of the damage and the pothole or road condition that caused the damage, you can likely get the agency responsible for the road to pay for repairs.
Municipalites are the easiest and the Feds tend to be a bit harder to pin down but it is always worth a try.
Municipalites are the easiest and the Feds tend to be a bit harder to pin down but it is always worth a try.
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From: Fort Myers, FL
'09 C300 4Matic Sport
Ahh read your post wrong...didn't realize you still had the spare on. Yes, 1st get the tire changed and if you still have some pulling (which I expect you will considering how fast/hard you hit the pothole) get an alignment.
Do you have the tire and wheel protection package through Mercedes? If so that's covered under it.
Do you have the tire and wheel protection package through Mercedes? If so that's covered under it.
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Thread Starter
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From: LI, NY, U.S.A.
2013 GLK 350 4M (Iridium Silver), 2010 E350 Coupe (Iridium Silver)
I agree you need to replace the blown tire and drive it before you get it alligned. How hard did the car hit the pothole? Most likely you will need to allign it but get the tired changed first.
I know what you mean man. 495 here in NVA and DC is just a mess with pot holes. A MESS.
I know what you mean man. 495 here in NVA and DC is just a mess with pot holes. A MESS.
I believe it [pothole] was deep enough that the underbody hit the ground. And this is in the MIDDLE LANE of one of NY's busiest highways... The plastic molding right by the jack point is looser than on the other side.
Unbelievable, and to think that a green Lambo Gallardo was in front of me and got by it somehow...
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From: Long Island, New York
2013 C300 Sport Black Darth V3.0
For future reference, if you can get some pictures of the damage and the pothole or road condition that caused the damage, you can likely get the agency responsible for the road to pay for repairs.
Municipalites are the easiest and the Feds tend to be a bit harder to pin down but it is always worth a try.
Municipalites are the easiest and the Feds tend to be a bit harder to pin down but it is always worth a try.
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From: Atlanta, GA
2008 C300 Sport 6 Speed Manual, 1953 Chevy Bel-Air, 2015 Audi allroad, 1963 Chevy Apache
Good luck doing that in NY. The same happened to me in my SAAB but I lost both passanger side tires, actually cracked the front wheels. County said it was my fault as the pothole had been reported a couple of weeks before and I should have been aware of it. Didn't matter that I had not driven on that road in well over 6 months.
Last edited by C300Sport; Mar 25, 2010 at 02:19 PM.
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From: LI, NY, U.S.A.
2013 GLK 350 4M (Iridium Silver), 2010 E350 Coupe (Iridium Silver)
C300, you try running out into the one of the busiest four-lane highways in NYC-area and snapping a picture. Screw that.
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From: LI, NY, U.S.A.
2013 GLK 350 4M (Iridium Silver), 2010 E350 Coupe (Iridium Silver)
Ahh read your post wrong...didn't realize you still had the spare on. Yes, 1st get the tire changed and if you still have some pulling (which I expect you will considering how fast/hard you hit the pothole) get an alignment.
Do you have the tire and wheel protection package through Mercedes? If so that's covered under it.
Do you have the tire and wheel protection package through Mercedes? If so that's covered under it.
However, if I damaged a tie rod or the brakes. That wouldn't be covered, correct?
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From: Atlanta, GA
2008 C300 Sport 6 Speed Manual, 1953 Chevy Bel-Air, 2015 Audi allroad, 1963 Chevy Apache
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From: Delaware
2004 Mazda6, 1993 RX7
The spare is likely slightly smaller in dia than the reg tire (true on our lux 4matic). At left front pos'n the smaller dia will create more drive force at contact patch vs right front, creating pull to right on a 4matic like yours.
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From: br00klynnn.
C204
I had the same experience over on the Belt Pkwy going towards LI. This was a few days after the first snow storm of the season hit and there were pot holes all over the place, one which was unavoidable and bent my rim as well as tearing the sidewall of my tire.
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From: LI, NY, U.S.A.
2013 GLK 350 4M (Iridium Silver), 2010 E350 Coupe (Iridium Silver)
Dealer scheduled for 11:30 am tomorrow. The E coupe will have to crawl out of the garage for now.
side note: The dealer DID say I could come in and they would put my car on priority since it was an "emergency". However, it was not guaranteed to get fixed today. Apparently, the snowy weather has taken its toll on the roads. They claim another nearby service center had over 40 people come in with spare tires...
btw, I used Helms Bros. Service Center in Bayside, NY. It's at a nice off-dealership site. But that also means I can't poke around the new cars while I wait.
side note: The dealer DID say I could come in and they would put my car on priority since it was an "emergency". However, it was not guaranteed to get fixed today. Apparently, the snowy weather has taken its toll on the roads. They claim another nearby service center had over 40 people come in with spare tires...
btw, I used Helms Bros. Service Center in Bayside, NY. It's at a nice off-dealership site. But that also means I can't poke around the new cars while I wait.
Last edited by dcjwlee; Mar 25, 2010 at 04:15 PM. Reason: addition
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\
I just bought a new pair of front rims from the dealership, and I've ordered a new set of summer tires to replace my old ones because there was some sidewall damage on 2 of them and you're telling me this could have all been covered by Mercedes????
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
Not sure if it's just MBUSA or worldwide, but I was offered this as well. Covers damage to wheels/tires...essentially an insurance device...for an amount of $$$ which is ultimately profitable to the seller! I declined.
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From: Fort Myers, FL
'09 C300 4Matic Sport
Well worth it IMHO given how expensive the rims and tires can be. I've had some bad luck with my tires...I had a nail in 3 different tires and a huge bubble in another tire from hitting a big pothole...Dealer replaced them all at no charge. I also curbed one of my tires during the last snow storm (couldn't see where the curb was b/c of the snow). Dealer also replaced the rim at no additional charge. 4 tires, a rim and labor would have definitely exceeded $800 if I didn't have the coverage.
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I've gotten two flats on my C300 this season - the roads in the NY/NJ metro area are the worst I have even seen. And DOT doesn't seem to care. So much for 787 billion in spending for "shovel ready" jobs - filling potholes isn't a shovel ready job I guess.
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From: LI, NY, U.S.A.
2013 GLK 350 4M (Iridium Silver), 2010 E350 Coupe (Iridium Silver)
It's a third-party insurance that may cater exclusively to MBZ. It's called Safe Guard.
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From: Fort Myers, FL
'09 C300 4Matic Sport
Agreed...it's like driving through an obstacle course after this past winter around here...and I'm not talking about small, shallow potholes...the majority are the kind that bottom out your shocks and force you to pull over to see if your rim shattered
