Correct Tire Pressure ?
I feel i have been running on low tire pressure for about months now. I can feel the general sluggishness now. Could you guys let me the know what should be the correct tire pressure i should be running . I am the only one to drive my car i.e no heavy loads. Its a 2014 C250 running on stock tires (continentals))
I got the foolowing info from the B pillar and fuel cap: (i have posted pics here as well http://imgur.com/a/h3Owk )
B pillar :
Cold tire pressure :
Front : 33 PSI
Rer : 41 PSI
Fuel cap says Cold tire pressure but displays max load pressures :
30 psi and 38 PSI
What should i folow..
I did a couple rounds now to get readouts of my current tire pressure . It said :
Fron t : 25 and 25
Rear : 33 and 32
What should i do ? PLease help..
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-pressure.html
Seems some people go for the pillar, some for the fuel door and some people go in-between.
"The pressures listed on the B Pillar are the cold settings for the max load/max speed. These are the maximum you should set the pressures on your car and should only be used when the car is fully loaded or if you plan to run at sustained high speeds (think Autobahn, so uncommon in America).
The pressures listed on the gas filler flap give you normal cold pressures and cold max load pressures. For regular driving when not running a full load of people/cargo, the normal cold pressures (lower numbers) should be what you run.
"
The only question is if you see the images i have linked with this post , the filler cap clearly says 30 psi/ 38 psi max load ( what is it for though ? Front ? REar ? SPare ?). I never run on max load..its just me..So putting it 33/41 as you suggested will be wrong is it , given that air pressure will increase when i drive for longer distances.?
Always take measurements and fill to cold. Don't worry about operating pressure.
I may drop a pound or two after reading everything. My car came 33/41. At first I thought it was high and then saw the pillar.
But if you get serviced anywhere they'll do what's on the pillar.
But it's only a 3 psi difference. Most people run their cars way off through neglect or trusting the shops to do it correctly.
Tire and Loading Information placard on the B-pillar on the driver's side of the vehicle (Y page 326). The Tire and Loading Information placard contains the recommended tire pressures for cold tires on a fully loaded vehicle and for the maximum permissible vehicle speed.
This means the info on the door jamb (for 33/41 ) is for max speed (100+ mph) and max load. This is what you are running on.
The fuel filler cap says the same thing actually ( 30/38 for max load and add extra 3 psi each for > 100 mph i.e 33/41 for max conditions)
Per logic , i should keep the pressures at about 28/36 for normal load and < 100 mph.
Let this thread be an eye opener for others.
Last edited by hello_world; Jan 2, 2016 at 03:50 PM.
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It's a rather interesting topic. I wonder what the reason for the 8 PSI difference is between front and back? Some cars call for more upfront because of the engine weight.
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Once on the highway the operating pressure goes up to 33/41, roughly 3 PSI.
I think the steering has become a little heavier and not as hair trigger touchy. The oscillation I have from the bent rims isn't as bad at first but then comes back once them PSI comes up. This may fit with my other observation that the wheels oscillated more with passengers in the car.
Started the car and checked the TPM , it showed 27/36 and i did a TPM restart. The drive with these higher pressure was pretty noticable. Car seem to just run away and the road debris was much noticeable. Though nothing changed drastically. I also knda remeberes the dealer had set 28/38 when i purchased the car about 6 months ago.
Edit: i asked for opinion om reddit also. A guy replied asking me to air up mu tires yesterday. I have posted this link there so that moving forward any one can see what pressures to run on
Last edited by hello_world; Jan 2, 2016 at 03:58 PM.
I feel i have been running on low tire pressure for about months now. I can feel the general sluggishness now. Could you guys let me the know what should be the correct tire pressure i should be running . I am the only one to drive my car i.e no heavy loads. Its a 2014 C250 running on stock tires (continentals))
I got the foolowing info from the B pillar and fuel cap: (i have posted pics here as well http://imgur.com/a/h3Owk )
B pillar :
Cold tire pressure :
Front : 33 PSI
Rer : 41 PSI
Fuel cap says Cold tire pressure but displays max load pressures :
30 psi and 38 PSI
What should i folow..
I did a couple rounds now to get readouts of my current tire pressure . It said :
Fron t : 25 and 25
Rear : 33 and 32
What should i do ? PLease help..
If it is pretty much you and an occasional passenger or two or you occasionally haul something heavy in the trunk you are fine. There are probably very few people that have to worry about the max load rating.
The B pillar is for "normal" driving where it's just you and a passenger and not high speed driving over 100 MPH for long distances. The filler door is when you are at max conditions over a long period of time, which for most people is probably never.
What is on the B pillar is based on the wheel/tire combination that came with the specific car you bought; luxury, sport, etc. What is in the owners manual is very general as it is written for every model combination they sell in the C Class line. For normal driving go by what is on the B pillar.
Your fuel filler cap says 36/39 . Maybe i am understanding differently. Please correct me if wrong.
From the manual :
If the tire pressures have been set to the lower values for lighter loads and/or lower road speeds, the pressures should be reset to the higher values:
if you want to drive with an increased load and/or
if you want to drive at higher road speeds
This means for max conditions -> increase the pressure. For normal -> decrease the pressure. Since i drive in normal load conditions i kept it low and not 33/41 which would correspond to max load conditions
Last edited by hello_world; Jan 2, 2016 at 08:56 PM.
Your fuel filler cap says 36/39 . Maybe i am understanding differently. Please correct me if wrong.
From the manual :
If the tire pressures have been set to the lower values for lighter loads and/or lower road speeds, the pressures should be reset to the higher values:
if you want to drive with an increased load and/or
if you want to drive at higher road speeds
This means for max conditions -> increase the pressure. For normal -> decrease the pressure. Since i drive in normal load conditions i kept it low and not 33/41 which would correspond to max load conditions
Trust us use the door jamb and since it's winter add a PSI or 2 and reset your TPMS.


Also from this thread : https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-pressure.html
The pressures listed on the B Pillar are the cold settings for the max load/max speed. These are the maximum you should set the pressures on your car and should only be used when the car is fully loaded or if you plan to run at sustained high speeds (think Autobahn, so uncommon in America).
The pressures listed on the gas filler flap give you normal cold pressures and cold max load pressures. For regular driving when not running a full load of people/cargo, the normal cold pressures (lower numbers) should be what you run.
It is definitely a very confusing stuff. The pressure i am at now (28.5/36.5) is the pressure which the dealer gave me 6 months back . I am gonna stick to this.
Last edited by hello_world; Jan 2, 2016 at 10:52 PM. Reason: Added reference to an old thread
So it would seem the pillar is for maximum conditions while the fuel door is what they probably recommend on the minimum end.
As for the out of round, that was me. It was not caused by low pressure. The previous person who leased the car I bought hit something hard enough to bend two rims and the strut on the right side of the car.
You would hope for the amount we are paying for these cars, the manufacturers have an easy way to convey the recommended tire pressures instead of us running like headless chickens
I rotate which helps but am now running 40psi + to encourage more wear in the centre of the tread.
You would hope for the amount we are paying for these cars, the manufacturers have an easy way to convey the recommended tire pressures instead of us running like headless chickens

Does your car feel sluggish handling when making quick transitions? If so, that would be from how low of a pressure you have been running. Do you see some feathering wear on the very inside and outside of the tires? That would be a sign of low pressure also.
Can you post from the manual where is says the B pillar pressures are for max load?
It basically says pillar is the maximum load settings and the fuel door is the normal load settings. The fuel door just says +3 for max load, which matches with the pillar.
So the correct answer is between 30/38 to 33/41 depending on load or insane driving speeds.
If you go to the loading section it begins to read like airplane loading instructions.
Last edited by michail71; Jan 3, 2016 at 11:20 AM.
I also looked at all the load rating information and it is way more than probably 99.9% of the users would ever need or care about. Sounds like a lot of legalese.


