paulybagadonuts

So I'm thumbing through the Command screens and take a look at my tire preaure only to find it's between 47 and 48 all the way round! This can't be right, so I push the little "i" button and about 20 questions and 15 minutes later some lady after looking it up tells me its 30 in the front and 32 in the rear but for future reference I can look at the gas plate to see. So I hang up and take a look at the gas door which says 36 front and 36 rear cold.

I call back just for the fun of it and get some other tech who tells me it's 32 in front and 34 in the rear! She also tells me I can look on the gas door at which time I told her what the numbers were there and she said... "it varies"... I guess so.

I also checked on the drivers side door and it says 36 front and 42 rear or something like that so now I'm totally confused

The thing that really puzzles me is why the dealer had them set at 48??

I called the dealer and of course they had no idea what it should be or why it was set at 48 (what a surprise) but told me to go with the #s on the gas door.

To make a long story short I set them all at 36 and figure I'll keep them there untile someone else tells me something different with any amount of authority.

Anyway I just wondered if anyone else had a similar experience or knows why they were set so high. Just want to do the right thing here but I'm just not sure what that may be. Thanks

K-A

The stated Tire Pressure on these cars is EXTREMELY sloppy and variable, it seems. The cars themselves even state different pressures in both stated-sections!

I like to keep mine at 33-ish F and 35'ish R (cold). When it's really cold, or after a month or two, it'll start lowering a bit, and when it gets hot, obviously those numbers jump up.

I don't like it too high as these cars already perform poorly over rough pavement, and too low and you sacrifice on efficiency in a few areas.

newyorktoLA

My tires came from the dealer with 46 in both front tires and 48 in the back. I haven't changed the tire pressure...don't laugh, but I don't know how... the dealer usually takes care of it for me! Good think I only have this car for 2 years (20,000 miles)! I don't have to worry about changing the tires

Is there a difference in ride quality for different tire pressures?

K-A

C'mon man! I thought I wasn't handy with cars!

To let out the Tire Pressure, it's really as simple as it gets. Simply go to a gas station, pull out their tire pressure meter thing, or easier, buy your own and do it anywhere, cork it into your wheel to see what it states your T.P at. Then push the little "button" inside the inside of your tire valve and you'll hear a loud "hiss" with air shooting out. Continuously check with the meter being plugged back into the valve to see where you're at, and get it back down to speed.

That high of T.P is terrible. Not only can you wear out the center of your tires badly, causing a potential blowout if it gets bad enough, but you are probably hampering your ride quality significantly.... it must feel like your riding on stones when you hit bumps. Lower pressure will soften the tires a bit and allow them to absorb more of the road.

Dema

Dealers keep high pressure for storing car for long. It is common recommendation when you do not mover car for few months. Question is why dealer didn't de-flat tires at delivery?

BudC

Use the tire pressures on the gas filler door. Note that the real pressures you measure with a good gauge will differ from what the TPS tells you. Go with a good tire pressure gauge and then if you get a message from the TPS, check the pressures with the gauge.

The tire pressures on the last two cars I ordered from Germany had high pressures which is to be expected except that the dealer should have set the correct pressures before they delivered the car and didn't.

I can handle stuff like that but what makes me mad is that if something happens to me, my wife has to rely on those dealers.

BM2BZ

i'm sure most of the people know we can simply go to costco's tire center and have them put air in for free. any car and they don't even care if you are a member or not. you don't even have to talk to them if you let them put whatever pressure in. so amaycg, there is just one more option for you if you don't want to mess with the tire pressure on your own. as for the ride quality, just like ka said. you'll notice the difference right away.

they don't do it simply because they want you to go back for repairs, tire-related or not. mbusa pay all the dealers pretty good money to do all the warranty jobs.

nicholas321

One other thing--on the sidewall of your tires is listed the maximum pressure allowed--don't exceed this number.

paulybagadonuts

We'll I have them all at 36 and the car seams fine. Pisses me off a little about the dealer missing something like that but I'm not at all surprised. You can see from some of my former posts with the ML about my experience with the dealer.

I naively thought that MB would go the extra mile, a step above the rest but that isn't the case in my area. They do treat you differently on the sales floor and kiss your *** with loaners and fancy waiting rooms with receptionists, esspresso machines and wi fi. But behind the scenes they care more about the bottom line than the cars or the customers. Sorry but that's been my experience, The Devil is in the details and this is a perfect example of how little they care about stuff they think we'll never notice.

petee1997

If your car was delivered to you with 48lbs of air, that was the shipping pressure from MB. Tire pressure is all part of the PDI 101. Looks like your dealer's idea of prep is removal of shipping plastic and a wash.

ronjavier

The driver door sill includes both the recommended tire size and psi settings but the gas door only shows psi.

I upgraded to 245/35-19 (36psi) fronts and 285/30-19 rears (45psi). These are about 3psi more than what is indicated on the door sill. I used a higher psi since these tires have a lower profile.

These tires are about the same size as what's on an E63. Can someone please send a pic of the door sill on an E63.

ColdCanuck

Just checked my 2012E550 4matic, says 39psi front and rear. The car has 245 40R18's all around. I must say, 39 psi seems high. I've used 32 to 33 psi in the past on other vehicles with 50 series tires. Maybe 40 series need a higher pressure.

Of course I also checked the tires as well, they were 28 psi all around as delivered from the dealer 3 weeks ago as I had the dealer install 4 winter tires.

So I've upped the pressure to 38 psi, will talk to the service manager the next I'm into the dealership.

BM2BZ

click "go advanced" and you should see a little icon on the top in the message box, right under the back arrow. that's the "insert image" icon. click on that and you should be good.

as for the tire pressure, what do you guys think if i have no one sits in the back expect my golf set in the trunk. should i go 35psi all around ?

ronjavier

Thanks!

El Cid

There are two TP's on my gas door lid. One for "normal" driving and one for driving in excess of 100 MPH. I have same tires front and back and run them at 32F/37R, which is about two lbs. over recommended for normal.
You can also look in the Operator's Manual, but read the whole section because it can get confusing.
Make sure to measure TP when tire is cold and not in direct sunlight. I actually use a hand pump to "top off" mine if needed.
Should have your own TP gauge.
Never say never, but be careful about using TP on tire. That is the maximum cold pressure for that tire before damage can occur. It is NOT the TP for the tires on your vehicle.

captj3

My 2011 550 tire pressure should be set at F 32psi R 42psi that is per MB specs.

ImInPA

My 2011 E350 Bletec (non-staggered 17") states 35 psi Front 36 psi rear for normal loads. I run my snow tires a couple psi above this rating.

mnje350

Costco will also inflate your tires with nitrogen if you ask. Less fluctuation with air temps.

BM2BZ

wow, i know they put regular for free like what i mentioned above but i didn't know they even have nitrogen . is it free as well? all costco w/tire center or just some "special" ones?

ImInPA

I use a nitrogen blend in my tires.

CEB

Uhhhh, no.

CEB

Yep, me too

nicholas321

Air is 80% nitrogen---does 100% have any noticable effect?

venchka

Question:

Does the chart on the gas filler door list two sets of inflation numbers? Light load. Maximum load. Does the chart also include graphic symbols for passengers & luggage above each set of numbers?
I bet it does. My wife knows about the chart on the gas filler door. For 3 different vehicles. She also uses a nitrogen blend in all three sets of tires. She learned all of this all by herself.
Y'all need to read all of the information on the chart. The B-pillar chart lists inflation pressure for MAXIMUM LOAD ONLY.
Both charts are ONLY relative to the wheels and tires installed at the factory at time of build.

Wayne

ghstudio

Apparently MB dealer prep doesn't do much (of course, it costs them time and money)...my car was also delivered with the 46/48 pounds of pressure...they never checked it. They also didn't get a great score on prep because they hadn't clayed the front windshield so the wipers chattered on the shipping protection.

One I had them adjust the tires to the pressure on the gas lid (not on the door), there was a tremendous improvement in the ride.

I still get the occasional "check tire pressure" message on the dash...no idea where that comes from since it often shows the exact pressure on the gas cover...I just ignore it.

I also use the nitrogen blend in my tires....always have since I learned how to drive (in the stone age) and never had a problem.