Hi all, introducing myself here. I'm the owner of a brand new GLE450d 2024 model. While the gestures and functions are great, I just don't feel comfortable with the ride. It is bumpy, jerky and too bouncy. Even on even smooth roads the cockpit shakes and tilts like an old truck. This is by far the most uncomfortable ride I have experienced across any SUV I have driven (and I've driven all major brands). Does anybody else also have this problem? My car dealer says there's nothing wrong as there are no indicators in the dashboard. Really looking for some advice from fellow benz owners.

 

moved to V167 forum...

 

Your tire pressures?

 

What size tires?

 

My tyres are 22" and pressure is kept at 280 kPa in the front and 310 kPa in the back, set by my showroom mechanics.

I had previously lowered the pressure to 245 kPa for all tyres. It only made the bumps less jerky but the jerks were still obvious.

 

Some of the "jerkiness" could be tramlining. Staggered big diameter wheels can exacerbate tramlining, which is a car’s tendency to follow the longitudinal ruts, grooves, or imperfections in the road, rather than the driver’s steering input. This can make the vehicle feel as if it’s pulling to one side, requiring constant corrections to keep it traveling straight. It’s named after the way trams or trolleys follow their tracks without the need for steering.

While staggered big diameter wheels can give a car a more aggressive look and potentially improve certain aspects of performance, they can also make the car more susceptible to tramlining, especially on roads that are not perfectly smooth. It’s a trade-off that drivers should be aware of when choosing wheel and tire setups for their vehicles.

 

Thanks. This is education for me. I don't know what staggered wheel diameter means either but I assume it means having different wheel sizes for front and back tyres. That is not the case here though. All 4 wheels are the same size and as part of the standard package.

Having said that, could it possibly also be that the wheels are not aligned currently? For a new car?

 

Are you running run-flat tires? At 45 psi like you mentioned, coupled with 22'' wheels, run-flats will make the ride pretty harsh.

 

If you have 22" tires, they are the same 22 diameter but the width and sidewall aspect ratios are different: 285/45R22 front, 325/40R22 rear

Yes it's possible it could be out of alignment but unlikely. Ask the technician to check the alignment if you suspect that's the issue.

 

45psi is near max load based on fuel door tire pressure guide label. I'd start at the minimum load psi and see how it drives. Also, these 22" tires do not come in run flat options, AFAIK.

 

Ignore your "showroom mechanics" and door post stickers. Use the correct pressures as shown on the gas flap.
You are significantly over pressure. In addition to ride quality, it also affects your tire life.

 

The 22" tires have little sidewall to provide cushioning. The high tire pressure exacerbates the problem. Do you have the air suspension? in the US, the 22" tires require the air suspension option. You don't say your location, but you should also check to see if those tires are summer high performance. If so, they won't be safe to drive in temperatures below 45° F or 7° C.

 

Thank you everyone for your inputs. Apologies for the confusion, the wheels are 20". I am based in Zurich, Switzerland. The tyres are a summer package meaning that I will have to get another set for winter.

As mentioned earlier, I did try a lower air pressure at about 245 kPa. On the gas inlet door the recommended pressure is about 230 kPa with normal load but higher for heavier load. The ride did become a bit smoother but was still jerky. It also started banking on turns. Also, the car is a 7 seater and I suspect that Airmatic suspension does not work well with hybrid and 7 seater versions.

 

I guess the question is: did you do a test drive before you bought the car? Did it drive differently then? If it did, then there is hope that you can get your car to drive the same.
I'm also in Europe, have 20" wheels with a 7-seater version and air suspension. On bumpy roads there is a lot of wobble. On smooth roads it rides like a dream, you don't feel the speed at all. From what I drove in Switzerland, the roads all seemed in excellent condition, so I guess you're not driving over bumpy roads.

 

Hi Mykel79, when we test drove, it was the 2023 model and you normally don't feel intricate movements in a short ride. For my car, on smooth roads is where I have the issue. It senses the smallest unevenness and moves the cockpit. My Hyundai Santa Fe, 2020 model, also a 7 seater, was smoother.

 

Maybe you could do another test drive now that you know what to look for? Just to compare another car. I don't think the 7 seat option makes a big difference. The airmatic will matter, so you'd have to drive a car that also has it.

I previously had a Volvo XC90 with air suspension and the Mercedes drives much smoother.

 

It does sound like tramlining. A characteristic of wide tires. Different inflation pressures can help.

 

It is best to try it for yourself as like you said, it is subjective. Most test drives these days, post-COVID, are driving around the block. My closest Mercedes dealership didn't want to add miles to the E53 they had in stock. I had to subtlety suggest that I would find another E53 at another dealership for the salesperson to get permission from the sales manager to drive the car. It was a short test drive. The dealership where I bought my current Mercedes, 300 miles from where I live, let me have the keys and drive it as much as I wanted, similar to the local Porsche dealership. I tend to buy cars more after a test drive of my choosing as I then really know what the car will be like.

On my very short test drive of the E53, the car was planted yet pretty comfortable. Acceleration was quite good as expected. I reached the 45 MPH of the road test speed limit almost immediately. The test drive consisted mostly of driving down a straight road but had some turns which the car handled well. I think the salesperson suggested that I could hit the accelerator, but I declined on the busy 45 MPH main road since in an E53 one would quickly be way over the speed limit going into a traffic filled area. Shifting seemed to have a small delay perhaps due to the hybrid setup, but it was fine. It seemed to rev match, on the downshift. The E53 has so much torque that when driving 35 miles per hour on a local road, when you downshift you have more power, but there was already plenty of power in the higher gear. Driving in electric mode only was perfectly fine and the ICE kicks in if needed for a boost of acceleration.

What I can say from the short test drive is that it seems like a great car. It seems sporty and comfortable. But if you're lucky, you might get a ten-minute test drive and still have no idea if the suspension is comfortable, but you will have an idea about how the car feels.

I hope we get the E63 in the US. I wouldn't by one, but then the dealers wouldn't treat the E53 like gold and I could drive an E53 more to see how it would feel in daily life. I'd probably really want one after a more comprehensive test drive.



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Yup. My 22" wheels get it while my winter 20s do not.