420tee

Does the MB factory keep a list of the S/N's of the tires it puts on cars during assembly, and is that info freely available without something like a court order?

Bob338

Can't imagine they would. It would be a nightmare of record keeping for no valid reason from their point of view.

I truly don't know, but I did have some tire issues when I got my last M-B GLK. My car didn't have run flats as the American market dictates. It was a factory delivery. When I contacted them about it they swore I had run flats. They required an "inspection" before the issue was resolved. Had they had serial numbers they would have easily known. Based on this, and my own view if I were their administrative officer, they wouldn't keep such a record.

Why would you need this information?

420tee

As to a nightmare, all they would do is scan the car S/N and tire S/N tags. I would assume they have to in the event of a major tire recall they would have to know what vehicles had the bad tires.
I ask because for the third time the car is stuck on my level front lawn on wet grass. Will not move forwards or backwards with and without traction control being on. The car was a demo with 8000 miles. I've driven it a few thou more. A couple of the rims were scraped when I got it and I will bet good money the dealer, who has proven to be a real sleezebag since I first walked in, switched the tires and rims from this car to some good customer's whose kid scraped them up. I know I'm screwed, I just want to throw it in his face. Social media can do a lot of things.

Bob338

Sorry for your issues. But if the tires were on the car when you bought it wouldn't it just be "buyer beware"? MB WILL have a record of what tires were supposed to be on the car. But, since they insisted mine had run flats, and they didn't, I'd say that's a very unimportant thing to them. And any other manufacturer.

What tires do you have on the car, Continentals or Dunlops?

For as many cars as they produce they would have to devote time to the scanning, scanning equipment and equipment for storage of data. It would cost them money for information that's not particularly useful to anyone except very rarely. They may have blocks of numbers based on shipment received but undoubtedly that wouldn't necessarily be segregated by shipments which likely are just moved into their storage facilities and stacked with others. Again, costs and logistics to keep track.

420tee

Pirelli 235/45. As I said I'm screwed.

Bob338

Those are NOT OE!

LesF

the tires serial numbers are recorded for parts tracking for recall purposes and quality control.

DOT Serial Number

The "DOT" symbol certifies the tire manufacturer's compliance with the U.S. Department of Transportation tire safety standards. Below is a description of the serial number. Starting with the year 2000, four numbers are used for the Date of Manufactuer, first two numbers identify the week and the last two numbers identify the year of manufacture. Prior to year 2000 three numbers are used for the Date of manufacture, first two numbers identify the week and the last number identifies the year of manufacture. To identify tires manufactured in the 90's a decade symbol (a triangle on its side) is located at the end of the DOT serial number.


Reference Symbol (certifies the tire manufacturer’s compliance with U.S. Department of Transportation tire safety standards

Manufacturer’s Plant Identification Code

Tire Size Code Number

Tire Type Code (coding for type of tire optional by manufacturer

Date of Manufacture - Example 5203 (52nd week of 2003)

you could possibly tell if the Pirelli's were aftermarket that way.

If you have a tire & wheel protection package the numbers are recorded as well.

420tee

Thank you LesF. I thought they must be reorded.

oscaar12

235 45 Perilli Scorpios are on most CDN cars with the 20 inch upgrade.
They are stamped with the snow tire logo and are considered snow tires .
I had them and they were CRAP, now 245 45 20 Michlin Piliot as 3's are on my 350 GLK

Bob338

Recorded by the manufacturer of the tires, not by the installer. I went through the Firestone recall on a Mercury quite a few years back. The notification merely had you into the dealer to check. No way to identify each car to each tire.

I doubt any car manufacturer records that information but I'd be happy to learn if they did.

420tee

Excuse my ignorance but what is a CDN car please?

Bob338

Canadian.

oscaar12

A CDN car has daytime running lights, Metric outside temperature that can not be changed to Ferinhieth, even though you can change the read out to miles etc almost all 4 matics, all season/ snow rated tires and the speedo is metric with US miles below the metric reading.Some times longer warranty in the US.
There may be more differences , that we do not know about.

fabbrisd1

CDN = Canadian

And NO - there is no dealer accessible database of what brand tires was installed at the factory, much less this "tire serial#" imagine-chat.

That said - a Mercedes dealer cannot "change wheels" and/or install new set of tires or Certified Mercedes without recording in the vehicle VMI

NYCGLK

Why do you say that?

Pirelli Scorpio is what came on 20s.

NYCGLK

To add to that, Merc OE tires should have MO on them - those are Merc specific tires.

Diabolis

Tires do not have serial numbers per se - they do have the tire codes as others pointed out, but that really identifies the production date and batch, not the individual tire. Yes, the Pirelli Scorpion 235/45R20 is the OEM MB tire for the GLK with 20" wheels and AFAIK the only 20" tire MB ever put on the GLK. If they were the ORIGINAL tires installed by the factory, they will also have an MO making after the size/load/speed rating (e.g. 235/45R20 100H XL (MO)).


And, I really don't see what the issue is and/or why you think the dealer somehow screwed you. It's very easy to curb the rims when you parallel park and you'd prety much expect that on a service loaner vehicle with 8000 miles ("demos" might have 800 miles at the most, not 8000). Plus, there is nothing that you can do to the tires to somehow "screw them up" in a way that will make them not move on any particular surface. The Pirellis are built for highway driving, not for mud, snow, ice or wet grass. You are really reaching and grasping at straws here. I have no idea why you think there's anythign wrong with them or that somebody somehow screwed you. Besides, were those wheels and tires on the car when you bought it or were they not?

Diabolis

Those ARE very much the OE tires for the GLK with the 20" rims.

oscaar12

The Scorpios are snow tire rated. They have the mountain and snowflake sign on the sidewall which makes them a snow tire in the eyes of the insurance people and the Quebec government . Snow tires mandatory from Nov to April in that province. Some insurance companies give a discount on your insurance if you have snow tires on you car in the winter in Canada.
I go south in the fall so I do not have any how they are in snow, but they are poor in the rain and ride stiff.I changed my GLK to Michlin Pilot AS3 245 45 20 's and as usual I am very pleased with them.

Diabolis

If we're talkign about the OEM GLK tires, they are ALL-SEASONS, not snow tires. Despite the fact that there may be a snow-flake symbol, they suck in the snow and colder climates in general as the rubber becomes as hard as concrete at temperatures below freezing.


That's all assuming we're talking about the same tires - Pirelli Scorpion is just a product line, and you can get Scorpion P-Zero summers, Scorpion A/S all-seasons (that the GLK ships with), or Scorpion Winter which are proper snow tires and do not suck in the white stuff. They make all three and they are very different from one another.

420tee

I guess I should buy "wet grass tires". Why do the plain tires on my Dodge pickup work equally as well on the highway, snow, mud, and yes, wet grass?
Give me a break. I always get a kick out of people angrily defending something they had nothing to do with designing or building, or even know much about, simply plopped down some cash to buy it and are now experts on all facets of it.
Lastly, what is that white stick on tag with the bar code on it on each tire for?

Diabolis

Becuase it's a frekin' Dodge pick-up that weights 7000lbs. My landscaping guy uses one to plow my driveway in the winter, but I can't do the same with a GLK. Maybe you need another "more redneck" car instead of a MB, like another Dodge or a Toyota instead. As for knowing about cars I very likely have you beat in that department too as well seeing as I'm an engineer, I've been building race cars and engines for the last fifteen years or so, and partly own a Porsche/VW/Audi indie mechanic shop. If there's anyone pulling things out of their ***, it's you, not me.


The little white stick-on label is called a UPC bar code. Every single item in your supermarket has one, but just like the box of crackers or the pork chops that you buy there, it's not a serial number. It's just a product identifier.

oscaar12

The M/B OEM AS tires are considered snow tires by the Government and we all know they are NEVER wrong , right.
I would buy real snow tires if I spent the winter in Ontario Canada

420tee

Wow, am I impressed. NOT. 15 years? I was building street rods before you were born. For your enlightenment, it's a Dodge Dakota with no extra weight in the back and regular "street" tires, not wet grass tires, and it does fine. Give it a rest. The MB tires suck and should not be shot at 18k miles. The dealer pulled a fast one. MB national customer service is interested and looking into the problem.

NYCGLK

dude, you have 20 inch low profile tires, what do you expect? They are great tires for the purpose they are made for. If you are so unhappy and need to drive on wet grass, go get 18 inch set with whatever tires make you happy. It will cost you less in long run than running 20's that need replacement every 35k miles.