cyberops

Hello : I bought a 2014 model - s500 rwd - 65k mil - vehicle with great enthusiasm last year and vehicles I have owned before - range rover sport - Audi q7 3.0 - bmw alpina b7.

In terms of driving quality, the vehicle is very hard and transmits every disorder on the road to the cabin (vehicle amg 20 inch rim 245.40.20/275.35.20) When I bought it, there were some worn pirelli pzero runflat tires on it, first suspecting them and thinking they were hardened, I bought a new set of tires (pirelli pzero runflat), but the problem did not go away.Tyre pressure I'm using 33-35 around but not different anything.

When I went to the service for oil change before, I had undercarriage control and airmatic controls done, there is no malfunction, everything seems normal.I had 21inc continental spor contact 5 tires on my Alpina b7, the ride quality and stiffness were almost the same as my current s500, so I think something is wrong.When I press the brake while the vehicle is in motion, the cabin vibrates and for this reason, there are some minor trim noises that I cannot detect from the rear.

My wife has 1 2017 model chevrolet malibu, the vehicle is comfortable with 18inc wheels.They have regular Continantel Procontact GX all season tires on them.It's funny to say, but the difference in comfort is unbelievable. Malibu doesn't have the slightest trim sound. Even on the roughest roads, there is no sound in the cabin.

I love my car but I'm thinking of selling it and buying an audi a8 (2018+ model or lexus LS (2018+ model ) because of these problems, S-class disappointed me a lot.

I've read all of the similar threads on the forum, but it didn't help on what to do.I would like to benefit from your experience, what are your suggestions?

Thanks

emilner

You have a vehicle specific problem. The W222 is a VERY smooth riding vehicle, probably one of the smoothest in the world. 20" rims don't help but even with them it should ride smooth. I would have the suspension checked over to see what is at fault. The issue with the brakes sounds like warped rotors. These are maintenance issues that can be expected with buying a 9 year old car. A 2018+ S will be a noticeable step up to a 2018 A8 or LS...

roviw1

Mine runs on 19" rims with "normal" tyres and not run flat, absolutely an amazing smooth ride and mentioned by all that travel with me.

badq45t

Runflats are not your friend. The MOE tires are somewhere in between I think in terms of ride quality vs. flat protection, I am on Michelin MXM MOE (mercedes specific rated to 50 miles) and it is smooth. When those wear out i plan to get out of the runflats and take my chances. If you were you I would go back to the tire place and see about some Michelin non-runflats, I bet that clears up your issues.

emilner

Run flats do not make the car ride rough. They are not as smooth as conventional tires but do not go as far as wanting to get rid of the car from a harsh ride. You see review after review saying the S class is the benchmark for smooth ride- and all of those reviews are on run flats...

cyberops

I will take your suggestions into account and have the warped rotors and suspensions checked , thanks.Do these suspension failures appear in computer controls or do they need to be checked mechanically?

SW20S

My guess is its the runflat tires coupled with the 20s.

cfmistry

I also have a harsh and loud ride. It’s the 20s. Not worth it on this car.

cyberops

The vehicle hits the cabin as if it had fallen into a big hole, especially in not long slits and road irregularities.

Last month i drive my friend's 2021 model bmw 216 gran-coupe with 18inc wheels car is a stock goodyear eagle f1 runflat tires the ride was better than i expected, even it had almost better shock damping than my w222.

I am not sure if I should reduce the rim or change the tire or maybe there are some worn parts related to the suspension, I am waiting for your suggestions, especially if there are mechanical parts that you know will trigger comfort problems in this tour, because the service checked the airmatic system of the vehicle and did not find a problem.

Thanks

SW20S

Yeah, something isn't right...

BenzV12

I don't think there's something major related to your car . It must be just as simple as tires . W222s are even with 20" ride Run flat tires ride smoother than my 17" non flat W212

amgs63dxb

have you checked if anybody did not mess up with the airmatic controls? e.g. modified lowering links to ride lower than OE?
Or maybe suspension is stuck in sport mode? (the difference between S and comfort is day and night on this car, but I guess you already know that). Is the ride quality any different between sport / comfort and raised comfort? If you can't tell - something is going on there and I'd rather look this way (I drive on 20s run flats S63 size set and the ride is absolutely smooth even in sport mode, which is significantly less comfortable than comfort)

cyberops

Hello : I did some experiments today, frankly, I couldn't feel the difference between day and night you mentioned in the sport mode and comfort mode, I checked the vehicle in the raised comfort mode, there is no problem in rise and it seems like the comfort is a little better.

As you mentioned, I'm thinking of having the Airmatics checked again at a different authorized service to see if there is a situation like being stuck in Sport Mode.

SW20S

I wonder if there is a damper issue and the dampers are stuck on firm. There is a notable difference in mine between comfort and sport.

cyberops

Hello : Update : After the last 1.5 years, the problem has not been resolved even though I had the suspension damper checked at the dealer for many imaginable things.The hard driving still continues, frankly, when I press the gas or the brake, the rattling noises coming from the seats are very annoying.Also, when driving on rough roads, there is a serious squeak from the rear and front seats.I traveled 500 km in a friend's 2014 model Hyundai - Santa Fe car, there is no rattling or squeaking in the car even when driving on rough roadsDealing with such problems of a car that is assertive about comfortable driving obviously kills the driving pleasure to be taken from the car.

Tires are the only method I haven't tried during this time. I'm going to remove the Pirelli Run flats and put on traditional Michelin tires and try it.I'm still open to suggestions for solutions. If it goes like this, I'll replace the car with a Lexus LS.)

Thank you

George A.

Agree, 100%. Changed to 19" all-season (non-run flat) Continentals, vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S (non-run flat). The difference is very significant. Quieter, smoother -- but also not as responsive and sports car-like. For a large, comfortable, quiet car like the W222, I will forgo some of the sports car-like handling. Besides, my wife will not let me drive like a teenager any longer. (Bumping 80 -- Yikes!)

Quietride

Can you try driving another W222? At a dealer, CarMax, etc. Most have run flats.

I didn’t think it was anywhere near too harsh. Compared to my LS460L on coil suspension a W222 on 19/20” RF tires is much softer.

95Sinned420

There are plenty of used W222 for sale now. Go test drive another one and compare it to yours to rule out whether it’s a problem with your car or the w222 chassis.

badq45t

Agreed there is something crazy wrong with this car. I have 19" MOE Michelin's on AMG rims and even with the 1" lowering (which made it ride a little rougher) the car is still silk and so quiet. When I do Zoom calls or talk to people on the road peope are amazed that I am going 80 MPH when talking to them. Something is wrong with you car that is not normal

SW20S

I came from a 2017 LS460L on air suspension and I had 3 other Lexus LS sedans, my S Class rides very similarly to my LS460L on air the main difference is high speed stability and overall ride sophistication being better on the S Class. Agreed this needs to be compared to another W222 and the runflats have got to go

carlosinseattle

I think it's obvious something is broken on the OP's car, but they can't figure it out. I had a 14 Hyundia Equus, and my brother had a newer LS, can't remember the year, but the 14 S-class clearly had a better ride. The combination of smoothness, isolation, and feedback was the best of all 3. The OP needs to start with no pre-conceived notions about the source ofs the problem. It could be tires, hubs, bearings, struts, solid or flexible suspension components, suspention settings, or module(s).

Bkbenz14

Bumping a older thread here,, new member i just purchased a 2014 S550 with 24k miles on it. The ride is rough as well if it hits any kind of larger bump. ESP in the rear almost moves the *** end around. Took to Firestone , Said everything looks good struts shocks ect... now taking to benz dealership for alignment check Have a warranty for a few months still.. I am also running the AMG 20's on it. The tires look dry rotted , car was sitting for awhile due to the low millage this could be the issue. will post on what the dealership says

will_atl

I have Run Flats on 20” rims, and there is a section of my daily commute where the road surface isn’t smooth, about 5 miles, that section makes me wonder if an S Class should feel like that or not. The other 30 miles it’s as smooth as silk, and in truth only I notice the 5 miles, as I do it almost every day.

Bkbenz14

Yeah, The 20min commute i run everyday for work is on interstate but its a rough patch over that is slated to be redone soon. wisconsin area green bay, so it gets jacked up from the snow plows. Its a big change from my C300. But i thought for such a high end car it would not be as rough over bumps... We will see what the stealership says , i implore them to take it over some bumps and see what they think... Thanks for your input.

Jay04SL

I feel like I can relate to this thread. My buddy had a 2014 S550 w either 18 or 19s and the car had a very cushioned ride. I picked up my S550 few years later with 20s, and it definitely has a more harsh ride than I remember. If it was my first time in these cars, I would also be surprised how hard road imperfections (decent potholes, not mild bumps and ruts) transition to the cabin, and I can only attribute it to a lower sidewall of a 20 inch wheel, AND the pure weight of these cars. It's almost inevitable. That said, with minor bumps and ruts, the car is the smoothest car I've driven and is in a (S) class of its own

For greater piece-of-mind, I often go back and forth on getting either 19s or 18s, though I think the jury may still be out whether 18s will fit on an AMG sports packaged car. Any decent hole will not only be jarring, but these 20 inch wheels are notorious for bending/cracking. When I got the car I immediately scrapped the almost new Good Year flats for non-runflat Michelin 3S+, so I''ll decide once these wear down more.