2008 Mercedes Benz E Class

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES E CLASS WITH 18 INCH RIMS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH OVER A POTHOLE, THE TIRE IMMEDIATELY DEVELOPED A BLISTER ON IT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THREE OF THE RIMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED SINCE THEY WERE OUT OF ROUND. THE DEALER REPLACED ONE TIRE, TWO FRONT RIMS, ONE REAR RIM AND PERFORMED AN ALIGNMENT. THE FAILURE DID NOT PERSIST BUT THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

MANY MERCEDES BENZ CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCE PREMATURE TIRE FAILURE. MERCEDES SAYS IT IS DUE TO ROAD CONDITIONS. IT IS A NEW PROBLEM WITH NEW MERCEDES E SERIES CARS. A PERSON WROTE "HAVE BEEN IN THE TIRE & WHEEL BUSINESS FOR OVER 15 YEARS AND HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES. MOSTLY WITH AFTER MARKET WHEELS WHERE THE STANDARD WHEEL SIZES REACH ALL THE WAY UP TO 26-INCH DIAMETERS. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH A DEFECTIVE WHEEL OR TIRE. MERCEDES BENZ HAS DECIDED TO INSTALL LARGER WHEELS ON THEIR VEHICLES SO THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A LARGER FOOTPRINT TO IMPROVE HANDLING AND TO IMPROVE THE APPEARANCE OF THE CAR. THE PROBLEM WITH INSTALLING A LARGER DIAMETER WHEEL ON ANY CAR IS YOU ARE NOW LEFT WITH A TIRE THAT HAS A VERY SHORT SIDEWALL. FROM 2003 ' 2006 MERCEDES WAS INSTALLING 16 AND 17 INCH DIAMETER WHEELS ON THEIR E-CLASS MODELS. THESE TWO SIZES WOULD GIVE YOU A TIRE WITH A TALLER SIDEWALL FROM 3 TO 4 INCHES. BUT ON THE NEWER E-CLASS VEHICLES, MERCEDES STARTED TO USE AN 18' STAGGERED TIRE AND WHEEL COMBINATION. WHEN YOU INCREASE THE DIAMETER OF A WHEEL, THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE WILL DECREASE.THE 18 INCH WHEEL & TIRE COMBO NOW GIVES YOU A SIDEWALL OF 2 TO 3 INCHES. THE SIDEWALL OF A TIRE IS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE EDGE OF THE TIRE WHERE IT MEETS THE WHEEL AND WHERE THE TIRE SITS ON THE GROUND THE SIDE SUPPORTS THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. THIS MEANS YOU HAVE LESS CUSHION BETWEEN THE WHEEL AND THE ROAD. SO IF YOU HIT A POTHOLE HARD ENOUGH, YOU WILL BEND A WHEEL OR COLLAPSE THE TIRES SIDEWALL SO MUCH THAT IT WILL BREAK THE STEEL LININGS CAUSING A BUBBLE OR A BLOW OUT." LIVES ARE AT RISK UNTIL THIS ISSUE IS ADDRESSED AND RECTIFIED. CURRENTLY, CUSTOMERS INCUR SIGNIFICANT COST TO REPLACE TIRES AND WHEELS. MERCEDES WILL NOT COVER REPLACEMENT TIRES AND WHEELS UNDER ITS WARRANTY PROGRAM. *TR