I went to the Benz dealership today because the rear right tire keeps on wearing out MUCH faster than the other three. On top of that, it's only the outer edge that wears out. The inner part of the tire looks perfect, with the treads intact, while the outer edge is virtually bald! This has happened over and over again. The car now has 45000 miles on it and consistently the dealership has told me that this is NORMAL and that all S-class Benzes do the same thing. What do you think?

 

was that the new S-Class (140) or older (126)?

my answer is NO.

they must wear evenly, or at least the same as the rear left one.

if it is wearing out from the outer edge, then the camber or toe adjustment must be positive.

have it checked on a good 4 wheel alignment shop. best if the difference between the two side are not more than +/- 2 degrees. more than that, there could be a bent suspension link (if hit by hard objects, it tends to bent inwards).

visual check too is important while the car is up.

 

Thanks for your reply.This is the 2004 S-430. Another ridiculous thing is, the mechanic said that the cause of the outer edge balding was that I accelarate too quickly. What!??? And this is an actual Mercedes Benz dealership, not some shady auto shop. When I told him that nobody drove the car like that, he had the audacity to reply, "The evidence doesn't lie."

 

i suddenly have this urge to go to that dealership to give that mechanic a good noogie.

if any of the link except number 2 and 6 is bent, the rear will be out of alignment.

was it always the dealer who replaces the tire? then complain to them.

let them pay for the job not well done.

[IMG]local://upfiles/1/A84DD752147A4BC8BE8D6FCEBB82D51A.jpg[/IMG]

 

Hi,
I agree with Sleepwalker although +/- 2 degs is an excessively wide tolerance.
Wear should be roughly symetrical LH to RH rear tyre UNLESS you really do enjoy booting the car around anticlockwise roundabouts (circles) with your boot down. Don't think there are many circles in the USA anyway.
Something is bent or more likely incorrectly adjusted since the car is so new.
45k miles in less than 2 years. Presumably this is primarily motorway/freeway (straight line) running.
Has the car ever been kerbed or involved in a shunt? Have you had the vehicle since new?
Not sure what a "noogie" is but I get a similar feeling of incredulity with this dealer.
Who is the dealer / country?
Stuart

 

this is stead motors of walnut creek in california (the united states). it recently changed owners and is now called mercedes benz of walnut creek. i think they need to be threatened with legal action (from a consumer group possibly) before they admit that something is WRONG with the car.
definitely NO circles.
a noogie is a nookie, you know when you grab someone and knuckle the top of their head.

 

This is a noogie.

Nookie is something that happens between a man and a woman in the back seat of a car... or other more appropriate place as one grows older.

 

Did MB Walnut Creek actually check the geometry?
I would have thought they would do this under warranty. They get paid for it.
Be aware: Incorrect geometry CAN adversely effect vehicle handling at the limit (accident avoidance) and is therefore a SAFETY hazard.
Suggest you write copied to MBUSA listing the mileage and number of times this tyre (and others) have had to be changed. Over and over implies 2 changes minimum i.e. 15k miles per tyre which is unacceptable. Have the others actually been changed yet?
Exactly what are these mileages?
Optional equipment 17"+ wheels will be more susceptible to incorrect geometry due to their width vs the standard 225/60-16
I would expect tyre mileage to be in the order of 30k minimum.


Nookie (the term and of course the act) has reached the UK.

Noogie (A painful sensation caused by the rubbing of knuckle, fist, or hand to ones head. Generally causing hair displacement and mild cursing.) hasn't....... at least to the best of my knowledge.

"Two countries divided by a common language".