2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Tires & Wheels Problems

The rear subframe needs fixing. And they are putting my car on hold for 3 weeks, denied a loaner car, and I have to get back to work.

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350W4 equipped with Continental Tires, Tires Line: Continental Pure Contact IS, Tires Size: 245/40/R18 and DOT Number: AF2PWD41. The contact stated while starting the vehicle,  the Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the tires appeared deflated. The contact added air to the tires; however, the failure recurred the following morning. The contact added air to the tire. The contact stated that the failure occurred in low-temperature weather. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The tires were not diagnosed or replaced. The tires were replacement tires. The Tire manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The tires failure mileage was approximately 10,889. The vehicle failure mileage was 59,848.

The component that failed was the front passenger wheel. The safety of others were not affected, however, because of the nature of the incident, the vehicle had to come to a stop in the middle of the highway and then the driver, my husband, was able to pull the car over to the shoulder. My husband originally thought he had a flat because the car was hard to steer, but upon further investigation after removing the front passenger tire/wheel, he noticed that the wheel had a large crack that had broken away from part of the tire. No warning indicator lights appeared on the dashboard before or during the incident.

I FIRST HAD A TIRE BLOW-UP IN A MINOR POTHOLE. GOT IT REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP. HOWEVER, RECENTLY I HIT ANOTHER MINOR POTHOLE IN NEW JERSEY, AND THIS TIME, THE RIM OF THE WHEEL CRACKED! THIS TIME I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR SEAT, AND COULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I DO NOT THINK THE SO CALLED "HIGH PERFORMANCE" WHEELS ARE MEANT FOR THE US ROADS. THE MATERIAL SEEMS SUB-STANDARD. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO MERCEDES, BUT THE REP DID NOT SEEM TO CARE OR SHOW ANY CONCERN. I HAVE KEPT THE DAMAGED RIM WITH ME IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE. SENDING PICTURES ALSO. THANKS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES BENZ E350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE AND THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, WHICH INDICATED THAT THERE WAS 20 LBS OF PRESSURE INTERMITTENTLY DROPPING TO 0. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON ONE OTHER OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,500. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

AS I DROVE ONTO A FREEWAY ONRAMP, MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE HIT A POTHOLE, CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOW OUT AND LOSE ALL AIR RESULTING IN THE CAR BEING UNCONTROLLABLE AND NOT DRIVEABLE. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT WHEREBY THIS CAR HAS HIT A POTHOLE AND TIRE DAMAGE RESULTED. THE FIRST INCIDENT IN FEBRUARY 2014 WITH ONLY ABOUT 5,500 MILES ON IT, RESULTED IN 2 TIRES BEING BLOWN OUT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, AGAIN RESULTING IN THE CAR BEING UNCONTROLLABLE AND NOT DRIVEABLE. IN BOTH INSTANCES, THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN AT APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 30 MPH. THERE IS EITHER A DEFECT IN THE TIRES AND/OR THEY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE CAR. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOW OUT IN ANY OTHER VEHICLE IN OVER 45 YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE WITH MANY DIFFERENT VEHICLES.

TIRE BLEW OUT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME IT HAS HAPPENED SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE. *TR

THE TIRES SPECIFIED FOR MY 2013 MERCEDES E350 ARE CONTINENTAL 245 40 R 18S. THESE LOW PROFILE TIRES MAY BE FINE ON THE AUTOBAHN - BUT THEY ARE DANGEROUS ON U.S ROADS WITH POTHOLES. IN FEWER THAN 2 YEARS, THE CAR VIOLENTLY BLEW OUT 5 NEW TIRES AS A RESULT OF POTHOLES (WHICH WERE NOT THAT BIG/DEEP). MERCEDES IS CLEARLY AWARE OF THIS DANGEROUS TIRE ISSUE - ITS REACTION TO THE PROBLEM IS TO IGNORE THE DANGER AND CAPITALIZE ON IT BY OFFERING TIRE REPLACEMENT INSURANCE (ABOUT $800). FOR ME, THE BLOWOUTS FORTUNATELY DID NOT RESULT IN CRASHES OR INJURIES - BUT, THEY CERTAINLY COULD HAVE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES BENZ E350. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE RIMS WOULD COME OUT OF SHAPE AND DEFORM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RIMS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.