Car serviced, tire pressures set wrong

[LVSteve]

What is it with the guys who set tire pressures in dealerships? Are they all from the same family and incapable of reading the placard inside the door? I've had this happen in multiple shops servicing multiple makes since I came to the US over 20 years ago. Nissan, Jaguar and BMW dealerships (to name but a few) have all screwed up.

Yes, I forgot to tell my service advisor NOT to mess with my tires. But still, on a car being serviced in a main dealership with a placard that clearly says 32 front, 36 rear, why are the tires variously inflated to 40-41 all round?

It's simply rank incompetence.

 

[6518John]

Steve—probably a bad gauge on the compressor line. I never trust those inline gauges on the compressor lines, I try to always use a hand-held gauge on vehicle tires.

 

[Tubbsy]

The guy doing tire pressure usually isn't an actual tech.... and the number of people that don't know that the reccomended pressure is in the door is astounding.... many set them to the pressure on the tires.... which is the maximum

 

[Telecaster]

3 or more different places, probably not a bad gauge. What car uses 40psi, anyway? Or do they expect the tires to wear faster so they can sell you new ones?

The dealership tried to sell me new cabin and engine air filters. $125. I got them online for $25.

 

[delcrossv]

Not as bad as the dealership that didn't tighten the lugnuts- TWICE on Two Different Cars!!!

Needless to say, we don't go there anymore.

 

[LVSteve]

Steve—probably a bad gauge on the compressor line. I never trust those inline gauges on the compressor lines, I try to always use a hand-held gauge on vehicle tires.

I don't trust those gauges either. The TPM system on the car read 40-41 PSI and that agreed with my "pistol" gauge at home. Besides, there is supposed to be a large differential front to back, so finding them all the same shows it's unlikely to be a bad gauge.

 

[ladder13]

3 or more different places, probably not a bad gauge. What car uses 40psi, anyway? Or do they expect the tires to wear faster so they can sell you new ones?

The dealership tried to sell me new cabin and engine air filters. $125. I got them online for $25.

I always change both filters before going to the shop. Wipers too.

 

[Bugkiller99]

The dealership tried to sell me new cabin and engine air filters. $125. I got them online for $25.

Ha. I replaced my cabin air filter and less than week later went in and they tried to tell me it needed replacing. I’ve half a mind to put a note on it next time that just says NO.

 

[S42N8]

3 or more different places, probably not a bad gauge. What car uses 40psi, anyway? Or do they expect the tires to wear faster so they can sell you new ones?

The dealership tried to sell me new cabin and engine air filters. $125. I got them online for $25.

Good question on what car. Just dug out my RS5 owners manual to doublecheck: 39/35 at normal load, 44/41 at full load. There’s some porky cars where recommended pressure is in the high 40s.

 

[Clarke Hammer]

Not as bad as the dealership that didn't tighten the lugnuts- TWICE on Two Different Cars!!!

Needless to say, we don't go there anymore.

I have the opposite problem: It seems every time a shop has a reason to remove a wheel, they way over torque my lug nuts. On my car, the nuts are only supposed to be at 100 ft lbs. One shop did them so tight that it took about every ounce of strength I had to get them loose. Over torquing can lead to warped rotors and it stretches the studs, which can ultimately lead to the studs breaking.

I usually experience the over-inflation of the tires too. For some reason, techs love to set tire pressures at over 40 psi.

 

[schutzen-jager]

the factory specs in manual + on door are usually too low to give a softer ride - most techs will set them higher to improve tire life + handling - check the inflation specs on tires themselves { different brands have different specs for same size tires }+ set them to higher side of specs -

 

[2152hq]

Maybe the college grad that checks the tire pressure thinks the sticker on your foreign mfg car door reads the tire pressure in Celsius...
and the shop's compressor simply converts it to Fahrenheit/psi and so that's how it reads out on your USA tire gauge.

No problem,,it's all good.
Dealer serviced. Just drive with confidence.


The Crankcase of most cars takes an extra qt or so of oil over what the dip-stick says it takes.
It'll burn off. Don't worry so much.

Trans-axle fluid is worn out.

I think those tires need rotating and the rear brakes are getting down there. Might as well do the fronts at the same time.

 

[ladder13]

the factory specs in manual + on door are usually too low to give a softer ride - most techs will set them higher to improve tire life + handling - check the inflation specs on tires themselves { different brands have different specs for same size tires }+ set them to higher side of specs -

My vette calls for 30 psi, which I feel make the car too “soft”, so I run 32. Grips and handles much better.

 

[Oracle]

My truck and my wifes SUV included servicing at the dealership. They have come in the waiting with the cabin air filter I just replaced myself right before going with dried leaves on top of it saying it was no good. I order and replace my own wiper blades and everytime they say they are no good. The wiper fluid they put in isn't all season, it freezes. I have told them not to fill it and they still do. I have filled the tank, put duct tape over the cap and used a Sharpie to write "Do not open, do not fill" the tape is gone.

Last but not least; the person driving the vehicles out of the shop must be three feet tall, they always adjust the seat to fit themselves even though they are only taking the vehicle 100 feet.

 

[ladder13]

Always change air and cabin filters, and wipers when you go for an inspection.
They got you right there.

Anything else?

Oh license plate bulb.

I have dated receipts in hand.


I have cured that nonsense by finding a mechanic that is trustworthy.

 

[swsig]

Not as bad as the dealership that didn't tighten the lugnuts- TWICE on Two Different Cars!!!

Needless to say, we don't go there anymore.

Like Clarke Hammer in post 10, I've had the opposite problem. My Mercedes-Benz (!) dealer over-tightened the lug nuts on my car's alloy wheels so badly, I had to slip a steel pipe over the lug wrench handle, stand on it, and jump up and down with all of my 240 lbs to get them loose. (Quite a sight to see! ) Normal alloy wheel lug torque was about 90-95 ft/lbs. Why would a high-end car dealership set their impact wrenches to 200+ ft/lbs when all their cars came with alloy wheels? Otherwise, their service department was pretty good.

 

[hittman77]

Info on the door sticker is only good as long as OE tires are on the car.

If the tires have been replaced with another size or brand ..... gotta go by what's printed on the TIRE.

 

[VaTom]

Ha. I replaced my cabin air filter and less than week later went in and they tried to tell me it needed replacing. I’ve half a mind to put a note on it next time that just says NO.

I write the date installed on all air and cabin filters in Sharpie. The last time that happened was about a year ago at the Toyota Dealership. The service writer gal who came to me in the waiting room said the technician said it needed filters. Told her to go back and tell him to pull them and check them for the date as I change them myself!

She left (nice young lady), came back and said my car was ready and nothing more was said. Did write something on the customer survey.

 

[Jack Flash]

...

Last but not least; the person driving the vehicles out of the shop must be three feet tall, they always adjust the seat to fit themselves even though they are only taking the vehicle 100 feet.

+1. And they just have to change the radio station to the most atrocious punk rock / heavy metal / death rock / rap station known to man.

 

[NYlakesider]

My vette calls for 30 psi, which I feel make the car too “soft”, so I run 32. Grips and handles much better.

32 cold but when you get going you can easily pick up 3-5 pounds more per tire! Its fun to watch the dash display and watch the tire pressures move as the tires warm up..

Have a happy fourth, Dave