High tyre pressures from dealer - check your pressures!

[Wasp Man]

It is common practice for cars to be shipped around the world with very high tyre pressures - up to 55psi. The correct operating pressures for your Stinger are much lower - in the region of 36-40psi measured cold, depending on wheel and tyre size, loads, conditions, etc. Check your tyre placard and/or owners manual for details.

Unfortunately, it seems that some dealerships are not adjusting tyre pressures as part of their delivery service, and there have been *many* instances of owners driving around for days/weeks/months on tyres inflated to over 50psi. Not only is this potentially unsafe (over-inflated tyres can fail to achieve full grip levels) but it can also cost you money (as tyres wear inappropriately and too quickly), and can also cause a very uncomfortable ("jarring") ride which can have onward impacts such as causing a lot of rattling in the car.

If you have the factory TPMS system, you can check your tyre pressures via your dash (again, if you don't know how, you should read the owner's manual). If you don't have TPMS, at worst check the pressures at the local garage/workshop/gas station/service station/etc, and ideally, get yourself a good quality tyre pressure gauge (should cost < $100, and provides much more accurate readings than the ones normally found on forecourts.

One of my tires had 55 PSI, The others were correct. I noticed the over inflation fumbling through the display at the second red light. I pulled over, used my air gauge to bleed some air and corrected it on the spot. Highly recommend checking display before driving out of dealer lot,

 

[MerlintheMad]

One of my tires had 55 PSI, The others were correct. I noticed the over inflation fumbling through the display at the second red light. I pulled over, used my air gauge to bleed some air and corrected it on the spot. Highly recommend checking display before driving out of dealer lot,

Wow! Somebody did a three-quarter-a**ed job on your car prep; must have got distracted or started daydreaming. Hah.

 

[Spaceme17]

Can confirm this also. Just purchased a 2020 Stinger GT2 AWD. On the test drive, the rear of the car wanted to swing out and the car felt very unstable. I immediately was thinking I will not be buying this car.

I stopped at a park on the test drive just to sit and check out the options, etc. and discovered that all the tires were at 55 psi. I then lowered all of them to the proper pressure (38 for front, 36 for rear).

After that, the car handled and drove great.

I told the dealership and they said that whoever did the inspection of the car when it was delivered missed that.

 

[RM7]

No sh*t, it was above 50psi.

Had a funny story from a friend at work and his corvette. He has similar width tires to the 305s on my 1LE and was asking me "how did you drive in to work today (in the rain), I was sliding all over the place?" I asked "well what PSI are you at?" He said "55psi, it's what it says on the side of the tire". I said, "um, I'm at 32."

Oh boy. Yeah, had no idea his car had a plate with the correct...not-55psi number listed.

 

[MerlintheMad]

No sh*t, it was above 50psi.

Had a funny story from a friend at work and his corvette. He has similar width tires to the 305s on my 1LE and was asking me "how did you drive in to work today (in the rain), I was sliding all over the place?" I asked "well what PSI are you at?" He said "55psi, it's what it says on the side of the tire". I said, "um, I'm at 32."

Oh boy. Yeah, had no idea his car had a plate with the correct...not-55psi number listed.

Ignorance is a curse of the human race.

I once replaced all four mismatched, very used tires, in the middle of a return trip home on an extensive road trip (had just had a blowout of the RR and was running on the spare, which was a very sad tire): this was on a 15 passenger Ford van: got Michelins and could not believe the difference in the ride, steering feel and noise level: I was an instant convert to matched, new tires and ever since I've always bought brand new. Not long afterward, I was looking at the sidewall information and saw "55 psi" and thought, what the hell? Am I losing tire pressure that fast??!! I brought the psi "back up" (I thought) to c. 55: and for the next few times driving I thought the ride felt less comfy (go figure): I asked my mechanic about it, and he revealed the wisdom of max psi and normal (door placard) psi. We live and learn.

 

[phuxtick]

Damn....I came here looking for posts on brake vibration, stumbled across this and aired down accordingly. It's like driving a whole new car...

Idiots at the dealership gave it to me with everything reading 50 psi....

 

[RM7]

Damn....I came here looking for posts on brake vibration, stumbled across this and aired down accordingly. It's like driving a whole new car...

Idiots at the dealership gave it to me with everything reading 50 psi....

Yeah, the salesman called me back half-apologizing, but also claiming that he couldn't believe their techs would do that. I have a lot of experience letting pressure out with autoX and it takes a long time to let out 55psi to the appropriate pressure...that I didn't have to add anything.

 

[phuxtick]

Man that sucks :/ I can't even get ahold of the service department I bought mine from to ask them how the hell they confused 36 with 50 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I was reading 50, 51, 52, 52 before I aired down to the 36x4 my door panel says.....I am mind blown at how they failed so bad. But also, I'm the idiot for never looking in the door panel and actually checking lol

 

[JSolo]

Cars are shipped with very high psi - mine had ~60 psi when we did the initial test drive before they completed the pdi.

 

[Ozstung]

Been hearing the same stories for re 3-1/2 years. Mine had 50 alround until i found the tyre pressure monitor. The excuse is its for the trip to its destination and then a possible stint in a holding yard before the dealer gets it. The Stinger doesn't sit on the shelf that long.

 

[soflo_nick]

When I took delivery of my stinger on the highway my car was floating all over the place, I was like WTTTF. Checked tire pressure it was 53 PSI on all 4.

 

[rpoffen]

Keep in mind that "cold" tire pressure (meaning hasn't been driven for a few hours) varies significantly with the ambient temperature. "cold" in the winter in frigid climates might be 20F or less, and in warm climates, 100F or more. The difference in "cold" tire pressure can be several PSI. If you had normal tire pressure and the ambient temperature is 80F, and then you get a cold spell and the temperature drops, you could start getting TPMS warnings.

 

[Navaids]

My placard on the drivers door sill says 33 PSI cold on all 4 tires. Runs around 37 PSI at running temp at 70MPH. I’m going to try running them at 30 PSI cold and see how that affects the ride. I’d like it to be a little less firm on the interstate. Figure it would be about 33-34 PSI when warmed up. Worth a try. When I was a kid, most passenger cars recommended 30 PSI.

 

[Snicklefritz]

My placard on the drivers door sill says 33 PSI cold on all 4 tires. Runs around 37 PSI at running temp at 70MPH. I’m going to try running them at 30 PSI cold and see how that affects the ride. I’d like it to be a little less firm on the interstate. Figure it would be about 33-34 PSI when warmed up. Worth a try. When I was a kid, most passenger cars recommended 30 PSI.

reported experience with the stinger tpms says that if you lower your psi that much you'll get a low tire warning. then you won't get it to go away until you raise the psi above 40 and then you can let some air out and the warning will still stay off unless you go below about 32 psi again. it varies some are more sensitive I guess.

 

[JSolo]

My placard on the drivers door sill says 33 PSI cold on all 4 tires. Runs around 37 PSI at running temp at 70MPH. I’m going to try running them at 30 PSI cold and see how that affects the ride. I’d like it to be a little less firm on the interstate. Figure it would be about 33-34 PSI when warmed up. Worth a try. When I was a kid, most passenger cars recommended 30 PSI.

What year/model car do you have? I thought they all wanted at least 36 or more. Iirc mine (see sig) calls for 36/39 F/R with the stock tires. I run 35.5-36/37.5-38 F/R. If I know i'll be traveling somewhere far (lots of highway), I'll bump it up to 36/38. 39 seems a bit higher.

 

[Navaids]

What year/model car do you have? I thought they all wanted at least 36 or more. Iirc mine (see sig) calls for 36/39 F/R with the stock tires. I run 35.5-36/37.5-38 F/R. If I know i'll be traveling somewhere far (lots of highway), I'll bump it up to 36/38. 39 seems a bit higher.

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I’m running a 2018 Stinger GT2 RWD. Door sticker clearly recommends 33 PSI cold inflation front and back. Key here is “recommendation” I’m running 245 square config all the way around. I don’t track the car and actually wish I had more sidewall than I currently have. At 72, I like a little more compliance in the ride. If I plan on driving over 85 MPH, I’d of course raise the pressure. Lowered the pressure last night and really liked the ride much better. Wider contact patch actually cornered just as well as using the recommended 33 PSI cold air inflation. I will just need to watch for even tire wear. By the way, after tire heated up on highway, tire pressure increased to about 32 psi, outside air temp here in Atlanta, GA was 75 degrees F.

 

[Navaids]

reported experience with the stinger tpms says that if you lower your psi that much you'll get a low tire warning. then you won't get it to go away until you raise the psi above 40 and then you can let some air out and the warning will still stay off unless you go below about 32 psi again. it varies some are more sensitive I guess.

Ran it last night for long ride after adjusting to 30 PSI. Tire’s warmed up to 32psi with outside temp at 75F. Taking longer trip today and will watch for any issues. Rides better and with the larger tire contact patch, corners just as well. I will need to keep eye on tire wear. I’ll update if I experience any issues that you outline. Thanks!

 

[Ozstung]

36f/38r is recommended on the placard off 10/17 Gt (Gt2) Stinger.

 

[Navaids]

Ran it last night for long ride after adjusting to 30 PSI. Tire’s warmed up to 32psi with outside temp at 75F. Taking longer trip today and will watch for any issues. Rides better and with the larger tire contact patch, corners just as well. I will need to keep eye on tire wear. I’ll update if I experience any issues that you outline. Thanks!

Took a 800+ mile road trip. Ride much improved with very slight increase in road noise. Tire wear doesn’t seem to be impacted yet. Tire pressure only reached 33 PSI so that tells me tire temperature not adversely affected. I’m leaving cold pressure set to 30 PSI for now.

 

[7Andrei7]

I always keep the recommended 36psi (2.5 bar) cold pressure on all 4 wheels and am very happy with the ride quality. When they get up to temp I get a 2.7 or 2.8 bar reading in the dash.
Having a lower pressure actually makes the car feel heavy and I don't like that.