I have read about alignment / tire wear problems on 04/05 3G TL's on long trips with some extra weight (not over weighted). I have a new 06 TL with 5000 kms (3000 miles) and am heading out on a 1200 mile trip. I will have 4 adults in the car and a trunk full of gear. I expect the total weight (4 people + gear) to be on the order of 800 lbs.

Should I be concerned about the alignment / weight issue or is it limited to 04/05's? Should I adjust tire pressure to account for the extra weight?

TL is '06 MT. I keep 35lbs in the front and 32 in the rear. Still running OEM Potenza's.

Thanks for your advice.

Steve

 

I believe the manual says that the load limit (passenger and cargo) is 850 lbs. So, you should be alright there. Have a great trip.

 

The service bulletin on this issue specifies vehicles within a range of ser. no.'s in the 04/05 model year. Thus the later build 05's and the 06's have the problem corrected.

 

i would just pump the tires up to like 34-35 both rear and front and you should be good. Just a curiosity, where are you going? haha

 

Driving from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Portland, Maine. Mostly highway but there are some good two lane road stretches along the way. With a fully loaded car I would expect the handling to be very different.

 

Owner's manual says to go to 39psi front, 35psi rear for "high-speed driving".

I personally think that's a little aggressive, since the tires will pick up 3psi or more from just the extra heat generated by prolonged driving, and you're gonna be running over 40psi. Not the most comfortable ride.

I can't make any kind of professional recommendation, but I personally always run front and rear tires at the same pressure on all my cars. For your situation, the biggest consideration is going to be the extra weight in the rear, so I'd just leave your fronts where they are and run the rears up to 35 to match them if it were me.

I'm going to be leaving next week myself on about a 3,500-mile trip, and I'll have 3 adults and luggage. Since I like a more serene ride quality on the highway, I'll be running mine at 31-32psi (cold pressure) all the way around. They'll be at 35 or so by the time I'm on the road for an hour.

The good thing about our TPS is that you can keep an eye on the pressures at any time, and keep them where you want them.

Have a good trip!

 

Get a cheap, portable $10 air compressor at WalMart so that you can adjust your tire pressure wherever you are. A handy-dnady addition to your trunk "tools".

 

have fun