NHTSA Complaint #10157464 — 2003 JAGUAR XK8

I OWN A 2003 XK8 JAGUAR CONVERTIBLE WITH STANDARD FACTORY WHEELS.. MY TIRE WENT FLAT WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THE FLAT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE WHEEL HAD CRACKED ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL, CAUSING THE AIR TO LEAK FROM THE TIRE. THE WHEEL WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY MAJOR COLLISION BUT DID SHOW CURB BUMP DAMAGE ON THE OUTSIDE AND A SMALL AREA OF FLATTENING ON THE INSIDE. NO DIRECT DAMAGE TO THE AREA OF THE CRACK. OBVIOUSLY, A WHEEL SHOULD NOT TRACK FROM MINOR ROAD HAZARDS. I BECAME MOST SUSPICIOUS WHEN I TRIED TO REPLACE THE WHEEL AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE WHEEL HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. I CONCLUDED THAT THE WHEEL MANUFACTURE HAD EITHER MADE DEFECTIVE WHEELS OR ? MY JAGUAR DEALER IS IN WESTLAKE VILLAGE /THOUSAND OAKS CA. A DEALER IN SAN FRANCISCO APPARENTLY CONTACTED MY DEALER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS COULD BE A HIGHLY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY. IT IS NOT REASONABLE THAT A WHEEL WOULD CRACK WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT. *NM