NHTSA Complaint #10168680 — 2006 BMW 325I

HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF NOISE AND VIBRATION CAUSED BY IRREGULAR (UNEVEN) TIRE WEAR (FEATHERING) ON 2006 330I BMW WITH BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL 42 225/45/17 RUN FLAT TIRES: EUROPEAN DELIVERY 9-12-2005, ARRANGED BY DEALER. AT ABOUT 16,000 MILES, BEGAN TO NOTICE FRONT TIRE NOISE (ROAR) AND VIBRATION AT 15-30 MPH, ESPECIALLY UPON BRAKING. THE NOISE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND COULD FEEL VIBRATIONS IN DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S FLOOR PANS. THE NOISE CONTINUED TO INCREASE AND THE VIBRATION BEGAN TO SOUND LIKE WORN FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS. I TOOK TO DEALER AT 18,500 MILES AROUND 7/ 31/2006. VEHICLE TEST DRIVEN AT 18,775 MILES. SA ADVISED THAT THE FRONT TIRES HAD UNEVEN WEAR WHICH CAUSED THE NOISE AND VIBRATIONS, AND TIRES NOT COVERED BY NEITHER BMW NOR BRIDGESTONE. NO OTHER ADVICE OR REMEDY WAS GIVEN. WROTE TO PRESIDENT BMWNA, ON 8/04/2006 REQUESTING BMW PERFORM WHEEL ALIGNMENT (TO CORRECT THE FACTORY DEFECTIVE ALIGNMENT) AND TO REPLACE THE FRONT TIRES. CUSTOMER RELATIONS REP INSTRUCTED ME TO TAKE CAR TO DEALER FOR ALIGNMENT CHECK. ON 8/14/2006, ALIGNMENT CHECK PERFORMED BY DEALER, AND DETERMINED THAT THREE WHEELS ALIGNMENT WERE OUT OF FACTORY SPECIFICATION RANGE. CHARGED $225 FOR THIS ALIGNMENT. SERVICE MANAGER ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE UNEVENLY WORN AND NOISY TIRES. ON 8/16/2006, MESSAGE FROM CUSTOMER RELATIONS THAT BMW WOULD PAY FOR THE ALIGNMENT. HAD TIRES INSPECTED BY THE LOCAL BRIDGESTONE TIRE DEALER, AND MANAGER ADVISED THAT VEHICLE WAS MISS-ALIGNED CAUSING ALL FOUR TIRES TO EXHIBIT IRREGULAR WEAR (FEATHERING) CAUSING THE EXCESSIVE NOISE AND VIBRATION. HE SAID THE DEALER SHOULD REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES. ON 08/29/2006 WROTE 2ND REQUEST TO PRESIDENT OF BMWNA FOR REPLACEMENT OF ALL FOUR TIRES AND FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF $225. 09/18/2006 RECEIVED LETTER FROM CR REP PROMISING REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALIGNMENT, BUT DENYING REQUEST FOR REPLACEMENT TIRES ON THE BASIS THAT VEHICLE WAS ALIGNED TO SPECIFICATIONS AT THE FACTORY PRIOR TO DELIVERY. *NM