NHTSA Complaint #10320932 — 2009 BMW 335XI

WHILE DRIVING EAST ON THE NORTHERN STATE PARKWAY, ON FEBRUARY 18, 2010 , NEAR EXIT 42, LONG ISLAND, NY, AT 50 MPH, I HIT A POT HOLE. THE POT HOLE WAS NOT IMPEDING TRAFFIC IN ANY SIGNIFICANT FASHION, HOWEVER, I IMMEDIATELY RECEIVED A FLAT TIRE INDICATION FOR THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. I HAVE RUN-FLAT TIRES, BUT COULD BARELY CONTROL THE CAR. THIS WAS UNUSUAL AS I HAVE EXPERIENCED FLAT TIRES PREVIOUSLY, AND NEVER HAD TROUBLE CONTROLLING THE CAR. NEVERTHELESS, I CONTINUED TO EXIT 42, EXITED THE HIGHWAY, AND PULLED INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. UPON INSPECTION IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE TIRE, BUT WAS DUE TO THE RIGHT FRONT ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEEL WHICH HAD BROKEN IN HALF. AT THIS POINT THE WHEEL CONSISTED OF TWO HALVES, THE OUTER HALF ATTACHED TO THE AXLE, AND THE INNER HALF HELD ONLY LOOSELY BY THE TIRE. LATER INSPECTION INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE TIRE, BUT THAT THE WHEEL, ONLY, WAS BROKEN ALONG AN IRREGULAR CIRCUMFERENTIAL LINE APPROXIMATELY PARALLEL AND 4 INCHES FROM THE OUTER WHEEL LIP (THE LIP WHICH FORMS THE SEAL BETWEEN THE TIRE AND WHEEL). ALTHOUGH THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE WHEEL HAD BENT SLIGHTLY DUE TO THIS POT HOLE IMPACT (OR PERHAPS AN EARLIER IMPACT), THE WHEEL WAS NOT OTHERWISE SEVERELY DEFORMED. A SIMILAR INCIDENT OCCURRED LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER, ON FEBRUARY 28, 2010. THIS SECOND INCIDENT INVOLVED THE LEFT REAR WHEEL OF THE SAME CAR, BUT OTHERWISE THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE VERY SIMILAR. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, AGAIN ON THE NORTHERN STATE PARKWAY, BUT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES WEST OF THE FIRST INCIDENT, AS A RESULT OF IMPACT WITH A POT HOLE, THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BROKE INTO TWO PIECES. CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN DIFFICULT. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED 6 DAYS AFTER THE CAR WAS RECEIVED FROM THE BMW DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT AFTER REPAIR OF THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. THE LEFT REAR WHEEL WAS INSPECTED DURING THE FIRST REPAIR, AND FOUND TO BE IN DRIVABLE CONDITION. *TR