NHTSA Complaint #10362746 — 2008 BMW 135I

TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW I35. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WHEELS WERE CRACKING ON THE INSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER BECAUSE THE TIRE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED; THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY DRIVER ERRORS AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,000. THE CONSUMER STATED BMW REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEIR RIMS ARE DEFECTIVE AND CRACK AS A RESULT OF NORMAL DRIVING, ESPECIALLY THEIR 18 INCH RIMS WHEN COUPLED WITH RUN-FLAT TIRES. BMW CLAIMED THE CRACKS MUST HAVE COME FROM THE DRIVER IMPACTING SOME OBJECT LIKE A POTHOLE, RATHER THAN A RESULT OF A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE RIM. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE RIMS WERE DESIGNED TOO WEAK TO TAKE THE IMPACT OF NORMAL ON-ROAD DRIVING. THE PROBLEM WAS EXACERBATED BY THE RUN-FLAT TIRES, WHICH WERE VERY HARD WITH STRONG SIDEWALLS RESULTING IN TOO MUCH OF THE NORMAL FORCE FROM SMALL SPEED BUMPS BEING TRANSMITTED TO THE RIM RATHER THAN ABSORBING SOME OF THE SHOCK IN THE TIRE. UPDATED 02/01/11. *JB