NHTSA Complaint #11022876 — 2013 BMW 328XI

I PURCHASED A 2013 BMW 328XI CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED SEDAN 6/22/16 FOR MY WIFE. IT CAME WITH 18" WHEELS AND PIRELLI CINTURATO RUN-FLATS. THE TIRE-PRESSURE MONITOR (TPM) WARNING STARTED COMING ON A FEW MONTHS AFTER WE BOUGHT IT, SO I PUT AIR IN THE TIRES. BUT IT STARTED HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE PASSENGER REAR WHEEL WAS CRACKED AND LEAKING AIR. I ASKED IF THE TIRE WAS DAMAGED AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE BUT THEY RECOMMEND REPLACING IT ANYWAY BECAUSE THE WHEEL WAS DAMAGED. I ASKED WHAT WOULD CAUSE A CRACK IN AN ALLOY WHEEL, AND THEIR ANSWER WAS THAT SHE 'PROBABLY HIT A POTHOLE'. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT WAS ALL IT WOULD TAKE, BECAUSE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID HITTING POTHOLES ON OUR FREEWAYS. MY WIFE DRIVES VERY CAREFULLY AND ONLY PUT 5,700 MILES ON THE CAR IN 14 MONTHS. THEY SAID IT WAS BECAUSE THE RUN-FLATS DON'T PROVIDE ENOUGH CUSHION TO PROTECT THE WHEEL FROM ROAD IMPACTS. I BOUGHT A NEW WHEEL (BMW GAVE ME 50% OFF) AND TOOK THE CAR TO A TIRE STORE TO BUY A SET OF CONVENTIONAL TIRES TO REPLACE THE RUN-FLATS. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE TIRE ON THE CRACKED WHEEL, AND NO EVIDENCE OF IMPACT. I HAVE THE CRACKED WHEEL AND ITS TIRE. I FEEL THAT BMW IS PUTTING DRIVERS AT RISK BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY TO AVOID HITTING POTHOLES UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THEY'VE ESSENTIALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT'S A HAZARD BECAUSE THEY SELL TIRE & WHEEL INSURANCE TO NEW OWNERS (BUT NOT TO BUYERS OF CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED LIKE US). THE TIRE STORE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT HE'S HAD 'LOTS' OF BMW OWNERS COME IN WITH CRACKED WHEELS. THERE ARE ALSO MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET. PLUS BMW SETTLED A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT OVER CRACKED WHEELS ON THEIR Z4 MODEL. AND SINCE THE CAR HAS NO ROOM FOR A SPARE TIRE, BMW HAS PUT OWNERS WHO SWITCH TO CONVENTIONAL TIRES AT RISK.