NHTSA Complaint #11191595 — 2010 JAGUAR XF

THE WHEELS ON A RANGE OF JAGUAR MODELS ARE PRONE TO THE RIMS CRACKING WHERE THE TIRE BEAD SEALS TO THE INNER LIP OF THE RIM. I HAVE HAD ALL (4) 20" SELENA STYLE OEM WHEELS CRACK MULTIPLE TIMES PER RIM. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED IN JAGUAR FORUMS BY MANY OTHER OWNERS AND THE SAME RIM HAS SAFETY RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH IT BUT FOR SOME REASON DON'T COVER THIS MODEL EVEN THOUGH ITS THE SAME EXACT RIM. THE ALUMINUM ALLOY REACHES ITS FATIGUE LIMIT AS EARLY AS 40K MILES OF USE. ONCE CRACKS OCCUR, THE RIM WILL CONTINUE TO CRACK IN NEW LOCATIONS WITHOUT REQUIRING IMPACTING A POTHOLE OR OTHER OBSTRUCTION AS IS EVIDENT THAT NO DAMAGE HAS BEEN OBSERVED TO ANY OF THE TIRES DURING A RIM CRACK EVENT SUCH AS BUBBLES OR SIDEWALL DAMAGE. THE OWNER IS LEFT WITH ONLY ONE SOLUTION, BUY NEW OEM WHEELS AND HOPE TO SELL THE CAR BEFORE THE RIMS AGAIN REACH THEIR FATIGUE LIFE LIMIT. THIS MAY EITHER BE A POOR CHOICE OF ALLOY, MANUFACTURING DEFECT OR DESIGN DEFECT SUCH AS STRUCTURAL DESIGN OR TOO THIN OF A WALL THICKNESS OF THE RIM. THE 20" SELENA STYLE OEM WHEELS APPEAR TO BE AFFECTED THE MOST BY THE ISSUE OF RANDOM RIM CRACKING. THIS IS UNRELATED TO THE CRACKING AROUND THE WHEEL STUD DUE TO IMPROPER LUG NUT TORQUE. THE REAR WHEELS (9.5" WIDE) START CRACKING FIRST AROUND 50K MILES FOLLOWED LATER BY THE FRONT WHEELS (8.5" WIDE). I HAVE EXPERIENCED FLAT TIRES DUE TO THE RIMS CRACKING ABOUT 10 TIMES IN TOTAL. I HAVE WORN OUT TWO SPARE TIRES BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE CRACKS WILL MANIFEST AS A SLOW LEAK AND WILL PROGRESS TO A FASTER LEAK AS THE CRACK PROPAGATES FURTHER. WELDING THE CRACK IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE REPAIR OPTION AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED.