NHTSA Complaint #11321451 — 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ E43 AMG

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE RECENTLY WITH 9,000 MILES IN. AFTER I TOOK THE VEHICLE HOME, I REALIZED THAT THE FRONT LEFT TIRE WAS SLOWLY LEAKING AIR. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL TIRE SHOP AND ASK THEM TO REMOVE THE TIRE FROM THE VEHICLE AND PUT IT IN WATER BATH TO SEE WHERE IT WAS LEAKING AIR FROM BECAUSE I COULD NOT FIND A NAIL OR OTHER ROAD HAZARD ON THE TIRE. IT TURNS OUT THE ALLOY RIM OF THIS AMG E43 MERCEDES BENZ HAD A 1.5' LONG CRACK AT THE INSIDE LIP OF THE RIM AND IT WAS LEAKING AIR FROM THERE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY TO THE DEALER AND I ASKED THEM TO REPLACE THIS RIM AT NO COST SINCE I JUST HAD PURCHASED THIS EXPENSIVE CAR. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR A NEW RIM BUT THAT THEY WOULD WELD IT AT NO COST AND IT WOULD BE AS GOOD AS NEW. I LET THEM WELD IT THEREFORE. TODAY, ON 4/17/2020 I TOOK THE CAR TO THE TIRE SHOP TO CHANGE THE FRONT TIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE WORN. THE FRONT TIRES WERE SHOT AT 16,000 MILES. WHEN THE TIRE SHOP PUT THE WELDED RIM ON THE BALANCE MACHINE AFTER INSTALLING THE NEW TIRE, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RIM WAS BENT WHERE IT WAS WELDED. THE TIRE SHOP EXPLAINED THAT THIS RIM WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND I ASKED THEM TO REPLACE THE RIM THAT THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY FIXED AND NOW FOUND TO BE BENT. THEY TOLD ME THAT 'THEY GET MANY MERCEDES RIMS THAT ARE CRACKED AND BENT' AND REFUSED TO REPLACE THE RIM. THE RIM IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON. IT WAS NOT DAMAGED BY A POTHOLE BUT IT CRACKED AT THE INSIDE LIP BECAUSE THESE RIMS ARE USED WITH STIFF LOW PROFILE RUN FLAT TIRES AND STIFF SUSPENSIONS AND ARE NOT DESIGNED TO TAKE THE LOADS THAT THEY ARE SUBJECTED TO UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. I AM A PH.D. IN MECHANICAL / AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND I ASSURE YOU THAT THESE RIMS ARE NOT STRUCTURALLY SOUND, ARE THEREFORE UNSAFE AND MUST BE RECALLED BECAUSE THE STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THESE RIMS IS AN IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE.