2007 BMW 5 Series Tires & Wheels Problems

I HAVE A 2007 550I THAT I BOUGHT IN 2009. I SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE WHEELS, ALL OF THEM ARE SOME WHAT BENT, BUT THE REAR LEFT WHEEL IS CRACKED. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ISSUES WITH MANY BMW OWNERS REGARDING BENT RIMS. I SUSPECT THERE IS AN ISSUE, AS WHEELS DON'T JUST HAVE HAIRLINES, STRAIGHT CRACKS ON THE INSIDE WALL WITHOUT SOME SORT OF BEND IN THE WHEEL. EVEN THE TIRE GUY, WHERE I BOUGHT MY TIRES, SAID IT LOOKS A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS. THIS CRACK IS ABOUT 1 INCH LONG ON THE RIM EDGE. *TR

I OWN A 2007 BMW 550I SPORT. I RAN OVER A RAISED ROAD MARKER WHILE IN ATLANTA AND RUPTURED THE SIDE WALLS OF BOTH LEFT SIDE TIRES, WHILE ALSO BENDING THE FACTORY 18" RIMS. IN MY JUDGMENT THE CONTACT WAS NOT SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED. ONCE I HAD THE TIRES REMOVED I NOTICED THAT THE INSIDE PORTION OF EACH REAR TIRE WAS WORN DOWN TO THE METAL MESH EMBEDDED IN THE TIRE. THE OUTER PORTION OF THE TIRES SHOWED AT LEAST ANOTHER 10K MILES ON THEM. THIS WAS/IS VERY DISCONCERTING AND ALARMING TO ME. I SEE IT AS A DESIGN FLAW, AND A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN. ONE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO HAVE THEIR CAR LIFTED INTO THE AIR EVERY 3-6K MILES TO INSPECT FOR THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A $60K + AUTOMOBILE. WHILE EXTREMELY SATISFIED WITH SOME ASPECTS OF THE VEHICLE, AND SATISFIED WITH OTHERS, THIS IS A DEAL BREAKER FOR ME. IF I EVER RECOMMEND A BMW 550I TO ANYONE, IT WILL BE WITH THE CAVEAT OF BE CAREFUL WHEN IT COMES TO THE FACTORY WHEELS AND ANY TYPE OF TIRE THAT YOU MOUNT ON IT BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING REAR ALIGNMENT ISSUES. I HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS WITH AN OTHERWISE GREAT 99' 525I SPORT. THE REALIGNMENT WORE OUT 2 MICHELIN PILOT SPORTS/REAR IN LESS THAN 10K MILES. *TR

I HAVE JUST SUFFERED MY SEVENTH CRACKED WHEEL IN 13K MILES / 18 MONTHS! ACCORDING TO WHEEL WIZARD IN ATLANTA, THEY SEE AN INORDINATE NUMBER OF BMW 550I, M5S, 650I, M6, 750I CARS. THEY SUBCONTRACT FOR ALL THE MAJORS - PORSCHE, JAGUAR, BMW, FERRARI ETC. WHEEL WIZARD BELIEVES THAT THE BMWS (PARTICULARLY WITH RUN FLATS), CHOSE AN ALLOY FOR THE WHEEL THAT IS DEFECTIVELY SOFT OR AND PRONE TO CRACKING GIVEN THE WEIGHT, POWER AND SUSPENSIONS ON THESE CARS. I AGREE!! 7 TIMES IN 18 MONTHS. I WORK OUT OF MY HOUSE AND DO NOT DRIVE MY CAR HARD. OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS I'VE BEEN DRIVING, I'VE OWNED MERCEDES (CLK430), JAGUAR (XK8), TOYOTA, 3 FORD SUVS, AN INFINITI AND HAVE NEVER HAD A SINGLE CRACKED WHEEL OR RIM IN 30 YEARS! (IF IT WERE MY DRIVING - THERE WOULD BE AT LEAST ONE OTHER INSTANCE IN 30 YEARS). BUT NOT ONCE. NOW, SINCE NOVEMBER 2009, I'VE HAD 7 CRACKED OR BENT RIMS! THIS IS BEYOND STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF JUST BAD LUCK. I HAVE HAD OTHER BMW DRIVERS TELL ME SIMILAR STORIES. A VERY GOOD FRIEND HAD A 650I THEN AN M6 - HE HAD BENT OR CRACKED RIM PROBLEMS ON HIS BMWS. A FRIEND HAS A 550I - HE HAS HAD BENT OR CRACKED RIMS IN THE FIRST 12 MONTHS. WHEEL WIZARD, WHEN I WAS IN LAST TIME, SAID THEY HAD SEEN 5 TO 7 5, 6 AND 7 SERIES IN THE PREVIOUS 5 DAYS. AND THEY SAID THAT BMW HAS AN UNUSUAL HIGH FREQUENCY OF BENT AND CRACKED RIMS ON THE 5, 6 AND 7 SERIES POST 2005 MODELS. TODAY, THE MANAGER SAID HE THOUGHT BMWS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH RUN FLAT TIRES, EXPERIENCE A MUCH GREATER THAN NORMAL BENT AND CRACKED RIM PROBLEM (SOMETHING THAT MAKES HIS BUSINESS MONEY - REPEAT PROBLEMS). I AM HOPING THE NTSB WILL OPEN UP AN OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION. BMW NATIONAL TRIED TO TELL ME THEY HAVE GOOD ENGINEERS. I RESPONDED, THAT'S WHAT TOYOTA SAID TOO WHEN THEY DENIED SAFETY PROBLEMS EVEN THOUGH WE NOW KNOW THEY WERE LYING. THAT'S WHAT FORD SAID WHEN PEOPLE WERE HAVING HIGH NUMBER OF ROLL OVER CRASHES IN THEIR SUVS. YOU CAN'T TRUST THESE CAR COMPANIES. PLEASE INVESTIGATE! *TR

HAVE HAD THIS BMW 550I FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS, AND IN THAT TIME I'VE HAD 3 BENT WHEELS AND ONE CRACKED WHEEL. I HAVE CARS WITH SIMILAR, ALUMINUM ALLOY RIMS AND LOWER PROFILE TIRES ON THEM - AND HAVE NOT BENT OR CRACKED A WHEEL ON THE OTHER CARS. THE REAR WHEEL CRACKED, BUT IT WAS ALONG THE INNER EDGE - AND WAS NOT NOTICED. THE ONLY REASON IT WAS CHECKED WAS BECAUSE THE TIRE KEPT LEAKING AIR. LUCKILY IT WAS CAUGHT BEFORE THE WHEEL CRACKED EVEN MORE (IT CRACKED FOR ABOUT 1" LONG FROM THE RIM EDGE TO JUST PAST THE TIRE BEAD). UPDATED 12/02/10 *BF UPDATED 12/07/10 *TR

THE CONTINENTAL TIRES AKA AS " CONTITOURING CONTACT CV95" ARE WEARING OUT PRETTY BAD WITH JUST 23000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE NOTICED WAVING INSIDE THE WALLS OF THE TIRES AND ONE OF THEM ACTUALLY STARTED TO COME APART. I HAVE BEEN DOING RESEARCH ON LINE REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR TIRE FROM CONTINENTAL WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINS AS MINE, AND IT APPEARS CONTINENTAL IS BLOWING PEOPLE OFF, AND THE AUTO DEALERS ARE NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY EITHER. AS FOR ME I BELIEVE THE TIRE SENSOR ON MY BMW COULD HAVE SAVE OUR LIVES. UPON GETTING A TIRE PRESSURE READING I PULLED OVER, FELT THE TIRES AND FOUND THE LEFT REAR TIRE WITH RIPPLES AND THE INSIDE TREADING COMING APART. I HAD JUST BEEN TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF UP TO 70 MILES WITH MY WIFE AND CHILDREN IN THE CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED CONTINENTAL VIA E-MAIL AND DO NOT EXPECT ANY RESPONSE SINCE SIMILAR PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED AND I HEAR CONTINENTAL TIRES IS NOT RESPONDING TO PEOPLE'S CONCERNS. THIS IS SCARY AND SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. THANKS *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON THE NYS THRUWAY, I HIT A VERY SMALL POTHOLE AND BOTH RIGHT SIDE TIRES RUPTURED AT THE TIRE BEAD. AT LEAST TWENTY OTHER CARS PASSED OVER THE SAME POTHOLE AND NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THEIR TIRES. THE TIRES PARTIALLY SEPARATED FROM THE RIMS MAKING DRIVING THE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS. EVEN THOUGH THE CARS HAS RUN FLAT TIRES, THE TIRES SEPARATED SO FAR FROM THE BEAD IT MADE DRIVING THE CAR DANGEROUS. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME SMALL OBJECTS IN THE ROADWAY CAUSED THESE RUNFLAT TIRES TO RUPTURE DANGEROUSLY ON VERY SMALL POTHOLES. HAD I CONTINUED DRIVING ON THEM AS STATED BY BMW, THEY WOULD HAVE SEPARATED FROM THE RIMS AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

REAR TIRES ON MY 2007 BMW 550I WEAR DANGEROUSLY LOW ON THE INNER TIRE VS. THE PART YOU CAN SEE. *TR

I PURCHASED A NEW 2007 530I WITH LIGHT ALLOY RIMS AND "RUN FLAT" TIRES FROM WEATHERFORD BMW IN BERKELEY, CA. IN JUNE 2008, WITH ONLY 10836 MILES ON MY ODOMETER I WAS ADVISED THAT I HAD TO HAVE MY TWO REAR RIMS REPLACED AT $491.19 EACH FOR A TOTAL OF $982.38. THE PART NUMBER FOR THESE RIMS ARE 36-11-6-760-616. I WAS NOTIFIED BY MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT SOME OF THE RUBBER ON THE MY REAR TIRE TIRE WAS SEPARATING AND FLAPPING THUS THE NOISE IN MY REAR TIRES. WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE FOR TIRE REPLACEMENT AT THE TIRE FIRM, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE SAME TWO RIMS THAT WERE REPLACED IN 2008 AT 10836 MILES WAS CRACKED (NOW AT 77633 MILES). I ATTEMPTED TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER WITH THE BMW DEALER BUT WAS PROMPTLY DISMISSED BY THE SERVICE TECHNICIAB AND TOLD "TOUGH LUCK" AND IF I WANTED 2 NEW RIMS, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM. SINCE THESE RIMS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO MY PERSONAL SAFETY AND I FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT THAT AS BAD AS THE HIGHWAYS IN CALIFORNIA ARE NOT A+, THAT THESE RIMS WOULD FAIL AT 10,836 MILES OF NORMAL DRIVING EVEN WITH THE "RUN FLAT" TIRES. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THIS SITUATION APPEARS TO BE ALMOST A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE SAME VEHICLES, ALL WITH MANUFACTURER'S RIMS. SINCE THE SAFETY OF THE PASSENGERS DEPENDS ON THE DEPENDABILITY OF THE RIMS AND TIRES I FEEL IT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BY YOUR DEPARTMENT. *TR