If you have 19 Inch wheels on your car, read on. If not this might not be of interest to you.
For all you BMW drivers with the 2009 sports package 19 Inch wheels on your car I am posting this primarily to give you the heads up on possible cracks on your rear wheels.
My planned retirement trip was to be fun and it was for the first part. The second part (some 3,000 KM from home) turned out to be a nightmare. Why you might ask? Well let me tell you.
1) The Tire Pressure Warning (TPW) came on some 3,000 KM from home. I was lucky to be near a gas station that had a tire pressure station and I carried a good quality pressure gauge with me at all times since I check my tire pressure on a regular basis. Well the rear driver side pressure was low so I increased the pressure back to specification 42 PSIG.
2) Next morning after a night stay at a hotel, the TPW came on again. So again I was lucky since I was in Idaho Falls. So I pulled into the LES SCHWAB tire center. The people there were super and checked the tire right away. They not only pointed out the crack to me right away they also pointed out that my rear tires wore prematurely on the inside edges. For all this work and checking the people at LES SCHWAB did not charge me a cent, I call this truly excellent Customer Service. The Manager at LES SCHWAB then pointed out that I best go to BMW just down the road so I did.
3) The BMW dealer people were also very nice, however, I was only given two options. A) Be towed to the nearest Canadian Dealership by Road Side Assistance or C) Order the Wheel and pay for it then try to get my money back from the Canadian BMW people. All this since the US and Canadian BMW Dealerships have different warranty policies (something to put in the back of your mind when you travel north or south of the boarder). So I paid my $666- US for the new wheel (it included overnight delivery and taxes).
4) Well since the Idaho Falls BMW dealer only checks tire pressure I was directed to BIG O Tire. Again the people here were very nice and as I requested checked all of my wheels and tires. The nightmare for me now begins since the BIG O Tire people now found two more cracks in my passenger rear wheel. Since the two cracks were only hairline cracks (very fine at this stage) I decided to chance it and make my way home with it as is. For all the work and checks done at BIG O Tire I was only charged $19- US again Great Customer Service. Naturally I gave the boys a nice tip all around. With the badly cracked wheel in a plastic bag on the passenger front seat and another wheel with two cracks in it on the car as well as two prematurely worn tires I went on my way east.
5) So put yourself into my shoes knowing you have 2 cracks in a wheel on the car and two tires worn prematurely on the inside edges (see pictures). How would you feel? Yes a very scary situation, with every little bump or noise your fear of the TPW light coming on flashes thru your mind.
6) Well I made it home (someone must have been watching over me). Washing my car this morning, well I did the wheel first so you can all have a closer look.
Here is the link to the Cracked Wheel and Tire Album 17;
http://web.me.com/solgain/Road_Trip...f-Dieter_Canada/Pages/17_-_Cracked_Wheel.html
Meanwhile my advise to anyone out there with 19 Inch BMW wheels is;
A) Stay clear of roads with tight curves like The Coastal Highway 1 and 101 as well as the Mohave Desert.
B) Take it very easy on the on and off ramps to express ways.
C) Do get your car onto a lift and have the inside wheel rim checked for cracks.
After I deal with the Canadian Dealership regarding warranty issue for two rear wheels and two rear tires I shall get back to you and let you know my feelings as to why I experienced such wheel and tire issues after only 18,000 KM on a car that is not yet 1 year old.
Cheers,
Rolf-Dieter
PS. I will now continue to wash my car. Oh one more thing, did I enjoy my trip? Hell yes it was wonderful only wish BMW would not put such inferior wheels on such a fine driving machine.
For all you BMW drivers with the 2009 sports package 19 Inch wheels on your car I am posting this primarily to give you the heads up on possible cracks on your rear wheels.
My planned retirement trip was to be fun and it was for the first part. The second part (some 3,000 KM from home) turned out to be a nightmare. Why you might ask? Well let me tell you.
1) The Tire Pressure Warning (TPW) came on some 3,000 KM from home. I was lucky to be near a gas station that had a tire pressure station and I carried a good quality pressure gauge with me at all times since I check my tire pressure on a regular basis. Well the rear driver side pressure was low so I increased the pressure back to specification 42 PSIG.
2) Next morning after a night stay at a hotel, the TPW came on again. So again I was lucky since I was in Idaho Falls. So I pulled into the LES SCHWAB tire center. The people there were super and checked the tire right away. They not only pointed out the crack to me right away they also pointed out that my rear tires wore prematurely on the inside edges. For all this work and checking the people at LES SCHWAB did not charge me a cent, I call this truly excellent Customer Service. The Manager at LES SCHWAB then pointed out that I best go to BMW just down the road so I did.
3) The BMW dealer people were also very nice, however, I was only given two options. A) Be towed to the nearest Canadian Dealership by Road Side Assistance or C) Order the Wheel and pay for it then try to get my money back from the Canadian BMW people. All this since the US and Canadian BMW Dealerships have different warranty policies (something to put in the back of your mind when you travel north or south of the boarder). So I paid my $666- US for the new wheel (it included overnight delivery and taxes).
4) Well since the Idaho Falls BMW dealer only checks tire pressure I was directed to BIG O Tire. Again the people here were very nice and as I requested checked all of my wheels and tires. The nightmare for me now begins since the BIG O Tire people now found two more cracks in my passenger rear wheel. Since the two cracks were only hairline cracks (very fine at this stage) I decided to chance it and make my way home with it as is. For all the work and checks done at BIG O Tire I was only charged $19- US again Great Customer Service. Naturally I gave the boys a nice tip all around. With the badly cracked wheel in a plastic bag on the passenger front seat and another wheel with two cracks in it on the car as well as two prematurely worn tires I went on my way east.
5) So put yourself into my shoes knowing you have 2 cracks in a wheel on the car and two tires worn prematurely on the inside edges (see pictures). How would you feel? Yes a very scary situation, with every little bump or noise your fear of the TPW light coming on flashes thru your mind.
6) Well I made it home (someone must have been watching over me). Washing my car this morning, well I did the wheel first so you can all have a closer look.
Here is the link to the Cracked Wheel and Tire Album 17;
http://web.me.com/solgain/Road_Trip...f-Dieter_Canada/Pages/17_-_Cracked_Wheel.html
Meanwhile my advise to anyone out there with 19 Inch BMW wheels is;
A) Stay clear of roads with tight curves like The Coastal Highway 1 and 101 as well as the Mohave Desert.
B) Take it very easy on the on and off ramps to express ways.
C) Do get your car onto a lift and have the inside wheel rim checked for cracks.
After I deal with the Canadian Dealership regarding warranty issue for two rear wheels and two rear tires I shall get back to you and let you know my feelings as to why I experienced such wheel and tire issues after only 18,000 KM on a car that is not yet 1 year old.
Cheers,
Rolf-Dieter
PS. I will now continue to wash my car. Oh one more thing, did I enjoy my trip? Hell yes it was wonderful only wish BMW would not put such inferior wheels on such a fine driving machine.
