What 264 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 BMW 535i

6 TIRES IN LESS THAN A 3 YEAR PERIOD HAVE FAILED. SOME HAVE BUBBLED. TWO HAVE GONE FLAT. ONE FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65MPH. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PARTICULAR PROBLEM WITH THE GOODYEAR RUNFLAT TIRES ON THE 19 INCH RIMS ON THIS VEHICLE. SMALL POTHOLES ARE UNAVOIDABLE ON MASSACHUSETTS ROADWAYS. SOME OF THE INCIDENTS OCCURRED DAYS AFTER. OTHERS WERE UNASSOCIATED WITH SUCH AN INCIDENT. BOTH BMW AND GOODYEAR REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. *TR

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I PURCHASED A 2011 BMW 535I XDRIVE VEHICLE WITH GOODYEAR EAGLE LS RUNFLATS 245/40 R19. THE CAR HAS ONLY 19,000 MILES AND FROM THE DAY THAT I PURCHASED IT (IN FEB 2011), I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT TIRES 8 TIMES AND RECENTLY THE REAR TIRES 2 TIMES. A TOTAL OF 10 TIRE REPLACEMENTS. SOME REPLACEMENTS WERE DUE TO BUBBLES ON SIDEWALLS. THE OTHERS WERE DUE WHAT APPEARED TO BE CUTS ON THE INSIDE/OUTSIDE SIDEWALLS. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY BMW OWNERS OF SIMILAR VEHICLE AND EVERYONE IS RUNNING INTO THE SAME PROBLEM. GOODYEAR INITIALLY WAS REPLACING MY TIRES AT NO CHARGE BECASUE THEY TIRE DAMAGE ALWAYS WAS WITHIN TIRE WARRANTY WINDOW UNTIL LAST YEAR WHEN THEY CHANGED THEIR ROAD HAZZARD WARRANTY POLICY AND NO LONGER COVER THE EXPENSE. THESE ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TIRES. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THESE TIRES..... *TR

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THREE GOODYEAR EXCELLENCE 245/40R19XL RUN-FLAT TIRES HAVE FAILED WITH SIDEWALL BUBBLES ON MY 2011 BMW 535I. THE FIRST WAS ON 8-31-11 AT 7,317 MILES. THE SECOND ON 1-15-13 AT 20,158 MILES AND THE MOST RECENT ON 7-16-13 AT 23,433 MILES. THE FACTORY ORIGINAL RIGHT-FRONT TIRE AND ITS REPLACEMENT TIRE BOTH FAILED. THE THIRD FAILURE (ON 7-16-13) WAS ON THE LEFT FRONT. THIS IS MY WIFE'S CAR AND IT IS DRIVEN VERY CONSERVATIVELY. NO WRECKS, NO HITTING CURBS, ETC. NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE I HAD THIS TYPE OF TIRE FAILURE. THESE RUN-FLAT TIRES ARE TRULY DEFECTIVE. IN EACH CASE, I HAD TO PAY FOR A NEW REPLACEMENT TIRE. OLD TIRES ARE NOT AVAILABLE UNLESS I COULD RECLAIM THE LATEST TIRE AT MY LOCAL TIRE SHOP BEFORE THEY DISCARDED IT. COMPLAINED TO GOODYEAR THE LAST TIME AND THEY AGREED TO PAY PART OF THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT TIRE. THESE NEED TO BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR

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I HAVE A 2011 BMW 535I IS PURCHASE NOV 2010 FROM BMW MILITARY SALES, THREE WEEKS AFTER RECEIVING CAR, MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE FORM A BUBBLE AND WAS REPLACED BY BMW OF LANDSTUHL, I SHIPPED THE CAR TO THE US MAY 2011. JUNE 2011 MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE FORM A BUBBLE; TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD TIRE WAS NOT COVER IN WARRANTY; BOTH NEW TIRE, AUG 2011 FRONT LEFT TIRE FORM BLISTER; TOOK BACK TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD I NEED TO CONTACT GOODYEAR; I EMAIL THE MANUFACTURE NO RESPONSE; APRIL 2013 I HAD CURBSIDE REAR TIRE TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT EL PASO HAD ROUGH ROADS AND THAT THE BLISTERS FORM FROM WEAR AND TEAR; SO I REPLACE ALL FOUR RUN FLAT TIRES AND NO MORE BUBBLES FORMING ON TIRES. NOT COUNTING THE TIRE REPLACE BY BMW LANDSTUHL I HAVE REPLACED 3 TIRES. *TR

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THE GOODYEAR RUN FLAT TIRES ON THE VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY DEVELOP BUBBLES ON THE SIDEWALL. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES AND BMW REPLACED BECAUSE I HAD A TIRE/WHEEL PACKAGE. NOW THAT THE TIRE/WHEEL PACKAGE HAS EXPIRED I HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO GOODYEAR REGARDING THIS MATTER. I DO FEEL THAT THIS IS A GOODYEAR ISSUE BUT ALSO A BMW ISSUE BECAUSE THEY ARE INSTALLING A DEFECTED PRODUCT ON THEIR VEHICLES. FROM MY RECENT RESEARCH I SEE THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND THE PROBLEM HAS YET TO BE RECTIFIED. THESE TIRES ARE UNSAFE AND ARE A HAZARDS. WILL IT TAKE SOMEONE BEING KILLED BEFORE SOMETHING IS REQUIRED OF BOTH BMW AND GOODYEAR TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM AT THEIR EXPENSE AND NOT THE CONSUMERS???? *TR

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WHILE DRIVING MY 2011 BMW 535I ON THE INTERSTATE, ON A CONSTRUCTION ZONE, AT 11:00 PM, I HIT A POT HOLE WITH MY FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY NOTICED FRONT END VIBRATION. PULLED OVER, DID NOT NOTICE DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL/ TIRE AND CONTINUED DRIVING UNTIL ARRIVED AT HOME WITHOUT TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING ACTIVATION. UPON INSPECTION OF THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE, NOTICED AN APPROXIMATELLY A 3 INCH LONG "BUBBLE" ON THE SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE. FOLLOWING MONDAY, BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE GOOD YEAR SHOP FOR INSPECTION AFTER OPENING UP A CASE VIA THE 800 NUMBER WITH GOODYEAR. UPON INSPECTION BY THE GOODYEAR MECHANIC, THERE WAS A LARGE 3-4 INCH TEAR IN THE INSIDE LAYER OF THE SIDEWALL. UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW MANY LAYERS INVOLVED. MOST LIKELY THAT THE OUTSIDE LAYER NOT INVOLVED BECAUSE TIRE MAINTENED PRESSURE AT ALL TIMES. BASED ON A WEB SEARCH, IT APPEARS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE FAILURES OF THE SIDEWALL OF THESE TIRES. TIRE INVOLVED, GOODYEAR EAGLE LS2 ROF, DOT NE66 JP1R 2011. WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE? *TR

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THE AUTOMOBILE HAS THE STOCK WHEELS/TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE M535 XI (GOODYEAR EAGLE LS RUNFLATS 245/40 R19). AFTER RECEIVING THE VEHICLE BACK FROM BMW SERVICE, I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE (INFLATED TO 35 PSI) HAS A BULGE ON THE EXTERIOR SIDEWALL. *TR

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I HAVE A 2011 BMW 535I WITH 16,300 MILES WHICH DEVELOPED A BUBBLE ON THE OUTSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE 19" GOODYEAR EXCELLENCE RUN FLAT TIRE. THERE WAS NO POTHOLE IMPACT OR OTHER INCIDENT THAT I AM AWARE OF. THE REPLACEMENT COST AT THE BMW DEALER WAS OVER $500. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE MANY INSTANCES OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRES. WHY HAVEN'T THEY BEEN RECALLED? *TR

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GOODYEAR EAGLE LS TIRES SIDEWALL BUBBLES AFTER DRIVING JUST A FEW THOUSAND MILES. THIS IS THE SECOND TIRE WITH A DEFECT THAT WAS NOT CAUSED BY ANY IMPACT. *TR

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AIR BUBBLES IN THE SIDE OF 3 TIRES PUT OUT GOODYEAR 2011 535I I ONLY HAVE 17000 MILES ON THE CAR I HAD TO PURCHASE 3 NEW TIRES AND WAS TOLD IF I HIT A POT HOLE IT WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE TIRES AGAIN AFTER SPENDING OVER $1500 ON TIRES FOR THE BMW. *TR

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LAST APRIL I PURCHASED A BMW 550IX. IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR WHILE ON THE FREEWAY I DEVELOPED A FLAT TIRE. I WAS ABLE TO RUN THE VEHICLE 40 MILES TO MY HOME WITH THE TIRE FLAT BUT HAD TO FLATBED THE VEHICLE TO MY CAR REPAIR STORE TO REPLACE THE TIRE. THAT TIRE HAD A BUBBLED SIDEWALL AT THE TIME OF THE FLAT ALTHOUGH I CANNOT SAY THAT THE BUBBLED SIDEWALL WAS WHERE THE TIRE FAILED. I HAD THE TIRE REPLACED FOR AROUND $500 AND THE MECHANIC MADE NO MENTION TO ME ABOUT THE BUBBLED SIDEWALL ISSUE WITH THIS TIRE ALTHOUGH, AS IT TURNS OUT, HE WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. AT THE TIME OF REPAIR OF THE ABOVE FLAT, MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT TIRE ALSO HAD A BUBBLED SIDEWALL NECESSITATING REPLACEMENT OF THAT TIRE IN ORDER TO PASS MY STATE VEHICLE INSPECTION. SINCE THE REPAIR IN LATE MARCH 2012, I NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT TIRE HAS A BUBBLED SIDEWALL. I MIGHT ADD THAT NO POTHOLES HAVE BEEN HIT, DO ROAD DEBRIS HAS BEEN STRUCK. SO TWO AND POSSIBLY THREE OF FOUR OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES ON THIS VEHICLE, WHICH IS JUST NOW OVER 1 YEAR OLD, HAVE FAILED SIDEWALLS NECESSITATING REPLACEMENT. THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE IS AROUND 13,000 MILES. *JS

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AT 6000 MILES CAR DISPLAYED THREE TIRES WITH "SIDEWALL BUBBLES" IN THEM. DEALER REPLACED THREE TIRES AT COST TO ME. AT <12,000 MILES LATER ONE OF THOSE REPLACED HAD A "SIDEWALL BUBBLE" WHICH AGAIN WAS REPLACED AT MY COST. I FEAR THERE IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH THIS CAR USING THESE TIRES (GOODYEAR RFT) WAITING TO HAPPEN THAT WILL EFFECT LIFE OR HEALTH AND REQUEST ACTION BE TAKEN BEFORE THERE IS A TRAGEDY. EVERYONE IS ACTING AS IF THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN?

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GOODYEAR EAGLE LS-2 TIRE FAILURE- BUBBLE IN SIDEWALL WITH LESS THAN 3,000 MILES ON IT. *JS

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TIRES ARE EXTREMELY SUSCEPTIBLE TO BUBBLES IN THE SIDEWALL CAUSED BY ROUTING DRIVING. I'VE REPLACED TWO TIRES IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS ON A NEW VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 12,000 MILES. (BMW 550I X-DRIVE). *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 550I WITH GOODYEAR EAGLE LS-2 TIRES, LINE SIZES P245/40/R19. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH OF THE FRONT TIRES DEVELOPED BUBBLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE VIN AND DOT NUMBERS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

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I BOUGHT THIS 2011 MODEL BMW 535IX IN MARCH 2011, AND IT CAME WITH GOODYEAR EAGLE LS/2 ROF TIRES. THE FRONT TIRE STARTED TO DEVELOP A BUBBLE ON THE SIDE WALL AND LOSE AIR PRESSURE. A FEW DAYS LATER A CRACK WAS FOUND ON THE REAR TIRE. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR 6,000 MILES WHEN THE ISSUE OCCURRED. THE WORSE THING YET IS THAT EVEN THOUGH THE TIRES ARE UNDER ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY, ALL TIRES THAT COME WITH THIS CAR ARE IN NATIONAL BACKORDER WHICH MEANS CONSUMER HAS NO WAY TO GET THE SAME OEM TIRE. THIS TIRE/WHEEL SET SHALL BE RECALLED BY BMW AS IT APPEARS TO BE DESIGN FLAW ON BMW'S SIDE ACCORDING NUMEROUS ONLINE COMPLAINTS AND BMW FORUMS. THE SAME TIRE IS USED BY MANY OTHER DIFFERENT CAR MAKERS AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THEM. *TR

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RUN-FLAT TIRES BMW SPORTS PACKAGE TIRE BULGE SIDEWALL - UNACCEPTABLE THE BMW DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE CLOSE TO $500 FOR REPLACEMENT! WE ARE TAKING THE COMPLAINT TO THE LOCAL GOODYEAR DEALER TO SEE IF THEY WILL OFFER A REPLACEMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ALL NEW TIRES. IT APPEARS THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THESE TIRES. I THINK A RECALL IS APPROPRIATE. *TR

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HAVE A 2011 BMW 535XI WITH 5,000 MILES ON IT. BUMPED A SMALL POT HOLE AND MY FRONT GOODYEAR 245/40/19 EAGLE LS2 RUN FLAT SIDEWALL BUSTED UP AND BALLOONED. FOR THE VERY HIGH COST THESE TIRES ARE MADE LIKE CRAP...THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS VERY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS LISTED ALL OVER THE INTERNET. PLEASE RECALL TO SAVE THE CONSUMERS THE COSTLY FACTOR OF CONSTANT REPLACEMENTS AND OUR OVERALL SAFETY.

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CREATION OF BUBBLE IN SIDEWALL OF GOODYEAR RUN FLAT 19INCH ALL SEASON TIRE. *TR

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I HAVE A 2011 BMW 535I WITH RUN FLAT TIRES. AFTER HITTING A SMALL POT HOLE I NOTICED BUBBLES ON THE OUTSIDE OF BOTH FRONT TIRES. THERE WAS ALSO A SMALL SLASH IN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. I TOOK MY CAR TO BMW TODAY AND AT FIRST WAS TOLD THAT THAT THIS IS A NORMAL OCCURENCE IF YOU HIT A POTHOLE. I TOLD THEM THAT NEVER IN THE HISTORY OF DRIVING HAD I EVER EXPERIENCED A TIRE BEING DAMAGED IN THIS WAY DUE TO A SMALL POT HOLE. I AM NOW WAITING TO SEE WHAT THEIR RESPONSE TO THIS PROBLEM WILL BE. THEY TRIED TO BLAME ME AND HAVE ME BUY TIRES FROM THEM BUT AFTER I REFUSED THEY SAID THEY WOULD TRY TO WORK SOMETHING OUT. *TR

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MY 2011 BMW 550IX HAS GOODYEAR EAGLE LS 2 RUN FLATS, 245/40. I TOOK DELIVERY OF THE CAR IN JULY 2011 AND HAD BUBBLES ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE IN LESS THAN A MONTH PERIOD. I JUST NOTICED THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH SUCH PROBLEM AND WANT TO TAKE MY PART IN REPORTING THIS BUBBLE PROBLEM WITH THIS RUN FLAT TIRES. *TR

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MY 2011 BMW 550XI HAS GOODYEAR EAGLE LS 2 RUN FLATS, 245/40. I TOOK DELIVERY OF THE CAR IN JUNE 2011 AND HAVE HAD REPEATED BUBBLES ON THE FRONT TIRES. FOUR TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TO DATE. I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH TIRES FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS. THE BMW DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO SAY WHETHER IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON TIRES WITH BUBBLES. *KB

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I TOOK MY 2011, 5351 BMW IN FOR IT'S FIRST SERVICE AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE 2 FRONT TIRES (GOODYEAR EXCELLENCE RUNONFLAT) HAD BUBBLES OR BULGES IN THE SIDE WALLS AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE REPLACED. I SAW ON LINE THAT OTHERS HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEMS SO I CONTACTED THE BMW SERVICE AGAIN AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT GOODYEAR. I WENT TO A LOCAL GOODYEAR DEALER WHO CALLED GOODYEAR AND I SPOKE WITH A CLAIMS WOMAN WHO WROTE UP A CLAIM. SHE CONTACTED BMW DEALER AND DEALER CALLED ME. I WAS TOLD THAT ALL OR PART OF REPLACEMENTS COSTS WILL BE COVERED. I AM SCHEDULED ON MONDAY TO DROP CAR OFF TO SEE WHAT WILL BE DONE TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT. *TR

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REPEATED SIDEWALL BUBBLES ON MY GOODYEAR EAGLE LS 2 TIRES, 245/40 R19, AND NEED FOR REPLACEMENT, BOTH FRONT TIRES IN TWO SEPERATE INCIDENTS, WITH LESS THAN 7,000 MILES ON THE CAR, AFTER HITTING MINOR BUMPS IN THE ROAD. THEY ARE UNRELIABLE AND DANGEROUS. *TT

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ORIGINAL TIRES ON BMW 550I XDRIVE WITH M SPORT PACKAGE HAVE FAILED DUE TO BUBBLES IN THE SIDEWALLS. THESE ARE GOOD YEAR EAGLE LS-2 RUNFLATS, 245/40R19 98 V. I HAVE HAD FRONT RIGHT TIRE REPLACED TWICE, AND FRONT LEFT TIRE NOW AWAITING 3RD REPLACEMENT. BUBBLES OCCUR AFTER TIRE TAKES ANY SMALL IMPACT IN THE ROAD, SUCH AS DRIVING OVER A MANHOLE THAT IS NOT QUITE UP TO THE LEVEL OF THE PAVEMENT, OR HITTING A SMALL POTHOLE. ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL, THERE ARE NO OTHER TIRE REPLACEMENTS APPROVED, AND THE CURRENT TIRE REPLACEMENT IS ON BACKORDER. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD TO DRIVE ON TIRES THAT CAN POTENTIALLY BLOW OUT THE SIDEWALL WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED. I FEEL THERE NEEDS TO BE A NATIONAL RECALL ON THESE TIRES, WHICH WOULD THEN OBLIGATE BMW TO USE A DIFFERENT TIRE LINE. THANK YOU. *TT

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