What 165 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 BMW 550i Xdrive

I WAS DRIVING MY 2011 BMW 550X M SPORT ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE IN JULY 2014 WHEN TWO BUBBLES STARTED TO FORM ON THE GOODYEAR LS-2 245/40R19 FRONT LEFT TIRE. GIVEN I ONLY HAD 70 MILES TO MY DESTINATION I CONTINUED AT THE 65 MPH. WELL, NEEDLESS TO SAY, AS I EXITED THE TURNPIKE THE FRONT LEFT TIRE FAILED. LOST ALL PRESSURE. THIS WASN'T EVEN THE TIRE I THOUGHT MIGHT FAIL. I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE 30 MILES ON THE HIGHWAY ON TWO DANGEROUS TIRES SO I COULD GET TO A SAFE PLACE TO CALL FOR A TOW. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP 70 MILES AWAY. THESE WERE NEWLY REPLACED TIRES WITH ABOUT 5K MILES ON THEM. I'M ATTEMPTING TO GET THE TIRES REPLACED AT NO COST EVEN GIVEN THE UNSAFE TIRE RESULTS BUT IT'S MY ONLY OPTION AT THIS POINT GIVEN MY LOCATION. THE DEALER IS TRYING TO CHARGE FULL PRICE FOR THE REPLACEMENT TIRES. I FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

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DRIVING MY 69 YEAR OLD WIFE'S 2011 BMW 550IX WITH M SPORT PKG. WITH GOODYEAR RUN FLAT'S O.E.M. GERMAN TIRE'S WHEN THE LEFT FRONT TIRE SIDE WALL RUPTURED FOR NO REASON. CAR ALWAYS GARAGED AND 4900 MILES ON CAR. *TR

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THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE HAD 2 BUBBLES FORMING ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. THE TIRE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. JFT

NHTSA ODI 10560366

THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF A SIDEWALL BUBBLE ON MY BMW GOODYEAR EXCELLENCE19" RUN FLAT TIRES 98 ON MY 2011 BMW 550I. IN JANUARY 2013 AT 11,000 MILES MY RIGHT FRONT DEVELOPED A BUBBLE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I ONLY NOTICED BECAUSE MY TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR ALERT CAME ON AND WHEN I TOOK MY CAR TO HAVE MY TIRES CHECKED THEY NOTICED THE BUBBLE. NOW AT 14,000 MY LEFT FRONT SIDE TIRE IS ALSO DEVELOPING A SIDEWALL BUBBLE. THE TIRES HAVE PLENTY OF TREAD AND I DO NOT ABUSE MY CAR. I AM VERY CAREFUL ABOUT AVOIDING POTHOLES AND DRIVE SLOWLY OVER RAILROAD TRACKS. *TR

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GOODYEAR RUN ON FLAT 245/40/19 GETS BUBBLE ON TIRE. I HAD TO CHANGE THE SAME TIRE WITHIN 10 DAYS WITH NO WARRANTY COVERAGE AVAILABLE. THEN A WEEK LATER HAD TO CHANGE ANOTHER TIRE WHICH IS 3 TIRES WITHIN 5,000 MILES AND COST OF $1,600. *TR

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I JUST HAD MY 4TH GOODYEAR RUN FLAT TIRE FAILURE. THE FIRST TWO WERE REPLACED BY GOODYEAR AS THEY SAID THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE. LAST MONTH ONE OF THE REPLACED TIRES FAILED AND THEY CHARGED ME FOR THE REPLACEMENT. TODAY THE 4TH TIRE FAILED. THE TIRE DEVELOPS A BUBBLE IN THE SIDE WALL THAT IS 5 TO 6 INCHES LONG AND PROTRUDES ABOUT AN INCH AND A HALF. IT AFFECTS THE STEERING AND CAUSES HARSH VIBRATIONS. I JUST SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND SEE A POSSIBLE CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT MAY BE STARTED BY BMW OWNERS AS THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT GOODYEAR IS AWARE OF. THESE TIRES ARE NOT SAFE AND WILL CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. BMW IS ALSO AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT NEITHER COMPANY IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 550X1 EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR EAGLE LS2 RUN FLAT TIRES, SIZE 245/40/19. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING OVER A POTHOLE WHEN THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN WITH CAUTION AND THE DEFECTIVE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THERE HAD BEEN A TOTAL OF TEN TIRES THAT WERE REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE SINCE 2011 AS A RESULT OF A BLOW-OUT OR BUBBLES ON THE SIDEWALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.

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I HAVE HAD 15 TIRE DEFECTS REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF !! TIRES IN 16,300 MILES OF DRIVING. THESE DEFECT RESULT IN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITONS AND POSSIBILITY OF ACCIDENTS. THE TIRES ARE NOT CAPABLE OF SUSTAINING MINOR AND NORMAL HIGHWAY CONDITIONS. MY TIRES ARE CURRENTLY BEING REPLACED AGAIN. THREE BULGES ON THE RIGHT FRONT, TWO OF THE LEFT FRONT AND ONE ON THE RIGHT REAR. THESE ARE NOT DO TO DRIVING THEY HAVE RESULTED IN 11 NEW TIRES AND 15 BLOWOUTS, IN 16,300 MILES. THE TIRES HAVE A DESIGN FLAW. SEE INTERNET FOR COMPLAINTS> THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHICH NEED INVESTIGATION. *TR

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BULGE IN SIDEWALL OF GOODYEAR TIRE MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE. *TR

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TIRE BUBBLE ON SIDEWALL FRONT RIGHT TIRE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY TIRES 3 TIMES. THE TIRES ARE GOODYEAR RUN FLAT EXCELLENCE 245/40R19 98Y. *JS

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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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AUTOMOBILE WAS PURCHASED IN MAY 2011, AND I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY GOODYEAR P245/40R19 RUN FLAT TIRES SIX (6) TIMES. I HAVE EXPERIENCED 4 SIDEWALL BLOWOUTS, SOME ON INTERSTATE SOME ON REGULAR ROADS. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TWO TIRES DUE TO SIDEWALL BUBBLES, DUE TO TIRE SIDEWALL BREAKDOWN. THIS AUTOMOBILE IS NOT SAFE AT ANY SPEED AND I HAVE HAD TO USE MY 2012 FORD FOCUS FOR MOST OF MY DRIVING. BMW HAS DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN REGARD TO THIS PROBLEM AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THESE TIRES HAVE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. *TR

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MY 2011 BMW 550I X GRAN TURISMO WAS PURCHASED IN 3/11. IN 10/11 I HAD THE TIRES CHECKED AND TOPPED OFF WITH NITROGEN. THE CAR HAD ABOUT 10,500 MILES. ON SATURDAY, 3/17/12 THE IPM SYSTEM SAID THE TIRES HAD LOW PRESSURE. ALL TIRES. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, DROP IT OFF AND, WITH A LOAN CAR, DID SOME RUNNING. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS DOWN TO THE CORDS ON THE UPPER INSIDE SIDEWALL. IN ADDITION, THE LEFT REAR WAS ALMOST DOWN TO THE CORDS ON THE SAME PLACE ON THE TIRE. THE FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT WERE NOT AS BAD BUT SHOWED WEAR AT THE SAME SPOTS ON THE TIRES AS THE REAR TIRES. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME TO REPLACE ALL TIRES. AT THAT TIME, I CHOSE TO JUST REPLACE THE REAR. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO TOLD ME THAT IT WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY A THE CAR BEING BADLY OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THEREFORE, I HAD MY 2011 BMW 550I X GT GIVEN AN ALIGNMENT. WHEN I LOOKED CLOSELY AT THE TIRE THAT WAS SHOWING THE CORDS I COULD SEE THAT THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING FROM THE BODY OF THE TIRE. IF THAT TIRE OR ANY OF THE OTHERS WOULD HAVE HAD THE CORD SEPARATE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A VERY BAD ACCIDENT. THE ALIGNMENT WAS OK, ONLY THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE OUT BY 0.01 DEGREE. I CALLED GOODYEAR AND I TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPEN. WHEN I TOLD THEM THE TREAD WAS TRYING TO SEPARATE THE AGENT PUT ME ON HOLD, CAME BACK, TOLD ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO A LOCAL TIRE COMPANY AND LET THEIR REPRESENTATIVE LOOK AT THE TIRES. THE TIRES WERE LOOKED AT, THE REP CALL GOODYEAR, CAME BACK AND TOLD ME GOODYEAR WOULD BE REPLACING THE FRONT TIRES. GOODYEAR WOULD ALSO SEND ME A REBATE FOR THE BACK TIRES, NOTHING ELSE. I WONDER IF THIS IS PART OF THE SAME PROBLEM THAT PEOPLE ARE HAVING WITH BMW 5 SERIES AND GOODYEAR RUNFLATS. LASTLY, I STILL HAVE THE TIRE WITH THE CORDS SHOWING AND THE TREAD SEPARATING. THE DEALERSHIP GAVE THEM BACK TO ME SINCE I PAID FULL PRICE FOR THE TIRES AT THE TIME OF REPLACEMENT. *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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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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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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CREATION OF BUBBLE IN SIDEWALL OF GOODYEAR RUN FLAT 19INCH ALL SEASON TIRE. *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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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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I HAVE A 2011 BMW X5 WITH THE BRIDGESTONE DUELER H/L 400 255/50R19 107 H. THE TIRES ARE 8 MONTHS OLD AND HAS DRIVEN ALMOST 14000 KM. TODAY ONE OF MY TIRES CRACKED ON A SIDE WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AT THE INTERSECTION. I ALMOST GOT INTO CAR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF IT. WHEN I GOT HOME I'VE CHECKED ALL MY TIRES AND FOUND OUT THAT ANOTHER TIRE HAS A BUMP ON A SIDE THAT WILL SOON CRACK OR BLEW-OUT ON ME. I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S NORMAL THAT 2 OUT OF 4 TIRES ARE DAMAGED AFTER ONLY 14000 KM. *KB

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ORIGINAL VEHICLE EQUIPMENT ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPORT PACKAGE OR M-PACKAGE; TIRE SIZE: 245/40/19 FAILURE OF MULTIPLE TIRES MANUFACTURED BY GOOD YEAR. TIRE BRAND: LS2 RUN FLAT, ALL SEASON TIRES. TWO FRONT TIRES FORMED "BUBBLES" ON THE OUTSIDE; AS A RESULT VEHICLE VIBRATES AT HIGHER SPEEDS. DEFECTIVE TIRES ALSO CAUSED SLIGHT BENDS ON TWO WHEELS (ONE FRONT ONE REAR). VEHICLE ALWAYS DRIVEN VERY CAREFULLY AND ON GOOD SURFACES. NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE TIRE HAS OCCURRED. *TR

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2011 BMW 535I 12,000 MILES. MULTIPLE BUBBLES ON LEFT FRONT SIDEWALL. TIRE HAVE BEEN REPLACE TWO TIMES. GOODYEAR EXCELLENCE 245\40 R19

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