OEM runflats...flat

TMR013 · 11-21-2009, 09:38 AM

So last night I'm out, and when going home I get in the car and the low pressure light is on. I go to a local air stop and check the pressure, the left front is down in to 20 psi. I fill it up and head home, on the way the light comes back on. When I get home it's down to 20 again. So there is a problem. Since they are still the run flats I could go a couple miles over to the local tire shop, but can they repair a run-flat?
I also have the premium hazard insurance, and the tire still have plenty of tread. So I'm assuming the insurance will cover anything.
So should I call the insurance? Go to the tire shop? Or just hit the BMW assist button?
Anybody else had an issue like this oir dealt with the insurance?

Tom K. · 11-21-2009, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMR013

So last night I'm out, and when going home I get in the car and the low pressure light is on. I go to a local air stop and check the pressure, the left front is down in to 20 psi. I fill it up and head home, on the way the light comes back on. When I get home it's down to 20 again. So there is a problem. Since they are still the run flats I could go a couple miles over to the local tire shop, but can they repair a run-flat?
I also have the premium hazard insurance, and the tire still have plenty of tread. So I'm assuming the insurance will cover anything.
So should I call the insurance? Go to the tire shop? Or just hit the BMW assist button?
Anybody else had an issue like this oir dealt with the insurance?

By now, most reputable tire shops should be able to handle run-flats. Call and find one & see if it can be repaired. If not, then use your insurance.

Tom

TMR013 · 11-21-2009, 12:21 PM

Called BMW assist, they suggested taking it to the dealer. There is one pretty close to me, so I did.
They came back half an hour later and said the valve stem just needed to be tightened.
DOH!!!
So if you can't find a nail. Try that first.

Tom K. · 11-21-2009, 01:05 PM

All our problems should be so simple! Thanks for posting the solution.

Tom

OneThirtyFiveEye · 11-22-2009, 12:41 PM

This might be a totally noob question but I was under the impression that run flats didn't need any air? I thought it was just solid rubber rapped around the rim... ?

Lester · 11-22-2009, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneThirtyFiveEye

This might be a totally noob question but I was under the impression that run flats didn't need any air? I thought it was just solid rubber rapped around the rim... ?

No - do some reading on Tirerack.com. A solid rubber tire of any kind would be a bone rattling ride. Run fLat tires have a much stiffer sidewall, which allows them to be driven a short distance and at very low speeds to the nearest tire store or garage. If you do drive on them flat, they are pretty much ruined, though. But they do require air, and should be checked at least once per month.

BrokenVert · 11-22-2009, 01:43 PM

Runflats also tend to drop air by 2 PSI a month as opposed to normal tires which drop one.

Runflats are also useless in any type of blowout senario, as the tire looses its rigidity. So they are useless IMO.

Lester · 11-22-2009, 01:46 PM

What, a regular tire is more uselful in a blowout situation? There are many reasons not to like runflats. The rough ride, and poor handling, especailly when cold are my favorites.

larryn · 11-22-2009, 04:38 PM

Said it before and I'll say it again.. In 30+ years of driving

- Never had a flat with a runflat
- Never had a blowout before runflats
- Had 4 blowouts with runflats on separate occasions
- 3 of 4 left me stranded, overnight, out of state (once for 3 days)

BMWNA, I hope you see this. It's not the direction you should be taking.

BrokenVert · 11-22-2009, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lester

What, a regular tire is more uselful in a blowout situation? There are many reasons not to like runflats. The rough ride, and poor handling, especailly when cold are my favorites.

My sister had a brand new Merc Mountaineer in 2001. A 5500lb truck that came with Firestone tires...the same tires that blew out on a regular basis.

Well guess what, 4 months into the cars life one of her tires blew out while she was doing 70 on the highway. She came to a safe stop on the side of the highway.

Last year, im driving the 1er and I hit a pothole in the night while doing 60. Sidewall blowout, a situation in which an rft is completly useless, I controlled it and came to a safe stop, but couldnt move. Ditched the useless POS the next day.

The rfts are simply a patch for bad drivers who are not taught how to handle a blowout situation. They lead to over confidence and when the rfts blow out in a way that is catostrophic these people loose control and crash.

A magic tire is not a replacement for good driver training which most people in this country do not have.

Jockey · 11-22-2009, 09:24 PM

Well I hit a pothole last night in with my stock runflats, fairly hard and fairly fast (75). Instantly light came on. I was able to drive another 30 miles before I got the tire replaced. And yes, the sidewall had failed.

mike06612 · 11-23-2009, 12:46 PM

The OP was able to drive home last night without changing a tire while they were out. They were able to drive it to the dealer without changing the tire.

Which of course is a good thing since there's no jack or spare, which for most people would have required a service call.

I think in this case the runflat was not useless.

They may not work in every situtation, but in this one, they let them keep on driving till they were able to get it fixed, exactly what they are supposed to be able to do.

TMR013 · 11-23-2009, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike06612

The OP was able to drive home last night without changing a tire while they were out. They were able to drive it to the dealer without changing the tire.

Was not completely flat, had about 20psi. If it was completely flat I would have accepted the tow offer from BMW assist.

OneThirtyFiveEye · 11-23-2009, 05:46 PM

I see... I just assumed that it had no air in it because they offered a stiffer ride and that when a vehicle uses run flat tires there is no spare tire on the car. It seems pretty absurd then that you can be totally stranded somewhere with run flat tires and having to depend on a tow truck to get you out of trouble. I've been in many situations where I needed to change a flat tire or a blown tire by the side of the road.

11-21-2009, 09:38 AM	#1
TMR013 Opus Angelus 426 Rep 1,267 Posts Drives: 2018 LBB M2 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Chandler, AZ iTrader: (0)	OEM runflats...flat - What to do? So last night I'm out, and when going home I get in the car and the low pressure light is on. I go to a local air stop and check the pressure, the left front is down in to 20 psi. I fill it up and head home, on the way the light comes back on. When I get home it's down to 20 again. So there is a problem. Since they are still the run flats I could go a couple miles over to the local tire shop, but can they repair a run-flat? I also have the premium hazard insurance, and the tire still have plenty of tread. So I'm assuming the insurance will cover anything. So should I call the insurance? Go to the tire shop? Or just hit the BMW assist button? Anybody else had an issue like this oir dealt with the insurance?
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11-21-2009, 12:21 PM	#3
TMR013 Opus Angelus 426 Rep 1,267 Posts Drives: 2018 LBB M2 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Chandler, AZ iTrader: (0)	Called BMW assist, they suggested taking it to the dealer. There is one pretty close to me, so I did. They came back half an hour later and said the valve stem just needed to be tightened. DOH!!! So if you can't find a nail. Try that first.
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11-21-2009, 01:05 PM	#4
Tom K. Major General 124 Rep 5,627 Posts Drives: '07 328iT, '13 Boxster Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland iTrader: (0)	All our problems should be so simple! Thanks for posting the solution. Tom
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11-22-2009, 12:41 PM	#5
OneThirtyFiveEye New Member 0 Rep 9 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Laval iTrader: (0)	This might be a totally noob question but I was under the impression that run flats didn't need any air? I thought it was just solid rubber rapped around the rim... ?
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11-22-2009, 01:43 PM	#7
BrokenVert Resident Kerbalnaut 477 Rep 10,703 Posts Drives: Topless Brute/Hybrid Boogaloo Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Fahrvergnügen/NY iTrader: (0)	Runflats also tend to drop air by 2 PSI a month as opposed to normal tires which drop one. Runflats are also useless in any type of blowout senario, as the tire looses its rigidity. So they are useless IMO. __________________
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11-22-2009, 01:46 PM	#8
Lester Brigadier General 295 Rep 3,350 Posts Drives: Join Date: Oct 2007 iTrader: (0)	What, a regular tire is more uselful in a blowout situation? There are many reasons not to like runflats. The rough ride, and poor handling, especailly when cold are my favorites.
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11-22-2009, 04:38 PM	#9
larryn Lieutenant General 2148 Rep 10,176 Posts Drives: '97 332ti, '21 X5 45e, '16 GT4 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Seattle iTrader: (2)	Said it before and I'll say it again.. In 30+ years of driving - Never had a flat with a runflat - Never had a blowout before runflats - Had 4 blowouts with runflats on separate occasions - 3 of 4 left me stranded, overnight, out of state (once for 3 days) BMWNA, I hope you see this. It's not the direction you should be taking.
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11-22-2009, 09:24 PM	#11
Jockey Brigadier General 3451 Rep 4,983 Posts Drives: 992 C4S Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Park City, UT iTrader: (1)	Well I hit a pothole last night in with my stock runflats, fairly hard and fairly fast (75). Instantly light came on. I was able to drive another 30 miles before I got the tire replaced. And yes, the sidewall had failed.
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11-23-2009, 12:46 PM	#12
mike06612 Private First Class 1 Rep 103 Posts Drives: 2008 135 convertible Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: CT iTrader: (0)	The OP was able to drive home last night without changing a tire while they were out. They were able to drive it to the dealer without changing the tire. Which of course is a good thing since there's no jack or spare, which for most people would have required a service call. I think in this case the runflat was not useless. They may not work in every situtation, but in this one, they let them keep on driving till they were able to get it fixed, exactly what they are supposed to be able to do.
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11-23-2009, 05:46 PM	#14
OneThirtyFiveEye New Member 0 Rep 9 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Laval iTrader: (0)	I see... I just assumed that it had no air in it because they offered a stiffer ride and that when a vehicle uses run flat tires there is no spare tire on the car. It seems pretty absurd then that you can be totally stranded somewhere with run flat tires and having to depend on a tow truck to get you out of trouble. I've been in many situations where I needed to change a flat tire or a blown tire by the side of the road.
	Appreciate 0 Quote