bmw 535i us 2011 Complaints

TIRES

over a period of 5 weeks and 2300 miles i have experienced sidewall degradation (blister) four different times on three tires after traversing broken pavement/pot holes at speeds between 25 and 60 mph. since this specific tire is only sold on 2011 bmw 535 and 550 all-wheel drive models with optional sport package equipment, there are probably relatively few people who own the tire. therefore, i request that you be especially vigilant in investigating any potential problem since you will undoubtedly receive few failure reports. because i periodically check the tire air pressure i detected the problem before it resulted in catastrophic tire failure. the problem has been exacerbated because the tires are on back order and are not readily available in the united states. i had to wait over two weeks to replace the initial failures and am currently waiting to replace another.

Reported in: TRUMBULL CT || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFU7C59BC

TIRES

air bubbles on goodyear ecellence (made in germany) run flat tire 245/40r19 94y installed on bmw 535i . these are the code on the tire: dot ne66 jf1r 3710 / b350057 / gg257shmpvm / d18r e13 029524-s e13. i bought my bmw 535i with m sport on dec 22 2010. as of april 2011, two air bubbles develop on the side wall on one of my front tire while i only have less than 2300 miles on the car. this air bubble issue happens so vast that it affects all bmw owners with goodyear tires and all bmw dealers are out of stock for this tire. the tire is on one month national back order. literally, we are driving on a ticking time bomb where air bubbles can develop. tires can be exploded any time. and rims can be bent. catastrophe accidents or deaths can occur. as of today, i am on the third weeks of waiting for the replacement goodyear tire. even though bmw installed a loaner bridgestone tire until they have the back order goodyear in stock, i am still not trusting riding on the other three goodyear tires because these are manufacturing defects. it affects almost all bmw owners who having goodyear run flat tires on their cars, particularly on the 19 inches ones while there are no issue with other brands such as michelin and dunlop which are also installed on the same bmw model. here are some links to the forum where other bmw owners having bubble issues with their cars: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=530067&highlight=run+flat+tire http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=535551 i called goodyear and because their tires are on national back order, goodyear is willing to replace my 4 tires with other brand. even though i did purchase tire insurance with bmw, bmw is still not willing to do the brand replacement. bmw insists me to wait for the back order goodyear. i think that dot should investigate this goodyear air bubble issues & force bmw to recall these defected tires before any catastrophe or death happens. thank you

Reported in: TORRANCE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C53BC

TIRES

goodyear eagle ls2 tire developed bubble after less than 2000 miles. tire is on national backorder and is the only tire approved for this car. i see this as a safety issue for both the car and the tire since i have to either order non-recommended tires (this is the only run-flat tire in the oe size) or drive on a dangerous tire.

Reported in: ISSAQUAH WA || Crash: N || VIN #:

TIRES

tire blister. this is one of four blisters on this brand of tires.

Reported in: TRUMBULL CT || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFU7C59BC

TIRES

good year run flat tires are very unsafe. apparently bmw and goodyear have some kind of deal. i bought a 2011 bmw 535i with the sport package which includes the 19" goodyears. they have always leaked and get bubbles. one day if not already people will die cause of this tire. again goodyears killing people. this needs to stop.

Reported in: MIAMI BEACH FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

TIRES

normal driving of bmw. only 2 months old. noticed 2 large bubbles in sidewall. went online to find many many others who have had the same complaint, including bent rims. issue appears to be a faulty tire runflat tire by goodyear. installed on a $75,000 automobile, with no choice for substitute tire die to the configuration.

Reported in: DANVILLE PA || Crash: N || VIN #:

TIRES

while driving my 2011 bmw 535xi, i hit a small pothole while driving at about 25mph. a large bubble in the sidewall of my goodyear eagle ls2 run-flat tire appeared. this goodyear eagle ls2 rft, size 245/40r19 has a design flaw or manufacturing defect that results in even minor road hazards causing sidewall bubbles. there are a large number of bmw 535xi owners reporting similar problems with this tire on the internet. continuing to drive the car with a sidewall bubble poses a significant safety risk. therefore, the tire needed to be replaced.

Reported in: WHITE PLAINS NY || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFU7C55BC

TIRES

front passenger side tire developed a bubble after going over a small pothole at under 30mph. this is the second time this has happened with this car that i have owned for just over 3 months and 1,800 miles. *tt these stock tires on 2011 bmw 535i awd with sport package -- goodyear eagle ls2 rof size 245/40r19 -- clearly have a design flaw or manufacturing defect and must be recalled. it is a serious safety concern when driving over very minor road hazards might cause tire blisters that could eventually lead to a blowout.

Reported in: WHITE PLAINS NY || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFU7C55BC

TIRES

tire failure (sidewall bubbling) on 2011 bmw 5-series with 19" goodyear run-flat tires.

Reported in: ATLANTA GA || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C51BC

TIRES

i have had my bmw for 6 months and each of the front tires have developed "bubbles" on the sidewall. i live in metro atlanta and do not drive on rough surfaces, dirt roads or pot hole filled roads. i am reading complaints from all over the u.s. on this exact issue. goodyear has not addressed this although bmw admitted that the issue is common. i would like a set of replacement front tires at no cost to replace my new tires that are damaged. currently goodyear does not have replacement tires in stock anywhere in the country. this sounds like a class action suit forthcoming.

Reported in: MARIETTA GA || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C5XBC

TIRES

after routine driving i found a large "bubble" or blister on the sidewalk of my goodyear eagle ls 245 40r19 tire.. i have serious concerns for the safety of my family while driving within bubble of over 2 inches long. something should be done including a recall of these tire as there are a large number of complaints online and is a serious situation.

Reported in: NEW YORK NY || Crash: N || VIN #:

WHEELS:RIM

tl* the contact owns a 2011 bmw 535i. the contact stated that the tires exhibited bubbles due to the rims. the contact had to replace all four tires because of the rims causing failures. the dealer advised that the rims were bent, but advised that the failure was caused by the design of the tire not the curve of the rims. the failure mileage was 10,377 updated 10/13/11 *bf the consumer stated the first tire failure occurred in feb 2011. the second tire failure occurred in june 2011. the consumer stated a total of seven tires were replaced within a 12 month period. updated 12/12/11

Reported in: HICKSVILLE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C57BC

TIRES

tl* the contact owns a 2011 bmw 535i. the contact stated that the tires exhibited bubbles due to the rims. the contact had to replace all four tires because of the rims causing failures. the dealer advised that the rims were bent, but advised that the failure was caused by the design of the tire not the curve of the rims. the failure mileage was 10,377 updated 10/13/11 *bf the consumer stated the first tire failure occurred in feb 2011. the second tire failure occurred in june 2011. the consumer stated a total of seven tires were replaced within a 12 month period. updated 12/12/11

Reported in: HICKSVILLE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C57BC

TIRES

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.

Reported in: FAIRHOPE AL || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C54BC

WHEELS

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.

Reported in: LOS ANGELES CA || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C53BC

TIRES

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.

Reported in: LOS ANGELES CA || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C53BC

POWER TRAIN

upon acceleration from a standstill, there is a 1 second delay from when the accelerator is pressed to when the car actually moves forward. the hesitation is present when moving, but not nearly as pronounced as from a stop. the acceleration delay is both dangerous and frustrating. living in a high traffic urban area with lots of hills(san francisco), the delay has caused me and my family to come close to many traffic accidents. i am unable to accelerate immediately for left turns and am nearly t-boned with my wife fearing for her life. the problem is consistent and happens every time. it is an obvious design flaw that bmw fails to address. took the car to my local bmw dealer to address the issue. they replaced the torque converter, but the problems remains. took it in again. this time the service manager insisted it was turbo lag. test drove with a technician and after much discussion, he admitted that others have complained as well and that this was a software design flaw. said that there was no fix available, but acknowledged that it was a definite problem. i was given a 1-series as a loaner and the problem was not evident. to me, bmw has a serious problem that must be addressed. it is a safety hazard that will result in major legal proceedings should i have an accident as a result of this issue.

Reported in: SAN FRANCISCO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C59BK

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

upon acceleration from a standstill, there is a 1 second delay from when the accelerator is pressed to when the car actually moves forward. the hesitation is present when moving, but not nearly as pronounced as from a stop. the acceleration delay is both dangerous and frustrating. living in a high traffic urban area with lots of hills(san francisco), the delay has caused me and my family to come close to many traffic accidents. i am unable to accelerate immediately for left turns and am nearly t-boned with my wife fearing for her life. the problem is consistent and happens every time. it is an obvious design flaw that bmw fails to address. took the car to my local bmw dealer to address the issue. they replaced the torque converter, but the problems remains. took it in again. this time the service manager insisted it was turbo lag. test drove with a technician and after much discussion, he admitted that others have complained as well and that this was a software design flaw. said that there was no fix available, but acknowledged that it was a definite problem. i was given a 1-series as a loaner and the problem was not evident. to me, bmw has a serious problem that must be addressed. it is a safety hazard that will result in major legal proceedings should i have an accident as a result of this issue.

Reported in: SAN FRANCISCO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C59BK

TIRES

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.

Reported in: DAPHNE AL || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C54BC

STEERING

vehicle has been pulling to the right since i drove the car off the lot. i've had the car in for service multiple times with no resolution from fields bmw south in orlando or bmw north america. i've have filed a lawsuit under the florida lemon law and will persue resolution for this defective vehicle.

Reported in: WINDERMERE FL || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C53BC

STEERING

the car will not go straight. it keeps pulling to the right side.

Reported in: TEMPLE CITY CA || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C59BC

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2011 bmw 535i. the contact stated that while driving 70 mph, liquid spilled on the engine computer that was located in the trunk and caused the computer to short circuit. the vehicle decelerated from 70 mph to 3 mph almost instantly. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and the computer was replaced, but the computer was left unprotected. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileages were 15,000.

Reported in: RIVERSIDE CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

TIRES

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?

Reported in: DADE CITY FL || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C51BC

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2011 bmw 535i. the contact stated that the vehicle idled sporadically when first started. the contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer five times however, the dealer was unable to correct the problem. the contact stated that engine would rev excessively and attempt to surge forward. the failure would last for approximately 30 seconds. the manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact that the failure was a normal operation and would not be repaired. the failure mileage was 5 and the current mileage was 45,000.

Reported in: PAMPANO BEACH FL || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C55BC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

tl* the contact owns a 2011 bmw 535i. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was confirmed that the remote control key failed, which caused a discharge in the battery. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. the dealer then replaced the remote key however, the failure recurred approximately two months later. the vehicle was taken to the dealer several times for the failure where the remote key battery was recharged several times, as well as replaced. the failure recurred and the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it remained. the manufacturer was contacted about the issue and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was approximately 3,100 and the current mileage was approximately 18,000.

Reported in: BEVERLY MA || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFU7C50BC

SERVICE BRAKES

tl* the contact owns a 2011 bmw 535i. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the drive train warning lamp illuminated as the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the high pressure fuel pump was defective and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact that they would call her at a later date. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 12,945 and the current mileage was 35,000. updated 4/1/13 *cn the consumer stated while driving, the drivetrain, engine malfunction, and low battery lights all illuminated. the high pressure fuel pump was replaced. on the second occurrence, the drivetrain light illuminated, the vehicle put itself in neutral and reduced speed. the consumer pulled into a parking lot and the vehicle shut off. the consumer repeatedly attempted to restart the vehicle but, was unsuccessful. replaced high pressure fuel pump, again. updated 04/09/2013 *js

Reported in: SANTA MONICA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C59BC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: BATTERY: PROPULSION SYSTEM

tl* the contact owns a 2011 bmw 535i. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the drive train warning lamp illuminated as the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the high pressure fuel pump was defective and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact that they would call her at a later date. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 12,945 and the current mileage was 35,000. updated 4/1/13 *cn the consumer stated while driving, the drivetrain, engine malfunction, and low battery lights all illuminated. the high pressure fuel pump was replaced. on the second occurrence, the drivetrain light illuminated, the vehicle put itself in neutral and reduced speed. the consumer pulled into a parking lot and the vehicle shut off. the consumer repeatedly attempted to restart the vehicle but, was unsuccessful. replaced high pressure fuel pump, again. updated 04/09/2013 *js

Reported in: SANTA MONICA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C59BC

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

tl* the contact owns a 2011 bmw 535i. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the drive train warning lamp illuminated as the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the high pressure fuel pump was defective and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact that they would call her at a later date. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 12,945 and the current mileage was 35,000. updated 4/1/13 *cn the consumer stated while driving, the drivetrain, engine malfunction, and low battery lights all illuminated. the high pressure fuel pump was replaced. on the second occurrence, the drivetrain light illuminated, the vehicle put itself in neutral and reduced speed. the consumer pulled into a parking lot and the vehicle shut off. the consumer repeatedly attempted to restart the vehicle but, was unsuccessful. replaced high pressure fuel pump, again. updated 04/09/2013 *js

Reported in: SANTA MONICA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C59BC

TIRES

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.

Reported in: EL PASO TX || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C55BC

TIRES

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.

Reported in: DALLAS TX || Crash: N || VIN #: WBAFR7C57BC

WHEELS

bubble in sidewall of right front tire. tire replaced less than 2 months ago. minimal driving, combination highway/roads.

Reported in: ALHAMBRA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: