amd2004

Hi,

I bought 2009 E350 and has 3K miles on it. When my wife was driving vehicle, suddenly wheel rim burst and lost air. I checked tire and was not damaged from outside or didn't see any stress where rim was damaged.

I believe that this is bad quality of AMG wheel but Dealers are not ready to accept.

See video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Si2OuQeVbbc

Few questions:
1) Why MB always ask you to buy wheel and tire warranty for AMG wheels?
2) I have seen several post where people has described about the chip, crack in the wheel.
3) They always denies for warranty with outside force (including pot holes). How many pot holes in this country on the road and have you face any rim damage by pot holes on another vehicle?

I am IT person and this is simple logic that AMG low profile wheel are not designed properly to handle impact of small outside force.

We are paying high for vehicle with priority of safety for family members. But if this happens while you drive, your family could get hurt.

I have filed complain in NHTSA. I wanted to hear about your opinion or if you have faced this kind of issue in the past.

Thanks,
AD

amdeutsch

1) You will have to pull the tire off to really claim no damage. Looking from the outside won't give you the complete story.
2) Its not MB asking you to buy that warranty. Its the stealer. Its a money maker for them.
3) That wheel looks like an external force acted on it through the tire.

cal1

I can't answer all of your questions, but will take a shot at the one regarding pot holes and rim damage. IMHO the only wheel that can really stand up to the forces imparted onto a wheel by hitting a significant pot hole is an ugly old steel wheel.

I have an ML with AMG wheels. They are not super low profile. I also have an SL55 with the stock 18 inch AMG wheel. It is moderately low profile, but nothing like your tire and wheel set up. I spend about $1,000 annually on both cars having the wheels trued out because of minor hits on pot holes. Super low profile tires like yours are very susceptible to pot hole damage. Unfortunately, it is the price you pay for great looking wheels.

amd2004

Thanks for reply.

Tire was inspected by Tyson Corner MB and they said that there is no damage or hole in tire. Tire is now damaged due to wheel (Integrity Lost)

If external force acted on it then you would see atleast some sign on tire like mark, bump, dent, hole, etc.

Also, if it is pot holes then you would see damage on the side of the rim not in the middle.

She was going on smooth road and no more than 40mph due to weather condition (Snow Storm was just started at that time)

cal1

I have yet to have damage to a tire when I have tweaked rims. The only reason I even know a rim was bend is because of a vibration or pulsation in the steering wheel. It feels like a tire is out of balance. When the shop looks at it, they show me the ding in the wheel. It is not visible until the tire is dismounted. The wheel goes to a shop to get trued out for about $150. The tire is mounted and balanced and the pulsation is gone.

Maybe you could get an opinion from a indy tire shop.

amd2004

I am not in Indiana. My wife took vehicle to the closest Good Year Location after the incident. They also inspected tire.

Also, Can this kind of damage can be fixed in that amount?

abhatti55

Best bet is to look on Ebay or on the classifieds here and buy another wheel. If you are planning to keep this car for the long term you will probably run into this problem again. Why not have a spare on hand. May be not as severe but a bent rim or two is not out of the question. I've had my share of problems with these wheels as well suffering hairline cracks on the lip. I wonder if AMG is using the manufacturers that sell replicas out of China. More focus is on looks than making a quality wheel these days. The M-Parallels on my 740 never once had this problem and took plenty of abuse.

cal1

I meant an Independent or non MB shop. We tend to call them an Indy on the board. Sorry about the confusion with Indianapolis. It looks like you are in the Vienna VA area. What did Goodyear say about the damage to the rim?

Yuille36

The AMG wheels are prone to bending, because they are lighter for better handling. Remember these cars are built in Germany to run at top speeds on the Autobahn. And not these pot hole ridden roads we have here, in NOVA, especially if your running low profile tires. Google Nationwide Wheel Repair. Their located in Waldorf, MD they do a great job, for curb rash, etc. But for straightening, they will need to take it back to the shop. Give them a call, also try www.lakeshorewheelandtire.com and www.detroitwheelandtire.com for a replacement. Now these aren't OEM (original equipment manufacturer) but OER (original equipment replacements). As OEM would cost allot more, then what these guys are asking. But it may solve your wheel problem. The problem with low profile tires, is the fact that the sidewalls are so low, that they can't absorb an impact, and transfer the force into the rim, causing it to bend, or blow out. And the heavier the vehicle, the more damage that will be inflicted. And the bigger your wheel is, the lower the side wall is, usually. Just my .02 cents.....

amd2004

Thanks for the advise. I am planning to buy spare wheel and tire. Also, I will change this low profile tires. Also, as suggested I will contct those people who can fix wheel.