Potenza problems

[potenzablues]

I'm having tire problems and am hoping to get some advice. I have a 2006 325i w/ the sport package and drive in the New York tri-state area (which has pretty crappy roads). The sport package comes with run flat Potenza's. I hit pothole - hard - a few months ago and within 100 miles I got a message that I had a flat. The tire was torn at the bead and was not reparable. New tire: $400. I now have another message that I have a flat, this getting old (I have less than 5K miles on the car).

I'm thinking perhaps I could replace the tire (if I need to) with a more robust model.

Any advice would be welcome.

 

[Big Daddy]

The precise reason I dislike run-flats. Unfortunatley I have no idea what the monitoring system in your car is going to do if you switch to "normal" tires. The Bridgestones are good tires and I do not believe switching models is going to accomplish anything. Sorry I could not be more help.

By the way welcome to the board!

 

[arditarighi]

I'm having tire problems and am hoping to get some advice. I have a 2006 325i w/ the sport package and drive in the New York tri-state area (which has pretty crappy roads). The sport package comes with run flat Potenza's. I hit pothole - hard - a few months ago and within 100 miles I got a message that I had a flat. The tire was torn at the bead and was not reparable. New tire: $400. I now have another message that I have a flat, this getting old (I have less than 5K miles on the car).

I'm thinking perhaps I could replace the tire (if I need to) with a more robust model.

Any advice would be welcome.

Well, FTM works based on a comparison the car computer does for each wheels revs/min (counting in the steering angle and all that). It uses the same sensors as the ABS. Now you are in a situation where the new tire is reving less than the other three tires on a straight road (assuming you bought the exact tire as the other three) due to its radius, since it's radius is slightly more than the old tires, which triggers the FTM alarm!

I belive this problem should be solved if you buy a new tire for the other side. Also, I would check the alignment after replacing the tire.

Good Luck,

 

[potenzablues]

Well, FTM works based on a comparison the car computer does for each wheels revs/min (counting in the steering angle and all that). It uses the same sensors as the ABS. Now you are in a situation where the new tire is reving less than the other three tires on a straight road (assuming you bought the exact tire as the other three) due to its radius, since it's radius is slightly more than the old tires, which triggers the FTM alarm!

I belive this problem should be solved if you buy a new tire for the other side. Also, I would check the alignment after replacing the tire.

Good Luck,

Thanks arditarighi, that is very informative. So it sounds like I may not really have a flat but my tires just have a slightly different radius due to millage(?) (BTW, I did buy the exact same tire) This theory does fit the fact that I have not hit a large pothole recently but it took about 400 miles for this FTM to surface, which sounds like a long time...

I'm not wild about buying a new tire to make this light go out, I wonder if the second new tire will settle in and the FTM will go away in a while? Or can the dealer recalibrate it in some way?

Also, does anyone know how to find out which tire is causing an FTM?