So ever since the winter season started it has been getting colder here in Southern California and to be honest is never really cold. but since the winter season started the tire pressure monitoring system goes off everytime i start the car in this colder atmosphere and it is always the front left tire. My first guess was that since it's cold there's a slight difference in air pressure in the tires but like i said it's really not that cold. To be honest the whole tpms light is super annoying.

So the real issue now is that this morning i went to look at the front left tire and saw there was a small hard lump coming from the tire.



I would appreciate any feedback...

Thanks nam for your help.

Sorry for such dirty challenge wheels

 

Anytime there is a bulge in the sidewall of a tire it could spell disaster. If it were my vehicle, I would not drive it until I get it to the dealer or a dependable tire dealership for a diagnosis... Be careful and check out the link below:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...jsp?techid=159

 

If I were you I would view this as a blessing. Runflats ride like crap//////// fair enough

 

You obviously have a tire problem, however tire pressure should be adjusted at least seasonally. Temperature makes a tremendous difference in pressure and no matter where you live going from summer to winter and vice-versa should cause tire pressures to be adjusted (you don't want too much or too little.)

 

Exactly what mini on said. Use this to get a set of non runflats. You will wish you had done this from your first mile of ownership. And clean those wheels!!!!!!

 

Thank you all for the help i understand now that it might have been a pot hole some time earlier this month that caused this, so now i hope the wheel itself isn't damaged.

As for switching off to non run flats, i hesitate on doing so because i do not want to run the risk of getting a flat and not being able to replace it with a spare while on the road. I looked into getting a spare but found out that most do not even fit over the rear brakes.

I will be contacted mini shortly on getting the tire replaced, hopefully, since i have the tire coverage thing.

 

I am probably in the minority, but I like the run flats. I have a set of run flat snows, premounted on wheels, that I swap out for winter.

When I went to have my snows mounted this November, the tech noticed a bump in the sidewall similar to yours. He said he would not in good conscience mount the tire because it could blow out and run flats work on the principle that the sidewall is firm enough to support the car. If the sidewall bursts, the run flat won't be able to do its job. Plus, in the process of the tire bursting, one can lose control of the car. The tech ordered a replacement run flat tire and swapped it for the damaged one and off I went.

One more note: I did get a flat with a run flat all season tire and it did just what it's supposed to do: I was not stranded and was able to make it comfortably to my destination and deal with the tire at a later date.

 

I'm with you bette but we are in the minority

spousal unit picked up a nail last week and I was able to get the car home - 20 miles - and then drive it to a tire dealer after I'd decided on my path. The tires has 30,000 so it was time to replace them anyway . . .. I did 50 miles or more on a flat runflat with no problems. I did not exceed 55.

I have a friend who discovered much to his chagrin that he'd driven half of his vacation on a flat runflat .... over 1000 miles. He'd reset the GEN1 TPMS and the light went out . . . never thought about it again 'til he took the car in for the next service. He thought if it was REALLY flat the light would come on again.....

I don't recommend this but . . . .

and is this better than a SPARE?

btw

bulge in the side wall? Nothing special to a runflat. The tire is toast and you need to replace it ASAP as the tire is compromised. A common cause is hitting a big pot hole but it CAN be a manufact' defect as well.

Either way, I would not drive highway speeds on it. Think of it as a flat run flat!

 

Yep. The tire tech also thought I'd hit a curb or something the season before and we didn't notice it when they dismounted the snows and put on the regular tires. I'm glad they noticed when mounting them this year! I'm not sure I would have caught it.

 

hey guys,

the tire has been replaced and i'm certain it may have been a pot hole i hit hard on the freeway.

as a note, bob smith mini did a great job servicing me right away. got a flat bed truck to come the next day and drive me to the service center where they replaced the tire, changed my oil (i was due for one) and did a service on the car. Also they replaced a broken armrest the same day as well.

the ONLY reason for me to get rid of these (if i had the chance to) is for a much more comfortable ride. other than that i can't complain about them since it keeps me safe.