Tire exploded - wiring nightmare!
 

Sorry about my first post, but something terrible happenned to me this weekend. I bought an used 2005 X5 4.4 with 20's a week ago (60K miles). The rear tires are Dunlop Sportmaxx flat run tires. One of the rear tires exploded while traveling. It exploded inwards (towards the wheel well). The whole sidewall separated from the tires, exposing the steel mesh. The steel mesh cut through the wiring box and spliced some wires (I saw two wires that were cut and were sticking out). The dashboard looked like a Xmas tree (warning lights, abs, self leveling system, brakes, no speedometer or odometer working).

Took the X5 to the BMW dealership to fix the wiring....The repair estimate is $14K since they say they need to replace and run the whole wiring harness in the car.

Has anyone experienced something like this? Is this normal? Isn't a design flaw that the wiring harness is located right there were the tires are (look at the black plastic box inside the wheel well)??? Why have something so critical so close to the wheel well?

I'm so frustrated....I already call the insurance on this...

Lessons learned -
1.- Do not use the run flat tires. They are more trouble than anything else. There are thousands of stories out there.
2.- Protect or reinforce the wiring box located inside / by the wheel well.There is like a plastic box there.
3.- Purchase GAP insurance and extended warranties for your vehicle just in case.

Comments?

WOW. i have never heard about this one. Thats pretty scary. Have you thought about going to dunlop for a faulty tire? Was the tire extremely worn, or were u driving on it while it was flat?

Sorry to hear.

This isn't a common type of failure.

It isn't anything to do with run flat tires, a blown tire can happen with any type of tire.

Suggest you see an independent garage or another dealer for a second opinion and determine whether the wiring can be repaired without replacing the entire harness. Yes, there is a significant wiring harness above each wheel well but that is because of the electrical components mounted there.

Good luck.

I would scrounge the components you need from a wrecked X5 and splice everything back in. Should cost no more than several hundred dollars.

Ah the standard BMW approach to repairs.......sorry, we're not allowed to fix it so you'll have to have a complete new one........

I'm sure that the wires can be fixed for a lot less than $14K! It's only wire after all. A bit of soldering and heat shrink sleeving at each rejoint and it should be fine. If fibre or coaxial connections were included, even that can be repaired - albeit with a bit more technical work being needed - or just that run replaced.

The tyre problem sounds like bad luck or possibly being run-on-flat until it overheated and the sidewall failed. But from what you describe it exploded and that can happen to anyone as has been said. There are all kinds of events that can trigger such an event.

"Have you thought about going to dunlop for a faulty tire? Was the tire extremely worn, or were u driving on it while it was flat?"

No, I have not contacted Dunlop. The tire was in good shape. Just checked them at a tire place before traveling. The tire just exploded and all the steel mesh was rubbing against the wheel well. I could not drive it as it was not a flat - the side wall just separated from the tire.

"Suggest you see an independent garage or another dealer for a second opinion and determine whether the wiring can be repaired without replacing the entire harness".

I will definitely do that. I have to wait until the insurance adjuster evaluates the damage. My insurance agent hinted a "totalling the vehicle" since the repair estimate if close to the X5 value.

"Yes, there is a significant wiring harness above each wheel well but that is because of the electrical components mounted there.

Should the wiring harness be better protected? Perhaps better location (higher mounted)?

"A bit of soldering and heat shrink sleeving at each rejoint and it should be fine. If fibre or coaxial connections were included, even that can be repaired - albeit with a bit more technical work being needed - or just that run replaced."

Hopefully I can find someone that can do that for my X5 without issues.

I can't believe all this is happening justy because a couple of wires!!! (At least that's what I saw when they removed the tire). Not sure if there were other damages that I could not see from underneath the vehicle.

Hey,

This may sound scary to do but I took the chance with my 99 ML320. I had a rat that ate the freaking main wiring harness under the dash and in the fuse box. I bought the same gauge wire and some clamps and also some those heat shrink wrapped. The reason i suggest this is because you have both ends of the cut wire. so if its easy to access then take your new wire same gauge or as close as possible then best to solder them but clamp works also and see what you can do. It took me couple of hours to find each correct end of the wire especially under the damn fuse box but in the end my cost was less than 10 bucks for the roll of wire and heated shrink rap thing. just an idea if esp if you are out of warranty.......

That is some tough luck....haven't heard of that one and agree with the recs. from other posters on here.

One other thought if your insurance is going to declare a total loss....pocket the payout, buy it back at salvage value, repair it, re-title it, re-license it, and keep it.

For some good soldering background (though slightly overkill for a car,
IMHO):
http://workmanship.nasa.gov/lib/insp/

I'll check with your insurance for the repair bill, this incident is parallel to being in a car-accident, hope you have comprehensive coverage.

Well, I never like RFT but no way BMW will change that policy because of me, BMW even remove the spare/jack and indentation in the trunk from all new BMW models now. So RFT in BMW will be here to stay.