Bridgestone Run Flat Tyres: Useless!!!

Having just watched a few YouTube videos on run flat tyres, it seems having tyre issues are more common with them, saw one video mentioning Mini owner had them and frequently had punctures.

Now I am guessing here ... but your car is a heavy diesel, and does it have low profile run flats? It could be this combination makes it particularly susceptible to blow out type punctures, you said it went bang ... so the stiff run flat sidewall plus combination with low profile means minimal cushioning and results in blow outs. Is there a choice of a non-low profile run flat for this car? Am I right in saying BMW liked fitting them so you don't need a spare?

If it makes you feel better, I took my bike out today and got a puncture (nasty thorn) :cry:
 
I will add there seem to be a number of videos saying they swapped them for non run flats, but I guess there are safety implications of this to be considered first.
 
It’s impact damage and not a fault with Bridgestone or the car.
During my years as an MOT tester at a Merc dealer I’ve seen it on almost a daily basis (more often than not the alloy would be cracked too).
Run flats on low (under 40 profile) tyres are a terrible idea with our roads.
Get rid of them and either buy a space saver, jack and wrench or carry a can of puncture sealant.
 
jpaul said:
local council in cambridgeshire doesn't spend much on road maintenance, and I know multiple spots where tramline type road cracks would eat tyres
- have you been back to the scene of the crimes ... pity dash cams don't really have the camera resolution.
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Yea I live in the Cambridgeshire fens.

People say their roads are bad and then **** themselves here when I'm driving around.

You don't need to go to Alton Towers for that roller coaster experience.
 
JonRGV250 said:
It’s impact damage and not a fault with Bridgestone or the car.
During my years as an MOT tester at a Merc dealer I’ve seen it on almost a daily basis (more often than not the alloy would be cracked too).
Run flats on low (under 40 profile) tyres are a terrible idea with our roads.
Get rid of them and either buy a space saver, jack and wrench or carry a can of puncture sealant.
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I replaced them on my last 5 series but not because they kept popping. Fronts are 35 profile so limited give.
 
radderfire said:
Having just watched a few YouTube videos on run flat tyres, it seems having tyre issues are more common with them, saw one video mentioning Mini owner had them and frequently had punctures.

Now I am guessing here ... but your car is a heavy diesel, and does it have low profile run flats? It could be this combination makes it particularly susceptible to blow out type punctures, you said it went bang ... so the stiff run flat sidewall plus combination with low profile means minimal cushioning and results in blow outs. Is there a choice of a non-low profile run flat for this car? Am I right in saying BMW liked fitting them so you don't need a spare?

If it makes you feel better, I took my bike out today and got a puncture (nasty thorn) :cry:
Click to expand...

Interestingly I've been looking at a few SUV type vehicles recently with an eye to buying and noticed a general trend that the ones on 19-20 inch low profile tyres tended to have a string of MOT advisories for tyre damage.
 
There's got to be something wrong with that wheel, maybe just that small 5cm section of the wheel. Have you taken photos of the previous times the runflats popped and can you see if the tyre has blown out in the same position on the wheel (i know it might be difficult but you might be able to see in relation to any damage/marks on the wheel).

Blow outs are unusual as is. I see them quite often and i'd say probably 70% of the time them caused by the driver letting the tread get too low on the edges, 10% of the time from the tyre being ancient and deteriorated, 10% of the time from previous kerb/pothole damage that has caused a bulge that finally gives way at motorway speeds and 10% of the time seemingly no reason. So for you to have 3 blow out in 4 months on a well maintained car with new tyres and no kerb damage, in conjunction with them all being on the same wheel, tells me there is almost certainly something wrong with that wheel or that area of the wheel. Is it possible that there is a sharp part on the edge of the wheel right where it meets the tyre that as the tyre flexes, it scores away at it until it pops?
 
I had the same with my F11, switched to a softer tyre and they stopped. Throw on some Eagle F1 RF's and then you'll be fine.
 
Housey said:
Thoughts?
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I can sum up my experience with Bridgestone tyres with a simple edit to your thread title...

Bridgestone Run Flat Tyres: Useless!!!

Rock hard sidewalls, epic road noise and a compound that resembles 30 year old Bakelite after being exposed to the elements for 18 months. Every car I acquire seems to have them and they normally get binned as a cracked mess with about 5mm left.
 
maybe get toe/camber checked (can camber be adjusted), camber probably, proportionately, more important on low profile, wide tyres.
 
Gaygle said:
There's got to be something wrong with that wheel, maybe just that small 5cm section of the wheel. Have you taken photos of the previous times the runflats popped and can you see if the tyre has blown out in the same position on the wheel (i know it might be difficult but you might be able to see in relation to any damage/marks on the wheel).

Blow outs are unusual as is. I see them quite often and i'd say probably 70% of the time them caused by the driver letting the tread get too low on the edges, 10% of the time from the tyre being ancient and deteriorated, 10% of the time from previous kerb/pothole damage that has caused a bulge that finally gives way at motorway speeds and 10% of the time seemingly no reason. So for you to have 3 blow out in 4 months on a well maintained car with new tyres and no kerb damage, in conjunction with them all being on the same wheel, tells me there is almost certainly something wrong with that wheel or that area of the wheel. Is it possible that there is a sharp part on the edge of the wheel right where it meets the tyre that as the tyre flexes, it scores away at it until it pops?
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Different location each time.
 
8-C704817-C02-E-4585-91-ED-D31-B6-E5-D8443.jpg

The first one
 
jpaul said:
maybe get toe/camber checked (can camber be adjusted), camber probably, proportionately, more important on low profile, wide tyres.
Click to expand...
Hadn't you just had a mess around with alignment? Could be some truth to this maybe...
 
Same thing with my Bridgestone RF on my BMW x5. 2 blowouts in 3 weeks. Prior to that I hadnt had a puncture for over 20 years and 500,000 miles.

Cant wait to dump them.
 
Binned the Bridgestones (well dumped the front right, the front left and rears will go onto eBay as loads of life in them) and now running MPS4S tyres (could not get the front and rears on MPS5 sadly). Already feels smother, most noticeably when hitting bigger bumps, which it is significantly better at now. Also seems to grip better (though this could be placebo). Better for the change however.
 
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