Run Flat Tires On The Sc430

[justinsc430]

I have had my sc430 for over a year. Everything is excellant except for the run flat Bridgestone RE040's. Several have developed bubbles on the side. Dealer says I must have hit pot holes. (no way) Recently at the 30,000 mile service they tell me all of my stock rims are damaged. Again from potholes. Never do anything but freeway drving and have hit no potholes.

Would like to hear from other owners about their experience with the run flats.

[Nick]

Never heard of this apart from being damaged on potholes or kerbstones. Have you had your tyres replaced before?

Could have been damaged by someone with the wrong equipment, but this is only a guess. The other option is "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" - If someone is racing your car around without your knowledge!

[simonskippy]

I've just had this with my IS, the tyres suddenly developed bubbles in the tyre wall. The tyre fitter claimed I must have hit a pot hole and I disagreed, bearing in mind the tyres had only done 1500 miles. I took the car to another tyre fitter and they checked over all the tyres and pointed out that they had been fitted correctly but pressurised incorrectly i.e. there was not enough pressure in the tyre as they had been run at this level slowly but surely this had caused pressure on the tyre wall until it failed and produced the bubbling I saw. Once I got this in wrting the other tyre fitter produced 4 new tyres and a £50 compensation payment

Result

Si

[djanderso]

Funnily enough, I had a bubble develop on my N/S/F tyre - and I didn't kerb it.

[L3X JG]

I JUST PUT NON RUN FLATS ON MY SC430 AND IT IMPROVED THE RIDE 100% CHANGE FROM THE RUN FLATS THEY WERE AN IDEA THAT WHENT BADLY WRONG.

[djanderso]

As the SC doesn't carry a spare, what happens if you have a serious blowout? Wait for the AA? Not to mention the seriously damaged alloy? I'd be

[dusi]

I agree with L3X JG.

Get rid of your run-flats and put some proper tyres on. My Pirellis have transformed the car.

Oh, and buy some of that "pumpy-up foam stuff" to cover the puncture posibility.

Major blow out? Well that's what the Lexus Recovery is for and you'll probably knacker your alloys during the blowout anyway!

[Dango]

Yes, I agree...I've also had problems with run flats. The Lexus Dealer apologized as they didn't check to make sure the tires were balances and the alignment was properly aligned when I had to pay the $130 to have my oil changed!

Anyway, they said I could either live with the tire noise or pay them $380 a tire for new ones. I have lived with the noise for 10,000 miles and I'm finally ready to replace them at 20,000...but I won't go thru the dealer. Run flats run for about $250-280 a tire. Unfortunately, a special mounting tool is needed to mount Run Flats on the rims because of the hard side walls.

Although switching to non Run Flats are an option, the damage to your car if you are traveling at high speeds on the interstate is not worth it. I'm staying with the Run Flats...but I'm dissappointed that Michelin stopped carrying the size that fits the SC430.

[dusi]

Django

I urge you to reconsider, why do you think Michelin have stopped making them! They are pure crap and are no longer fitted as standard here in the UK.

Go and drive a car with the normal tyres and you'll never want the run-flats again. As for a blow-out on the freeway, have you ever had one, I haven't in 40 years of driving all sorts of cars at far higher speeds than are permitted in the USA. Perhaps I am tempting fate here but I need to to stop you making a bad mistake.

[Summit1414]

I have just changed my run flat tires after 23,000 miles. The last 5-6,000 miles have been awful. The noise generated by the tires is annoying. The cost of these tires is highway robbery. My dealer wanted $360 per tire. I think Lexus made a big boo boo with when they designed this car. No room for a spare, and poor lifespan and tremendous expense involved in replacing them. I even tried to have conventional tires put on, and the dealer said he could not do this since a special kit that is in short supply is necessary to accomplish this task.

[dusi]

Your dealer is talking unadulterated crap

There is no special kit needed at all apart from new tyre pressure sensors which aren't vital anyway. I've had my Pirellis on for a few thousand miles now and they have transformed the car. I was there when they were fitted so I know that nothing special was needed apart from a couple of very strong guys because those run flats are virtually solid rubber, hence the dreadful ride.

Lexus have also finally replaced my suspension and finally the car is what it should have been in the first place.

Go bite the bullet, change your dealer and chuck the run flats, you won't regret it I promise you. :D

[MLSC430]

I have had my sc430 for over a year. Everything is excellant except for the run flat Bridgestone RE040's. Several have developed bubbles on the side. Dealer says I must have hit pot holes. (no way) Recently at the 30,000 mile service they tell me all of my stock rims are damaged. Again from potholes. Never do anything but freeway drving and have hit no potholes.

Would like to hear from other owners about their experience with the run flats.

are you in the States or UK? they have been several cases here in the states, and lots of dealership stepped up and good will the tires, you may want to push your local dealership a bit, just complain alot, they talk to the managers, or do what i did,....... "NO OEM" custom for me...... :P