Loosing tire pressure with stock wheels
01-23-12, 08:25 AM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
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Loosing tire pressure with stock wheels
It has been awhile since I visited/posted in here; still loving my 3GS after 5+ years and almost 83k miles (my daily beater/commuter).
The problem I have now is with my stock wheels. Take a look at the picture, wheels are still stock and peeling. I guess it's some kind of a paint on top of alloy, not just clear coat. On some wheels its worse than others, but its starting to bubble up and will be peeling. True, I’m on East Coast and we get a rough weather. The problem, I already had to fix two and coming back for a third one due to loosing tire pressure in the last couple of months. They told me the wheel gets oxidized around the edges thus causing tire bead to loose a seal. Is this normal? I’m looking at this fix as temporary solution right now and feel it will continue to happen even after the fix. At least I have life time plan from Firestone where I bought my Potenza pole position, so I keep bringing it in for fixing. Just not sure if this is a problem with my wheels, or Lexus wheels in general, or else? I mean, understand tires have some expected lifetime mileage, but changing wheels every 5 years sounds kind of ridiculous. What do you guys think?
The problem I have now is with my stock wheels. Take a look at the picture, wheels are still stock and peeling. I guess it's some kind of a paint on top of alloy, not just clear coat. On some wheels its worse than others, but its starting to bubble up and will be peeling. True, I’m on East Coast and we get a rough weather. The problem, I already had to fix two and coming back for a third one due to loosing tire pressure in the last couple of months. They told me the wheel gets oxidized around the edges thus causing tire bead to loose a seal. Is this normal? I’m looking at this fix as temporary solution right now and feel it will continue to happen even after the fix. At least I have life time plan from Firestone where I bought my Potenza pole position, so I keep bringing it in for fixing. Just not sure if this is a problem with my wheels, or Lexus wheels in general, or else? I mean, understand tires have some expected lifetime mileage, but changing wheels every 5 years sounds kind of ridiculous. What do you guys think?
01-23-12, 12:14 PM
#2
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Doesn't look normal to me, but then again I'm in CA and our weather isn't like yours. Could be the salt or something in combination with the conditions that are tearing your wheels up.
With that said, maybe time to get a summer set of rims??!
With that said, maybe time to get a summer set of rims??!
01-23-12, 01:01 PM
#3
When I bought my car my rims were like that too. I sold them for $1000 with the half decent rubber on them (I don't know how I got that much...) and replaced them with larger wheels and a set of dedicated winters.
The reason they might be losing air is due to that kind of corrosion happening where the tire bead is. I had a prior Toyota that developed this problem. Shop will remove the tire and basically sand down the interior and then remount - problem solved. I recall being charged something like $70 for this for one wheel, it's a ripoff but still cheaper than buying new rims.
Lexus was refinishing rims (IS wheels had the problem too) if you got to them and asked while it was in warranty, of course, hardly anybody would have thought to do that. It's a combination of poor paint jobs and the corrosive road salts we need to use up here in the north east.
The reason they might be losing air is due to that kind of corrosion happening where the tire bead is. I had a prior Toyota that developed this problem. Shop will remove the tire and basically sand down the interior and then remount - problem solved. I recall being charged something like $70 for this for one wheel, it's a ripoff but still cheaper than buying new rims.
Lexus was refinishing rims (IS wheels had the problem too) if you got to them and asked while it was in warranty, of course, hardly anybody would have thought to do that. It's a combination of poor paint jobs and the corrosive road salts we need to use up here in the north east.
01-23-12, 09:49 PM
#6
Lexus Champion
Hmm... that doesn't look right. My spyder wheel is still in perfect condition. I am too in the East Coast and I think mine been on the car for more than 5 years.
01-23-12, 10:33 PM
#7
Sadly but true, those rims have that issue. Its like a known issue. When i bought my car it was almost 2 years old with 42k miles and the rims were all bubble. It did kind of bother me as its not suppose to happen but it does. So i bought me a perfect set of 2008+ rims with 7 spokes and they are clean. I would just suggest getting a newer set of wheels and calling it a day honestly.
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01-24-12, 05:34 PM
#8
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Same problem on stock chrome (fan blades). My right front tire loses about 5 lb/week. The Costco tire guys know me well cause i'm going there once a week. The Costco tech said that same thing about the finish peeling off and the tire losing seal...i'm at 48k miles so planning on taking it in for a fix soon. Hope they cover it.
01-29-12, 05:12 PM
#9
Your inside wheels must be corroded. Happend to all four tires of my old 2003 Accord EXV6.
It's the inner side of the tires. Since I bought the tires at BJs, they unmounted, sanded the inside wheels and re-mounted the tires. All that's for free of charge.
Here are my 07GS350AWD' s OEM wheels after 5+ years. Still in good condition.
Washing the wheels after each snow storm will keep them from bubbling.
It's the inner side of the tires. Since I bought the tires at BJs, they unmounted, sanded the inside wheels and re-mounted the tires. All that's for free of charge.
Here are my 07GS350AWD' s OEM wheels after 5+ years. Still in good condition.
Washing the wheels after each snow storm will keep them from bubbling.
01-29-12, 09:19 PM
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you could also rinse/clean your wheels everyday or every so often. That's if you want to do that extra work haha. Like some have said earlier, it's probably the salt on the roads in your area. Just dont rinse the wheels right after a drive because you might hurt the rotors.
01-31-12, 07:45 PM
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My rims look exactly like that too...peeling and bubbles. I am in Massachusetts - so salt winters don't help. As far as loosing tire pressure, I put nitrogen in my tires and have had no tire seal or pressure loss issues. Give it a shot.
02-20-12, 11:32 AM
#12
Lexus Test Driver
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Since I bought my tires at Firestone (original Potenza RE960AS Pole Position with road hazard), they were kind enough to fix it every time I had a problem. Pretty much, what you guys described of taking tire off, resanding, and remounting back at no charge. So far, 3 tires were done, and the fix works. I thought I can deal with waiting for the last tire to start loosing its air, until now when I realized that I'm up for a new set of tires. RE960 lasted me for 55k (although rated for 40k), and I'm about to replace it with RE970. But its such a shame to put new tires on these wheels.
I setup an appointment with my dealer to talk about this problem tomorrow morning. I do have an extended platinum warranty, but do you think they will honor it in terms of wheels? I know tires are obviously not covered due to normal wear'n'tear, but these are wheels?!? For crying out loud, my wife's 7 year old Highlander alloys still look brand new. I just hope I will be able to work something out with them cause refinishing is pricey.
I setup an appointment with my dealer to talk about this problem tomorrow morning. I do have an extended platinum warranty, but do you think they will honor it in terms of wheels? I know tires are obviously not covered due to normal wear'n'tear, but these are wheels?!? For crying out loud, my wife's 7 year old Highlander alloys still look brand new. I just hope I will be able to work something out with them cause refinishing is pricey.
02-27-12, 09:36 PM
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Since I bought my tires at Firestone (original Potenza RE960AS Pole Position with road hazard), they were kind enough to fix it every time I had a problem. Pretty much, what you guys described of taking tire off, resanding, and remounting back at no charge. So far, 3 tires were done, and the fix works. I thought I can deal with waiting for the last tire to start loosing its air, until now when I realized that I'm up for a new set of tires. RE960 lasted me for 55k (although rated for 40k), and I'm about to replace it with RE970. But its such a shame to put new tires on these wheels.
I setup an appointment with my dealer to talk about this problem tomorrow morning. I do have an extended platinum warranty, but do you think they will honor it in terms of wheels? I know tires are obviously not covered due to normal wear'n'tear, but these are wheels?!? For crying out loud, my wife's 7 year old Highlander alloys still look brand new. I just hope I will be able to work something out with them cause refinishing is pricey.
I setup an appointment with my dealer to talk about this problem tomorrow morning. I do have an extended platinum warranty, but do you think they will honor it in terms of wheels? I know tires are obviously not covered due to normal wear'n'tear, but these are wheels?!? For crying out loud, my wife's 7 year old Highlander alloys still look brand new. I just hope I will be able to work something out with them cause refinishing is pricey.
03-12-12, 07:50 AM
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Guys be honest, how many of you have used: Rim Cleaner Sprays, Rim Degreaser Sprays, Brake Dust Cleaners, dish washing soap, or other harsh chemicals on your rims to remove the brake dust? or how many have used the green rough side of the sponge/ or a sponge containing a harsh cleaning agent? (im sure a lot of you)
All this pealing is the direct result of harsh chemicals being applied to the soft rim paint & clear coat. Around the year 2000, rim manufactures and car manufactures started using really expensive pretty paint on rims, that's similar to the paint on your car, and that paint on the rims deserves the same style of care as the paint on your car, which means gentle car wash soap(the soap without those wax pearls which clog paint), and waxing the rims before winter, and before summer EVERY YEAR.
This is a common problem now a days, as rims cleaners, dish washing soaps, and other harsh chemicals contain degreasers, and other very-very harsh chemicals with strip away any protective wax, which protects against UV rays, salts, greasy dirty puddles from rain, etc.
My best advice to you folks is to wash your car with gentle car wash soap, the kind that doesnt have those silly wax pearls which clog your paint. Wash off every ounce of the soap, grab a bottle of wax, and apply as directed. and dont forget your rims. wash them well with a gentle soap/sponge and apply wax there too. remove the rim if your have too, so you can wax the inside of the wheel that is commonly submerged in greasy puddles. your paint will last 10x's longer.
as for the loosing tire pressure, i suggest spraying some soapy water on the TPMS valve stem. its a common issue for the rubber O-ring to be dry rotted and crack, and in the end start loosing air pressure. Or for the installers of tires, to crack the valve stem period and you will loose tire pressure.
Also twister - how much tire pressure is lost? what are number we are talking about? (dont forget, colder temps = shrinking psi -&- hotter temps = increasing psi)
i have a pretty good knowledge on how to repair/refinish/detail a car & its rims. i did a quick write up on the myg37 forum for scratch repair on my girls 2010 Infiniti G37s; here is a quick preview:
All this pealing is the direct result of harsh chemicals being applied to the soft rim paint & clear coat. Around the year 2000, rim manufactures and car manufactures started using really expensive pretty paint on rims, that's similar to the paint on your car, and that paint on the rims deserves the same style of care as the paint on your car, which means gentle car wash soap(the soap without those wax pearls which clog paint), and waxing the rims before winter, and before summer EVERY YEAR.
This is a common problem now a days, as rims cleaners, dish washing soaps, and other harsh chemicals contain degreasers, and other very-very harsh chemicals with strip away any protective wax, which protects against UV rays, salts, greasy dirty puddles from rain, etc.
My best advice to you folks is to wash your car with gentle car wash soap, the kind that doesnt have those silly wax pearls which clog your paint. Wash off every ounce of the soap, grab a bottle of wax, and apply as directed. and dont forget your rims. wash them well with a gentle soap/sponge and apply wax there too. remove the rim if your have too, so you can wax the inside of the wheel that is commonly submerged in greasy puddles. your paint will last 10x's longer.
as for the loosing tire pressure, i suggest spraying some soapy water on the TPMS valve stem. its a common issue for the rubber O-ring to be dry rotted and crack, and in the end start loosing air pressure. Or for the installers of tires, to crack the valve stem period and you will loose tire pressure.
Also twister - how much tire pressure is lost? what are number we are talking about? (dont forget, colder temps = shrinking psi -&- hotter temps = increasing psi)
i have a pretty good knowledge on how to repair/refinish/detail a car & its rims. i did a quick write up on the myg37 forum for scratch repair on my girls 2010 Infiniti G37s; here is a quick preview: