NX350h - bulge in tyre

[Andy B]

Hi all,

Advice needed please.

Whilst washing the car today I noticed that there is a slight bulge in one of my tyres where it meets the alloy wheel (photos attached below). Not sure how long it has been like that. Is this something I should be unduly concerned about? I'd appreciate any advice from people on here before taking it to a tyre place who most likely will want to fleece me for a new tyre whether I need one or not (which won't be cheap).

The tyre pressure is correct and it doesn't appear to be losing air. Car drives and steers fine. No damage to the alloy in that area.

Maybe some pothole damage? 

Thanks in advance.

[Bandar]

Seeing as tyres are probably the most important safety feature on a car I would personally get a new tyre. I wouldn’t want that blowing out at speed!

[Moleman]

19 minutes ago, Andy B said:

Hi all,

Advice needed please.

Whilst washing the car today I noticed that there is a slight bulge in one of my tyres where it meets the alloy wheel (photos attached below). Not sure how long it has been like that. Is this something I should be unduly concerned about? I'd appreciate any advice from people on here before taking it to a tyre place who most likely will want to fleece me for a new tyre whether I need one or not (which won't be cheap).

The tyre pressure is correct and it doesn't appear to be losing air. Car drives and steers fine. No damage to the alloy in that area.

Maybe some pothole damage? 

Thanks in advance.

Needs replacing safety first always with tyres.

[imgo]

Yes, change it before you regret not changing it.

[Scotlex]

A decent tyre garage would give you the best advice but it is probably safer to get it replaced.

If most of your driving is slow - around town - you could risk running it for a while but if you do faster driving then safer to get it replaced.

[scudney]

Personally would get it replaced ASAP regardless of advice as you never know.......

[Andy B]

Thanks for all the replies received to date. Much appreciated. 

I'll take the car to my local tyre fitter in the morning and report back. 

[Las Palmas]

11 minutes ago, Andy B said:

Thanks for all the replies received to date. Much appreciated. 

I'll take the car to my local tyre fitter in the morning and report back. 

Please report back that you have a new tyre on.

[rayaans]

Are the new NX tyres runflats?

In which case very likely a pothole has been hit causing the bulge. 

Needs a replacement for sure as it could risk a blowout 

[Andy B]

They are indeed runflats. 

I'm fully expecting to need a replacement. Just arranging the finance 😀 Cheapest I've seen online for a replacement is £274 (Asda Tyres). Maybe my local independent fitter will be slightly cheaper.

[Guest]

Hi 

I had exactly the same issue with one of my front tyres. With it being a front tyre I did not want to take any chances of a blow out. I assumed maybe pot hole damage, I checked the tyre when it got replaced but couldn't see any. If others on the group have experienced the same please say, just so we can check it's not a common issue with the car and type of tyre fitted. 

 

Kenny 

[Duggie B]

6 hours ago, Andy B said:

Hi all,

Advice needed please.

Whilst washing the car today I noticed that there is a slight bulge in one of my tyres where it meets the alloy wheel (photos attached below). Not sure how long it has been like that. Is this something I should be unduly concerned about? I'd appreciate any advice from people on here before taking it to a tyre place who most likely will want to fleece me for a new tyre whether I need one or not (which won't be cheap).

The tyre pressure is correct and it doesn't appear to be losing air. Car drives and steers fine. No damage to the alloy in that area.

Maybe some pothole damage? 

Thanks in advance.

Don't suppose you took tyre and wheel insurance out when you purchased the car ?

[Andy B]

14 minutes ago, Duggie B said:

Don't suppose you took tyre and wheel insurance out when you purchased the car ?

I didn't unfortunately. 

[DavidCM]

It looks like a new tyre is essential.

[Spock66]

Or possibly two to ensure you have matching tyres of the same make and wear characteristics.

[Andy B]

1 minute ago, Spock66 said:

Or possibly two to ensure you have matching tyres of the same make and wear characteristics.

I'll definitely be getting the same make (Bridgestone Alenza). The car has only done just over 7000 miles so the difference in tread depth between old and new shouldn't be too great.  

[Illogan]

Replacement tyre ASAP boss!

[Linas.P]

Yeah - sad news, tyre has to go. The bulge can blow out at any moment and last thing you want on motorway is for this to happen.

Now how it could have happen? Could pothole cause it? Yes pothole could cause it, but did you hit one? It has to be pretty huge bang to cause nearly new tyre to bulge, so I doubt it could go un-noticed. Does somebody else drives the car? I would be very reluctant to suggest it was faulty tyre on the car as it is rare, not impossible, but for premium tyre to fail itself this way would be very very unlikely. 

Maybe you can inspect the wheel more closely and see if there is any mark at all near where tyre meets the wheel, like some rubber transfer or anything at all? That would be clear evidence that the wheel hit something. Else it could be argued it is just manufacturing defect, but even knowing that Lexus often are quite nice and will try to help... I think it will be uphill battle to convince them that tyre replacement is on them. 

[Guest]

Hi, I thought the same when my tyre dis exactly the same thing. No damage at all at the wheel next to bulge. Cant recall hitting any major pot holes. I thought a defect tyre but agree very unusual 

 

Kenny 

[GMB]

Pothole damage. I hit a fairly big one and had the same result. These low profile tyres are very susceptible and not really suitable for our rubbish roads.

I got a quote from the tyre place stating pothole damage replacement. Took a photo of the pothole (just go find one😜) and got the money back from the council after filling in one of their anti-personnel claim forms. It took about six weeks in total.

BTW When the tyre was off there was absolutely no damage on the inside, just the bulge on the outside.

[Andy B]

Looking back, I do remember hitting a not inconsiderable pothole a few weeks ago (that has since been temporarily filled in). The roads in my neck of the woods are in a terrible state at the moment. I did have a cursory look around the car at the time but didn't spot anything amiss. Maybe it took a while for the bulge to show itself. 

I'll definitely look into seeing how I might be able to claim the cost back from the local council. 

[RONNIE W HODGEKINSON]

20 hours ago, Andy B said:

Hi all,

Advice needed please.

Whilst washing the car today I noticed that there is a slight bulge in one of my tyres where it meets the alloy wheel (photos attached below). Not sure how long it has been like that. Is this something I should be unduly concerned about? I'd appreciate any advice from people on here before taking it to a tyre place who most likely will want to fleece me for a new tyre whether I need one or not (which won't be cheap).

The tyre pressure is correct and it doesn't appear to be losing air. Car drives and steers fine. No damage to the alloy in that area.

Maybe some pothole damage? 

Thanks in advance.

Andy... Push the boat out and get 2 x Michelin primacy 2 all Weather Tyres on the car You Wont regret it..And yes Needs replacing I suspect you havent hit ANYTHING but its a Tye build Fault in the side wall..

[Andy B]

11 minutes ago, RONNIE W HODGEKINSON said:

Andy... Push the boat out and get 2 x Michelin primacy 2 all Weather Tyres on the car You Wont regret it..And yes Needs replacing I suspect you havent hit ANYTHING but its a Tye build Fault in the side wall..

Ronnie - thanks for your input but I need to ensure that the tyres on all 4 corners are the same make and model, plus they need to be runflats.

[rayaans]

3 hours ago, Andy B said:

Ronnie - thanks for your input but I need to ensure that the tyres on all 4 corners are the same make and model, plus they need to be runflats.

bulges in the sidewall of tyres tend to be massively associated with runflats along with rims cracking. 

If it was me Id be removing all 4 when they wear out and replacing them with normal tyres. 

I did it with the C class and it made a massive difference to the quietness and ride quality 

[Las Palmas]

There are many reasons for me always going back to Continental. One of them is a different type of puncture protection.