Bent rims

[opus]

Well, my dealer just called, I have the Quicksilver M6 in for a number of issues, one of them being "the shakes" . Based upon other postings here,I used the search function, I asked them to do a road force balancing. The dealer is saying that both rear rims are bent on the INSIDE. Now first of all, how the hell could someone bend a rim, much less yet both rims, on the inside? Second, the shake did not begin until I lowered the air pressure from 58 psi to the factory spec, so I am thinking this condition was present from the day I picked up the vehicle. Now the dealer also says that replacing the rims is going to be on my dime!! :barf: Has anyone else had a problem with the factory rims, I have the stock 17 in rims. Please let me know. Thanks. :hail:

[Ozzie Goat]

Ask for their diagnosis in writing.

Take it to a suspension shop for a second opinion.

Call GM with the second opinion, and stick it to the dealership.

Sounds like defect in manufacture or a load or crappola.

[emg32]

Like I replied in the "engine ticking" thread. There is no way you should have to pay for your rims when the car is still under warranty and they are bent on the inside. Definitely call GM on this.

[nixapatfan]

How old is your car? If it's from day one and you only had the car a couple of months call the Pontiac customer service and bitch, they will call the dealer and work it out with you.

[opus]

How old is your car? If it's from day one and you only had the car a couple of months call the Pontiac customer service and bitch, they will call the dealer and work it out with you.
I bought the car at the end of September. It has 2600 miles on it. I was told that the local Pontiac rep had stated that it was my bill to pay for the rims. I will be trying to call Pontiac customer service on Monday.

[miscreant]

Most positive offset rims bend on the inside. This is where the wheel is the weakest since there are no spokes of such to reinforce it. This type of bend indicates vertical impact stress.

Now taking the devil's advocate side of this, I would say that it would be hard to imagine two factory defects on the same car, both on the rear. It's very possible that something happened and you bent the rims. BUT it's highly probable that the bends were induced by the high 58lbs pressure in the tires (making the sidewalls substantially stiffer). So I would approach this as an inproper PDI by the dealership before delivery, which resulted most likely in both rear rims bending on the inside for vertical impact stress. The steps should be to approach the dealership again telling them you plan to call Pontiac Customer Assistance - don't be a jerk about it, be calm and collected and simply explain you are excising your rights. If Pontiac Customer Assistance cannot do anything for you, the migrate to filing a claim with BBB (the phone and contact info is in the owners manual). This usually get's Pontiac's attention, especially over a minor thing as two wheels.

The WORST case senario would be to get a statement from the dealership as to the cost of the wheels RETAIL (largest number you can find), forward this to your insurance company as a pot hole accident, and then they will pay you the difference minus your deductible, and you can then purchase some takeoffs from someone on this board. Keep in mind that most carriers will consider pot hole damage as an accident, BUT it's also something you can typically weasle out of if you switch insurance companies.

[opus]

Most positive offset rims bend on the inside. This is where the wheel is the weakest since there are no spokes of such to reinforce it. This type of bend indicates vertical impact stress.

Now taking the devil's advocate side of this, I would say that it would be hard to imagine two factory defects on the same car, both on the rear. It's very possible that something happened and you bent the rims. BUT it's highly probable that the bends were induced by the high 58lbs pressure in the tires (making the sidewalls substantially stiffer). So I would approach this as an inproper PDI by the dealership before delivery, which resulted most likely in both rear rims bending on the inside for vertical impact stress. The steps should be to approach the dealership again telling them you plan to call Pontiac Customer Assistance - don't be a jerk about it, be calm and collected and simply explain you are excising your rights. If Pontiac Customer Assistance cannot do anything for you, the migrate to filing a claim with BBB (the phone and contact info is in the owners manual). This usually get's Pontiac's attention, especially over a minor thing as two wheels.

The WORST case senario would be to get a statement from the dealership as to the cost of the wheels RETAIL (largest number you can find), forward this to your insurance company as a pot hole accident, and then they will pay you the difference minus your deductible, and you can then purchase some takeoffs from someone on this board. Keep in mind that most carriers will consider pot hole damage as an accident, BUT it's also something you can typically weasle out of if you switch insurance companies.

Miscreant,
Thanks for the info, I am more or less a know nothing when it comes to wheel tech. What I do know is, I have not hit anything, and therefore I figured there was no way that I bent the rims. But if what you are saying is true, and I believe you completely, then it makes sense that normal road operation with a vastly overinflated tire might cause this kind of damage. I just always thought of most rim damage occuring from a direct impact into a curb, a massive pothole, or some other kind of very noticeable impact. I have not had any of those kinds of impacts. Most of my driving has been of the highway nature and therefore I rarely even have come across potholes etc... What is even more disturbing is that the tire place that did the balancing stated that both front wheels also are shot based upon the road force balancing. the dealership told me Pontiac might, key word might, pick up the tab for the tires. And they don't even know about the rear tires because with the rims being bent, they could not test the rear tires. I will be calling Pontiac customer service on Monday and trying to get the ball rolling on getting this fixed. Once again, thank you for all of the info, it allows me to stand on a little firmer ground when talking with the dealer.