Anyone get the US Gov't Investigation Letter on Factory 350z Wheels?
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From: Atlanta
Interesting that this thread is so recent. I took my 2004 Enthusiast 350z in to get the 30~33k mile maintenance done. When I got the call back from the dealership to go over the issues with the car they said that the front left wheel was cracked and that they recommended that I replace it with a factory '04 wheel (which would have run me $800 for just the wheel).
Mine looks exactly like the hair-line fracture that Bender posted just now but its all the way around two of the spokes near where the spoke meets the center of the rim.
I haven't replaced the wheel yet, but I did buy a set of used set of stock rims/tires off a guy on eBay who had aftermarkets. I'm wondering if there's any way I could get Nissan to help out in fixing this if its such a common problem??
Mine looks exactly like the hair-line fracture that Bender posted just now but its all the way around two of the spokes near where the spoke meets the center of the rim.
I haven't replaced the wheel yet, but I did buy a set of used set of stock rims/tires off a guy on eBay who had aftermarkets. I'm wondering if there's any way I could get Nissan to help out in fixing this if its such a common problem??
Originally Posted by silver_atl
Interesting that this thread is so recent. I took my 2004 Enthusiast 350z in to get the 30~33k mile maintenance done. When I got the call back from the dealership to go over the issues with the car they said that the front left wheel was cracked and that they recommended that I replace it with a factory '04 wheel (which would have run me $800 for just the wheel).
Mine looks exactly like the hair-line fracture that Bender posted just now but its all the way around two of the spokes near where the spoke meets the center of the rim.
I haven't replaced the wheel yet, but I did buy a set of used set of stock rims/tires off a guy on eBay who had aftermarkets. I'm wondering if there's any way I could get Nissan to help out in fixing this if its such a common problem??
Mine looks exactly like the hair-line fracture that Bender posted just now but its all the way around two of the spokes near where the spoke meets the center of the rim.
I haven't replaced the wheel yet, but I did buy a set of used set of stock rims/tires off a guy on eBay who had aftermarkets. I'm wondering if there's any way I could get Nissan to help out in fixing this if its such a common problem??
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From: Atlanta
Originally Posted by stein
30-33k and I am maybe less than 3 years... Was your bumper to bumper warranty still in effect? If so they should have replaced the wheel on the spot!!!
I can check I guess but I'm going to assume that there will be issues seeing that I've replaced the springs myself. Hell I wouldn't be surprised if they claimed my wheel cracked because of my Popcharger and said it voided the warranty
I suprised that the cracks are happening to their other wheel designs, this tells me its a defect in the materials that caused them to be brittle and crack. I dont think the chrome is all whats causing this. I wonder if Infiniti is having these problems too since the G35 wheels and FX wheels are manufacutured at the same plant alongside the Z wheels.
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From: Colorado
Originally Posted by Spike100
^^ The stock chromes are probably safe.
I’m still mystified why electroplating a chromed surface on a stock wheel would cause this type of failure.
Would juxtaposing dissimilar metals (that obviously have different flex-values) be the cause?
This is certainly a strange failure.
--Spike
I’m still mystified why electroplating a chromed surface on a stock wheel would cause this type of failure.
Would juxtaposing dissimilar metals (that obviously have different flex-values) be the cause?
This is certainly a strange failure.
--Spike
Here is an article that explains some of the reasons why chroming can make the underlying metal more brittle. https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/archive/vf...msg00521.shtml.
BTW - does anyone know if particular wheel styles are more/less prone to this failure. I'm particularly interested in whether they are happening often to the anniversary edition wheels. I noticed they changed the casting of these wheels at the hub to add more metal (I think for the 96+ year cars) even though they look alike. Is one style more/less prone to the failure?
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From: Colorado
Originally Posted by Master Shake
Original PE06050 case was closed in April 2007.
There is now an ongoing Engineering Analysis (EA07005).
-------------------------------------
NHTSA Action Number : EA07005 NHTSA Recall Campaign Number : N/A
Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
NISSAN / 350Z 2005-2007
Manufacturer : NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Component :
WHEELS
WHEELS:RIM
Date Investigation Opened : April 3, 2007
Date Investigation Closed : Open
Summary:
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED PE06-050 BASED ON TWO CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING INCIDENTS OF WHEEL SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING DUE TO SPOKE FRACTURE. ONE OF THE INCIDENTS RESULTED IN A CRASH AND SERIOUS INJURY WHEN THE SEPARATED WHEEL STRUCK A CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER ON A MOTORCYCLE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. DURING PE06-050, ODI DETERMINED THAT BOTH INCIDENTS OF WHEEL SEPARATION INVOLVED NISSAN WHEELS THAT WERE SUBJECTED TO AN AFTERMARKET "RE-CHROMING" PROCESS. BOTH INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY NISSAN SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH "RE-CHROMED" WHEELS WERE CONCENTRATED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY IN CALIFORNIA. NISSAN HAS ISSUED DEALER BULLETINS, MOST RECENTLY IN AUGUST 2006, WARNING AGAINST "RE-CHROMING" WHEELS BECAUSE THE PROCESS MAY DAMAGE WHEELS. NISSAN ALSO SUBMITTED COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS CONCERNING CRACKED SPOKES IN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT NISSAN ALLOY WHEELS. THESE CLAIMS AND COMPLAINTS WERE NOT CONCENTRATED IN ANY PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHIC REGION, BUT WERE FEW IN NUMBER. ACCORDING TO NISSAN, MOST OE ALLOY WHEELS WITH CRACKED SPOKES CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO IMPACT DAMAGE. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER ASSESS THE CAUSES OF SPOKE CRACKING IN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT NISSAN WHEELS AND IN WHEELS SUBJECTED TO "RE-CHROMING" AND TO ASSESS THE RISK OF ADDITIONAL WHEEL SEPARATIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.
There is now an ongoing Engineering Analysis (EA07005).
-------------------------------------
NHTSA Action Number : EA07005 NHTSA Recall Campaign Number : N/A
Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
NISSAN / 350Z 2005-2007
Manufacturer : NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Component :
WHEELS
WHEELS:RIM
Date Investigation Opened : April 3, 2007
Date Investigation Closed : Open
Summary:
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED PE06-050 BASED ON TWO CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING INCIDENTS OF WHEEL SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING DUE TO SPOKE FRACTURE. ONE OF THE INCIDENTS RESULTED IN A CRASH AND SERIOUS INJURY WHEN THE SEPARATED WHEEL STRUCK A CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER ON A MOTORCYCLE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. DURING PE06-050, ODI DETERMINED THAT BOTH INCIDENTS OF WHEEL SEPARATION INVOLVED NISSAN WHEELS THAT WERE SUBJECTED TO AN AFTERMARKET "RE-CHROMING" PROCESS. BOTH INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY NISSAN SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH "RE-CHROMED" WHEELS WERE CONCENTRATED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY IN CALIFORNIA. NISSAN HAS ISSUED DEALER BULLETINS, MOST RECENTLY IN AUGUST 2006, WARNING AGAINST "RE-CHROMING" WHEELS BECAUSE THE PROCESS MAY DAMAGE WHEELS. NISSAN ALSO SUBMITTED COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS CONCERNING CRACKED SPOKES IN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT NISSAN ALLOY WHEELS. THESE CLAIMS AND COMPLAINTS WERE NOT CONCENTRATED IN ANY PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHIC REGION, BUT WERE FEW IN NUMBER. ACCORDING TO NISSAN, MOST OE ALLOY WHEELS WITH CRACKED SPOKES CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO IMPACT DAMAGE. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER ASSESS THE CAUSES OF SPOKE CRACKING IN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT NISSAN WHEELS AND IN WHEELS SUBJECTED TO "RE-CHROMING" AND TO ASSESS THE RISK OF ADDITIONAL WHEEL SEPARATIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.
NHTSA Action Number : EA07005 NHTSA Recall Campaign Number : N/A
Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
NISSAN / 350Z 2005-2007
Manufacturer : NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Component :
WHEELS
WHEELS:RIM
Date Investigation Opened : April 3, 2007
Date Investigation Closed : August 4, 2008
Summary:
ALL OF THE WHEEL SEPARATION INCIDENTS IDENTIFIED IN EA07-005 HAVE INVOLVED WHEELS SUBJECTED TO AFTERMARKET CHROMING IN CALIFORNIA. METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS OF AFTERMARKET CHROMED WHEELS OBTAINED FROM INCIDENT VEHICLES SHOWED SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN MATERIAL PROPERTIES THAT CAN INCREASE THE CHANCE OF STRUCTURAL FAILURE. NISSAN HAS ISSUED SEVERAL COMMUNICATIONS TO DEALERS, BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER ODI'S INVESTIGATION BEGAN WITH PE06-050, WARNING AGAINST THE PRACTICE OF CHROMING WHEELS. NISSAN HAS ADVISED ODI THAT IT WILL BE SENDING ANOTHER COMMUNICATION THIS YEAR THAT REPEATS THE WARNINGS AGAINST AFTERMARKET CHROMING. NO DEFECT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT NISSAN WHEELS. THERE HAVE BEEN NO WHEEL SEPARATION INCIDENTS INVOLVING THOSE WHEELS AND THEY PASSED THE SAE RADIAL FATIGUE, CORNERING AND SIDE IMPACT TESTS CONDUCTED BY VRTC. WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW COMPLAINTS, WARRANTY CLAIMS AND SURVEY RESPONSES INDICATING CRACKS IN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WHEELS, THEY ARE FEW IN NUMBER, OFTEN EXHIBIT EVIDENCE OF IMPACT DAMAGE AND MAY SOMETIMES INVOLVE CRACKS IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS OF THE WHEEL. AT THIS TIME, IN VIEW OF THE LIMITED INCIDENCE OF THE CRACKS AND THE FACT THAT THE CRACKS DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE PROGRESSED, FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES ON THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED. THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND OTHER INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE WHEELS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED. SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CLOSING RESUME.
Last edited by awdonly; Sep 9, 2008 at 03:19 PM.
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From: Colorado
Originally Posted by iStan
06-08 only had two types of wheels. Of the two, only one was available in 05.
Also...I have seen 3 sets of 06 wheels powdercoated that cracked.
Also...I have seen 3 sets of 06 wheels powdercoated that cracked.
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From: Colorado
Powdercoat is typically baked at near 400-500 degrees, and while the chroming process itself is occuring at a relatively cool 150 degrees, the chemical paint strip process used by many chroming shops often happens at closer to 350 degrees.
If you are going to insist on chrome, I suggest you pay the extra for a cold-strip (blasting) process. Calchrome.com (no affiliation) offers cold-strip for an extra $35/wheel.
