Tire thump after sitting.

[TechWrench]

I have a '99 540iA, which we just got recently, and the dealer installed a set of Continental Conti Pro contact, 235/45R17 94H's on the style 5 wheels which were on the car. The tires seem OK for summer use, and road noise is much better than the worn Michelins that were on it. But, I have noticed that after the car sits overnight, there is what seems like a tire thump (like a flat spot on a tire) for the first mile or so. I have had this problem with some tires on other vehicles in the winter, but never in the summer. Since this is the first set of low profile performance tires I have had, I am wondering if it is just a normal issue with the tire profile, or is it a problem with the tire construction? The thump is both felt, and heard when first starting off, and gradually lessens until it completely disappears within the first mile. It doesn't happen again for the rest of the day, but is there again after sitting overnight.

[LivesNearCostco]

I'm new to low profile tires and summer tiers, but sure sounds like flatspotting to me. You could look up that tire model on www.tirerack.com (http://www.tirerack.com) and read the reviews to see if other users complain about flatspotting for those ContiPro tires.

[samger2]

Yeah it's definitely a flat spotting issue. I've seen it before on Contis and in the past on Pirellis.

We used to put Conti Extreme Contacts on all of our preowned cars until some customers started complaining of steering wheel vibrations on test drives...we'd come to find out the the majority of the contis were flat spotting from sitting.

[jlb85]

No harm, just a flatspot. Keep them at proper pressure and park them where it is cool.

[TechWrench]

No harm, just a flatspot. Keep them at proper pressure and park them where it is cool.

I was pretty sure it was a flatspot issue, just that I haven't seen it before in the summer, only in winter. No problem keeping the pressure where it should be, but parking where it is cool is not so simple.


Yeah it's definitely a flat spotting issue. I've seen it before on Contis and in the past on Pirellis.

We used to put Conti Extreme Contacts on all of our preowned cars until some customers started complaining of steering wheel vibrations on test drives...we'd come to find out the the majority of the contis were flat spotting from sitting.

Interesting. This is my first set of Continentals in a long time, and up till now, I wasn't aware flatspotting would occur anytime other than in dead of winter. If that is all it is, I can live with it if it doesn't get any worse. They do run nice once the initial thump goes away.

[Kennetic]

Its because its a Conti.
some ya have good luck with and some ya don't - Its a hit or miss with Continentals
from what I've seen from day to day.

Best luck I've seen is with Mich, BFGoodrich, Yokohamma, Toyo, Nitto,
I hardly Never ever get any comebacks =)

-Kenny
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