TRENTON, N.J. -- BMW of North America and Bridgestone Americas have agreed to reimburse U.S. owners and lessees of some 2006 and 2007 BMW 3-series models who had to replace factory-supplied Bridgestone run-flat tires because of premature wear. The agreement settles a 2008 class-action lawsuit.
The settlement covers BMW 3-series models with Bridgestone Turanza Run-Flat Tires. The class-action suit started with an owners' group lawsuit that alleged BMW and Bridgestone should have known the tires were defective and prone to excessive noise and irregular wear.
A federal court in New Jersey has accepted the settlement offer, clearing the way for affected BMW owners to apply for reimbursement.
Bridgestone estimates the potential class at about 125,000 owners. According to Automotive News data, BMW sold 262,670 3-series models in the United States in 2006 and 2007.
