Material used for car sheet wheels production was analyzed due to limited weldability. During the manufacturing of wheel rims, during shaping - cold forming cracks were initiated in the weld joint and in its heat affected zone. The destruction of rims occurred during their shaping. The wheel rims were welded at their manufacturer's site applying the compression technology and using the direct current welding source. Five rims were supplied for the metallographic analysis of which two were with conforming weld joint, and in the case of three rims there was a rupture at the weld joint point; on one them along the whole width of the rim. The rupture of the rim weld joint across its whole width at the weld joint point that was made by diffusionless connection was caused by a low welding input power. The primary cause of the rim cracking initiation on the transverse weld joint was the presence of micro-cracks, micro-notches in the vicinity of the weld joint and the heat affected zone, the notch effect of which was manifested during the rim forming. The occurrence of micro-notches was shown in the heat affected zone as well as on the conforming weld joint of one rim. The carbon equivalent Ce from the measured values of the material chemical composition of all rims was in the range from 0.175 to 0.201. Given the declared weldability guaranteed up to the value of Ce = 0.45, all analyzed materials complied with the requirement. Material cleanliness, grain size and linearity met the requirements of specification for material MW 01. Given the insufficient quality of the material was not the primary cause of the defect, it was recommended to eliminate the occurrence of potential notches in the heat affected zone through slightly planning of the weld collar.