1st Roadside Assistance Experience

[brandonee916]

I'm totally surprised to read that there is no air inflater standard. Every EV I've owned included a tire sealer/inflator kit standard since there was no spare. Adding this to my things to buy when I get my 3!

 

[blackeducator]

We currently have a Mitsubishi PHEV which also has no spare. It DOES come from the factory with a small compressor and a repair kit.
However, I bought another wheel from the wreckers which I throw in the back for longer trips, ..... so no doubt I’ll never need it when it’s actully in the car.

Having said that, I’ve actually had two tyres destroyed beyond roadside repair in 46 years of driving, one of which would have very likely been saved with a TPMS, so it’s not something I’ll worry about when we get our M3.
I will however carry a compressor and repair kit with me.

---------------
Ditto. With about 50 years of driving have had one destroyed tire and several flats. Now have also invested in compressor and repair kit (plus roadside hazard lights).

 

[clmason]

Did they repair the tire even though it has acoustic foam inside of it or did they justt replace it?

They patched the tire after tearing out a portion of the foam to access the hole. Not ideal but its been 10,000 miles since this issue and no problems.

 

[Dana1]

Welp.... Murphy’s Law strikes again. Leaving work today around 3:00 and just as I exit the parking lot I see a tire pressure alert telling me to pull over. Sure enough there is a nail in my tire. 3’s digital display shows 14 psi. Glad the car alerted me because I didn’t notice it.

What’s worse? I’m 100 miles from home. It’s 4:00 PM in the Inland Empire (east of LA, same terrible traffic).

Called Tesla Roadside service. They were pretty helpful. Unfortunately the “tire loaner program” does not have any Model 3 tires to bring out to me. Instead they offer to tow the car 50 miles into the heart of LA traffic to a Service Center. I pass on that. Opt for a tow to the nearest tire repair shop. Tow truck arrives in about 30 minutes. He fills up my tire and it’s good enough for me to drive to the tire repair shop. On my way home another 30 minutes later and battle rush hour back to San Diego.

All in all not a terrible experience but I’m thinking about getting a donut spare. Maybe some kind of portable air pump. Either would have saved me ~1:30.

Somewhere there’s a post about Hyundai spares fitting the 3. Guy gave details but I don’t remember them.

 

[fazluke]

This is the part that kinda annoys me. There's not really a "great" place to put the UMC and tire kit that don't impinge on otherwise-useful storage.

I bought one from Amazon and keep it in the hidden storage in the trunk under the floor.

 

[run-the-joules]

I bought one from Amazon and keep it in the hidden storage in the trunk under the floor.

I've got an air mattress, pillow and blanket there

 

[wcorey]

Model S/X/3 Tire Repair Kit

I bought this and keep it in the car. Just in case…

Doesn't using on of them ruin the tire, forcing a purchase of a matching new one? I had a similar problem and got a tow to a tire store that patched the tire. $17 vs $150.

 

[wcorey]

I'm totally surprised to read that there is no air inflater standard. Every EV I've owned included a tire sealer/inflator kit standard since there was no spare. Adding this to my things to buy when I get my 3!

My understanding is while yes they make the tire drivable for short distance, it ruins the tire and forces a major scrape and clean of the rim before it will balance. Right?

 

[brandonee916]

My understanding is while yes they make the tire drivable for short distance, it ruins the tire and forces a major scrape and clean of the rim before it will balance. Right?

I believe so... thankfully I've never had to use the filler, I've only used the compressor portion. I've always been close to a tire shop at the time of a nail puncture

 

[dhrivnak]

Welp.... Murphy’s Law strikes again. Leaving work today around 3:00 and just as I exit the parking lot I see a tire pressure alert telling me to pull over. Sure enough there is a nail in my tire. 3’s digital display shows 14 psi. Glad the car alerted me because I didn’t notice it.

What’s worse? I’m 100 miles from home. It’s 4:00 PM in the Inland Empire (east of LA, same terrible traffic).

Called Tesla Roadside service. They were pretty helpful. Unfortunately the “tire loaner program” does not have any Model 3 tires to bring out to me. Instead they offer to tow the car 50 miles into the heart of LA traffic to a Service Center. I pass on that. Opt for a tow to the nearest tire repair shop. Tow truck arrives in about 30 minutes. He fills up my tire and it’s good enough for me to drive to the tire repair shop. On my way home another 30 minutes later and battle rush hour back to San Diego.

All in all not a terrible experience but I’m thinking about getting a donut spare. Maybe some kind of portable air pump. Either would have saved me ~1:30.

Tesla sells a compressor and tire sealant package that I got for my Model 3.

 

[VT_EE]

Model S/X/3 Tire Repair Kit

I bought this and keep it in the car. Just in case…

Tesla included one of these at delivery, free of charge. Not sure if it’s a Maryland requirement or not.

 

[clmason]

Doesn't using on of them ruin the tire, forcing a purchase of a matching new one? I had a similar problem and got a tow to a tire store that patched the tire. $17 vs $150.

I bought three items for dealing with flats (after the first incident, OP).

• Air Pump
• Tire Plug Kit
• Tire Repair Kit (with the gooey stuff that potentially ruins the tire)

Next time I get a flat my plan is to first attempt to fill the tire using the pump. If it holds enough air to get me to a tire shop, mission accomplished. If its not a slow leak, I'll try to plug the tire myself and pump. Again, if it holds enough air to get me to a tire shop, I'll go immediately there and have them do a proper patch.

Worst case scenario is a flat that can't be temporarily fixed with the above two solutions... and If i'm in a bad place (remote, dangerous situation, etc) I'll go with the gooey repair kit to get going ASAP. Sometimes getting back on the road quickly is worth the trade off of having to buy a new tire. Hopefully this is does not happen ever but I'll be prepared if it does.

What I don't want to leave to chance any longer is waiting a long time for a roadside assistance truck who may or may not be able to get me back on the road.

 

[wcorey]

I bought three items for dealing with flats (after the first incident, OP).

• Air Pump
• Tire Plug Kit
• Tire Repair Kit (with the gooey stuff that potentially ruins the tire)

Next time I get a flat my plan is to first attempt to fill the tire using the pump. If it holds enough air to get me to a tire shop, mission accomplished. If its not a slow leak, I'll try to plug the tire myself and pump. Again, if it holds enough air to get me to a tire shop, I'll go immediately there and have them do a proper patch.

Worst case scenario is a flat that can't be temporarily fixed with the above two solutions... and If i'm in a bad place (remote, dangerous situation, etc) I'll go with the gooey repair kit to get going ASAP. Sometimes getting back on the road quickly is worth the trade off of having to buy a new tire. Hopefully this is does not happen ever but I'll be prepared if it does.

What I don't want to leave to chance any longer is waiting a long time for a roadside assistance truck who may or may not be able to get me back on the road.

Point taken!

 

[run-the-joules]

Doesn't using on of them ruin the tire, forcing a purchase of a matching new one? I had a similar problem and got a tow to a tire store that patched the tire. $17 vs $150.

Maybe. I've got 4 more of the tires sitting in the garage, not really too worried.

 

[boiler81]

Opt for a tow to the nearest tire repair shop.

In reading the warrantee, for a flat tire it seems that Tesla Roadside Assistance will only pay to tow you up to 50 miles, and to a Tesla Service Center.

Did they cover your tow to the nearer tire shop?

 

[clmason]

In reading the warrantee, for a flat tire it seems that Tesla Roadside Assistance will only pay to tow you up to 50 miles, and to a Tesla Service Center.

Did they cover your tow to the nearer tire shop?

It was rush hour and the nearest Tesla service center was into the heart of LA traffic about 30 miles away. The closest tire shop was 3 miles away. The Tow Truck driver inflated my tire. The tire held air as it was a slow leak. Rather than actually tow my car he followed me to the tire shop to ensure I was safe and then he left.

 

[boiler81]

The tire held air as it was a slow leak. Rather than actually tow my car he followed me to the tire shop to ensure I was safe and then he left.

So the Tow Truck charges were paid by Tesla?

 

[clmason]

So the Tow Truck charges were paid by Tesla?

I paid nothing... the tow truck was dispatched by Tesla to my location. I assume any charges were settled by Tesla.

 

[boiler81]

I paid nothing... the tow truck was dispatched by Tesla to my location. I assume any charges were settled by Tesla.

Thanks, Good to know.
I was concerned with the flat tire "roadside assistance", since many flat tires will likely occur far from the SC. I live only 8 miles from the nearest tire service, but 200 miles from the nearest SC

 

[nutts1]

Welp.... Murphy’s Law strikes again. Leaving work today around 3:00 and just as I exit the parking lot I see a tire pressure alert telling me to pull over. Sure enough there is a nail in my tire. 3’s digital display shows 14 psi. Glad the car alerted me because I didn’t notice it.

What’s worse? I’m 100 miles from home. It’s 4:00 PM in the Inland Empire (east of LA, same terrible traffic).

Called Tesla Roadside service. They were pretty helpful. Unfortunately the “tire loaner program” does not have any Model 3 tires to bring out to me. Instead they offer to tow the car 50 miles into the heart of LA traffic to a Service Center. I pass on that. Opt for a tow to the nearest tire repair shop. Tow truck arrives in about 30 minutes. He fills up my tire and it’s good enough for me to drive to the tire repair shop. On my way home another 30 minutes later and battle rush hour back to San Diego.

All in all not a terrible experience but I’m thinking about getting a donut spare. Maybe some kind of portable air pump. Either would have saved me ~1:30.

I live on the opposite coast in NJ and your situation is eerily similar to mine. I got a pressure warning and was just able to pull into my employee parking lot as the pressure reached zero. I called roadside assist and they were very accommodating and would have a repair team to my location in less then an hour with a loaner rim and tire. They called back 10 minutes later to tell me that none of their metro NYC vendors had a spare Tesla M3 rim. They asked me to call back at 8AM the next day when one should be available. 8AM comes and again no spare M3 rims in the entire tri state area. They dispatch a flat bed to take my vehicle to the nearest service center. Tow experience was great and cost me nothing. At the service center they reveal that not only are no loaner rims available but that none have been available for months and none are in the pipeline because everyone produced goes on a new vehicle for sale.

In addition, I purchased and carry an Tesla inflation kit with the leak goop. However, that is of little use when a pot hole rips out your sidewall. The situation was handled as best it could be under the circumstances but I do wish Tesla had been a little more honest in revealing that roadside assist does not carry loaner rims and that your only option will be a tow to the service center.