Flat Tyre

[meloccom]

Tesla does not sell a steel spare wheel and tyre but they will sell you an alloy wheel and tyre.
There has been lots of talk on this and other areas of the forum including somone who has found that a specific spacesaver spare wheel from a BMW that fits Model S. Compact Space Saver Tire/Wheel Solution

 

[raynewman]

Car is 12 months old today at over 28,000 km and no need for a spare (not tyre anyway).

 

[Dborn]

I have had punctures in both city driving and in rental cars out in the boonies. I recall 1 in particular, in New Zealand, on Christmas Day, when the country shuts down completely. Saved by the spare!
I carry a Tesla rim and tyre, Repco trolley Jack, breaker bar and torque wrench, plus timber blocks to spread the load from the car to the Jack head. I have used my jack many times on the Tesla, mainly to install Alloygators. Works really well, and of course, no punctures ( yet). I also have a couple of timber wedges for the wheels.

 

[RichardMcN]

Adam from Tesla on on flat tyre options and Roadside Assistance response times >>>>>

There’s no ideal location for a spare wheel in a dual motor car. Those owners with a spare wheel that I’ve seen have only had single motor Model S’.
I’d imagine the best place would simply be in the boot with your jack, torque wrench and breaker bar!
There’s no particular jack recommended, but we recommend a jack with a maximum rating of over 2 tonnes for safety, even though you are just lifting one corner of the car.

The tyre repair kit does not come included with the Model S.

The Roadside Assistance along major routes have spare wheels from Melbourne to Brisbane, but if you’re taking uncommon routes, we still will have tow companies but they may not have the spare wheels available. In this scenario they would tow you to a convenient location – typically a tyre shop. For flat tyres we cover for free within 80 kilometres of a Service Centre for free –outside of this has a call out fee.

There’s no max response time in rural areas because it depends on your location and theirs. For metropolitan call outs, it averages around 60-90 minutes or so for a spare wheel, as they return to the depot to pick up the wheel.

Your three options are spare wheel, tyre repair kit and Roadside Assistance. I’ll add another part to this – some have opted for purchasing a space saver wheel and tyre from another brand that successfully mounts up. I believe through some research that one for a BMW X5 seems to work. While we don’t recommend this, it seems to be something that’s worked for a number of other owners.

 

[paulp]

Adam from Tesla on on flat tyre options and Roadside Assistance response times >>>>>

"There’s no ideal location for a spare wheel in a dual motor car. Those owners with a spare wheel that I’ve seen have only had single motor Model S’.
I’d imagine the best place would simply be in the boot with your jack, torque wrench and breaker bar!
There’s no particular jack recommended, but we recommend a jack with a maximum rating of over 2 tonnes for safety, even though you are just lifting one corner of the car.

"The tyre repair kit does not come included with the Model S.

"The Roadside Assistance along major routes have spare wheels from Melbourne to Brisbane, but if you’re taking uncommon routes, we still will have tow companies but they may not have the spare wheels available. In this scenario they would tow you to a convenient location – typically a tyre shop. For flat tyres we cover for free within 80 kilometres of a Service Centre for free –outside of this has a call out fee.

"There’s no max response time in rural areas because it depends on your location and theirs. For metropolitan call outs, it averages around 60-90 minutes or so for a spare wheel, as they return to the depot to pick up the wheel.

"Your three options are spare wheel, tyre repair kit and Roadside Assistance. I’ll add another part to this – some have opted for purchasing a space saver wheel and tyre from another brand that successfully mounts up. I believe through some research that one for a BMW X5 seems to work. While we don’t recommend this, it seems to be something that’s worked for a number of other owners."

View attachment 169024

I've had two punctures with the 19's, and on both occasions the tesla warning system let me know very early, so I just drove to a tyre shop and had the repairs done. First one was a side wall so not repairable, so couldnt use the car for a day until tesla sent me a spare to adelaide (brilliant service!), now I keep my own spare in the garage of the 19 and 21, just in case, and only because of the distance to the SC.

 

[Blue heaven]

Adam from Tesla on on flat tyre options and Roadside Assistance response times >>>>>

There’s no ideal location for a spare wheel in a dual motor car. Those owners with a spare wheel that I’ve seen have only had single motor Model S’.
I’d imagine the best place would simply be in the boot with your jack, torque wrench and breaker bar!
There’s no particular jack recommended, but we recommend a jack with a maximum rating of over 2 tonnes for safety, even though you are just lifting one corner of the car.

The tyre repair kit does not come included with the Model S.

The Roadside Assistance along major routes have spare wheels from Melbourne to Brisbane, but if you’re taking uncommon routes, we still will have tow companies but they may not have the spare wheels available. In this scenario they would tow you to a convenient location – typically a tyre shop. For flat tyres we cover for free within 80 kilometres of a Service Centre for free –outside of this has a call out fee.

There’s no max response time in rural areas because it depends on your location and theirs. For metropolitan call outs, it averages around 60-90 minutes or so for a spare wheel, as they return to the depot to pick up the wheel.

Your three options are spare wheel, tyre repair kit and Roadside Assistance. I’ll add another part to this – some have opted for purchasing a space saver wheel and tyre from another brand that successfully mounts up. I believe through some research that one for a BMW X5 seems to work. While we don’t recommend this, it seems to be something that’s worked for a number of other owners.

View attachment 169024

Adam from Tesla on on flat tyre options and Roadside Assistance response times >>>>>

There’s no ideal location for a spare wheel in a dual motor car. Those owners with a spare wheel that I’ve seen have only had single motor Model S’.
I’d imagine the best place would simply be in the boot with your jack, torque wrench and breaker bar!
There’s no particular jack recommended, but we recommend a jack with a maximum rating of over 2 tonnes for safety, even though you are just lifting one corner of the car.

The tyre repair kit does not come included with the Model S.

The Roadside Assistance along major routes have spare wheels from Melbourne to Brisbane, but if you’re taking uncommon routes, we still will have tow companies but they may not have the spare wheels available. In this scenario they would tow you to a convenient location – typically a tyre shop. For flat tyres we cover for free within 80 kilometres of a Service Centre for free –outside of this has a call out fee.

There’s no max response time in rural areas because it depends on your location and theirs. For metropolitan call outs, it averages around 60-90 minutes or so for a spare wheel, as they return to the depot to pick up the wheel.

Your three options are spare wheel, tyre repair kit and Roadside Assistance. I’ll add another part to this – some have opted for purchasing a space saver wheel and tyre from another brand that successfully mounts up. I believe through some research that one for a BMW X5 seems to work. While we don’t recommend this, it seems to be something that’s worked for a number of other owners.

View attachment 169024

 

[RichardMcN]

i have gone for belt AND braces .
Tesla pump with goop - which they claim will not damage the TPMS sensors.
Plus BMW Z5 space saver spare with scissor jack ($50 from a wreckers- ford bravo 4wd ute one), breaker bar and ARB tyre repair kit. The spare fits in the froot with the other bits.
Overkill I know but I live in the bush and would not expect roadside assist to be available in any sort of reasonable time frame.
Re a new tyre- AFAIK the only supplier for the OEM tyre at the moment in Australia is Tesla.
My tyre mob, Goodyear Tyre service, can't even find a source for the specific sized 19" Eagle tyre my cars is fitted with.

Good on you Jimat. I'm thinking of going that way. Could I ask a few questions?

• I'm presuming you have a single-motor car (which does seem to give a LOT of extra room at front) ?
• How wide is the Z5 spare? (mine would have to go in the back, and baggage stacked on top of it)
• Did you get the tyre/wheel combo from BMW Aust or did you source wheel and tyre separately like the American forum post?
• Have you tried driving with it, and does it have a different diameter that throws out the car's instrumentation?
• Anything else to know about this setup?

Cheers

 

[RichardMcN]

View attachment 169036

Never thought of that way !

 

[Jimat]

Good on you Jimat. I'm thinking of going that way. Could I ask a few questions?

• I'm presuming you have a single-motor car (which does seem to give a LOT of extra room at front) ?
• How wide is the Z5 spare? (mine would have to go in the back, and baggage stacked on top of it)
• Did you get the tyre/wheel combo from BMW Aust or did you source wheel and tyre separately like the American forum post?
• Have you tried driving with it, and does it have a different diameter that throws out the car's instrumentation?
• Anything else to know about this setup?

Cheers

G'day Richard,
Yes -single motor car- the D has a smaller froot and the X5 would not fit in the froot of a D

The spare is just slightly too big to lie flat in the froot. It is about 170mm high. I have the jack under the wheel with repair kits etc in the "microwave" space at the back of the froot.

I got the spare from somewhere in Melbourne which sells second hand bits- presumably from written off cars. The mechanic who looks after my other cars sourced it for me. Has clearly never been used and cost about $250.

I have fitted but not tried driving with the spare. The one I have is very slightly bigger( 155/90D18) in rolling diameter than my OEM 19s. However the people I buy all my tyres from (Discount tyres - Queanbeyan) reckon that should not be a problem - they reckon the difference is much like the difference between a new and a worn tyre.

The scissor jack is necessary as a bottle jack will barely fit even when the car is on my concrete garage floor. I don't have any blocks for the jacking point as the pad is almost certainly designed for a point load.
I also have a couple of collapsible metal wheel chocks. The folding plastic ones have been a failure in the past.
Cheers
Jim

Pic of front of my car showing spare in froot (silver 085KWH)
Spotted in Australia and New Zealand

 

[RichardMcN]

G'day Richard,
Yes -single motor car- the D has a smaller froot and the X5 would not fit in the froot of a D

The spare is just slightly too big to lie flat in the froot. It is about 170mm high. I have the jack under the wheel with repair kits etc in the "microwave" space at the back of the froot.

I got the spare from somewhere in Melbourne which sells second hand bits- presumably from written off cars. The mechanic who looks after my other cars sourced it for me. Has clearly never been used and cost about $250.

I have fitted but not tried driving with the spare. The one I have is very slightly bigger( 155/90D18) in rolling diameter than my OEM 19s. However the people I buy all my tyres from (Discount tyres - Queanbeyan) reckon that should not be a problem - they reckon the difference is much like the difference between a new and a worn tyre.

The scissor jack is necessary as a bottle jack will barely fit even when the car is on my concrete garage floor. I don't have any blocks for the jacking point as the pad is almost certainly designed for a point load.
I also have a couple of collapsible metal wheel chocks. The folding plastic ones have been a failure in the past.
Cheers
Jim

Pic of front of my car showing spare in froot (silver 085KWH)
Spotted in Australia and New Zealand

Thanks Jim, very helpful cheers.

 

[Aussie Yank]

Well I appear to be trying to set a world's record. I just had my THIRD flat tyre. All due to nail punchers
......one at Costco parking lot in Sydney
......one in Coffs Harbour hotel parking lot
......one last afternoon in front of my house.

Two different cars (P85DL for first two, and P100DL for last one)
Same size tyres, 145/35/21
Two different brands (Conti first, Michelin)

Now the really good news is the field service is GREAT. In all cases a truck arrived, mounted the new replacement wheel/tyre, and was gone within 60 minutes. Got to love these guys

 

[RichardMcN]

My experience with nails (equalling your record of 3 in a Tesla @Aussie Yank, so first to 4 wins!) is that you get quite a slow leak of between 1 and 5 PSI per day. I generally just keep it pumped up till I can conveniently get to a tyre place.

Never tried Tesla roadside though as they only carry a Tesla spare in certain areas of the country. I generally carry my spare all the time (except in a loaner and I'm keeping the slow leak topped up in the loaner I have right now and Tesla can worry about it when I return it).

Am I over-prepared ? ...

 

[Aussie Yank]

YES, you are over prepared....but as the adventurer extraordinaire of the group, we would expect nothing less

for 3 to 3. This does NOT count the two WHEELS my wife dented by hitting a deep pot hole as 100km/hr. Local shoppe re-turned them and all was well: $200 each

ahhhhhh, the great adventure

 

[RichardMcN]

Yep and thanks for encouraging me on the 3 phase / showground front @Aussie Yank !

Actually I think there is a case for carrying 2 spares on an outback trip (if you can find room for them in the boot). The second can just be tyre-only. That way when you find you have worn out the insides of both rear tyres (which has happened twice, and hard to spot till its too late) you can get them swapped straight away and not get "grounded" for days waiting for new tyres to arrive !