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Got my first flat tire...now Tesla charging me for fixing it. Is this normal ?

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So I picked up my model3 Monday at 4 and this morning had a flat!!! Called roadside and they had no loaner wheels so had me towed to Tesla Sevuce where it is 390 dollars for a new tire plus 60 for balancing. Toronto is full of potholes what do I do I don’t want this to happen again.

Do you have 19s or 20s? You'll have to actively avoid potholes or stick with 18s like I did. Though if you put larger 245 or 255 tires on 19s that should be mostly fine as well.
 
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As an update :

I was actually charged $65 total (about $50 USD), not the $75 they quoted my wife over the phone.

Glad to get my first flat out of the way , I did buy a tire plug kit and 12 Volt inflation pump and made my own jacking pucks.


Anyone know of a good emergency scissor jack they would recommend, to put into the frunk ????
 
I've used the sticky-string repair kit to repair a BMW i3-REx tire of which 2 of 3 efforts worked. Here is the first one:
plug_100.jpg

My first plug patch. The 'needle' tool did not work but using a narrow, flat screw driver was able to push the sticky string in.

This hole was patched twice. The first attempt had a slow leak:
plug_110.jpg

After reaming out the leaking plug, I reamed the hole aggressively and then squeezed the tire with a glob of adhesive at the hole. Releasing the hand pressure sucked the adhesive into the tire. Then the flat screw driver pushed in another sticky string perfectly.

Since then, a PriusChat member recommended this kit:
Pocket Tire Plugger for all Tubeless Tires
Pocket_Tire_Plugger_1000_-_Repair_Kit__56656.1533574570.1280.1280.png


I have not plugged a tire with this kit but I am impressed with the approach. A flexible, mushroom shaped plug is forced into the tire where the flexible head expands on the inside. The stem is pulled and trimmed and air pressure forces the head against the inside of the tire. Best of all, there are no sticky strings nor adhesives.

I carry an automatic shutoff, tire inflator:
s-l640.jpg

Once the tire pressure limit is set, the unit inflates the tire and shuts off when the pressure is reached. This lets me take the cap off of the next tire while the current one is inflating. Ending with tires more uniformly inflated.

Bob Wilson
 
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My local tire shop where I have taken my past cars, will fix my tire for free (unless they need to be replaced ) . So I was expecting the same from Tesla.

If I'm near one of the hundreds of locations of our tire shop (America's Tire), I call the closest AmTire, confirm they have my tires in stock (I have staggered 21" Michelin Pilot Super Sports).

Then I have Tesla Roadside Assistance flat bed my Tesla to that location where AmTire will fix or replace my tires for FREE since I purchased AmTire "Tire Certificates" https://www.americastire.com/customer-service/certificates

I also carry a ViAir 84P air compressor to pump my tires back up if I have a slow leak so I can just drive to an AmTire store. Saves a LOT of time vs. Tesla or AAA Roadside Assistance. ViAir is also great to put more air in our tires when it's cold and we get Low Pressure warnings on multiple tires. https://smile.amazon.com/VIAIR-84P-84p-Portable-Compressor/dp/B01MS75ZMY

Lastly I carry a Safety Seal tire plug kit so I can plug my own tires if we're far away from any tire shop... or they're all closed (evenings & weekends).
 
Currently, I'm new to Tesla and still in the research phase. I'm also new to this board, so bear with me. But, why would you have Tesla fix a tire when any reputable tire shop could do the job?

Or why would you take a tire to Tesla when you can fix it yourself in your own garage in about ten minutes with a cheap plug??? Amazing that people need to spend such time and money just for a simple lack of education and experience. I have had one flat in the last 175,000 miles. Drove on the repaired tire for a couple years, never had problems with balance (We drive fast around here, freeway speeds 80 to 90 mph). I guess if people are unwilling to learn, they pay the big bucks.

In other words, learn to do it yourself, save money. Rarely is a puncture not fixable.
 
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This sucks because my local Tesla service center just quoted me $96. I asked if they can work on the price since discount tire was offering $40 for a flat repair. Their reply was “Your more then welcome to go somewhere else.” Very disappointed, anyone that knows cars, it doesn’t cost $96 to fix a flat...
 
This sucks because my local Tesla service center just quoted me $96. I asked if they can work on the price since discount tire was offering $40 for a flat repair. Their reply was “Your more then welcome to go somewhere else.” Very disappointed, anyone that knows cars, it doesn’t cost $96 to fix a flat...

...anyone who knows cars would just fix it themselves. you're paying tesla the tesla markup for their hourly. or, go to DT and pay 40. same reason it costs an arm and a leg for the dealership to do *anything* vs a good indy
 
The reason for not fixing this myself (with a $5 Slime patch kit) is potential warranty denial.

tesla doesnt want to fix flats. They were (and are) perfectly within their rights to tell you, when you say "its cheaper at discount tire" ... "ok, you are welcome to get it fixed at discount tire, then".

Not sure what kind of warranty denial you are talking about. There obviously is not a "tire puncture" warranty. Tesla cant invalidate warranty on the battery or any other part because of a patched tire. If you get into an accident and its because of a tire blowout, I could see your INSURANCE fighting you on that, but what warranty are you talking about?

Telsa over charges for it because they dont want to do it. You are paying a "convenience fee" because tesla would rather you take it to discount tire, or someplace like that.
 
warranty denial? for what?

if your tire had a puncture away from the sidewall I would have just plugged the hole and called it a day.
Should have been more specific, what I was trying to say is that I rather have Tesla fix the flat. The few shops I have called do not have experience with working on Teslas, and they also do not have the proper jacking pucks needed to lift the car. Rather not take the risk of a shop damaging the battery, panels, etc. At the time, I also did not have the jacking pucks to lift the car and perform the work myself.
 
Should have been more specific, what I was trying to say is that I rather have Tesla fix the flat. The few shops I have called do not have experience with working on Teslas, and they also do not have the proper jacking pucks needed to lift the car. Rather not take the risk of a shop damaging the battery, panels, etc. At the time, I also did not have the jacking pucks to lift the car and perform the work myself.
fixing a flat is not tesla specific. you don't need fancy pucks to lift the car.