Hit a pothole and got 2 flats on my Model 3 Performance

[jackmott]

It is a combination of:

• low profile tires are all more susceptible to this
• M3P is a bit heavy relative to the width of the tires
• The tire is narrow relative to wheel maybe makes it worse?

Anyway I put 18"s on my M3P on day one, partly for this reason, partly so it wouldn't be annoying to normal people in daily driving comfort wise, but largely due to seeing that tires were $100 cheaper per tire in 18" sizes. $400 per tire change buys a lot of beer.

If/When I can ever buy a set of dedicated autocross/fun wheels they will likely be 19s because lots of sticky tire options in that size.

 

[Adrasmth87]

Yesterday I drove over a small defect in the roadway at about 35-40 MPH with my 2021 M3P that has 20" rims with Pirelli tires. It was a small rectangular section of roadway about 6" x 8" and maybe 3/4" or less deep that the asphalt was missing from an incomplete road repair. The sidewall on both tires got pinched and cut and the car had to be towed away. Despite this happening in one of the most populous and affluent areas of Southern California, the Tesla roadside service did not have loaner rims so they towed the car to the Tesla service center which was already closed, so I'm waiting until Monday to get new tires.

I was concerned over the very low profile M3P tires and this has just reinforced it more getting stranded within 3 months of ownership. (Have never had a pothole flat in 40 years driving a lot of miles.) The anxiety now comes from the fact that a few times per year I take a road trip where there are significant remote sections with no cell service. Before this happened I purchased a 12V air pump and a tire patch kit that I keep in the trunk. However, if you get a flat from a pinched sidewall you are screwed as you can't patch that. Get two flats at once and you are double screwed.

Short term the next step is that I'm going to look for the smallest space saver spare I can find to take with me on remote trips. But if I get 2 flats from a pothole I will still be screwed. Longer term when the existing tires need replacement I'm likely to get a new set of 19" rims so I don't need to run such aggressive sidewalls.

Curious if I just had very bad luck, or if this is not that uncommon of an occurrence, getting 2 flat tires by hitting a pothole. I've gone over potholes before with low profile performance tires with other cars and never had a single flat, much less 2. But how easily both tires went flat on the M3P, I'm thinking maybe this is not that uncommon? BTW, the rims look fine and do not appear to have bent.

I hit a pothole and immediately got a flat tire. 2 months later hit another pothole and instantly got 2 flat tires. I have the 19” rims and standard Tesla tires. Haven’t even had the car a whole year yet and now I’ve had 3 instant blowouts from potholes. It almost makes me want to get rid of the car.

 

[M109Rider]

I hit a pothole and immediately got a flat tire. 2 months later hit another pothole and instantly got 2 flat tires. I have the 19” rims and standard Tesla tires. Haven’t even had the car a whole year yet and now I’ve had 3 instant blowouts from potholes. It almost makes me want to get rid of the car.

Or get different rims …

 

[dmurphy]

I hit a pothole and immediately got a flat tire. 2 months later hit another pothole and instantly got 2 flat tires. I have the 19” rims and standard Tesla tires. Haven’t even had the car a whole year yet and now I’ve had 3 instant blowouts from potholes. It almost makes me want to get rid of the car.

This is very common with low profile tires from ANY brand. The 18” tires on this car have a taller sidewall and hence survive potholes much better.

If it’s a real problem (as it seems to be) — going to 18” wheels is a good option. Lots of aftermarket options to choose from, too.

I’m going to do the same once my 19” tires wear out.

 

[Yan Dong]

I got a model y for 8 months. Paid $2k for the 20in wheels. And in the past month the same passenger rear tire got pinch flat 4 times! And I’be paid almost $2k for replacing the same tire. Never drove off road, just on city roads. Drives for 20 years and never had such issue. Tesla is claiming that it is my driving behavior. I’m speechless. I don’t know what to do.

 

[Yan Dong]

Or get different rims …

I am thinking of getting rid of it as well. Tesla does not make the right choice of tires and does not admit it is their design (heavy eight) that makes the tire so much easier to break.

 

[Bluesmobile]

I have a 2021 3P. Hit a pot hole on the freeway and bent a rim without getting a flat. I figured it would not happen to me since it never has before. I was wrong. Since two of the OE wheels are curbed and a the third bent, I am switching to a set of 19" wheels.

 

[dfwatt]

I have a 2021 3P. Hit a pot hole on the freeway and bent a rim without getting a flat. I figured it would not happen to me since it never has before. I was wrong. Since two of the OE wheels are curbed and a the third bent, I am switching to a set of 19" wheels.

While the lack of sidewall on the OEM 20-in Performance Wheels is generally blamed for their vulnerability to impacts, and this is certainly a large part of it, the other dimension that doesn't get enough attention is that these OEM twenties are a cast and fairly brittle wheel. Get a forged aftermarket wheel in other words if you really want to reduce your vulnerability and of course 19 in will give you significantly more sidewall. The combination of both a forged wheel and more sidewall oftentimes means this problem does not recur unless you hit a whopping pothole or a curb.

 

[jackmott]

While the lack of sidewall on the OEM 20-in Performance Wheels is generally blamed for their vulnerability to impacts, and this is certainly a large part of it, the other dimension that doesn't get enough attention is that these OEM twenties are a cast and fairly brittle wheel. Get a forged aftermarket wheel in other words if you really want to reduce your vulnerability and of course 19 in will give you significantly more sidewall. The combination of both a forged wheel and more sidewall oftentimes means this problem does not recur unless you hit a whopping pothole or a curb.

I once got a set of forged wheels for a subaru and it is true they were not as brittle when I hit a pothole. But, the rim still bent!
I'm not sure how often the better material properties of a forged wheel really help on a sharp impact, when the outer edge of the rim is so thin. and If it does still get ruined its a more expensive replacement.

 

[Apprunner]

While the lack of sidewall on the OEM 20-in Performance Wheels is generally blamed for their vulnerability to impacts, and this is certainly a large part of it, the other dimension that doesn't get enough attention is that these OEM twenties are a cast and fairly brittle wheel. Get a forged aftermarket wheel in other words if you really want to reduce your vulnerability and of course 19 in will give you significantly more sidewall. The combination of both a forged wheel and more sidewall oftentimes means this problem does not recur unless you hit a whopping pothole or a curb.

I have 18s now and hit some pretty big potholes that would have obliterated my 20s. Didn't do a thing to the 18s Love that sidewall

 

[dfwatt]

I once got a set of forged wheels for a subaru and it is true they were not as brittle when I hit a pothole. But, the rim still bent!
I'm not sure how often the better material properties of a forged wheel really help on a sharp impact, when the outer edge of the rim is so thin. and If it does still get ruined its a more expensive replacement.

We've had multiple sets of forged rims on two performance model 3s in a 20-inch size. We've had them straightened but they've never been severely bent and therefore we've never had to replace them. They also seem to be more resistant to outright fracture compared to what I've seen described on the OEM cast rims, but obviously this is speculation and all of this is related to Metallurgy science above both our pay grades!

 

[ElectricIAC]

We've had multiple sets of forged rims on two performance model 3s in a 20-inch size. We've had them straightened but they've never been severely bent and therefore we've never had to replace them. They also seem to be more resistant to outright fracture compared to what I've seen described on the OEM cast rims, but obviously this is speculation and all of this is related to Metallurgy science above both our pay grades.

Yeah, the stock cast wheels are trash and too heavy.

 

[WSBKing420]

I blew out 4 tires already in 14 months since I got the M3P... There is only 1 solution, Wheel & Tire insurance. It will cost you about $1500-2000 for 3-4 years and will save you so much money. Best thing to do is to find a local performance tire shop that works with your wheel & tire insurance policy (perhaps they can even get you a policy they're comfortable working with) and frequently carries your tires and it will be a breeze. They won't even charge you upfront, you change your tires and they file a claim for the payout, that's all! Worst case scenario is you pay for the tires upfront and file a claim yourself and get your money back. Most of these policies are unlimited claims and $0 deductible. Life saver!

 

[ay221]

The best solution is to avoid driving into potholes. Nothing good comes from hitting one.

 

[WSBKing420]

The best solution is to avoid driving into potholes. Nothing good comes from hitting one.

For sure, but sometimes you just don't see them in time

 

[ElectricIAC]

The best solution is to avoid driving into potholes. Nothing good comes from hitting one.

Sometimes local and state governments fail at their most basic job of keeping the roads drivable.

 

[Alan2000]

Recently swapped my M3P for Model S with 19" rims. Problem solved.

Now I don't risk my life any longer swerving out of the path of every small pothole.

 

[tm1v2]

Dayum, swapped the car instead of the wheels. Thread is done!

@Alan2000 Enjoy the Model S! Ours came with 21" wheels, I think the performance ones always did back then. We swapped it to 19" after a 21" wheel cracked. No S3XY Tesla is immune to this issue if fitted with Tesla's oversized cast wheels and rubberband tires.

 

[heavyD]

The M3P is a bad combination of heavy car riding on narrow low profile 235 tires that are stretched. This is the worst factory wheel/tire combination I have ever seen especially with the Pirelli tires that are narrower width than the old PS4's.

 

[jackmott]

The M3P is a bad combination of heavy car riding on narrow low profile 235 tires that are stretched. This is the worst factory wheel/tire combination I have ever seen especially with the Pirelli tires that are narrower width than the old PS4's.

Like many seemingly bad design decisions on EVs, it is probably a function of trying to maximize range. Though I don't know why they make the 20" wheels half an inch wider....