Model 3 Tire Pressure

[follow.johnny]

At 39, I was getting a low pressure warning from the car.

You can manually reset the TPMS sensors to your desired "set tire pressure" so it doesn't trigger the low tire pressure warning.

See page 143 of the Owners Manual: https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/model_3_owners_manual_north_america_en.pdf

 

[Feathermerchan]

Lower pressure means lower efficiency and shorter tire life.

 

[Pete_in_FL]

At 39, I was getting a low pressure warning from the car.

After a service call last summer, the local Tesla service Depot returned the car with 47 lbs in each wheel, and the road noise was unbearable.

I have mine set to 39 from warmer weather and noticed that on cooler mornings the TPMS says 37 degrees, with no warnings.
On our third world quality local roads, reduction of tire noise is very important, as my driving is mostly local; noise is less of a problem on the Freeways.

I am considering having Costco do a nitrogen exchange for $5 per wheel, set the tires ar 39 in January, and then higher temps would not raise the pressures when the weather heats up to 90+ in the summer.

 

[RayK]

Funny, mine are set at 42 when "cold" (about 60F) and I got the pop-up warning of too low pressure at 39 psi. This is with NorCal temps going as low as mid-30s a little while ago. I too had them pumped up to 45/46 psi after a service session but at that pressure, the tire noise seemed to be pretty loud so I lower them. I value the reduced noise over the reduced range.

 

[Knightshade]

I am considering having Costco do a nitrogen exchange for $5 per wheel, set the tires ar 39 in January, and then higher temps would not raise the pressures when the weather heats up to 90+ in the summer.

that's....not how that works.

Nitrogen doesn't change the laws of physics. (also, your tires are already 78% nitrogen after all- that's what air is).


Nitrogen leaks out (very slightly) slower... and is less prone to having moisture like normal air (most relevant if you don't drive much, or are getting tires VERY hot on a race track)... but that's about it.

It's nice if you get it free, it's almost never worth paying actual money for on a normal street vehicle though.

 

[israndy]

Funny, mine are set at 42 when "cold" (about 60F) and I got the pop-up warning of too low pressure at 39 psi. This is with NorCal temps going as low as mid-30s a little while ago.

Yip, that's the way it works, pump them up for winter and if they haven't leaked, let some out for summer. It's the downside of knowing your pressure at all times. In cars that don't talk to me about the pressure I drive blissfully unaware of this as the seasons change.

 

[MentalNomad]

Yep. We're SUPPOSED to check our tire pressures and maintain them periodically... but very, very few people did it, before. Now, with that little pressure monitor window available, I swipe and check on them from time to time, watching to see which one starts becoming the "slow leak" tire.There's always a "slow leak" tire.

1.5 years, and they're all still holding together, but I do have to make the expected seasonal adjustments, like I did with my prior cars a couple times a year.

 

[drtimhill]

watching to see which one starts becoming the "slow leak" tire.There's always a "slow leak" tire.

Strictly speaking, wouldn't that be the "fast leak" tire?

 

[israndy]

My front tire started a slow leak a few days ago on the drive home from the Sierras, I inflated it, but it came back, and then again today, so I gave up and put my snow tires on and paid the $5 to have that tire disposed of. Looking for some 19" Tesla rims to put on when winter is over.

 

[Knightshade]

If it was a slow leak probably could've been patched for a few bucks and been fine

 

[Feathermerchan]

I usually plug mine myself. Last slow leak is really slow and I haven't found it yet.

 

[israndy]

No, it wasn't worth the trouble, the tires are not safe to drive on anymore:

I put my snow tires on the Aeros, and I found a set of 19" Silver Tesla rims that will be for my all-season tires the rest of the year. These were not worth saving as the winter storms approach. Perhaps if I had another year of summer driving I could have used the tires all the way up, but this car cost too much to be fooling with getting every last mile out of the tires.

 

[Kiwiadventure]

paid the $5 to have that tire disposed of

What I have seen pay your $5 but most have companies who pick these tire up and dump them in paddocks and then ship container loads of these tires to India. These tires are not recycled but set fire to out in the open leading to tonic smoke in India.

 

[low2500]

Nitrogen is preferred because the lack of moisture extends the life of the TPS sensors, takes longer to corrode.

 

[GregD60]

Nitrogen is preferred because the lack of moisture extends the life of the TPS sensors, takes longer to corrode.

I think the batteries in the TPMS sensors generally die before the sensors corrode. Most TPMS sensors are not designed to have their batteries replaced.

 

[Feathermerchan]

Warranty on Discount tire TPMS is 7 years. Two sets and I may die of old age not to mention the car.

 

[SomeJoe7777]

Nitrogen is preferred because the lack of moisture extends the life of the TPS sensors, takes longer to corrode.

Water content of air in a tire is a function of the drying equipment in the pressurization system. You can have air that is just as dry as nitrogen.

I am an opponent of nitrogen-filled tires. The miniscule benefits are not worth the cost. It's far better to just keep your tires properly inflated with air than it is to seek out nitrogen.

Furthermore, TPMS sensors are usually completely sealed against any moisture in the electronics and battery. The parts exposed to the tire gas (valve, stem, pressure transducer) are all made of non-corrosive material (typically aluminum and/or brass).

 

[MentalNomad]

I am an opponent of nitrogen-filled tires.

Opponent?

If I have free, easy access to nitrogen, you think I should avoid it?

 

[Feathermerchan]

Fill two tires with air and the other two with Nitrogen and tell us what you find.

 

[SomeJoe7777]

Opponent?

If I have free, easy access to nitrogen, you think I should avoid it?

If it's free, that's much better and may be worth it, but then the situation arises thus:

- You fill the tires with (free) nitrogen.
- The temperatures drop, along with that the pressure in the tires.
- You want to bring the pressures back up for efficiency, ride, and handling characteristics.
- You now have to find a nitrogen source, which may not be readily available.

Nitrogen filled-tires can kind of lock you into the dilemma of 1) do I fill the tires now with air, contaminating the nitrogen fill, requiring drain and re-fill later, or 2) wait and fill with nitrogen later, but drive until then on under-inflated tires.

I personally think it's more important to always have tires filled properly, and to really do that you need to fill with air, not nitrogen, so that you can always top off whenever needed.