So today (yesterday actually), I had my first experience with Tesla Roadside Assistance. I was on my way home from a trip (left at 6:45pm, expected to be home at 8:00pm). While driving on the NJ Turnpike (location is important), the TPMS light came on. I flipped to the tire pressure display and noticed that one of my tires had rapidly dropping pressure. I was able to make it to a rest/service area on the turnpike and called Tesla roadside to have someone come help with a flat tire.
The person informed me that Tesla Roadside was not allowed to tow/assist cars on the NJ Turnpike due to a contractual thing and suggested I contact highway patrol (which was fine). I did that and the NJ highway patrol sent a tow truck to take me off the turnpike so Tesla could tow me.
At 8:45pm, the driver arrived and took my car a few miles to a truck stop somewhere off the turnpike. At the truck stop, I was able to attempt to fill the tire to hear the air rushing out. There was a large nail wedged in the tire right at the point where the sidewall meets the tread. I tried the green slime stuff I keep in the car and no luck.
I contacted Tesla Roadside again. The person I spoke with first told me they would try to get me a loaner tire. She had me on hold for a while and came back and told me there were no loaner tires available. She would arrange for a tow back to my house (~40 miles away at this point). She put me on a long hold only to come back and tell me that all of their contracted tow companies refused the tow due to the location and distance. She suggested I contact AAA or pay out of pocket to a private company. So basically, Tesla Roadside was useless for me here.
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Unrelated but to finish this disaster of a night, I called AAA at 10:00pm and they told me a driver would be out to get me in 60-90 minutes. I called them back at 11:45pm asking where the tow was. They told me the driver said 12:00am. I called back at 12:30am and they told me they would check with the dispatch. At 12:55am I received a call back telling me that they had no available drivers that could pick me up and I was stuck there for the night.
At 1:30am (now tired and frustrated) I figured I had nothing to lose so I went in the truck stop, bought a pair of pliers, removed the nail from the tire and attempted to use my tire patch kit for the first time to plug the hole. I was able to get the plug in and to hold enough air to drive the 40 miles home.
I arrived home at 2:20am.
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TLDR; called Tesla roadside for help. Received no help. Found my inner mechanic.
The person informed me that Tesla Roadside was not allowed to tow/assist cars on the NJ Turnpike due to a contractual thing and suggested I contact highway patrol (which was fine). I did that and the NJ highway patrol sent a tow truck to take me off the turnpike so Tesla could tow me.
At 8:45pm, the driver arrived and took my car a few miles to a truck stop somewhere off the turnpike. At the truck stop, I was able to attempt to fill the tire to hear the air rushing out. There was a large nail wedged in the tire right at the point where the sidewall meets the tread. I tried the green slime stuff I keep in the car and no luck.
I contacted Tesla Roadside again. The person I spoke with first told me they would try to get me a loaner tire. She had me on hold for a while and came back and told me there were no loaner tires available. She would arrange for a tow back to my house (~40 miles away at this point). She put me on a long hold only to come back and tell me that all of their contracted tow companies refused the tow due to the location and distance. She suggested I contact AAA or pay out of pocket to a private company. So basically, Tesla Roadside was useless for me here.
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Unrelated but to finish this disaster of a night, I called AAA at 10:00pm and they told me a driver would be out to get me in 60-90 minutes. I called them back at 11:45pm asking where the tow was. They told me the driver said 12:00am. I called back at 12:30am and they told me they would check with the dispatch. At 12:55am I received a call back telling me that they had no available drivers that could pick me up and I was stuck there for the night.
At 1:30am (now tired and frustrated) I figured I had nothing to lose so I went in the truck stop, bought a pair of pliers, removed the nail from the tire and attempted to use my tire patch kit for the first time to plug the hole. I was able to get the plug in and to hold enough air to drive the 40 miles home.
I arrived home at 2:20am.
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TLDR; called Tesla roadside for help. Received no help. Found my inner mechanic.
