Roadside Assistance experience: Flat Tire

[CarveDeeper]

OK, I do not complain much about Tesla but now they are 0 for 2 in customer service with me...grrrr!
The first time was several months ago when they replaced my front bumper and headlight and AFTER they did the work, noticed the bumper did not align with the front of the fender and DID NOTHING to correct it (still living with it).
Today, I got my first flat in 30 years! A screw was embedded in the front tire and I contacted Tesla Roadside Assistance through the app...WHAT A JOKE!
I selected "flat tire" in the app, provided the details, address, etc. I got a text telling me they have received my request. I then got another telling me they were reviewing my request, followed by another telling me the reply was coming from Ashlee and their mobile tire team could come and provide a spare, BUT only if I allow them to take my tire to a Tesla Service Center (Carlsbad, CA). If I was interested, please provide which tire, type and size via text. I asked how much the tire repair was going to cost, via text...only to be followed with the following response, "I have not yet received a response. Do you need further assistance?" I responded with a text, "YES". Another with "Please provide me with pricing" and another with the tire/wheel details. I then got a text informing me "We are closing the request due to no response via text and we were unable to reach you via Phone". Tesla has my phone number on file and through the app (obviously or they couldn't text me) and NOBODY ever CALLED me (as indicated in the BS text).
So, WTF?!!! Then the last text gets followed by 5 texts saying "Your concern is closed...etc." FIVE identical texts!
I then call Tesla RA and they tell me that it would cost me $78 + tax to repair the tire. I said, if you can provide me a spare, I can get it fixed on my own and return the spare. I was told they do not do that anymore because people do not return the spare wheel/tire. I find that difficult to believe as Tesla has my credit card on file (for supercharging) and if I didn't return the spare, then just charge me up the wazoo!
Tesla RA ended up towing my car to Discount Tire, where I had to wait 3 hours...they fixed the flat for free AND rotated my tires. Telsa service has gone to hell since I leased my Model S P90D in 2016. I love their cars...HATE their service!
They need to take a page out of the Apple book....beautiful products, great to use...and the customer service is AMAZING!...then the Tesla fan base would be unstoppable, but I will be a negative naysayer until they get their service act together.

 

[OCR1]

Tesla’s roadside assistance is very inconsistent. I keep my AAA membership and two spare wheels and tires ready to go in my garage just in case this happens. They may end up taking good care of you but in your case you got someone who didn’t have a clue how to handle the situation and you got lousy service. I’ve had Lexus roadside assistance in the past and it really wasn’t any better. But AAA has come through for me every time. And they are willing to flatbed a Tesla if you request it.

 

[CactusOne]

Two tips for all Tesla Owners..I own 2..Model 3P and a Y.

Tip 1. Discount tire offers tire warranty for about $240 bucks on our tires. If they cant fix it, they will replace it. Great deal since each tire is about $370 bucks.

Tip 2. Get a Spare Tire from ModernSpare.com for under $400 bucks..includes a nice wheel, tire, jack, tools and carrying case.
Great peace of mind on long road trips..and in the case of the OP..if the spare was not with him in the car, you can always have it delivered to you..faster than any tow truck. Thinking outside the box..you can have someone at the house use Uber or Lyft to get the spare to you..lol

 

[TLLMRRJ]

Yes, Tesla service sucks. No victim shaming here. But for the love of God, would you please get a 12v air compressor for $20-30 and leave it in your trunk so you can just pump up slow leaks and drive to wherever you need to go to get it fixed??

 

[SlimJim]

When I had the screw in my tire it was right in the dead center of the tread and Tesla service said it could not be repaired.
I had to buy a new tire for $350.
$78 for repair is ridiculous but it is still much cheaper than getting a new tire.

My advice for other owners is DON'T GET A FLAT TIRE.

 

[Matsayz]

I too had a screw in my tire Monday. I ended up having Tesla Roadside assistance swap the tire/wheel at my house with a loaner wheel/tire. I was very impressed with the person on the phone and the vehicle was at my house and I wasn't in a rush for anything so it went super smooth for me. But when my original tire/wheel showed up at Tesla they said it'd be $70 to repair it........ the screw was dead center of the tread. If I'd had known Tesla was going to charge me for a super easy fix I'd have taken the tire to Firestone/Discount Tire/etc for FREE.99 fix!

The one and only Service Center here in Las Vega is not an easy jump off the highway or whatnot for me so I bit the bullet and paid the $70 for the repair and then went to them on the way home from work this week. I'll give Tesla credit for making it pretty damn easy but if I'd had known it wasn't going to be a free fix and instead it was going to be $70!!!!! I'd had called my insurance company or flipping walked home instead. Fool me once, shame on me... fool me twice, something something.

I get a lot of companies are not putting a spare in the car but $70+ for a puncture repair? GTFOH especially if you can't send help within 60mins......in Las Vegas!

 

[Grae Chivalier]

Do newer Teslas, for example on a 2021 LR AWD Model 3, still have the foam lining inside them? So a can of fix-a-flat won't work in the cases posted above? What about a tire plug kit?

Reading the OP's experiences thus far, and living in San Diego as well, I need to prepare quick alternatives.

 

[joebruin77]

A couple weekends ago, I noticed a large bubble on the sidewall of one of my tires. I was able to drive, but wanted to get the tire checked out asap. It was a Saturday morning and I drove to my local Tesla SC. I showed up without an appointment. They said the tire needed to be replaced. Although they did not have my tire in stock, they swapped out the damaged tire and replaced it with a loaned spare. They also checked out my other 3 tires to make sure none of them were damaged. I then drove to my local tire store, got a new tire, and returned the spare to the Tesla SC on Monday. Tesla did not charge me anything for the use of the spare or for the tire inspection. Overall, I was very pleased.

 

[KenC]

Do newer Teslas, for example on a 2021 LR AWD Model 3, still have the foam lining inside them? So a can of fix-a-flat won't work in the cases posted above? What about a tire plug kit?

Reading the OP's experiences thus far, and living in San Diego as well, I need to prepare quick alternatives.

Plugs work.

 

[EmOne]

OK, I do not complain much about Tesla but now they are 0 for 2 in customer service with me...grrrr!
The first time was several months ago when they replaced my front bumper and headlight and AFTER they did the work, noticed the bumper did not align with the front of the fender and DID NOTHING to correct it (still living with it).
Today, I got my first flat in 30 years! A screw was embedded in the front tire and I contacted Tesla Roadside Assistance through the app...WHAT A JOKE!
I selected "flat tire" in the app, provided the details, address, etc. I got a text telling me they have received my request. I then got another telling me they were reviewing my request, followed by another telling me the reply was coming from Ashlee and their mobile tire team could come and provide a spare, BUT only if I allow them to take my tire to a Tesla Service Center (Carlsbad, CA). If I was interested, please provide which tire, type and size via text. I asked how much the tire repair was going to cost, via text...only to be followed with the following response, "I have not yet received a response. Do you need further assistance?" I responded with a text, "YES". Another with "Please provide me with pricing" and another with the tire/wheel details. I then got a text informing me "We are closing the request due to no response via text and we were unable to reach you via Phone". Tesla has my phone number on file and through the app (obviously or they couldn't text me) and NOBODY ever CALLED me (as indicated in the BS text).
So, WTF?!!! Then the last text gets followed by 5 texts saying "Your concern is closed...etc." FIVE identical texts!
I then call Tesla RA and they tell me that it would cost me $78 + tax to repair the tire. I said, if you can provide me a spare, I can get it fixed on my own and return the spare. I was told they do not do that anymore because people do not return the spare wheel/tire. I find that difficult to believe as Tesla has my credit card on file (for supercharging) and if I didn't return the spare, then just charge me up the wazoo!
Tesla RA ended up towing my car to Discount Tire, where I had to wait 3 hours...they fixed the flat for free AND rotated my tires. Telsa service has gone to hell since I leased my Model S P90D in 2016. I love their cars...HATE their service!
They need to take a page out of the Apple book....beautiful products, great to use...and the customer service is AMAZING!...then the Tesla fan base would be unstoppable, but I will be a negative naysayer until they get their service act together.

If it makes you feel any better, Audi RA was a bigger fail for me than this on a flat; I don't think they ever would have come before nightfall anyway. Good thing I had backup with AAA (still slow, but at least they apologized!)

 

[Petermcg]

Do newer Teslas, for example on a 2021 LR AWD Model 3, still have the foam lining inside them? So a can of fix-a-flat won't work in the cases posted above? What about a tire plug kit?

I had two flat tires near home in the first two weeks I owned my car (screws). I have a compressor, which can easily get me home with slow leaks like these. However, I found the plug kit difficult to use. Reaming out the hole and inserting the plug was difficult, even with the wheel off the car. I think trying to do this on the side of the road with the wheel on the car would be a real chore.

On the plus side, I’ve gone 30,000+ miles on my plug repairs, no problem.

I ended up buying the Modern Spare solution. It does cut down on my trunk space considerably, though not as much as a regular spare & jack. I encounter flats often enough to prefer the security of having a spare tire on board.

 

[Gizmo35]

I Have a plug kit and air compressor in my frunk for moments like this and I monitor tire pressures daily. I have had to plug one tire so far after a screw puncture. I am not getting stranded for a basic punture unless it’s catastrophic failure of a tire, id feel better stranded about something like that.

 

[vickh]

Tesla’s roadside assistance is very inconsistent. I keep my AAA membership and two spare wheels and tires ready to go in my garage just in case this happens. They may end up taking good care of you but in your case you got someone who didn’t have a clue how to handle the situation and you got lousy service. I’ve had Lexus roadside assistance in the past and it really wasn’t any better. But AAA has come through for me every time. And they are willing to flatbed a Tesla if you request it.

Anyone use AAA to flatbed to say DT and do a repair there? I have the repair/slime kit but Tesla should sell a lite donut to avoid this problem long term.

 

[jjrandorin]

(moderator note: received reports on this thread, took a look and split off posts / discussion about apples service model to another thread, which can be found here:Apple products service model compared to Tesla. Please direct discussion on apples service model to that thread, and continue to discuss teslas roadside assistance service model experiences here)

 

[BeeBee]

I’d rate my recent experience with roadside assistance as Very Good. I had 4 nails in a 2” diameter cluster which made the tire unrepairable. These were my key take aways:
- I received no less than 3 phone calls and 6 texts assuring me their 3rd party tow service would be arriving soon to give me a loaner wheel/tire because the replacement tire (Goodyear F1 20”) was on back order.
- Both the 3rd party tow service who installed the temporary loaner and the Tesla tech who arrived a couple days later to replace the tire knew their stuff (where to jack the car, used rubber pads and they used a torque wrench on the lugs).
- They 3rd party tow service took the damaged tire with them so the Tesla tech could swap out the damaged tore with the new one at the shop.
- They both informed me that Slime or Fix a Flat should never be used because the tire is packed with sound deadening foam so the slime will never reach the hole and will ruin the sound deadening making it unusable on the new tire.
- After learning this I plan on getting a spare.
MY/AWD/LR/FSD/20”Wheels/Blue&Black

 

[vickh]

I’d rate my recent experience with roadside assistance as Very Good. I had 4 nails in a 2” diameter cluster which made the tire unrepairable. These were my key take aways:
- I received no less than 3 phone calls and 6 texts assuring me their 3rd party tow service would be arriving soon to give me a loaner wheel/tire because the replacement tire (Goodyear F1 20”) was on back order.
- Both the 3rd party tow service who installed the temporary loaner and the Tesla tech who arrived a couple days later to replace the tire knew their stuff (where to jack the car, used rubber pads and they used a torque wrench on the lugs).
- They 3rd party tow service took the damaged tire with them so the Tesla tech could swap out the damaged tore with the new one at the shop.
- They both informed me that Slime or Fix a Flat should never be used because the tire is packed with sound deadening foam so the slime will never reach the hole and will ruin the sound deadening making it unusable on the new tire.
- After learning this I plan on getting a spare.
MY/AWD/LR/FSD/20”Wheels/Blue&Black

Isn't the Slime or Fix a Flat in the Tesla repair kit? What if the hole is on the right side of the foam? (I would only use in an emergency if I can't get roadside assistance)

 

[Mr X]

The best roadside assistance is no roadside assistance.

 

[JCtx]

Hey gang, my 2021 car had absolutely nothing to fix a flat. Not a compressor, no good, no spare, no nothing. Is that normal? Just want to make sure. I already packed a flat tire repair kit (Stop'nGo), and a compressor, but if the car was supposed to have something, to demand it from dealer. I never use 'goop', but if it comes with the car, it's good to have it as a last-resort option. This is the first car that came with nothing. All others have had a goop+compressor kit.

 

[SMAlset]

Hey gang, my 2021 car had absolutely nothing to fix a flat. Not a compressor, no good, no spare, no nothing. Is that normal? Just want to make sure. I already packed a flat tire repair kit (Stop'nGo), and a compressor, but if the car was supposed to have something, to demand it from dealer. I never use 'goop', but if it comes with the car, it's good to have it as a last-resort option. This is the first car that came with nothing. All others have had a goop+compressor kit.

Yep true for majority of cars for a while now. Good thing you are aware of that now though. I bought a 12v compressor, amp rated for my Model 3, off amazon. Works great and I keep it in my trunk like others have said they do too.

I had asked my husband if he wanted me to order one for him too but he declined; thought it was a waste of money. He may recently had second thoughts after his MS suddenly was reporting low tire pressure...18psi. I was on phone with him earlier when I heard him run over something on hwy 85 and pretty sure that was when he picked up the nail. He had to navigate to the closest gas station hoping it still had an air station (and one that worked!). Luckily he found one within a very short distance and filled his tire before damaging the rim. In meantime I had called Tesla (used phone number printed on a SvC visit invoice). I asked if I had reached the SvC (told no), which he was only a few miles from, but I asked if he could drive there and have them check it out for him. In this case figured it would be quicker for him than waiting for RA or AAA.

The Tesla person said if he could keep air in the tire he could drive to a tire store or the SvC would take him in as an emergency situation. It was late in the afternoon and he opted to go to the SvC. The air he had put in was rapidly leaking out at this point and turned out to be a good choice. They took him right in and it turned out the nail hole was not repairable so he bought a new matching tire, which they had in stock, so he wouldn’t need to buy two. Expensive afternoon but Tesla was able to get him taken care of quickly.

He was fortunate to be in a residential area in town within a drivable distance to that gas station and not stuck on the highway with no exit nearby when he got the low tire pressure alert. Worse case IMO is getting stuck on the highway during afternoon rush hour and waiting in the car for roadside assistance (we have AAA Plus btw). Had he had a $30 air compressor with him in his car it would have given him more options. From a time/cost standpoint he got pretty lucky the way things turned out.

 

[SMAlset]

BTW here’s what I bought for my Model 3:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07JDH4R7V