Just got the model 3 SR+ about three weeks ago and still learning things everyday. This is the first car I own that come with tubeless setup so I I wonder if anyone have experience with the Tesla branded tire repair kit? Do you think its necessary to have it in the car? Are there any alternative options I should be looking at instead? Thanks in advance.
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Tesla branded tire repair kit?
- Thread starter woopenghua
- Start date
I always have a little pump and a sealant kit in my car, but it's not a Tesla branded one. I'd give about 80% chance that the tire repair kit won't work, and I carry it for another 20%. If you go to remote places where Tesla service won't serve and you worry about flat tires then I suggest you get a small wheel that you keep with you. Remember to get car jack adapters for your Tesla (can be useful anyway).
Congratulations on your new car.
I also wonder, when was your last car made that it still had tires with tubes?
Tesla rebranded a European kit, which one can buy on Amazon, but it doesn’t ship to all states.. it’s odd that the Tesla one will ship to all states.. for 50-80$ It’s good piece of mind to have something in the car with you on road trips, otherwise a rover will come and swap out the tire.
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
I don't have experience with the Tesla branded kit, but personally for the money I would rather get a scissor jack rated for the car (you may be able to repurpose one from a previous car, may also need a lug wrench), jack adapters (which you may need anyways as some tire shops don't have them), a 12V air compressor, and a tire plug kit. Some have suggested to also carry a block of wood (or those plastic camper levelers) to drive over and raise the car for better clearance (as not all jacks will otherwise fit).
That seems like it'll handle more situations and wouldn't make a mess inside the tires (which whoever is repairing the tire would have to clean up).
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Thanks for sharing your experience with me. This seems to be a better idea than dealing with sealant. Cheers.
Agreed, its more of a peace of mind than hoping I will actually need to use it (knock on the wood). Thanks for your reply!
It’s sort of like carrying an umbrella. IF you have it, you’ll never NEED it. ;-)
This is what I do... no complaints.
The problem with goo type sealants is that our cars come with a sound deadening foam liner on the backside of the tread. More often than not, goo type sealants won't make it to where the puncture is, but will rather pool in one area of the foam. This leaves you with not just a flat tire, but a flat out-of-balance tire.
The advantage to a plug kit is that they are dead simple to use, and a plug is considered a permanent repair.
Living out here in the desert comes with a lot of good things, but one bad thing is the number of flat tires. We average three flats per year here. I've been using plug kits for nearly 35 years now, and never had a problem.
Just watch a couple of YouTube videos on how to use a plug kit. And one more tip: carry some rubber cement in your tire plug kit. Use it to lubricate the plug for easier insertion and easier plug tool removal. Using rubber cement drastically reduces the amount of force needed to properly place a plug and remove the tool. It makes it so easy that my wife actually did the last tire plug on her Sequoia by herself.
In addition to the stuff in the quoted post above, I also carry side cutters, standard pliers, a needle nose pliers, and a couple of pairs of rubber/vinyl gloves.
Make sure you test your 12v air compressor before tossing it in the car and forgetting about it.
I bought the sealant kit. Had a flat tire today. The pump on the kit works fine, but when I set the switch to the sealant the pump doesn't work. I've tried reseating the sealant canister, but no luck. I'm guessing there's some sort of sensor for the canister that is faulty. So this kit is useless for me. I called Tesla, they weren't able to suggest anything to try. Today is Sunday - Mobile Service will be here on Tuesday morning. Grrr. It's also frustrating that although I had tested the pump to ensure it would work if I needed it, there isn't any obvious way to test the pump with sealant without activating the canister, which I obviously don't want to do.
I've been worried about this scenario so I have the modern spare - spare tire. Granted, its big and bulky but even if I leave it in the garage at least I'll have a tire I can put on or have someone go get and I can take it on a long road trip. Last time I had a flat (actually a tire with a nail still holding a decent pressure but little low -- but I didn't feel comfortable taking on a commute) tesla repair appointments were a week-and-half out so I couldn't drive the car but used a spare car from family member. Mobile said they could put a loaner wheel on only if the tire was totally flat and told me to keep driving until it goes totally flat or appt whichever comes first. Can mobile repair flats? that would be awesome. Mobile ought to be able to loan a whole wheel and tire package even if there's a charge until service appt. Would be worth it.
It'll be interesting to see how this works. Mobile is supposed to be here Tuesday with a new tire. Maybe they'll bring a loaner wheel too, although the service person didn't mention that. Can they replace a tire on my wheel with a mobile visit?
I'm in the Los Angeles / San Gabriel Valley area and would recommend a patch if you have a slow leak, especially if the nail or screw is in the surface of a tire with a good amount of life left. Sealants and other generic repair kits don't do a very good job, especially if you don't have the tools or the experience to properly plug the leak.
Personally I go to Willy's Tire and Alignment on Monterey Pass Road for fast, inexpensive, and long-lasting patches for my Model S, X (as well as Toyotas, Hondas and Porsches). If he can't patch it, he'll tell you right away. He's not pushy or dishonest.
Personally I go to Willy's Tire and Alignment on Monterey Pass Road for fast, inexpensive, and long-lasting patches for my Model S, X (as well as Toyotas, Hondas and Porsches). If he can't patch it, he'll tell you right away. He's not pushy or dishonest.
pnwadventures
@bpr1de on Instagram
Were you able to resolve this? Got the same problem, when it was needed it didn’t work (on family members car) and on mine it blew a fuse.
Whenever you use the 12v power receptacle, make sure that you keep the car awake.
When the car is asleep (and assuming you have a Tesla that allows you to use the 12v power receptacle when the car is asleep), the 12v battery powers the 12v system. When you then plug in an air compressor, the voltage sags. This can cause enough amperage to be drawn that the efuse trips.
If the car is awake, the DC/DC convertor powers the 12v system, and it does so at a consistent 14.2 volts. The higher voltage means that for any given wattage, there will be less amperage drawn, which means you can get away with pulling more wattage when the car is awake without tripping the efuse.
Give it another shot, but this time insure that the car is awake.
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