Tire Sensors Sensitivity

[Cnasty]

I picked up my S on Monday and the next morning the left rear tire was showing low air, down to 35 PSI.

I filled it up as well as all the others according to the inside of the door numbers. Was fine all day. Woke up the next morning. Same thing and all the tires actually came down quite a bit.

The one in the left rear is significantly lower at 35PSI and the others dropped to 40.

Anyone have any feedback on the sensitivity of the sensors or am I truly unlucky and got a leak on day 1?

Do I go back to the service center for this or can I just go to Firestone or something. Assuming the Service Center would be free though.

 

[scottm]

TPMS sounds like it has done the job correctly. You have leak in left rear you need to deal with. Don't drive fast or far in this condition.

You should use a real air gauge and check all, nonetheless.. you probably filled on hot tires yesterday and overnight they cooled to less. But you still have one leak.

Leak sounds slow enough to drive to tire shop, and get the repair. Also sounds fast enough that you should get bubbles somewhere when dunked.

If it was me, I'd determine cause of leak before going to shop. But you might not have the tools and space to do that, or the inclination. I would take the tire to the shop in a different car. First knocking out the center cap and keep that at home. Circle the leak with grease pen if it's pin pointable. Torque nuts on at 135 which is higher than usual. ... If you drive it to the shop make sure you make them aware of torque spec.

You might have a poorly seated tire, leaking around the bead at the rim.. sometimes (very rare) the rim itself has a crack / fault that lets air out and cure is new rim required. The rim could also have suffered a tool hit when mounting rubber and made a small nick or dent affecting how well the rubber seals.

If it's a bad tire, or rim, which can happen, I'd get Tesla involved otherwise not.

 

[Cnasty]

TPMS sounds like it has done the job correctly. You have leak in left rear you need to deal with. Don't drive fast or far in this condition.

You should use a real air gauge and check all, nonetheless.. you probably filled on hot tires yesterday and overnight they cooled to less. But you still have one leak.

Leak sounds slow enough to drive to tire shop, and get the repair. Also sounds fast enough that you should get bubbles somewhere when dunked.

If it was me, I'd determine cause of leak before going to shop. But you might not have the tools and space to do that, or the inclination. I would take the tire to the shop in a different car. First knocking out the center cap and keep that at home. Circle the leak with grease pen if it's pin pointable. Torque nuts on at 135 which is higher than usual. ... If you drive it to the shop make sure you make them aware of torque spec.

You might have a poorly seated tire, leaking around the bead at the rim.. sometimes (very rare) the rim itself has a crack / fault that lets air out and cure is new rim required. The rim could also have suffered a tool hit when mounting rubber and made a small nick or dent affecting how well the rubber seals.

If it's a bad tire, or rim, which can happen, I'd get Tesla involved otherwise not.

Great info. Thank you for the details.

I am about 30 minutes from the Service Center and they said just bring it in and we can take a quick look at it so may go that route after refilling it up with some air.

Letting it sit in the garage at work all day today and see if it gets lower which I am assuming it will before filling it up again. Hopefully it won't be flat and I will need roadside with no spare.

 

[Cnasty]

I went to the Service Center today and they said they don't have a dunk machine but ran soap and water throughout the entire tire and nothing was showing any signs of leak, protrusion, or nail/object causing a leak.

They saw that the TPMS was lower on that one rear wheel compared to the others. They could only recommend going to a Discount Tire or something and fully dunking it as they don't have the capability to do that.

They are closed on Sundays so don't have the opportunity until Monday so I will keep filling it with air until then I guess.

Annoying.

 

[H2OU]

I would recommend adding some air and seeing if the PSI readings stabilize. I have had this same issue on just one TPMS sensor on my S and X as the temps have started to fluctuate in late summer. I added air in the low tire on each car and it has corrected the readings from the TPMS. Just a suggestion to try before going through the hassle of having the tires dipped in soapy water.

 

[PV-EV]

Our MS arrived with one tire low on air and continuing to leak very slowly after filling. Turned out to be the seal on the tire pressure sensor. Tesla sent a new sensor free of charge.

 

[Ed Hart]

I strongly suggest that you NEVER take a true tire problem back to the Tesla Service Center. Due to company policy, their hands are tied on what they can do to help you. To wit, catch this post and thread by me from some months ago:

Suggested Tire Repair Policy for Tesla

It can get worse, too: If you buy a new tire at Tesla, and hit a nail on the street outside the shop, their only option is to sell you a new tire. I am begging Tesla for a change in policy. Some of this is as simple as how hard it is for a new company to scale up as quickly as Tesla is trying to do, but in this case they should, JUST TELL CUSTOMERS TO GO TO A TIRE STORE!

 

[Cnasty]

It's gotten all the way down to 30PSI today after the Tesla visit so it's not a sensor and think Tesla missed the hole as there definitely is a slow leak.

Going to try discount tire first thing in the morning and hope it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg after I just picked up the car Monday!!! Grrrrrr

 

[Cnasty]

Not that anyone cares but for follow up, I went to Discount Tire this morning and there was a piece of wood lodged in the tire. They removed the foam inside and made a very small patch and works good as new....so far.