Getting a flat tire can be an inconvenience to your day, even in a Tesla.
You will have to change the tire yourself, wait on roadside assistance to change or repair your tire, or tow your vehicle to a repair shop for a repair or new tire.
Yes, even with a Tesla, you will still have to have the tire repaired or replaced.
Tesla’s are not equipped from the factory with a spare tire. If you have a flat tire on a Tesla you will have to attempt to repair the tire yourself or call roadside assistance to repair the tire or tow you to a repair shop.
In this article, we will discuss the options you have when getting your Tesla’s flat tire repaired or replaced.
Tesla’s Missing Spare Tire
To reduce weight, Tesla’s are not equipped with a spare tire from the factory. You do have the option to add an after-market spare tire to your vehicle.
The kits that are available can be expensive. Most forgo them because adding a spare to your car will have an impact on the cargo area of your vehicle.
Teslas are equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System or TPMS. This system will monitor the pressure of each tire and inform the driver if tire pressures are low or need maintenance.
If your Tesla has an object in the tire, it is recommended not to remove the object from your tire until it can be replaced or repaired.
It is not recommended to drive with a punctured tire. The tire can suddenly lose pressure if the object is dislodged.
Roadside assistance
If you do experience a flat tire in your Tesla, the first option is to call for roadside assistance from Tesla.
It is available 24 hours a day and 365 days a year for Teslas covered under warranty.
Flat tires are not routinely covered under the Roadside assistance. However, the first 50 miles are covered when providing towing to the nearest service center.
Requesting Roadside Assistance
You are able to request immediate roadside assistance at the bottom of the home screen on the Tesla app.
You will need to open the app and select Roadside. You can select any issues the vehicle is experiencing and input any details about your vehicle and information that will help the Roadside assistance find your vehicle.
Loaner Wheel Program
In some areas, Tesla Roadside assistance providers carry loaner wheels to exchange for your damaged wheel or tire. A repair or new tire will be mounted on your original wheel and available to pick up at the nearest service center. The replacement tire or repair is not covered under warranty.
DIY Repairs
There are several options if you wish to try and make the repair to your Tesla tire yourself. We will cover a few of these options below.
Tesla’s Tire Repair Kit
If your tire has a puncture from an object such as a nail or screw you may be able to repair it yourself.
Tesla has a Tire Repair Kit available for these repairs. It is an air compressor with a bottle of sealant in a single unit.
Simply connect the hose to your tire, plug the unit’s 12-volt outlet into your vehicle and select which function you wish to use.
There are additional tire sealant replacement canisters available if you use the original one.
The sealant should be sufficient to drive your vehicle to a safe destination or to a repair shop to have your tire serviced.
Alternative Repair Kits
If you do not have a tire repair kit from Tesla, you can use an off-the-shelf tire sealant from an auto repair store.
These sealants are not long-term fixes but should be sufficient to make your vehicle drivable and allow you to travel to a repair shop or service center to have the tire repaired.
This will be the quickest fix for your tire but may cause problems later on.
Most repair shops will not attempt to repair a tire that has tire sealant inside of it. They will require you to replace the tire.
Tire sealant can also interfere with the TPMS sensor located inside the tire. If it is damaged from the sealant it will need to be replaced when the tire is serviced.
DIY Tire Plugs
For a little more in-depth and hands-on repair, you can attempt to plug a small hole or leak in your tire tread with a plug kit.
It will require reaming the hole and inserting a rubber tire plug to stop the leak.
Tire plugs require more work but can be a cost-effective method of repairing your tire.
It will not damage the TPMS sensor and will not make the tire unrepairable when taken to a shop in the future.
Can A Tire Shop Repair My Tesla Tire?
Damaged Tesla tires can be repaired at either Tesla service centers or by a tire shop. Tesla tires are no longer completely filled with foam.
They still have a foam layer inside them. They are able to be patched or repaired with minimal damage to the foam.
Avoiding a Flat
The best way to avoid a flat in your Tesla is to keep your tires maintained by rotating your tires and keeping them inflated to the proper pressures.
Underinflated tires can cause them to overheat, and lead to problems with your tire.
They will be prone to cracking, tread damage, and a blowout if not properly inflated. Underinflated tires reduce the tire’s life and the Tesla’s overall driving range.
Conclusion
Experiencing a flat in a Tesla can be difficult since there is no spare tire in the vehicle. There are options to repair your Tesla and get it back on the road.
Tesla offers a 24-hour Roadside assistance program that can swap out tires or tow your vehicle to a repair station for servicing.
You can also purchase a tire repair kit or tire plugs to quickly repair your tire.
Be aware the foaming repair kits may damage your TPMS and you may need to replace the tire instead of being able to patch it in the future.
