Tesla Forced Tire Replacement
Had Tesla tow my car as it was my first time dealing with a flat and wanted to see what the experience was like with roadside assistance. Tech made me replace the tire saying the nail was crooked and too close to the sidewall…. With my experience having flats this seemed a little questionable to me. It seems to be an inch from the sidewall which should be patchable. Given it’s a newer car and I’d have to tow it to another tire shop I wanted some thoughts on whether I got scammed and what to do if I’m in this situation next time. Normally I’d just pump it and drive to my nearest tire shop but my daughter had the car and didn’t really have another option.
With that location a lot of shops won’t patch it. Over to the middle a quarter inch more and it would likely be patched. The reasoning of this is that the tire curls more there as it meets the sidewall. It makes applying a patch much more difficult and iffy on if the patch adheres correctly.
Super insightful thanks!
I just had one similar to the same location as OP's, I should have taken a pic... I was nervous and didn't really want to get a new tire but the tire shop plug and patched mine.
If it was me doing it myself, I would plug that. I keep a tire plug kit around just for stuff like this.
Won’t be doing that with a tire that has the foam liner in it which that one has.
Why not? I had a nail in my tire in a similar spot and I plugged it.
Did you dismount the tire and pull back the foam like you are supposed to?
No I didn't. The foam is only there for noise and vibration reduction. I highly doubt a 1/4" hole in the foam is going to make any discernible difference in that.
Hope it does not detach.. proper way to fix it is with an inside patch and pull back foam and reattach it properly.
I have and it worked. I don’t know how a pinhole is going to separate the foam unless the adhesive is bad. Driving down the road is more continuous deflection than a tire plug kit.
I would’ve plugged that one as a person that has always handled this myself. Do a google image search for “tire repair area”.
I'd call that pluggable, but it is in the thin area, right on the edge of "not patchable" (the outer 25%). I'd patch/plug it and check back every month or so looking for cracks.
But. To ask. Was tesla 24/7 a total jerk to you through the whole thing? Mine was the same puncture scenario, it took them 11 hours to first respond, then gave me about 2 minutes to answer every detailed question about the tire (threatening closing the request), and then forcing me to sign a "if the tech can't plug it you'll pay tow and a new tire minimum. Do you agree?" ... Me "I'll need to think about that". 2 minutes later "sir this is an emergency line and you need to respond or I'll choose the request to remain available for other customers" .... Seriously? 11 hours to first reply and you give me 2 minutes to get tire specs, and 2 minutes to decide on a $1000 unknown (because I also knew my tires were worn enough to need two if one needed replacing".....
Duck Tesla service. Worst I've ever experienced. Every single experience I've had with them has been trash. Don't even ask me about the 8 hours they had my car last week for loose control rods, and 100% forgot about it in the shop. "Oh sorry, I'll cancel this one and you can request a new appointment ... IN JANUARY!" ... I'd already been 2 months patient for this appointment. If my car collapses mid turn, I'll have all the funzies I can with that lawsuit.
I also called Telsa roadside assistance for a flat tire and they wanted confirmation that I was okay with tire replacement (over $500 + tax) before proceeding. Next they said they will send tow truck to tow to Tesla service center and I may have to wait as they are busy with snow tire installs. Options were just getting worse so found someone with a pump and pumped up to max 42psi and drove home. Arrived home with only 32psi. Jacked up the car and patched the tire with Safety Seal kit and no problems since.
Since it looks likely that you will be getting a new tire, I would tell them you want to keep this damaged one. Then, at your leisure, you can take it to a tire center and ask if it is possible to patch it. If so, get it patched and then store it for the next time this happens (if you have room to store it).
Definitely looks patchable.