Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

low suspension, TC off and a hissing rear tire...

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
I just set the car to low and went out to have some fun with the T/C off. When I got home the I heard hissing coming from one of the rear tires. :(

I thought to myself, "I didn't have that much fun!"

Looks like a nail/screw/pointy object pierced the tire and subsequently fell out.

Hopefully I can get it plugged......
 
Since I have owned my Model S I have had two punctures so as soon as I read the thread title I immediately knew what you were talking about. As long as the puncture is at least 1 inch inboard (away from the sidewall) you should be able to have it plugged.
 
Tire has been plugged. :)

I believe it's Jerry who says they should dismount and tire and repair it from the inside?? I guess my local tire shops are hacks... Oh well at least it was only $20.

I guess I probably shouldn't track the car this summer though with a plug in the tire?
 
The sad truth is that performance tires have a wide tread and use softer rubber compounds, which makes them susceptible to picking up that sort of road debris. True for any car with a performance setup.

I've had a few, and found this ten dollar kit from Canadian Tire to be very handy on the road ...

Victor Heavy Duty Tubeless Tire Repair Kit | Canadian Tire

Along with a decent electric tire pump/compressor.

This can get you going in the middle of nowhere when you get that little hiss. nrcooled is bang on - as long as the damage is not on/near the sidewall the tire can be repaired. Although I've been known to run indefinitely with a temp plug in a tire. They hold remarkably well! Of course, I should cover my arse by pointing out that it's not recommended to leave the temp plug in for long term, and you should take it to a shop and get them to dismount, patch from inside and remount the tire.
 
I believe it's Jerry who says they should dismount and tire and repair it from the inside?? I guess my local tire shops are hacks...

The problem with a plug isn't that the plug won't hold--it used to be a problem, but that was years ago. It's that if there is no inspection of the inside of the tire, you don't know if there is any interior damage. In particular, the penetrating object can cut the sidewall of the tire, which won't be visible without demounting and inspecting.
 
Last year I picked up a nail in one of my Roadster's rear tires. Pretty sure it was while charging in Peterborough because the area around the charger was under construction. Drove from there to Toronto, stayed overnight, drove to Cobourg and charged, drove home and parked in my garage. No problems during any of this.

The next day I pulled out of the garage and discovered the rear tire was completely flat. That's when I got out and spotted the nail. Pulled back in and switched cars. Fortunately they were able to plug it. But really strange how the air stayed in the car for hundreds of kilometers and several long stops without leaking. I figure when I stopped in the garage the wheel must have been in the right position to open up the hole a little.
 
I had a nail in my summers and then one in my winters. There is way too much construction on our street. Both times Kal tire fixed it with a patch for free as that's where I bought my winter tires (but not my summers so that was nice of them). Unfortunately when they fixed the winter tire they failed to balance it properly and was driving around with an ever so slight shimmy and was too lazy to take it in. Do they (or should they) balance the tire even with a plug?

Just had my summers put on and I did not realize that they are basically worn out. I will need new ones before the summer is out. They basically lasted one summer at around 30,000 Km. I think I need to lay off they accelerator a bit.:frown:
 
If they take the tire off the rim then they should definitely balance it. If the tire doesn't go on in the same orientation then it will probably be out of balance. I don't know if the weight of the plug would be sufficient on its own.