Why Does My Model X get so many Flat Tires?

[Jay Kamhi]

HI, I'm in the Clearwater Florida area and I'm extremely frustrated and disappointed with my Model X flat tires.

I have a 2020 Model X, and for the first couple years I only had one flat. Now I've had 6 flats in 7 months.

Every time I replace a tire with Tesla it's another $500 each, plus hours (or days) of downtime and lost time.

The service centers said it was alignment issues. So I've gotten 4 alignments. The latest alignment and tire check was at the St Pete center a few days ago, in preparation for a trip to Disney World.

Well...it didn't do any good. Yesterday I woke up at our AIR B&B to drive the family to Disney, and saw the front left tire was completely flat. The kids were so upset. Now, I'm delayed an entire day waiting for a replacement.

Tesla does not have a solution. Actually, nobody really seems to care enough to research an answer.

I was the biggest Tesla FSN. I have a solar roof and battery, and a Model X. But I'm disillusioned and can no longer recommend Tesla. I would feel terrible if someone had an accident driving these defective Tesla Model X

I will have to rent a different type of car (definitely not a Tesla) on our family mountain trip to Ashville NC. I can't risk tires blowing out in the mountains at night.

Overall, very bad experience with Tesla..

Any Tesla Drivers out there figure out a workaround?

 

[Jay Kamhi]

And this might help you, Jay: on the Tesla app on your phone, if you click on the “Controls” tab, on the upper right there’s an icon with “PSI” in it. Tap that, and it will show the tire pressure of all your tires. I try to keep mine at 45 lbs.

You just answered my question on PSI. 45. Thanks.

 

[Jay Kamhi]

Most tire manufacturers will have a road hazard/defect warranty. I went to Continental & filled out the paperwork with tire data & purchase info for each tire on my 2019 MX. Worth a try.

Also, locally in Florida, the Discount Tire store will fix them for free, IF you don't try to fix/plug it yourself. Ask me how I know.

I will never try to fix or plug it myself. Even if I knew how.

 

[mspohr]

Lol, both flats in your driveway, I experience the same thing with my Model X. I'm ultra careful driving, and I blamed myself at first. But after 6 flats, I know it's not me. As a manufacturer of high quality toys, I still have a small detective rate, and I dont blame it on the customer. Wish Tesla had the same attitude.

What possible defect in the car would cause flats?
What is causing your flat tires? Nail, screw, rock, blowout?

 

[Rocket_man]

I've been driving over 40 years and I've never had a 'spontaneous' flat tire that wasn't the cause of a nail or screw. But this is not the only place a tire/wheel can leak. I noticed you don't put caps on the valve stems. The little Schrader valve in the valve stem could be a source of a leak. The seal between the tire pressure sensor and the wheel could be another source of a leak. Do these spontaneous flats happen on the same wheel?

If I were you I would do this....

- Take each wheel off the car.
- Fill each tire to a higher pressure, like 50 PSI
- Run leak detector over the valve stem and the place where the tire pressure sensor screws into the wheel. Look for bubbles. The valve stem is actually connected to the tire pressure sensor inside the wheel. My guess is this might not have been installed properly. But not sure why this wouldn't just leak all the time.
- Run leak detector inside the whole wheel. You might need to clean the inside of each wheel first. Maybe there is a hair line crack in the wheel???
- Make sure you put the leak detector on the top of the valve stem.

You can use soapy water, but this stuff is purpose made.

Amazon.com

If you find any bubbles just take the car to Discount Tire and ask them to take the tires off and reinstall the tire pressure sensors making sure they are sealed properly. Likewise they can replace the Schreader valve if that is leaking.

 

[Discount Tire]

Thank you all for the recognition! Discount Tire/America's Tire will do a USTMA approved tire repair at no cost to you. This would include rebalancing the assembly and rebuilding the TPMS sensor.

 

[CuriousM3]

Although the number of flats you have seems high, Teslas typically do get more flats as with a lot of other heavy EVs. The battery is heavy making them more prone to puncturing thru vs a super light ICE car.

Also if you have stock suspension and drive in low , which is the default, you will wear out the inner tires since Tesla aligns the car in Medium height. I just burned thru my rear tires in 12K miles and now have some camber shims on. Some got almost 30K miles with some homedepot washers to help with the rear camber wear. But Toe wear from the poor alignment that the factory does kills the most rear tires of them all

 

[Jay Kamhi]

What possible defect in the car would cause flats?
What is causing your flat tires? Nail, screw, rock, blowout?

I am the most non-mechanical person I know, so I probably won't explain this correctly, but a couple different Tesla Roadside drivers told me that the tires can't support the weight of the car, and causes undue stress, which leads to more chance of blowout, wear, etc. I totally understand the counter-argument "then why don't ALL Model X's get flats as often as you do, Jay?" to which I don't have an answer. But I do know that I am far from the only one with this problem. And the first 18 months of driving I had basically no issues. So perhaps something about the car changed after driving it for 18 months? Perhaps a potential flaw activated?

 

[Jay Kamhi]

I've been driving over 40 years and I've never had a 'spontaneous' flat tire that wasn't the cause of a nail or screw. But this is not the only place a tire/wheel can leak. I noticed you don't put caps on the valve stems. The little Schrader valve in the valve stem could be a source of a leak. The seal between the tire pressure sensor and the wheel could be another source of a leak. Do these spontaneous flats happen on the same wheel?

If I were you I would do this....

- Take each wheel off the car.
- Fill each tire to a higher pressure, like 50 PSI
- Run leak detector over the valve stem and the place where the tire pressure sensor screws into the wheel. Look for bubbles. The valve stem is actually connected to the tire pressure sensor inside the wheel. My guess is this might not have been installed properly. But not sure why this wouldn't just leak all the time.
- Run leak detector inside the whole wheel. You might need to clean the inside of each wheel first. Maybe there is a hair line crack in the wheel???
- Make sure you put the leak detector on the top of the valve stem.

You can use soapy water, but this stuff is purpose made.

Amazon.com

If you find any bubbles just take the car to Discount Tire and ask them to take the tires off and reinstall the tire pressure sensors making sure they are sealed properly. Likewise they can replace the Schreader valve if that is leaking.

WOW! What a thorough response! I will try your suggestions and let you know what I find. Thank you.

 

[Jay Kamhi]

Thank you all for the recognition! Discount Tire/America's Tire will do a USTMA approved tire repair at no cost to you. This would include rebalancing the assembly and rebuilding the TPMS sensor.

Thank you. So many people here have recommended you that I will drive the 50 miles to see if you can help me resolve this issue. Wish you had something closer to Clearwater, Florida.

 

[Jay Kamhi]

Although the number of flats you have seems high, Teslas typically do get more flats as with a lot of other heavy EVs. The battery is heavy making them more prone to puncturing thru vs a super light ICE car.

Also if you have stock suspension and drive in low , which is the default, you will wear out the inner tires since Tesla aligns the car in Medium height. I just burned thru my rear tires in 12K miles and now have some camber shims on. Some got almost 30K miles with some homedepot washers to help with the rear camber wear. But Toe wear from the poor alignment that the factory does kills the most rear tires of them all

Thanks! I never heard of this suspension issue you mentioned. Appreciate you letting me know.

 

[Adair Martin]

I am the most non-mechanical person I know, so I probably won't explain this correctly, but a couple different Tesla Roadside drivers told me that the tires can't support the weight of the car, and causes undue stress, which leads to more chance of blowout, wear, etc. I totally understand the counter-argument "then why don't ALL Model X's get flats as often as you do, Jay?" to which I don't have an answer. But I do know that I am far from the only one with this problem. And the first 18 months of driving I had basically no issues. So perhaps something about the car changed after driving it for 18 months? Perhaps a potential flaw activated?

Jay, the statement “the tires can’t support the weight of the cars” is misinformation of the highest degree. You even acknowledge it yourself when you agree that there are others driving the same cars without having similar issues.

Yes, Teslas ARE heavy, so the tires do have to be made with thicker sidewalks designed to support the weight. I’m assuming you have been using the stock Contintenals, which are load rated for the weight of the Model X. I have been driving my X on those for 7 years, and haven’t had any issues.

 

[jboy210]

Jay, the statement “the tires can’t support the weight of the cars” is misinformation of the highest degree. You even acknowledge it yourself when you agree that there are others driving the same cars without having similar issues.

Yes, Teslas ARE heavy, so the tires do have to be made with thicker sidewalks designed to support the weight. I’m assuming you have been using the stock Contintenals, which are load rated for the weight of the Model X. I have been driving my X on those for 7 years, and haven’t had any issues.

Xs are also a bit unforgiving when it comes to potholes. The weigh a lot so if you hit a pothole, curb, etc. they hit with a lot of force. I have had two flats on my 2 Model Xs (40K miles in Xs). One was caused by cut from a builder's tool in a neighborhood under construction. It looked like a big razor blade. The second was from a pothole I did not see and hit at near highway speed.

 

[Maxpilot]

If the tires are going down for no known reason such as a nail, I suspect someone is letting the air out of your tires. I have been driving for over 50 years and have NEVER had a flat. (knock on wood! ha!). Keep your tires properly inflated. 45psi cold on my model S and probably the same on the X. Look at your tires as you approach your car and don't drive on a low tire because that will ruin it. Put the valve covers back on.

 

[jboy210]

If the tires are going down for no known reason such as a nail, I suspect someone is letting the air out of your tires. I have been driving for over 50 years and have NEVER had a flat. (knock on wood! ha!). Keep your tires properly inflated. 45psi cold on my model S and probably the same on the X. Look at your tires as you approach your car and don't drive on a low tire because that will ruin it. Put the valve covers back on.

Interesting thought, but flats in multiple locations are mentioned.

 

[JER85]

Have you had your wheels checked Jay? a good friend of mine was having a similar issue and after several trips from Tesla mobile service and no solution, he went to a big tire supplier and they found a crack in his rim which was causing the tire to lose air...... I don't think "Tesla cars" themselves would be to blame for constant flats.... Tesla's have instant torque and are heavier so they definitely contribute to quicker tire wear than normal cars... but not flats. Something else is going on.

 

[ShawnA]

Hi @Jay Kamhi ,

Sorry for your troubled tires...

I have had some flat tire experiences in my Model X.
At my (former) favorite Mexican restaurant I found 2 screws and a nail in the same tire!
I don't go there any more...

Thank you for the pictures of your tires.
I don't know if they are before or after pictures but I do see some things.

On your 3rd picture it looks as if there has been a large "bite" taken from the tire.
It may be inexperience with the tire mounting machines.
These things are tricky enough. See the circle around the bite.
Who knows when that may start to leak...


Do you let others or valets drive your car?
There is some serious curb rash on the 4th of your pictures.
It is so bad that it appears the fender garnish also has some of the rash.
Be careful of others driving your car!



Up north in Michigan and Illinois we speak of 2 seasons on the Interstate:
Winter and Construction.
I have to drive around Orlando to get to my southern location and I'm afraid
Orlando has only one season on the Interstate and that would be construction...
I have not found a good way to avoid it, and I certainly don't like it but I have to
get around it or through it...

Good luck,

Shawn

 

[towndrunk]

Hi @Jay Kamhi ,

Sorry for your troubled tires...

I have had some flat tire experiences in my Model X.
At my (former) favorite Mexican restaurant I found 2 screws and a nail in the same tire!
I don't go there any more...

Thank you for the pictures of your tires.
I don't know if they are before or after pictures but I do see some things.

On your 3rd picture it looks as if there has been a large "bite" taken from the tire.
It may be inexperience with the tire mounting machines.
These things are tricky enough. See the circle around the bite.
Who knows when that may start to leak...
View attachment 1021837

Do you let others or valets drive your car?
There is some serious curb rash on the 4th of your pictures.
It is so bad that it appears the fender garnish also has some of the rash.
Be careful of others driving your car!

View attachment 1021836

Up north in Michigan and Illinois we speak of 2 seasons on the Interstate:
Winter and Construction.
I have to drive around Orlando to get to my southern location and I'm afraid
Orlando has only one season on the Interstate and that would be construction...
I have not found a good way to avoid it, and I certainly don't like it but I have to
get around it or through it...

Good luck,

Shawn

Good catch! Sidewalls don't have the protection that the tread does, so any damage there definitely can ruin a tire..

 

[towndrunk]

Also, not one of those tires has a cap on the valve stem.

The main role of a valve stem cap is to protect the tire valve from dust, dirt and moisture getting inside, as well as preventing tire pressure from escaping.

 

[DCGOO]

Hi @Jay Kamhi ,

Sorry for your troubled tires...

I have had some flat tire experiences in my Model X.
At my (former) favorite Mexican restaurant I found 2 screws and a nail in the same tire!
I don't go there any more...

That seems extreme. After all, how were the burritos?

 

[Jay Kamhi]

Jay, the statement “the tires can’t support the weight of the cars” is misinformation of the highest degree. You even acknowledge it yourself when you agree that there are others driving the same cars without having similar issues.

Yes, Teslas ARE heavy, so the tires do have to be made with thicker sidewalks designed to support the weight. I’m assuming you have been using the stock Contintenals, which are load rated for the weight of the Model X. I have been driving my X on those for 7 years, and haven’t had any issues.

I don't know if it's misinformation or not, I'm just reporting data I received from Tesla Roadside drivers as they towed my car. I've read it on other sites too. Your argument "Why dont all other Model Xs have this issue" is faulty logic, the same as saying, "If cigarettes can cause cancer, how come all smokers dont have cancer?" The fact that I didn't have this issue for the first 18 months might be significant, but no Tesla Service center I've been to has cared enough to investigate further.