Flat Tire in a Tesla: What to Do When There Is No Spare

A nail or a screw in the tread is a common way to end up with a flat, and in a car with no spare it can feel like the end of the trip. It does not have to be. This guide follows Tesla's manuals and tire-industry guidance in our own words: how to judge the damage, which roadside options exist, how to plug a small tread puncture in four steps, and how to bring the tire back to the right pressure. Your own manual is always the final word for your car.

First, make sure it is safe to continue

• Stop somewhere safe. Pull well off the road, put the car in Park and switch on the hazard lights.
• Look at the tire. Find out where the damage is. A puncture in the middle of the tread can sometimes be fixed. Damage on the sidewall or on the shoulder (the rounded edge where the tread meets the sidewall) cannot.
• Do not keep driving on it. Tesla's manual says not to drive with a punctured tire that has not been repaired, even if it has not gone flat. A tubeless tire may not leak right away while the object stays in. If you feel vibration or suspect damage, Tesla says to reduce speed, avoid heavy braking and sharp steering, and stop when it is safe.
• Know when to stop trying. For a hole larger than 1/4 in. (6 mm), severe tread damage, a damaged sidewall, or a tire that is torn or off the rim, Tesla's kit page says to contact Roadside Assistance.

Your options at the roadside

Plug or sealant: pick one method

Tesla's instructions for its own kit say not to remove any foreign object embedded in the tire. A plug repair works the other way around: you pull the object out, ream the hole and push in a plug. The two methods do not mix, and Tesla's instructions cover only its own kit. Decide before you touch the tire.

Tesla's manual also warns that a tire repaired with a sealant other than Tesla's may have a damaged pressure sensor, and suggests checking the sensor if low pressure is detected later. Keep that in mind before you reach for a can of sealant from a parts store.

How to plug a small tread puncture

This is the roadside method for a clean puncture in the middle of the tread. It follows the same four steps the tools in a plug kit are made for.

1. Pull the object out. Grip the nail or screw with pliers and pull it straight out. Air will start to escape, so have the rest of the kit within reach first.
2. Ream the hole. Push the reamer, the T-handle tool with the spiral shaft, into the hole and work it up and down several times. This cleans the channel and roughens it so the plug can grip.
3. Insert the plug. Thread a plug strip through the eye of the insertion needle and center it. Coat it with the rubber cement from the kit, then push the needle straight into the hole until only a short length of the strip is left outside, as your kit's instructions show. Pull the needle straight back out. The strip stays in the hole.
4. Trim, then check for leaks. Cut the ends of the strip off close to the tread. Inflate the tire and spray soapy water on the plug. Bubbles mean air is still leaking. No bubbles means the plug is holding.

Where the puncture is matters more than how well you plug it. Tire-industry guidance limits plug repairs to the tread area and to holes no larger than 1/4 in. (6 mm). A puncture in the shoulder or the sidewall is not repairable, so a new tire is needed. If the tire still will not hold air after the plug, stop and call Roadside Assistance.

Re-inflate to the right pressure

After the plug, or after a slow leak has been fixed, the tire needs to go back to the pressure Tesla specifies for your car. Do not guess, and do not use the number molded into the sidewall.

1. Read the label. Open the driver door. Tesla's Model Y manual says the Tire and Loading Information label is on the center door pillar and is visible with the driver door open. Tesla says to use the cold tire pressure on that label even if it differs from the pressure printed on the tire. Check pressures when the tires are cold, and do not let air out of warm tires to match the cold number.
2. Connect to the valve. Take off the valve cap and attach the inflator's chuck to the valve stem.
3. Inflate to the target. Set the inflator to the number from your own label, then start it and let it stop at the target. Many inflators come with generic presets, so do not trust a preset blindly. The seller of the inflator we list shows a car preset of 36 PSI, for example, while the number on a Tesla's label can be different.
4. Take a short drive, then check. The tire pressure indicator light does not turn off the moment you fix the pressure. On a car with sensors in the wheels, Tesla says to drive over 15 mph (25 km/h) for a short time to activate the system.

Which system does your car have? Tesla's manual says it depends on the configuration. Touch Controls > Service. If the car shows a pressure value for each tire, it has direct tire pressure monitoring. A car with the indirect system shows no per-tire numbers. After you set all four tires to the recommended cold pressure, calibrate it from Controls > Service > Tire Pressure > Calibrate Tire Pressure. Tesla says the system relearns the new values after at least 20 minutes of driving over 15 mph (25 km/h).

After the roadside fix

• Go straight to a tire shop. AAA calls a plug a temporary emergency fix, to be used only to reach a repair shop. It advises keeping under 50 mph (80 km/h) and driving only as far as needed. If you used Tesla's sealant kit, follow the speed limit on that kit's sticker.
• Ask for a proper repair. The U.S. tire industry association, USTMA, says a plug alone is not an acceptable repair. The tire should come off the wheel, be inspected inside, and be repaired with a plug and patch combination, if the damage allows it.
• Expect a new tire in some cases. A hole larger than 1/4 in. (6 mm), or damage in the shoulder or sidewall, means replacing the tire.
• Check the pressure again. Look at it the next morning, when the tires are cold, and make sure the warning light is off.

What to keep in the car

• A plug kit with a reamer, an insertion needle, plug strips, rubber cement and pliers, and a card with the steps.
• A way to add air, such as a rechargeable inflator with a pressure display. Check its charge from time to time, because an empty one cannot help.
• Your pressure number. Write the cold pressure from your door pillar label on a note in the glove box, so you do not have to hunt for it at the roadside.
• Roadside Assistance as your fallback. No kit covers a torn tire or a sidewall cut.

One option: our tire plug kit and cordless inflator

We list a tire plug repair kit in five versions, from 25 to 71 pieces. According to the seller, every version includes plug strips, rubber plugs, glue, T-handle tools and a zip case, and some versions add gloves, pliers and a cutter. We also list a cordless tire inflator. According to the seller, it has an LCD pressure display, five presets plus a custom mode that adjusts in steps of 0.5 PSI, and USB-C charging, and it can fill a flat car tire in about 5 minutes. Both are general-purpose products, not made for a specific car, so always set the target to the number on your own label.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Tesla come with a spare tire?

Most Model 3 and Model Y cars do not. Tesla's manual mentions a spare only as "if provided" and offers an optional tire repair kit for small punctures. Check your own car and manual.

Can I drive on a tire with a nail in it?

Tesla says not to drive with a punctured tire that has not been repaired, even if the puncture has not caused it to deflate. A tubeless tire may hold air for a while with the nail in place, but that does not make it safe. Arrange a repair or call Roadside Assistance.

Is a tire plug a permanent repair?

Not on its own. AAA treats a plug as a temporary emergency fix, and USTMA says a plug alone is not an acceptable repair. A shop should take the tire off the wheel, inspect the inside and repair it with a plug and patch combination.

How fast and how far can I drive after plugging a tire?

AAA says to stay under 50 mph (80 km/h) and to drive only as far as needed to reach a repair shop. If you used Tesla's sealant kit instead, follow the speed limit shown on the sticker on that kit.

Can I use sealant from a parts store on my Tesla?

Tesla's manual warns that a tire repaired with a sealant other than Tesla's may have a damaged pressure sensor. If you are unsure, ask Tesla or a service center before you use one.

Why is the tire pressure warning still on after I inflated the tire?

Tesla says the indicator does not turn off immediately. On a car with sensors in the wheels, drive over 15 mph (25 km/h) for a short time. A car with the indirect system needs the calibration step described above.

What pressure should I use?

The cold tire pressure on the Tire and Loading Information label on the center door pillar, even if the number on the tire's sidewall is different.

Next steps

Browse the Tesla Roadside & Emergency collection for inflators and other roadside gear.