They say things happen tin 3’s.
First it was the computer firmware. Then it was the air conditioning. Now, at about 2200 miles, I look down at my left rear tire (the one below the charging port) and I see a nail head. I really hope this is number 3.
I called the Tesla service number listed in several spots and immediately was connected to a “specialist.” They went beyond a comfortable point of asking if I was in a safe spot and if everything was OK. I accepted this as GM’s OnStar dose the same thing. I think they talk with idiots all day, but few professionals like me.
After assuring her I wasn’t dying or about to die, I told her I had seen a nail head in the tire. No the tire wasn’t flat. Yes I could drive it. Yes it was smart of me to get on this at 1 pm and not wake up the next morning with a flat from a slow leak. No I did NOT need a tow. Yes I would like to have her locate for me the nearest tire repair shop. Finally….
I want to thank Tesla’s service operator because after going through all of the pre-patterned call dialog that she obviously had been trained to do, through her initiative she took action and made this a great (albeit lengthy) experience.
The tire leans up against a machine with soap on the tread and the stumpy nail on the machine.
A huge shout out to the Firestone service shop in Carlisle, PA. So professional and competent. They had never lifted a Tesla before but were, in a very humble way, willing to listen as I scrolled through the users manual on the screen to show the lift points and how I was to deactivate the air suspension. I also showed him how to drive it into the bay. The tech was excited though as a manly man, he tried not to show it.
It was fun to see under my Tesla with the wheel removed.
He pulled the tire, soaped up the hole, pulled the nail and determined that the stubby half nail had only entered the meat of the tire and there was no leak. Eureka! He then told me there was no charge for doing what he did. I then insisted in a very loud voice of me tipping him $2 so the guys didn’t hit him up for all the beer that night. Then I gave him a $20. I was very grateful.
The tech puts my tire back on and I lose only an hour. Well worth it.
But the question remains that if this wasn’t a puncture, then was it number 3?