I stopped by the Lucid Service Center in Riviera Beach FL today. Had a nail in my front passenger tire. I have 20 inch Michelin EV Pilot (original OEM). The guys suggested that I get the nail removed and tire plugged at a Tire Center. The Tire Center said they cannot plug a Michelin EV Pilot tire from the inside because it has foam inside. Does anyone have any experience with this or advice?
can Lucid tires be plugged?
- Thread starter rlissak
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Of course you can, but at your own risk. I feel like I have to mention that.
Not a big deal, the mentioned foam is a 1" x 1" (approx) tape, actually 3 pieces of tape glued to the inside of the tire.
Not a big deal, the mentioned foam is a 1" x 1" (approx) tape, actually 3 pieces of tape glued to the inside of the tire.
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I've taken my Lucid (as have others) to Discount Tire (or American Tire) to have it patched. There is no issue with the foam. The only problem could be if the nail is near the sidewall. There are a slew of threads here discussing this and how the foam is not an issue. The foam is usually cut out enough to allow for the patch.
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Foam-insert tires have been around for some time but many mechanics are still not familiar with the feature and automatically refuse to repair a flat.
I've plugged them with no problems myself for the past 7 years and Pep Boys told me they can patch them fine (by cutting off the foam at the affected area first).
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It depends on who you ask. The manufacturer's recommendation is to get a new tire. That is also Lucid's stance.
There are tire shops that will do it; they cut the foam out and plug it. The catch is that forevermore, every time you drive, you will (may? depending on how it goes) feel and hear a thud every time you go over that spot with no foam. I have not tried this myself, but have a friend who did. It worked fine for a while, but eventually got so annoying he replaced the tire anyway.
There are tire shops that will do it; they cut the foam out and plug it. The catch is that forevermore, every time you drive, you will (may? depending on how it goes) feel and hear a thud every time you go over that spot with no foam. I have not tried this myself, but have a friend who did. It worked fine for a while, but eventually got so annoying he replaced the tire anyway.
So, how does the Lucid kit work?
store.lucidmotors.com
Tire Repair Kit
Lucid Motors official store for Lucid Motors and Lucid Air t-shirts, jackets, caps, and drinkware. Browse our Lucid Living accessories and merchandise collection.
store.lucidmotors.com
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It is a temporary fix; it injects a sealant to seal around the nail/screw, which lets you drive a certain number of miles (below a certain speed, as specified in the toolkit) until you can get to a tire shop to replace the tire.So, how does the Lucid kit work?
Tire Repair Kit
Lucid Motors official store for Lucid Motors and Lucid Air t-shirts, jackets, caps, and drinkware. Browse our Lucid Living accessories and merchandise collection.
Had a nail in my 21” Pirelli. Tire shop said the tire had foam inside and they couldn’t patch it. I asked if they could cut a section of the foam out and they said they could try but sometimes the glue is problematic. Anyhow they were able to do it. The idea of buying new tires anytime one picks up a nail is just ridiculous. For about $40 (plus a $20 tip) I avoided $1200 for a pair of new rear tires.
It's OK to plug punctures in grandma's chevy, but not so much on a performance car.
Tires are where performance car owner's give special attention ... weekly checks of wear, pressures, foreign objects...
Always replace punctured tires. Cheap insurance.
Tires are where performance car owner's give special attention ... weekly checks of wear, pressures, foreign objects...
Always replace punctured tires. Cheap insurance.
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Yep I just had my 20 inch Michelin replaced because I had a screw right through the middle of the tire. I actually had Lucid service do it because Discount Tire wasn't willing to follow up with Michelin to get the tire for me. Lucid Service said Lucid does not recommend patching the tires. It's a safety issue as it comprises the strength of the tire. While patching will probably not result in a problem, the Air is a heavy car and I do tend to drive fast so I opted for replacement .
I agree if you’re tracking the car or driving super aggressively. However, for most I’m quite certain a patch is no problem. I would disagree that buying a pair of new tires for $1200 is “cheap” insurance.
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That’s not what was meant. Discount Tire / America’s Tire will insure your tires (even if you didn’t buy them from them) for a very low price (like $280 or something for all four tires) with no expiration - for the life of the tire. Road hazards or anything else and you get a new tire.
Thats the cheap insurance.
got a souvenir from the King of Prussia, PA Lucid Service center (open sometime in 2024), and a taste of my own medicine.
Had a patched Michelin Pilot Sport (summer) on the R wagon that blew out on the Mass Pike, with wife and kids.... not ever doing that again.
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I've had a nail in my Lucid, patched it at an America's Tire Co for free, now over 6000 miles and 6 months later, no problems. It actually rides better now too, albeit I also rebalanced and rotated all my tires then, and do so regularly. And my area has really bad roads, I have driven aggressively on them since, and I've taken it up and down mountain roads numerous times without any issue.
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I think each person should asses their comfort level of a patch as it is discouraged by the manufacturer. Nothing wrong with having them patched if you are comfortable with it. I personally prefer to err on the side of caution at 105 mph.
All manufacturers technically discourage patching, but they also recommend replacing tires as at least a set of 2 or 4, and rebalancing/rotating all tires when you get a nail in one tire. But that doesn't mean you'll void your warranty if you patch a tire. In fact, both Pirelli and Michelin stated that their EV tires are patchable (when nail is in a patchable area).
I've been up to speeds of 130+ mph, bad road conditions, and extreme changes in altitude in a single drive since my patch, no problems as long as you continue to basic maintenance care for your tires with regular rotations, rebalances, and check ups.
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