Navigating the Unexpected: A Two-Week Journey with My New GT and a Flat Tire

[DreamTour]

This was my afternoon. Actually used the Tsportline spare after encountering an unavoidable cluster of 3 potholes that ran the entire off ramp lane. (Even a swerve to the other lane probably wouldn't have avoided all of them)

Had some complications getting it high enough to install the spare (even tried deflating the spare) apparently the spares are larger diameter than the stock tires and it's not possible to get the scissor jack under the front deflated tire lift point. Will need to bring a second jack to make this easier next time.

Guess it was worth the investment because customer care / roadside had me on 15 minute hold before i gave up.



Also agree the 21" wheels drive awesome. I am tempted at times to downgrade to higher profile all seasons, but i feel like i'd be leaving some of the excellent lucid air driving dynamics on the table if i did.

 

[DeaneG]

...Had some complications getting it high enough to install the spare (even tried deflating the spare) apparently the spares are larger diameter than the stock tires and it's not possible to get the scissor jack under the front deflated tire lift point. Will need to bring a second jack to make this easier next time....

I bring along a short piece of 2x4 to drive the flat onto, in hopes that would provide enough space to slip the jack under the car. Haven't had to try it to find out though.

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

@DreamTour :

thanks for this post, and thanks to DeaneG for the solution. I was going to say use this:

... but I understand the leak-stop gunk ruins the wheel and tire techs hate it.
Never used gunk for a flat, but with the 21" 35-series tires you should have it with you. The infalator is good, accurate albeit hard to read the analog gauge. I'm thinking that if you have a flat due to pot-holes it might not help = tire ruined and possibly rim too.

I agree the benefits of wearing the low-profile summer tires are worth it ... so far.

(yes, had a small sidewall bubble = replaced it immediately and now even bought an inspection mirror to check inside-facing sidewalls).

 

[terrycs]

I was considering getting the kit, but I think the only time I'd use it is if the tire can not be patched. I was thinking having the goop all over the place might not allow a rubber patch to vulcanize and seal correctly even if the puncture is within the tread area,

 

[DeaneG]

I was considering getting the kit, but I think the only time I'd use it is if the tire can not be patched. I was thinking having the goop all over the place might not allow a rubber patch to vulcanize and seal correctly even if the puncture is within the tread area,

Some of these kits are also useful purely as an inflator without the goop. I don't know about Lucid's. This can be very useful if you walk out of your hotel room to find a slow leak has deflated your tire overnight.

 

[borski]

I was considering getting the kit, but I think the only time I'd use it is if the tire can not be patched. I was thinking having the goop all over the place might not allow a rubber patch to vulcanize and seal correctly even if the puncture is within the tread area,

The tire cannot be patched. The end.

You can, of course, do anything you want, but the tires that contain sound-deadening foam cannot be patched according to the manufacturer.

 

[Unmutual]

Some of these kits are also useful purely as an inflator without the goop. I don't know about Lucid's. This can be very useful if you walk out of your hotel room to find a slow leak has deflated your tire overnight.

Lucid's has an inflate-only option.

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

I began using, and now exclusively use, the Lucid tire inflater to adjust the pressures of my tires.
I find it easy to use and accurate.
I forget who it was who suggested a small needle-nose pliers to get the valve cap off = yes great idea.
The Lucid inflater has tire pump/ pressure gauge on one side, and the goop temporary sealer on the other. Recommended.

It can't be said enough: I'm surprised tire shops still do this: never plug/patch a tire. The fix-a-flat foam is for emergency use only.

 

[Thinjake]

1. Lack of Tire Pressure Alerts: Surprisingly, the car's system does not warn of low air pressure. I scoured the system settings but found no option to monitor tire pressure, which seems like a significant oversight. Maybe it is there, but I can't find it.

I could have sworn that I have seen a LOW PRESSURE alert icon pop up on my screen.

 

[segbrk]

I could have sworn that I have seen a LOW PRESSURE alert icon pop up on my screen.

View attachment 20631

It does do that. Maybe it doesn't pop up if you start out with a flat tire or something? No idea. But I do know when I popped a tire, that light came on immediately.

 

[scal_air]

Having gone through this recently myself, the thing that I found most galling is that no one had the correct tire size in stock. So even getting it towed to a tire store wouldn't solve the problem if they didn't have the tire! I noticed that at Costco, you can order the Pilot sport 4s but not the original sport EV tires (for 20" rims). Is there a shortage going on? And many manufacturers have EV tires but not 245/40 or 265/40 sizes

 

[DreamTour]

I bring along a short piece of 2x4 to drive the flat onto, in hopes that would provide enough space to slip the jack under the car. Haven't had to try it to find out though.

the scissor jack wasn't short by much with the 21" rims, might be tougher with the smaller rims - a 2x4 prob enough if you could get the car to stay on it. I bought a set of these to carry with me now.

Amazon.com

fits easily in the sub-trunk.

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

Having gone through this recently myself, the thing that I found most galling is that no one had the correct tire size in stock. So even getting it towed to a tire store wouldn't solve the problem if they didn't have the tire! I noticed that at Costco, you can order the Pilot sport 4s but not the original sport EV tires (for 20" rims). Is there a shortage going on? And many manufacturers have EV tires but not 245/40 or 265/40 sizes

Have been hearing this for a while now. Apparently the tire bubbles on the 21" Pirelli EV tires are so common (or the pothole are so common) that the entire world supply of these Lucid=exclusive tires has been depleted. Apparently it takes years to build even one tire in this spec., and they don't make enough profit to make more. Shame. They are fantastic tires...just not built for use on public roads.
So if you ride the 21's, you are living on borrowed time.
or
you can switch to the 20" version and sell your 21" to me (I've already bought 5).
or
you can get a Sapphire. ; )

 

[DeaneG]

the scissor jack wasn't short by much with the 21" rims, might be tougher with the smaller rims - a 2x4 prob enough if you could get the car to stay on it. I bought a set of these to carry with me now.

Amazon.com

fits easily in the sub-trunk.

That looks very good, even one of them should do the trick.

 

[borski]

Have been hearing this for a while now. Apparently the tire bubbles on the 21" Pirelli EV tires are so common (or the pothole are so common) that the entire world supply of these Lucid=exclusive tires has been depleted. Apparently it takes years to build even one tire in this spec., and they don't make enough profit to make more. Shame. They are fantastic tires...just not built for use on public roads.
So if you ride the 21's, you are living on borrowed time.
or
you can switch to the 20" version and sell your 21" to me (I've already bought 5).
or
you can get a Sapphire. ; )

I have both the 21s and 19s. I have yet, over almost 20k miles to have a bubble or pop in any 21s. If I have to wait for a 21, I’ll just throw on the 19s temporarily.

 

[PlaterB]

Today my low tire pressure indicator popped up on my way home from work. Checked the tire pressures - sure enough the passengers side front tire is at 40 psi, was nominal in the morning. Checked the tread - a short screw (1/4" long or so) in the tire. Got home, used my tire repair kit with gummy strips, sealed the leak. Used my inflator that I always carry in the trunk. Thought that is it... until I read the messages on this forum. Are you saying even such a benign puncture has ruined the tire? It may have not even penetrated the foam. Anyway, I'll have to drive on this tire until I get a replacement and have it installed. I am driving on the factory 19" ones. See photo by clicking the link below
https://photos.fife.usercontent.goo...XAcgL1nNbMnM9BQ=w900-h1199-s-no-gm?authuser=0

 

[borski]

Today my low tire pressure indicator popped up on my way home from work. Checked the tire pressures - sure enough the passengers side front tire is at 40 psi, was nominal in the morning. Checked the tread - a short screw (1/4" long or so) in the tire. Got home, used my tire repair kit with gummy strips, sealed the leak. Used my inflator that I always carry in the trunk. Thought that is it... until I read the messages on this forum. Are you saying even such a benign puncture has ruined the tire? It may have not even penetrated the foam. Anyway, I'll have to drive on this tire until I get a replacement and have it installed. I am driving on the factory 19" ones. See photo by clicking the link below
https://photos.fife.usercontent.goo...XAcgL1nNbMnM9BQ=w900-h1199-s-no-gm?authuser=0

The issue is that shops (those that don’t follow manufacturer instructions) will cut out the foam in that area to plug it, which is a no-no. If you have patched it without cutting the foam, you’re probably fine.

(Aside: the link to your picture doesn’t load)

 

[RM-S8]

I have both the 21s and 19s. I have yet, over almost 20k miles to have a bubble or pop in any 21s. If I have to wait for a 21, I’ll just throw on the 19s temporarily.

Not in my case. The odometer's reading 199 miles at that time.
Switched immediately from 21 to 19".

 

[PlaterB]

Today my low tire pressure indicator popped up on my way home from work. Checked the tire pressures - sure enough the passengers side front tire is at 40 psi, was nominal in the morning. Checked the tread - a short screw (1/4" long or so) in the tire. Got home, used my tire repair kit with gummy strips, sealed the leak. Used my inflator that I always carry in the trunk. Thought that is it... until I read the messages on this forum. Are you saying even such a benign puncture has ruined the tire? It may have not even penetrated the foam. Anyway, I'll have to drive on this tire until I get a replacement and have it installed. I am driving on the factory 19" ones. See photo by clicking the link below
https://photos.fife.usercontent.goo...XAcgL1nNbMnM9BQ=w900-h1199-s-no-gm?authuser=0

Here is a better link https://photos.app.goo.gl/xtnAyV8fXNu8hFuA9

It has been 4 days, the tire is holding pressure, there is no vibration or anything unusual while driving. I'm thinking there is no need to replace the tire. I'll keep the two new tires I've ordered till I get a more serious flat that can't be plugged.