Hello All,

I recently got a new 2nd hand car about a 1.5 months ago but the tyres appear to loosing pressure quickly so informed the dealer. The alloys had be restored and repainted and the dealer claimed the wheel bead may just need roughing up a bit to give the tyres something to grip onto. So car went back to get this and some other stuff fixed.

Car was returned back to me about 3 or 4 weeks ago but the tyres are still loosing air quicker than I’d like, dropping over 10% in space of around 6 to 8 days. On inspection the tyres appear to have been fitted with a bit of black sealant type stuff no idea if they did anything to the wheels.

The fronts should be 33 psi and they are dropping to 30 psi in around 4 – 6 days and within 7 – 9 the fronts are at ~28psi. The rears should be at 36 psi and within around 8 – 10 days the rear left has dropped to around 32 psi, rear right has only dropped ~1 psi or so.

In my opinion this seems to be unacceptable, the tyres are loosing significant amounts of pressure over a very short time scale. I can deal with reflating pressures every couple months or so but not every 10 days. Just wanted to check with you guys, whether you think is acceptable or not before I go back and ask them to try and rectify it again or pay for a tyre garage of my choice to sort them out.

thanks, Jairaj

Certainly not acceptable in my mind.
Had a similar issue once, I think they had fitted the tyres dry and they leaked slightly.
A refit should sort them unless there is another issue. Unlikely to a valve issue if all wheel are effected.

All tyres? Have you tried different pressure gauges?

how loose are they?

sounds like corroded / porous alloys to me.

The rear right tyre appears to hold its pressure fine, only dropping 1 psi over 10 days but this could be down to tolerances and slightly colder temps etc .. so I think that is fine but the other three especially the front left need looking at again.

This is comparing the tyre pressure monitoring system on the car itself and 3 different petrol stations, all are showing tyres are under inflated.

how loose are they?

You talking about the tyres on the rims? No idea, car was collected and issues fixed at the dealer / garage while stayed at home and used a courtesy car. Even if I was there I wouldn’t know if the tyre was loose or tight unless it was stupidly obvious.

sounds like corroded / porous alloys to me.

Is there any way to prove this? Car is 2010 model assume alloys are same age as they are manufacture supplied ones not after market. Dealer claims alloys have been refurbished and repainted would you have expected this to fix the problem?

“roughing up a bit to give the tyres something to grip onto” is a load of tripe! With new alloys & good condition alloys the beads are always smooth & shiney. Sounds like the face of the alloy only has been painted & the dealer is talking kak.

Have you been to a tyre shop? Take it to one and get them to check for punctures.
It’ll either be a slow puncture or a problem with the wheel, I’d not expect a dealer to do anything personally, my experience may differ to yours though.

Recently had similar on my car, 1 puncture and one bad tyre/wheel interface which was resealed, put down to a slightly dodgy bead on the wheel, same age as yours. Then chuck the bill at the dealer.

Sounds like tyres need refitting as first course of action. I have had a similar issue with new tyres and another fitter was able to solve the issue of poor installation.

OK thanks for the advice. I’ll speak to the dealer again to let him know the tyres are still leaking after their first attempt to fix the problem and its not acceptable and I want it fixing and see what he says. Dealer is a 3.5 hour round trip away so hopefully they’ll let me take it in somewhere local and pay the bill.

For the second time tonight it’s
TJ+1 if it’s ALL the wheels. Wife’s 10yr old scuffed to bits alloys leak air and need a weekly top up.

Also worth checking the tyres are compatible with the wheels – I had similar issues with a couple of front tyres on my Golf which was caused by the previous owner fitting run-flat tyres instead of normal tyres.

They could be loosing air because theyr’e lose on the rims?

Spoke to the dealer today who apologised the tyres where still leaking. Their previous attempt was just putting sealant around the edges. They are going to pick the car up next week and inspect the wheels properly. Could just require tyres refitting or could be some small cracks in the alloys casing them to leak. Either way they will take a proper look to see what’s wrong with them.

My local place to work (a national tyres place) pulled all my tyres off, rubbed the rim down (it’s to get rid off corrosion on the rim bed rather than ‘rough it up’ per se I believe) and reinstalled the tyres putting a black sealant on the rim seats first. This is on some old winter alloys which are a right mess…. Cost 40 quid and been perfect for a couple of years since.

What tyre sealant for car alloys.

A friend has this problem with the stupid, old, low profile alloys on his Saab. Could you solve it by adding some tyre sealant?

(http://okosales.co.uk/products/on-road-commercial/oko-puncture-free-on-road-4×4/ suggests not….)

I used tyre weld on an old set of corroded alloys with this issue.

Never happened again while we had the car …. Went to scrap in end with blown engine.

I used tyre weld on an old set of corroded alloys with this issue.

That worked for me on a 15 year old Mondeo.

Tighten up the wheel studs if their loose.

BurnBob – Member

Tighten up the wheel studs if their loose.

Maybe he should try tightening them if they’re loose otherwise he might lose them.

BurnBob – Member
Tighten up the wheel studs if their loose.

Maybe he should try tightening them if they’re loose otherwise he might lose them.[/quote]

I would of thought it would be more productive to try tightening the nuts rather than the studs. There their they’re…

BurnBob – Member
Tighten up the wheel studs if their loose.
Maybe he should try tightening them if they’re loose otherwise he might lose them.

I would of thought it would be more productive to try tightening the nuts rather than the studs. There their they’re…
Have thought…..

Tyre sealant worked on three of the corroded wheels on the Prius. Just not the other.

May try deflating it, applying something to the bead then re-inflating.

OP, have you tried finding where they’re leaking from with soapy water, yet?

Yes, that was kind of my joke, always better when someone explains it. I won’t loose any sleep over it.