I have a slow leak in my drivers rear tire

I have a 2002 Civic EX, and the drivers rear tire seems to be loosing air at
a rate of 1-3 lbs per day. Apparently there is a nail in the tire somewhere,
so I made an appointment to see my Honda dealer. Now my question is, will a
Honda dealer plug the tire the way a gas station does (putting a piece of
rubber tubing with glue) in the tire hole? Or will they tell me to replace
the tire? There is only 22k miles on the stock tire, so I would rather have
them plug it, but I just wasn't sure if Honda can do that as a gas station
does, or if they aren't able to make small repairs like that? I have brought
tires to gas stations for these type of repairs without problems, didn't
know if Honda was any different at their dealers here in the US.

Thanks,

 

Why are you going to the dealer instead of taking it to a gas station in the
first place?

I thought Honda warantee the tires, but the tire company did (but only on a
pro-rated basis) and probably not covering nails anyway.

Alex

 

I am not going to a gas station because the only one in this area that I
usually go to is not open on Saturdays as Honda is. I cannot afford to take
time out of work, so I go on Saturdays. I don't think the tire warranty
covers nails either.

 

If I were you, I'd fix it myself. Take out the tire. Pour some water on the
tire and watch for bubbling. Once you find the hole, place the rubber stick
with some rubber cement glue in there and you're done. I've fixed all my
tires this way and if done properly it's as brand new. Make sure you cut the
ends of the rubber stick so they are level with the tire surface or else
they'll make tapping noises as you drive. If the hole is really small, don't
be afraid to make it bigger in order to stick the rubber stick in there.

Sometimes tires release pressure around the edges of the rims and not
because of punctures in the tire itself. Make sure that's not happening with
your tires.

--Viktor

 

I'd never use just a plug alone. I'd recommend a plug AND a patch.
A patch will be secured by tire pressure and should hold better
than a plug alone. I've heard of plugs shooting right off. The
main cost of getting it repaired will be the dismounting, remounting,
and balancing the wheel.

Most tire warranties are still valid if you use a patch, but not a
plug alone.

In which case it needs to be remounted.

 

As previous posters have said, why don't you do it yourself? A plug
kit costs about $4 to buy which includes the screw driver plug and
rubber strips. As far as patching the tire and plugging it, I've done
this many times and as long as you get the plug in as far as it can
go, it usually won't shoot out as electricked has heard.

Nick

 

The last time I had a tire fixed by a dealer (they found the nail while they
had the car for something else), they used the same cheesy string plug that
you can buy yourself at the auto parts store (or Wal-Mart) for $2. They
charged $17. Nobody intentionally goes to a car dealer to fix a flat.

The best tire patching around here (Dallas) is at the NTB tire store. They
dismount the tire, put in both a rubber plug and a patch from the inside the
way its supposed to be done.

 

If you are losing tire pressure but cannot find a nail or any other
puncture in the tire, then it may be leaking at the rim or the valve.

More than likely, both the Honda dealer and the independant garage
WILL be able to patch/plug the tire, or simply remount the tire with a
new valve, as that may be the problem itself. Honda will have all the
same tools as your local shop.

Generally, the only time they *cannot* repair the tire is if the
puncture is in the sidewall or if you drove on the flat at all (i.e.
damaging the sidewalls). If sidewalls are damaged, they generally
will not repair the tire for safety/liability reasons, as the chance
of blowout increases dramatically once the sidewall has been damaged.

Like others here said, the patch/plug combo is the best solution and
if applied by a competent shop will last the life of the tire. This
should not affect tire warranty, and procedure will generally cost
about $20 or so, depending where you go.

Good luck!

Kevin

 

Most tire manufacturers seem to consider a plug alone as a
temporary fix, until it can be properly patched on the inside.

The following is from the warranty and maintenance guide for
Bridgestone/Firestone (dated 7/2002):

* Never repair a tire with less than 2/32nd inch (1.6 millimeters)
tread remaining. At this tread depth, the tire is worn out and
must be replaced.

* Never repair a tire with a puncture larger than 1/4 inch (6.4
millimeters) in diameter. Such tires cannot be properly repaired
and must be replaced.

* Repairs of all tires (radial and non-radial) must be of the plug
and inside patch type. Using plugs alone on any type of tire is
not a safe repair.

* Never repair a tire with a puncture or other damage ouside the
tread area. Such tires cannot be properly repaired and must be
replaced.

* Any tire repair done without removing the tire from the rim is
improper.

* Never use a tube as a substitute for a proper repair.

** ** **

The Tire Rack recommends a "mushroom shaped" plug/patch, and states
that it's unsafe to use a punctured tire for a long time unless it's
inspected for damage from the inside (a puncture might damage the
sidewall). They also state that the inside of the tire may include
a coating or special compound to reduce air loss, and that the patch
should be coated to prevent air loss.

<http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/general/punctures.htm>

I once had a punctured tire repaired for $15 at a gas station. I
watched the repair, as the mechanic pulled out a screw, checked
the damage, buffed and cemented the puncture area, placed on the
patch, and finally sprayed the patched area with a sealant.
The tire was then remounted and balanced. He didn't use a plug,
but I would consider this safer than a plug alone.

Here's a pretty good article, with pictures of a plug/patch.

<http://www.i-car.com/html_pages/about_icar/current_events_news/advantage/advantage_online_archives/2003/040703.html>

 

If it's only 1-3 lb per day, it's definitely pluggable. I would go to Wheel
Works (~$16) or Walmart (~$10), they're open on Saturdays. How much does the
dealer charge to plug? I assume it would be more expensive. Definitely don't
replace the tire.

 

I understand why BOTH a patch and plug might be recommended. But wouldn't
the plug interfere with the patch???

IME the plug (if properly installed) will work just fine. But a patch is the
'preferred' method.

Story time -

Headed back to the US after a surfari into the bowels of baja calif and just
outside a small town I run over a scrap of metal. As I drive along I'm
hearing the hissing of escaping air. Pull over at the next 'safe' shoulder
and sure enough the left rear tire is leaking air pretty fast. After
dragging all the gear out of the back to get to the spare, I realize I do
not have the proper lug nuts to use the spare (spare is a steel rim, the
others aluminum mags). So I pull out my plugging tools and insert 1 plug.
Start airing up with my cig lighter powered air compressor. Start getting it
up to pressure and the plug starts leaking. In goes another and another plug
(total 3). I'm able to get adequate pressure back into the tire. Quick U and
back the few clicks to the llantera.

Young kid removes the tire and separates it from the rim, repairs the tire
with a patch. Next he pours a little bit of gasoline into the tire and
tosses a lit match into the tire... BOOM! and the tire is seated against
the rim.

I toss the kid a $20 and take off for the border....

Rick

 

I posted some of this earlier, but you might not have seen it.

Not if it's a "mushroom" shaped plug/patch. The plug extends from
the center of the patch. The following has a picture, with various
diameter plugs. BTW - you can click on the pictures to get more
detail.

Doesn't the quality of plug kits vary? The size of the plug needed
might depend on the size of the hole, and the hole may look very
different from the inside.

 

Hello folks,

I went to the Honda dealer just now, and they checked the tire, valve stem
and seal and said it looked fine, so they filled it up and sent me off free
of charge. They told me to monitor it and if it still happens, they can
remount the tire. Maybe it is because of the difference in temperature. We
hit -30F in January and now it is 55-60F. I'll let you all know what happens
later if anything.