Tesla Flat Tire: What to Do When There's No Spare

The first five minutes

1. Slow down and get off the road. The car’s own alert for a very low tire reads “PULL OVER SAFELY - Check for flat tire,” and the Model 3 manual’s instruction is “You should pull over carefully as soon as possible. In a safe location, check for a flat tire.” Tesla’s roadside page adds: “If you’re ever in an unsafe location, contact emergency services.”
2. Leave the nail or screw where it is. The Model 3 manual says “Do not remove any foreign objects found embedded in the tire.” Tesla’s tire page lists “Removing any object embedded in the tire until the vehicle is at a service location” among the things to avoid.
3. Open the Tesla app and tap Roadside, or call 1-877-798-3752 in the United States.
4. Do not look for a spare. The Model 3 manual describes none, and it says of the alternative: “You can purchase the temporary tire repair kit on the Tesla Shop.”

Who pays is the part to get straight. Tesla says that for the length of the vehicle warranty “Roadside Assistance is provided at no cost,” and in the same section: “You are responsible for the cost of tire repair or replacement.” Tesla says the roadside service is free while the car is covered, within the limits below. The tire is yours to pay for.

This page rests on Tesla’s two support pages on tires and roadside help, its Roadside Assistance policy, the owner’s manual for the 2024-and-later Model 3 (North America, software 2026.32), the Tesla Shop page for the repair kit and the New Vehicle Limited Warranty, all read on October 10 and 11, 2026, for the United States. Every step quoted from the manual is for that car; earlier Model 3s and other models have their own manuals. The repair rules come from the US tire industry’s trade association, read on October 11, 2026.

Your options with a flat Tesla tire

The manual names the first three in its entry for the very-low-pressure alert: “You can request Tesla roadside assistance options (mobile tire, loaner wheel, tow) if required.”

Does a Tesla have a spare tire?

Not according to the Model 3 manual. A spare is mentioned once in it, in a tire-pressure passage that says “Each tire, including the spare (if provided)” should be checked monthly. The manual has no section on fitting a spare wheel, and it calls the sealant kit “an optional tire repair kit available from Tesla.”

So the kit is something you buy. The Tesla Shop listed the Air Compressor + Tire Repair Kit 3.0 at $110 on October 11, 2026, in two styles, one labelled “Model Y” and one labelled “Model S,X,3,Y Premium and Performance.” The Tesla accessories guide covers the kit and a cordless inflator alternative.

Does Tesla fix flat tires for free?

No. Tesla’s policy is flat about it: “In all cases, you are responsible for the cost of the tire repair and/or replacement.” What can be free is the roadside help itself, and Tesla describes who gets it in at least four ways:

• The tire support page: “For the duration of your New Vehicle Limited Warranty or Pre-Owned Vehicle Limited Warranty, Roadside Assistance is provided at no cost.”
• The policy: Roadside Assistance is “a complimentary service offered for vehicles covered by an active Tesla Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty or Extended Service Agreement.”
• The Model 3 manual: it is available “24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for the duration of your warranty period.”
• The warranty: the car “must be covered by a Tesla New Vehicle Limited Warranty or Pre-Owned Vehicle Limited Warranty and located in your specific Warranty Region at the time Roadside Assistance is requested.”

The policy’s who-is-covered line names a car “covered by the New or Used Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty or Extended Service Agreement.” For a car bought new, the Basic warranty runs “4 years or 50,000 miles (80,000 km), whichever comes first”; the terms of a used-car warranty or an Extended Service Agreement are not in the documents read here, so check your own. The warranty document also draws a line worth noting: “Roadside Assistance is a separate service and is not provided under a Tesla New Vehicle Limited Warranty or Pre-Owned Vehicle Limited Warranty.”

The tire itself is not a Tesla warranty item either. Tesla’s page says “Tesla does not directly provide warranty coverage for tires,” and the warranty excludes “Tires, which have their own warranties and are subject to their own terms and conditions”. A road puncture is a matter for the tire maker’s warranty, if it covers road hazards at all, or for your own money.

Two more lines apply if you bought the car used or pay for one of Tesla’s plans. The policy says roadside coverage is “transferable with the resale of a Tesla vehicle for the time remaining on the coverage period,” provided Tesla is notified with proof of the ownership change, which is the new owner’s job if the car was not bought from Tesla. And Tesla has a Wheel and Tire Protection Plan that it says “covers tire and wheel repairs and replacements caused by typical road hazards.” If you hold that plan, read the next section before you let anyone else touch the tire.

Does Tesla roadside assistance cover a flat tire?

Yes, inside a radius and on conditions. Tesla’s roadside page defines a flat as “Damage to the wheel or tire that causes flat or unsafe driving conditions,” and gives the coverage in one sentence: “Flat tire services are provided for up to 50 mi when tire repair and/or replacement is completed through Tesla directly.”

The policy spells out the two conditions. First, where you are: “Tesla will provide Roadside Assistance to owners who experience a flat tire within 50 miles (80 km) of a Tesla Service Center.” Second, where the car goes and who fixes it: the tow is covered for the first 50 miles “provided the vehicle is towed to a Tesla Service Center and you complete the tire repair and/or replacement through Tesla directly.”

Outside those conditions the tow is a bill. That includes the case where Tesla cannot do the work “because you have aftermarket wheels and/or tires,” when the policy says Tesla “may still be able to assist you with towing the vehicle at your full cost, due at time of tow.”

A few limits from Tesla’s roadside page, policy and warranty:

• One call. “Roadside Assistance is limited to one service call per incident.”
• No refunds for help you arranged yourself. The not-covered list includes “Reimbursement of Roadside Assistance procured without Tesla’s involvement or advance authorization.”
• Not everywhere. “Roadside Assistance may not be available on certain restricted roadways or in restricted access areas due to safety and regulatory considerations.”
• A US or Canadian car can get help in either country. The warranty requires the car to be in its own Warranty Region when help is requested, with one exception: an owner whose region is the United States or Canada “may seek Roadside Assistance in either the United States or Canada, as applicable.”
• Fees are possible. The policy says roadside services “may not be available in all situations or if available, may be subject to fees/charges (with advance notice).”
• Subject to change. “Pricing and availability of Tesla Roadside Assistance is subject to change and dependent on location.”

The loaner wheel is real, and it is not promised. It appears on Tesla’s tire page as a service “In some regions,” from “a limited number of loaner wheels.” Tesla’s Roadside Assistance policy document does not mention loaner wheels at all. Ask for one when you make the request, and have a second plan.

Wheel and Tire Protection Plan holders have a reason to stay with Tesla for the repair: “To maintain eligibility for coverage under the Tesla Wheel and Tire Protection Plan, all repairs must be performed at a Tesla Service Center.”

To make the request, Tesla’s steps are short: open the app, select Roadside, select the issue, confirm the details and request help. Either way, the manual says to have the car’s VIN, your exact location and the nature of the problem ready.

Can you drive on a flat or punctured Tesla tire?

Tesla’s documents do not say the same thing, so here are both.

The Model 3 manual says no in two warnings. In its repair-kit warnings: “Do not drive on a deflated tire.” And for a tire that still holds air: “Do not drive with a punctured tire that has not been repaired, even if the puncture has not caused the tire to deflate. A punctured tire can deflate suddenly at any time.”

Tesla’s support page answers the question “I have a flat/leaking tire, what should I do?” more loosely: “If you feel safe driving to the nearest Service Center or tire shop, do so. If you do not feel safe, contact Roadside Assistance to review service options available.” The same page, earlier, under Punctured Tires, lists “Continuing to drive on a punctured tire, even if it hasn’t deflated, as it could still fail without warning” among the things to avoid before a service appointment.

The manual is the stricter document and the one written for the car. It also explains why a nail can sit quietly: “Your tubeless tires may not leak when penetrated, provided the object remains in the tire.” That is a good reason to leave the object in, and no reason to keep driving on it.

If the tire goes while you are moving, the manual’s sequence is to “immediately reduce your speed. Drive slowly, while avoiding heavy braking or sharp steering and, when safe to do so, stop the vehicle.” Its next line ends with a truck, not a drive: “Arrange to have Model 3 transported to a Tesla Service Center, or to a nearby tire repair center.”

Can a Tesla tire be patched or plugged?

Sometimes. Tesla’s documents give no patch-or-plug rule; the manual’s general instruction is to “Permanently repair or replace punctured or damaged tires as soon as possible.”

The US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) publishes what it calls industry-recommended repair procedures. It recommends “considering repairs only if damage is limited to the tread area only and the puncture injury is no greater than 1/4 inch (6mm) in diameter.” Four more of its rules decide whether a shop’s repair is a proper one:

USTMA also says repairs must not be made where the injury reaches the shoulder or belt edge of the tire, and that “some tire manufacturers may have repair limits or restrictions for some tires, such as runflat tires and others.” So a small hole in the middle of the tread is the repairable case. A hole near the edge, a cut in the sidewall or a second repair overlapping the first is a new tire. The sealant kit described below is not a repair in USTMA’s sense; it is the temporary fix that gets the car to one.

Can a foam-lined Tesla tire be repaired?

No Tesla document read for this page says it cannot. The Model 3 manual mentions the foam only in passing, noting that “Tesla-approved tires may not contain acoustic foam,” with a possible slight increase in road noise and vibration as the result.

The tire industry has a written procedure for it. A USTMA bulletin on noise-reduction tires says the repair steps “generally follow the standard tire repair methods,” with foam-specific steps: “Carefully remove the acoustic foam from the injury area so as not to damage the innerliner.” Afterward: “Discard the removed piece of acoustic foam. It is not necessary to replace it in the tire.” The bulletin, dated 2019, adds that the tire maker’s own repair guidelines must be followed, so the maker of your tire has the last word.

On replacement, the bulletin defers first to the vehicle maker’s recommendation, and Tesla’s manual gives one: “When replacing tires, it is important to match the brand and model of the older tires.” If no foam-lined version is in stock, the bulletin says “it is acceptable to replace with a conventional tire meeting the OE vehicle placard specification.”

Can a tire shop that is not Tesla fix it?

Tesla says yes: its page answers “Can I take my damaged tires to a third-party tire shop?” with “Yes.” Whether a particular chain will take the job is that chain’s policy, and Tesla’s documents do not cover it. Two cautions from Tesla’s own pages: plan holders lose eligibility for work done outside a Tesla Service Center, as above, and the manual notes “If a non-Tesla Service Center repairs or replaces a tire, the tire sensor may not work until Tesla performs the setup procedure.”

Give the shop three things from the Model 3 manual. The lift points, which are a diagram in its jacking and lifting section: the manual tells owners to make sure a repair facility “is aware of these instructions, including lift points and warnings,” and warns “DO NOT position the lift arm pads under the Battery or side rails.” The stakes: “Damage caused by incorrectly lifting Model 3 is not covered by the warranty.” And the numbers: the manual lists the lug nut torque as 129 lb. ft (175 Nm) and the socket size as 21 mm.

How to use Tesla’s tire repair kit

The kit is a compressor and a canister of sealant. The Tesla Shop page says it “can fix holes no greater than 6mm in diameter on the tread of the tire and cannot repair any punctures that are on the side wall of the tire.” The Model 3 manual sends bigger damage elsewhere: for punctures over a quarter inch, “severe tread damage, a damaged sidewall, ripped tires or tires that have come off the rim, contact Roadside Assistance.”

The manual does not say which version of the kit it describes, and Tesla’s shop page words the 3.0 kit differently in places, so where the two differ follow the instructions that came with yours. The manual itself says “Follow all directions and warnings on the tire inflation kit.”

The manual’s Model 3 procedure, condensed from its seven steps:

1. Park “in a safe, open location” and make sure the compressor is off.
2. Take the valve cap off the punctured tire and connect the transparent sealant tube to the valve.
3. Plug the kit into one of the car’s low voltage outlets.
4. Turn the selector to the tire icon and switch on. Once the sealant is in, the gauge shows the tire’s pressure; the target is the figure on the driver’s side door pillar. The manual: “After several minutes, ensure the gauge shows the ideal tire pressure before continuing.”
5. Switch off, disconnect the tube and refit the valve cap.
6. “Drive within the indicated speed limit (shown on sticker on the tire repair kit) without suddenly accelerating or braking.”
7. “After approximately 10 minutes of driving, park in a safe, open space again,” and inflate the tire. For this part the manual has you switch the selector to the pump icon and use the black inflation tube.

If the tire will not come up, the manual has a retry: “If the gauge still indicates a pressure of less than 22 PSI (1.5 Bar) after 15 minutes of consecutive operation,” disconnect, drive a few feet to spread the sealant and repeat; if that fails, call Tesla Roadside Assistance.

The limits matter more than the steps:

• It is temporary. “The temporary repair is designed to get your vehicle immediately and safely to a tire repair shop.” The manual adds “Do not drive at high speeds or long periods of time,” and “Driving on temporarily repaired tires for long periods of time may cause serious damage or injury.” The shop page puts a number on it: “See a tire specialist as soon as possible or before driving a maximum distance of 62 miles (100 km) on a repaired tire.”
• Expect to replace the tire, and its sensor if your car has wheel sensors. The manual says “You must repair or replace a damaged tire as soon as possible.” The shop page goes further: “The damaged tire should be replaced, along with the TPMS sensor, at your earliest convenience. Replacement tire and TPMS sensor are not covered under Tesla vehicle warranty.” TPMS is the tire pressure monitoring system. That sentence is the real cost of using sealant, and a reason to call Roadside first when help is close.
• How long the compressor can run: Tesla gives two figures. The manual says “Do not leave the compressor on for over 20 consecutive minutes.” The shop page for the 3.0 kit says “The maximum operating time for the air compressor is 30 minutes, and it should be left to rest for 60 minutes”. Use the shorter one unless the instructions in your kit say otherwise.
• Sealant has a temperature range and a date. The manual gives the working range as minus 40°F to 122°F and says “Do not use sealant liquid after the expiration date indicated on the label.”
• No trailer. “Never attempt to tow a trailer when a Model 3 tire is faulty or has been temporarily repaired”.

Can you use Fix-a-Flat or another sealant in a Tesla?

The Model 3 manual does not forbid it, but it flags a risk: “If a tire has been replaced or repaired using a different tire sealant than the one available from Tesla, and a low tire pressure is detected, it is possible that the tire sensor has been damaged.” Tesla’s own kit is no gentler on that point: its shop page says the sensor should be replaced along with the tire.

If it has to be towed: what to tell the driver

Tesla puts this job on you. The policy says “it is your responsibility to provide vehicle transporters with the instructions included in the owner’s manual.” For a Model 3, these are the main points; hand the driver the manual’s Instructions for Transporters section for the rest:

• All four wheels off the ground. “Always transport Model 3 with all four tires off the ground.” The manual’s reason is that the motors generate power when the wheels spin.
• A flatbed if at all possible. “A flatbed truck or comparable transport vehicle is the recommended method of transporting Model 3.”
• Dollies are the fallback, with a distance cap. Without a flatbed, wheel lifts and dollies must keep all four wheels up, and “This method may only be used for a maximum of 35 miles (55 km), and must not exceed the manufacturer speed rating of the dollies.”
• Tow Mode is for loading and repositioning only. The manual says it “is only intended to allow for winching Model 3 onto a flatbed truck or repositioning the vehicle out of a parking space,” and limits rolling in it to under 5 mph for less than 30 feet.
• Pull by the tow eye. The manual says to “only pull the vehicle onto a flatbed truck using a properly-installed tow eye.”

A tow you arrange yourself is yours to pay for: the manual’s transport section says “Tesla is not liable or responsible for reimbursing services not dispatched through Tesla Roadside Assistance.”

What a flat tire costs on a Tesla

Tesla publishes very few prices here, so this section lists what its documents commit to.

One flat can mean two tires. The Model 3 manual says: “If tires need to be replaced early, for example due to a flat tire, we recommend replacing the tires in pairs unless the other tires are within 2/32 in. (1.5 mm) of tread depth of the new tire.” How long a set normally lasts is covered in the tire section of the Tesla maintenance cost guide.

After the repair

• Go easy for a day. “It may take up to 24 hours after a tire replacement or repair before the tire lubricant is completely dry and tires achieve maximum adherence to the rims.” The manual says to avoid hard acceleration in that time.
• Give the warning time to clear. The manual says the low-pressure alert clears once the system has a consistent reading “within 3 psi of the recommended cold pressure,” and “You may need to drive over 15 mph (25 km/h) for at least 10 minutes” before it does. The tire pressure guide explains the two alerts and the pressure to fill to.
• Reset the tire settings after new tires. The manual says to calibrate the tires and reset the tire configuration when tires are replaced. On cars without wheel pressure sensors it also says that after tires are changed, repaired or rotated, “tire pressure calibration is required manually.”

Frequently asked questions

Where is the spare tire on a Tesla Model 3?

The Model 3 manual does not describe one. Its only use of the word is a tire-pressure line that reads “including the spare (if provided).”

Is a flat tire covered by Tesla’s warranty?

No. The warranty excludes “Tires, which have their own warranties and are subject to their own terms and conditions”. Tesla’s tire page says the tires “may be covered by the tire manufacturer’s specific warranty.”

How much does Tesla roadside assistance cost for a flat?

Tesla says it is “provided at no cost” while the car is under its New Vehicle or Pre-Owned Vehicle Limited Warranty. Tesla’s roadside policy says the tire work is yours to pay for in all cases; its tire page describes a separate Wheel and Tire Protection Plan for road-hazard repairs. A tow outside the 50-mile, Tesla-does-the-work conditions is “at your full cost.”

How far can you drive on a Tesla tire sealed with the repair kit?

Tesla’s shop page says to see a tire specialist “as soon as possible or before driving a maximum distance of 62 miles (100 km) on a repaired tire.”

Are Tesla tires run-flats?

The Model 3 manual never uses the term, and its instruction is “Do not drive on a deflated tire.” That is as far as the documents read for this page go.

Does Tesla bring a loaner wheel?

In some regions, from a limited stock, and the new tire is then fitted to your own wheel at a Tesla Service Center at your cost.

Before it happens

Decide now which option is yours. If a Tesla Service Center is within 50 miles of where you usually drive and the car is in warranty, the app’s Roadside button is the plan. If not, the $110 kit or a tow number you trust is, though Tesla may still tow at your cost. Either way, check the tires monthly, since the manual’s first line on punctures is that one “eventually causes the tire to lose pressure, which is why it is important to check tire pressures frequently.” The rest of the ownership questions are indexed in the Tesla owner’s guide, and tires are on the list of things to look at in the Tesla delivery checklist.

Sources (8)

• tesla.com Tesla Support: Tire Repair and Maintenance
• tesla.com Tesla Support: Roadside Assistance
• digitalassets.tesla.com Tesla: Roadside Assistance Policy (PDF)
• tesla.com Tesla Model 3 Owner's Manual (PDF, software 2026.32)
• shop.tesla.com Tesla Shop: Air Compressor + Tire Repair Kit 3.0
• digitalassets.tesla.com Tesla: New Vehicle Limited Warranty, North America (effective 2026-09-01)
• ustires.org USTMA: Tire Repair Basics
• ustires.org USTMA: Tire Information Service Bulletin Vol. 52 No. 1, Noise Reduction Acoustic Foam Tires