Does Tesla cover flat tire?
Tesla Roadside Assistance: Coverage & How Long it Lasts
At Compare.com, it’s our mission to find simple ways to help our customers save money on the things they need. While we partner with some of the companies and brands we talk about in our articles, all of our content is written and reviewed by our independent editorial team and never influenced by our partnerships. Learn about how we make money, review our editorial standards, and reference our data methodology to learn more about why you can trust Compare.com.
Updated May 6th, 2022
Tesla revolutionized the world of electric vehicles , but these super high-tech vehicles are not impervious to breaking down or needing roadside assistance for another reason. Whether it’s a flat tire , dead battery, or another issue, Tesla offers its own roadside assistance program to ensure you’re on the road quickly.
But what exactly does Tesla’s roadside assistance cover and how does it work? Most of all, is it worth the cost, or should you just opt for the roadside assistance offered through your car insurance provider?
We cover this and more below.
How Long Does Tesla Roadside Assistance Last?
The basic Tesla roadside assistance is good for four years or 50,000 miles. It’s included in battery and drive unit coverage in Tesla’s New or Pre-Owned Vehicle Limited Warranty . This means for the first four years or 50,000 miles, Tesla roadside assistance is free for covered events.
Plus, Tesla roadside assistance does transfer to owners other than the original one. So long as it’s within the warranty period, the roadside assistance is valid.
Is There a Longer Roadside Assistance Program?
According to Tesla , roadside assistance is included in some extended service agreements too. This means roadside assistance will extend to whatever the terms of that extended service contract are. There is no standalone roadside assistance package you can purchase from them, so check the service contract details to see if it’s included.
What Does Tesla Roadside Assistance Cover?
Tesla roadside assistance covers three basic items: tires, towing, and lockout service . Here are the specifics of each covered roadside assistance service .
Tesla Flat Tire Coverage
In some markets, Tesla’s roadside assistance team carries loaner wheels so you can drive your Tesla to the nearest service center to have your flat tire repaired or replaced with a new tire . You must return the loaner wheel to Tesla within three days, and the roadside assistance team will come to install your original wheel and take back the loaner.
If there is no loaner wheel available, Tesla roadside assistance will tow your vehicle to the nearest service center for free as long as it’s within 50 miles. If the service center is farther than 50 miles, you will pay extra.
Tesla Towing Coverage
If your Tesla breaks down and is undrivable due to a mechanical or technical failure covered under warranty, you can contact roadside assistance for a tow. They will tow you to the nearest Tesla service center for free within 500 miles — anything over 500 miles will incur a fee.
If the service center determines a warrantable issue did not cause the malfunction, you will be charged for the towing on your repair bill.
Tesla Lockout Service
If you accidentally lock your keys in the car, you can contact Tesla roadside assistance , and they will attempt to unlock it remotely. However, you must be in an area with internet (3G, 4G, or Wi-Fi ) service for this to work.
If they cannot unlock the vehicle remotely, roadside assistance will dispatch a trained tow service provider within 50 miles to manually unlock the doors.
If you’ve lost the key fob and need a tow, roadside assistance will provide a one-time courtesy tow within 50 miles to a service center to have a new keyfob made. The making of the key fob is at your expense.
What if I Run Out of Battery?
If you run out of battery, this is not a covered roadside assistance service for Tesla owners . However, just because the roadside assistance policy doesn’t cover it, this doesn’t mean Tesla can’t help.
If you run out of battery on the road, you can contact roadside assistance and request transportation services to the nearest charging station.
Does Roadside Assistance Cover Other Services?
Yes. Tesla does not list all the available services through its roadside assistance team, but it states , “For all services not listed, we are still equipped and ready to assist you.“ Simply contact roadside assistance, and the customer support representative will tell you if your issue is something roadside assistance can help with.
At the very least, you can get a tow to the nearest service center for repairs.
Keep in mind that any uncovered repairs will be at your expense.
What Are the Exceptions in Tesla’s Roadside Assistance Coverage?
Tesla’s free roadside assistance coverage has a range of exceptions to keep in mind. Here’s a partial list of some items roadside assistance does not cover:
- Transportation back to the service center after repairs are complete
- Coverage in hazardous areas
- Any issues related to customs clearance
- Cost for ferries, tolls, and other fees
- Damages caused by accidents, collisions, objects hitting the car, and damage caused by road fixtures
- Driving the vehicle off road
- Racing the vehicle
- Extraction from mud or snow
- Damage due to abuse or negligence
- Broken window or windshield repair
- Overloading the vehicle
- Reimbursement for third-party roadside assistance
- Storage charges incurred
- Damaged caused by vandalism
How Do I Request Roadside Assistance?
There are two ways to request roadside assistance from Tesla. First, you can call the service at 1-877-798-3752 if you’re in the U.S. or Canada.
The other way is via the Tesla mobile app . Open the app and tap “Roadside” near the bottom of the screen. Choose the issue you’re having with your vehicle and add any additional details necessary. Tap “Request help” to submit your roadside assistance request.
Can I Use Roadside Assistance Once My Warranty Expires?
Yes, you can continue using Tesla roadside assistance after your warranty period. However, you will be charged for any services you request. You can get cost estimates and request service via the U.S. and Canada Tesla roadside assistance number : 1-877-798-3752.
You can also request service through the mobile app as outlined above.
Is Tesla Roadside Assistant Worth it After the Warranty Coverage?
Tesla’s roadside assistance is a great service during the warranty period for covered services.
The chances are it’s not worthwhile to use it as needed and pay for the service calls after it’s expired. There’s no problem with Tesla’s services. It’s purely the fact that many insurance companies include limited roadside assistance in their comprehensive and collision policies . And if it’s not included, you can add it as an additional service for minimal cost — likely not much more than a single service call from Tesla.
So, if you purchase a used Tesla that’s outside the warranty period or already own a Tesla car and are over the warranty threshold and want to continue using roadside assistance, you may want to look into finding an auto insurance provider that offers this with its policies.
Compare Rates from Dozens of Companies
Find the Right Tesla for You
Still searching for the perfect used EV ? Compare.com can help you find and compare a wide range of pre-owned EVs in your area. Plus, our EV buyers guide can help you determine if an EV is right for you.
Compare EVs Near You
Nick Versaw Managing Editor
Nick Versaw leads Compare.com’s editorial department, where he and his team specialize in creating educational content about insurance and other related topics. As an award-winning writer, Nick has seen his work published in countless renowned publications, such as the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and U.S. News & World Report. He graduated with Latin honors from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Digital Journalism.
Compare Car Insurance Quotes
About Compare.com
Compare.com’s #1 goal is to save you money. We publish resources that are based on hard-hitting data and years of industry experience to help you make more informed decisions with your wallet.
- All of Compare.com’s content is written and reviewed for accuracy by a team of experienced writers and editors who are experts on the topics they cover.
- None of Compare.com’s content is ever influenced by the companies and brands we partner with.
- Compare.com’s editorial team operates independently of any of the company’s partnership or business development interests. We publish unbiased information strictly for the benefit of our readers.
- All of the content you see on Compare.com is based on comprehensive analysis and all data is gathered and vetted from trustworthy sources.
How much does it cost to fix a flat tire in a Tesla Model S
Last Monday, I put my kid in the car to drive her to school and when I was about to leave, I saw a message in the screen asking to pull out safely and check for a flat tire. Uh oh.
Three hours and $309 later, my Model S was driveable again. And I’m going to share all the details with you.
While I was waiting, my helper and I put to work our emergency tire repair kit to see if the car would be driveable in case I had to move it somewhere else to get the tires changed.
How long did it take Tesla to come and check on my flat tire
We do have Road Assistance with our Tesla so the first thing I did when I found out I had a flat tire was to call Tesla’s emergency contact number. If you don’t have the number in your contact lists, it’s also in your car, just tap on the Tesla T and check the bottom right corner.
While on the phone with Tesla, they asked a few questions about the indicent, location, and they also provided an estimate of how much was it going to cost if they had to patch or replace the tire (I’ll get there in a minute). They didn’t mention mobile service, but since I had recently watched TeslaRaj’s video and knew it was an option, I asked about it. They just had to confirm it was available in my area, and next thing they informed me they’d send a text message with an ETA after the call.
Immediately after I got off the phone, I got the text message, a ranger would get to my place in 180 minutes. Oh well. He actually arrived 30 min early, so I guess I can’t complain. I assume if you’re not at home or at a safe location, they prioritize getting faster to you. In my case, I was working from home, so it was super convenient to just be able to work while waiting for Tesla to come and check on my flat tire. In addition, Tesla texted me a couple more times to provide an updated ETA and to let me know they were on their way.
A non-repairable puncture
Once the Tesla ranger arrived, it took 15 seconds for him to find it the problem: a blade in the tire.
Although the invoice says he found a non-repairable puncture, he said he could patch it but that it was not worht it since, as you can see in the picture above, the side of the tire was pretty worn. Unfortunately, the rear left wheel- the flat one was the rear right- looked pretty much the same.
So I decided to go with replacing the tires, the four of them. Road Assistance would’ve covered the patch, but not the replacement. It did cover the mobile service though, so I only had to pay for the labor and the new tires. But let’s break out the costs in more detail.
How much did it cost to replace the tire? Where there better alternatives?
I knew I was due for a tire check so I did a quick research to be prepared to make a decision if it turned out the tire couldn’t be patched.
The Michelin — Pilot Sport A/S 3+ seemed to be a common non-OE alternative to the OE Michelin tires of my Tesla Model S. I found an offer at Costco for $229.99 each (with a $70 discount if you buy 4 of them). Labor at my local Costco is $20 per wheel. It also seemed that they take Teslas (I had read about some Costco not taking Teslas, but it’s possible that this has changed now).
Tesla charged $230 per tire plus $55 for the labor, for each tire.
We’re looking at $25 difference per tire without taking into account the Costco discount, $42.5 if you take into account the discount for buying 4 tires at the same time.
In the end, I decided to go with Tesla’s OE Michelin tires. The total difference was $170 which I think was worth paying mainly because of two reasons: convenience and keeping original equipment. The ranger said he only had one tire with him but that he could check if he could get the other three and come back later in the day. He did come back two hours later and brought another ranger to help him finish the work faster. I was also not charged for that visit. That was really convenient. With Costco, I would’ve had to buy the tires, then call to schedule an appointment (maybe at a different time, who knows when). Mobile service was able to do the balancing, not the aligment (since they need special equipment), so that’s the only thing that wasn’t included in the price.
Overall, I’m really happy with the experience since it was very convenient and the price wasn’t bad at all. This was not my first time using Tesla’s mobile service, if you haven’t used it yet and it’s available in your area, I totally recommend it.
Have questions? Reach out at contact@tesletter.com
