Tire Care and Maintenance Inspecting and Maintaining Tires Punctured Tires Regularly inspect the tread and side walls for A puncture eventually causes the tire to lose any sign of distortion (bulges), cuts or wear. pressure, which is why it is important to check Warning: Do not drive Model 3 if a tire is tire pressures frequently. Permanently repair or replace punctured or damaged tires as damaged, excessively worn, or inflated to soon as possible. an incorrect pressure. Check tires Your tubeless tires may not leak when regularly for wear, and ensure there are penetrated, provided the object remains in the no cuts, bulges or exposure of the ply/ tire. If, however, you feel a sudden vibration or cord structure. ride disturbance while driving, or you suspect Tire Wear a tire is damaged, immediately reduce your speed. Drive slowly, while avoiding heavy Adequate tread depth is important for proper braking or sharp steering and, when safe to do tire performance. Tires with a tread depth less so, stop the vehicle. Arrange to have Model 3 than 4/32” (3 mm) are more likely to transported to a Tesla Service Center, or to a hydroplane in wet conditions and should not nearby tire repair center. be used. Tires with a tread depth less than Note: In some cases, you can temporarily 5/32” (4 mm) do not perform well in snow and repair small tire punctures (under 1/4” (6 slush and should not be used when driving in mm)) using an optional tire repair kit available winter conditions. from Tesla. This allows you to slowly drive Model 3 is originally fitted with tires that have Model 3 to Tesla or to a nearby tire repair wear indicators molded into the tread pattern. facility (see Temporary Tire Repair on page When the tread has been worn down to 4/32” 118). (3 mm), the indicators start to appear at the Warning: Do not drive with a punctured surface of the tread pattern, producing the tire, even if the puncture has not caused effect of a continuous band of rubber across the tire to deflate. A punctured tire can the width of the tire. For optimal performance deflate suddenly at any time. and safety, Tesla recommends replacing tires before the wear indicators are visible. Flat Spots Tire Rotation, Balance, and Wheel Alignment If Model 3 is stationary for a long period in Tesla recommends rotating the tires every high temperatures, tires can form flat spots. 6250 miles (10,000 km). When Model 3 is driven, these flat spots cause a vibration which gradually disappears as the Unbalanced wheels (sometimes noticeable as tires warm up and regain their original shape. vibration through the steering wheel) affect To minimize flat spots during storage, inflate vehicle handling and tire life. Even with regular tires to the maximum pressure indicated on use, wheels can get out of balance. Therefore, the tire wall. Then, before driving, release air they should be balanced as required. to adjust tire pressure to the recommended If tire wear is uneven (on one side of the tire levels. only) or becomes abnormally excessive, check Improving Tire Mileage the alignment of wheels. Note: When replacing only two tires, always To improve the mileage you get from your install the new tires on the rear. tires, maintain tires at the recommended tire pressures, observe speed limits and advisory speeds, and avoid: • Pulling away quickly, or hard acceleration. • Fast turns and heavy braking. • Potholes and objects in the road. • Hitting curbs when parking. • Contaminating tires with fluids that can cause damage. 114 Model 3 Owner's Manual