i have a 99' GS400 with stock 17' alloy rims, im having a constant problem with my right back tire... (if your sittin in the car) i dont know if its the constant weather changes or what but ive filled the tire several times and had it checked for leaks twice now and also remounted on the rim and had them rotated but yet its still loosing air. can someone please help me so i dont waist money on a new tire or rim for that matter. the car is rite off the lease 33,737 miles on it so it cant be wear or is it? please help me!

 

Diva,

Are you saying this is the original 17" tire with 33K miles with the leak?

Second thought. Your car should have a full size spare. Use it and put the other in the trunk with a can of fix-a-flat.

 

yes its the original 17' tire, ill have to try that

 

thanks

 

DO NOT USE FIX-A-FLAT!!!!!

THat stuff is no good...it has a chemical that eats away at the rims...chrome or polished!! Over time the chemical sits and will eat away at the rim causing more bad than good! You would have to buy a new rim and tire which would cost you even more!!!

I've had the same problem and thought that I could just put that stuff and it would fix the problem. Come to find out that it is the worst you can do.

More than likely your rim is bent...maybe not extremely noticable but enough for you to lose air pressure... seeing that you live in the NE area...we've had a cold winter this year...which in the winter time you tend to lose tire pressure due to the fact that the cold air just sucks the air out of your tires. I've had to get the rims cleaned and sealed so that I won't have this problem in the future. ever since then...no problems!

This has happened to 2 out of the 4 tires that I have...ever since I've had this done...no problems!!

To check if your wheel is bent, go to your local tire shop...(one where they atleast look like they know what they are doing) and have them high speed balance the wheel...if it's bent they will be able to tell you...or you can tell yourself by just looking at it while it is spinning.

Try this and hopefully this will solve your problems. Hope this helps!

"D"

 

this is true , i used fix a flat ans it left a stain that was really tuff to get out on the rim , ans i got lazy so i didn't clean it real good later i washed the car and it was even harder to get out and when cleand off it ate some of the coating, good thing it was a stock 16, don't care much but go to a real flat fixing place ans use the spare for now

 

wow thanks guys big help ill get the rim checked tommorow and we'll see what happens from there.

 

Guys - I wasn't suggesting to use that stuff right now & agree with you it's nasty and trashes a wheel. BUT in an emergency if the spare tire has gone flat due to a leak, it can get you by if you have no alternative. You're missing the major point - getting the leaking tire off the car, then get a working spare. Carry the can in case of emergency only.

If two tire places have already looked at the wheel / tire and can't find a leak, then something likely is wrong with it that causes it to leak under certain conditions (load, heat etc)... I've never heard of cold air 'sucking the air out' of a tire, but I guess there could be stranger things. If that was true you'd think everyone up in Alaska would be driving around with those stone wheels like they have on the Flintstone's cars .

Something is wrong with that wheel or tire. 1) Get it off the car if you can replace it with the spare 2) have a way to still roll if you get another flat and the problem tire (now the spare) has leaked all the air out 4) get the original wheel/tire fixed

Good luck Diva - get it fixed!

 

Pump up the tire past your normal psi. Get a bottle of soapy water. Spray the entire tire and wheel. Keep sprayin until you see bubbles growing. That will tell you where your leak is. BTW it might be your valve stem. It might be untwisted a little. But spray that too.