Any Car Mechanics? Tire Issue

[Luv Bunnies]

So...DH took his car to a tire shop for standard maintenance (oil change, rotation, alignment). It's the same shop where he bought the tires so he gets the rotation and alignment as part of the warranty. The next morning, one of the tires was flat. We wondered if it was related to the service or just an unrelated, bad luck kind of thing. The AAA guy who changed the tire found a small nick which he said may or may not go all the way through. So DH took the car back to the same shop. They found a small hole and patched it up. That same evening, DH drove his car to a nearby city and back, about 30 miles total. When he got home, he said his tire indicator light was on again and the same tire looked low. He added some air at a service station and drove it back to the tire shop.

This time, the tire shop called and said there was some kind of gash or split in the tire that they must have missed the first time. They said it was beyond repair and recommended getting a brand new tire. The new tire was installed yesterday and we picked the car up around 5:30 p.m. Around 10:00 p.m. I went into the garage to do laundry and noticed that the tire was flat again! The brand new tire that was installed just a few hours earlier was flat as a pancake! We're going to put the spare back on and take it back to the tire shop.

We're wondering if something the tire shop did during the initial rotation/alignment service could be causing this issue? It's obviously not just the tire since the brand new one also went flat very quickly. There has to be something going on with the wheel itself. Even if they find the root issue and correct it, we will likely need yet another new tire. We already paid $230 for the one that is now ruined. We can't say for sure if something they did is causing the issue. But it's awfully suspicious that the car was fine before and started literally eating tires just hours after the routine service. I'd like to be armed with some possibilities before going back to the shop, yet again. I really don't think we should have to pay for another new tire when they may have caused the root issue. Any and all ideas are appreciated!

 

[tvguy]

Well, they should check the valve stem to make sure it isn't leaking. And they should check the wheel to make sure there are no defects that are letting air escape.
If they installed a defective valve stem, I guess that could be their fault. Otherwise, sounds like just bad luck.

 

[_19disnA]

I agree. Unless you ran over a nail, a brand new tire isn't going to go flat 6 hrs after it is installed. Far more likely the value stems is bad and/or an issue with the rim. If they fix either of those issues, the brand new tire should inflate with no issues.

 

[kymom99]

Sounds like a bent rim. Why would the new tire need to be replaced?

 

[John VN]

A *water bath test* for a slow leak using a *Lisle 19822 Tire/Tube Test Tank* for entire wheel/tire and also a soapy water spray around rim bead and valve.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Sounds like a bent rim. Why would the new tire need to be replaced

The new tire is the second one to go flat since we had the initial service. The tire shop said the original tire was damaged beyond repair, which is why we had to buy a new one. If there's an issue with the rim, it's possible that the new tire is also damaged beyond repair and would need to be replaced. We need to get to the root of why the front right tires keep going flat since the taking it in for routine maintenance. Hopefully it's just a matter of the tire having no air, but that wasn't the case with the first one.

 

[_19disnA]

Every tire store should already know how to problem-solve an issue with a tire that goes flat a few hours after installation. If they air went out of the tire while sitting in the garage won't damage the tire. If you tried to DRIVE on a flat tire, you could damage it beyond repair even if it was new.

 

[DLgal]

Start by taking it somewhere else. Then go back to the original tire shop and get your money back.

This place is scamming you.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

The AAA guy put the spare on and then checked out the new tire. He said it was very likely a damaged valve stem. We took it back to the tire store and, after examining it, they also said it was the valve stem. They replaced it and reinstalled the new tire. Hopefully this is the end, but we're half expecting to wake up tomorrow to another flat! We'll be pleasantly surprised if we don't.

 

[TQ's]

Your local "USED" tire store would most likely Patch a slit, even close to the sidewall. Only worth it if there is a lot of tread left

 

[firefly_ris]

I would get a second opinion. They didn't think to check the rim? Sounds like they don't know what they are doing.