Random Tire Pressure Loss

[kx885]

Hi,
This one is weird to me. About every month or so, one tire will lose air pressure, but not go flat. I have a little air pump, which I use to add more air after which everything is fine. Rinse and repeat on another tire a few weeks later. I have a 2021 XLT with the factory tires and 43K miles. No tire ever loses air completely and there is no gradual loss in the days following. I have had two tires replaced already from punctures because the city considers the roads perpetual construction sites.

Has anyone seen this? I don't think the tires are bad, because they do hold air, when added. I'm not sure the electronics monitoring tire pressure are off because the tires genuinely lose air pressure.

Thoughts?

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[Bsthroop]

Sounds like a slow leak, I have one like that on my Sprinter right now. I will be pulling mine off this weekend and water it to find the leak. Then do a punch patch to fix it.

 

[Frenchy]

Deathly a tiny leak from the sounds of it. That said with how many miles you have on it I would start looking at a new set of tires. Why chase a leak when you can replace the tires that are about to be done anyways.

 

[kx885]

Seems so, but after adding air the pressure stays the same for days after. Granted, I only check for a couple of days afterwards once pressure remains constant.

 

[kx885]

Deathly a tiny leak from the sounds of it. That said with how many miles you have on it I would start looking at a new set of tires. Why chase a leak when you can replace the tires that are about to be done anyways.

I think you're right. Too bad my wallet won't agree.

 

[Frenchy]

I think you're right. Too bad my wallet won't agree.

Time to start working the local corner?

 

[kx885]

Time to start working the local corner?

No. Not exactly. Even if I thought that was a good idea, I reckon I wouldn't make what I needed for new tires.

 

[Jedadiah]

I had one tire do this last week. (one tire at 21ibs when I was going to work.) I assumed I had a leak, but after airing it up, it's stayed the same and has not dropped since. All I can figure is that some kid thought it would be fun to let the air out of my tire without realizing how long it would take.

I'm glad I didn't have a nail in my tire, but I can't get too mad. I probably deserve it for some of the hijinks I pulled as a teen.

 

[kx885]

I had one tire do this last week. (one tire at 21ibs when I was going to work.) I assumed I had a leak, but after airing it up, it's stayed the same and has not dropped since. All I can figure is that some kid thought it would be fun to let the air out of my tire without realizing how long it would take.

I'm glad I didn't have a nail in my tire, but I can't get too mad. I probably deserve it for some of the hijinks I pulled as a teen.

I thought about people letting air out of the tires too. I'll ask my neighbor if I her Ring doorbell caught anything.

 

[kx885]

The tire was down in pressure again this morning. This is something new. The slow leak possibility looks more certain. Time for a new set of shoes. Thanks all!

 

[SpifNup]

Have had tires regularly lose pressure (over few days or few weeks) but pass the bubble (water trough) test. No nails or leaks detected.

Tire shop would sometimes automatically (or I'd ask them to) slap some sealant goop around the bead. They suspected the bead might be leaking (I envisioned hard or cracked rubber problem at the tire bead). Sometimes that helped.

Back when they charged about 7.95 (free return visit if not fixed), it wasn't a big deal to go there. But last I had a leak fixed, it was (if I recall) about $30 (same shop, but now some years under new owners).

Tire shop eventually (later visits) pointed out wheel corrosion. There were bubbling/cracking spots around metal wheel. Inside and sometimes also at/near bead.

Not sure but seemed then like some sort of wheel plating (or solid metal) had failed.

I thought wheels were solid/machined aluminum, and pointed out that I thought aluminum didn't corrode. They said it might not rust, but it can corrode.

Told me that no amount of bead seal could help if the wheel itself was bad.

Bottom line--not always flawed or punctured rubber ... sometimes the wheel itself.

--Spif

 

[airline tech]

The tire was down in pressure again this morning. This is something new. The slow leak possibility looks more certain. Time for a new set of shoes. Thanks all!

Sometimes leaks are dependent on tire position (to pavement) at rest.
Leaks at certain tire rotation position and seals when not in that position.
More pronounced with bead leaks

 

[Grandaccess]

My Driver/Front goes down to 18 lbs every morning and it stays up all day, I am about to get new tires anyway when income tax comes in and a few other goodies
I have put 600 miles on these tires in 24 hours ....
I know this would probably scare some people LOL

 

[J Krutsch]

I had an issue like that on one snow tire on my Subaru. It was very random, sometimes no loss, then loss. Finally took it in and they found that when the tire was mounted, the valve stem was not seated properly (didn't pull on it hard enough). The centrifugal force when spinning would make it leak, but no leak when sitting still (except sometimes). New valve stem fixed it.

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