Slow Tyre Leak Advice

relicalpha

relicalpha

relicalpha

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Joined
2 Feb 2020
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168
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UK
Hello,

I've got a ford focus with a slow tyre leak, it will drop from 38 to 32 PSI over 2-3 weeks of minimal usage, problem is I've already replaced the tyre and TPMS valve.

Google suggests this may well therefore be a cracked wheel/alloy. Just looking for advice on the cheapest fix for this. Would I be best asking a garage to diagnose it / try to repair the wheel itself, or if that has low chances of success, should I just ask for a full replacement wheel from the start? I think a new wheel looks about £3-400 :(

Thanks for any help!
 
Had this problem over Christmas. Took it to a garage and they said they couldn't find a leak. When I tried taking the wheel off myself, they'd damaged the tool for taking off the locking wheel nut so I doubt they got it off to even check. So I hammered the thing on and replaced all of them with normal nuts. It was leaking on the interior rim. No way they would have missed it.

Anyway, similar to above but without the tub. Get a spray bottle and fill it with a mixture of water and washing up liquid. Spray it over the whole tyre including the rims. Any leak will create a froth.
 
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spray bottle with a bit of fairy liquid in it and soak the wheel in it, you'll see bubbles where the air is coming out.

Can be corossion on the mating surface of the rim which'll just need wire brushing/sanding down and refitting but could be a cracked rim too.
 
Ok thanks guys! I’ll try and locate it first with water/spray and then I guess ask for a refurb repair instead of a full new wheel if those are likely to hold up longer term
 
might not even need a refurb, if it's just corrosion a good going over with a wire brush before they remount the tyre can work.
 
relicalpha said:
I've got a ford focus with a slow tyre leak, it will drop from 38 to 32 PSI over 2-3 weeks of minimal usage, problem is I've already replaced the tyre and TPMS valve.
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I had a very similar issue. There was some corrosion / rust which was breaking the seal. I was recommended a place that would fix it - cleaning off the corrosion and preventing a recurrence - and it cost me something like £30.
 
I have had this before, but years ago, basically as everyone else has said above.

However, for mine I had to replace the wheel or live with it. I can't remember why, not enough material left after removing corrosion I suspect.
 
Nasher said:
When I had this the tyre guy just put a bit of sealer around the edges of the tyre and re-fitted it. That stopped it. The wheels were quite corroded and a refurb fixed it permanently.
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This I took my 12 year old MK7 Golf to get the alloy sealed at a local tyre garage, It was only happening on one tyre but probably would happen with the rest before long cost me £20.

Basically the alloy just corrode over time.
 
Sometimes the valve stem leaks it needs a bit of rubber sealant inside the rim to help it seal as the valves can bend over time from the braking energy heat generated!
 
AWPC said:
Sometimes the valve stem leaks it needs a bit of rubber sealant inside the rim to help it seal as the valves can bend over time from the braking energy heat generated!
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This ^ could also be the valve internal is just loose, you can grab a valve key online or halfrauds and just nip it up or even replace the valve internal.
 
What year is the car? May be able to find a single alloy online somewhere, I've had some cars where it's been surprisingly cheaper to buy a 2nd hand alloy of the same type than it was to refurb.
 
Alloy wheels can get porous over time, I had this issue with mine and got them refurbished as the diamond cut was showing the usual white patches after a good few years. This stopped the pressure loss. A refurb of a wheel isn't too expensive either.
 
I have this myself. It's the third tyre on the same wheel that leaks very slowly. Just got used to topping up every week or so.

The twice the tyre has been changed I haven't mentioned it. Once I forgot, second time I wasn't there. I tried tightening the valve stem, that didn't work.

But about a week ago I realised the TPMS valve could be tightened at the base so I did that. Seems better so far, slowed down at the very least.
 
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