Help me figure out why a tire is leaking air

[Robert28]

I have a 2016 Camry that used to belong to my mother that I keep to drive as a backup sometimes when I’m not in my truck. There’s always been one tire that slowly leaked air, usually like 6-10lbs in a few weeks. I just put new tires on the car a few months ago and they’re doing it too. I thought maybe a bent rim but tire place said it was fine, they even did the soap and water test and found no leaks. It still slowly leaks air though. It did it with the other tires prior to the new ones I bought too.

 

[Redbow]

I hope they checked the valve stem for leaks. I used to mount the new tires we sold years ago at our service station, sometimes the valve stems leaked at the rim or up top where you apply air. But if you got new tires I hope they installed new valve stems, they should have.

Makes me wonder if the rim is cracked somewhere but I have seen valve stems with just a tiny crack in them that leaked the tire down over time.

 

[cowhornedspike]

Get some Mr Bubble (think kids blowing bubbles) in Walmart and apply it to the tire and rim. You will find the leak.

 

[ClemsonRangers]

i had one like that, the tire place took it off the rim, lightly sanded the inside of the wheel to get a better tire seal and i had no more issues

 

[Big7]

Been there, done that.

Most likely it is the tiny hose that goes from the inside of the tire/wheel to the tire pressure indicator. They rot pretty quick.

I'd almost bet money on it.

 

[cowhornedspike]

Been there, done that.

Most likely it is the tiny hose that goes from the inside of the tire/wheel to the tire pressure indicator. They rot pretty quick.

I'd almost bet money on it.

????

 

[Big7]

????

There is a tiny hose and one way valve that goes from the inside of the tire thru the wheel. It leads to the unit that reads the tire pressure that shows up on the instrument panel. IDK if it's wireless or what.

The hoses rot and the valves get stuck and leak.

It's an easy fix next time the tires are rotated.

That was the problem when my light was coming on a few days after a pump up.

 

[cowhornedspike]

Sensor is completely inside the tire and transmits the pressure to the vehicle. No hose.

 

[Pig Predator]

i had one like that, the tire place took it off the rim, lightly sanded the inside of the wheel to get a better tire seal and i had no more issues

I had this happen too. The guy took a coarse brillo and removed the residual rubber build up from past tires.

 

[Big7]

Sensor is completely inside the tire and transmits the pressure to the vehicle. No hose.

The one I gad trouble with is an 09'. Maybe they got something different by 16'.

 

[tr21]

The one I gad trouble with is an 09'. Maybe they got something different by 16'.

I had the same problem with mine. after I kept having to take it in every 1k miles they finally told me the factory only leaves enough slack in the line to make it 1k miles before it is all wrapped around the axle and pulls itself loose. then it needs to be unwound and reattached !!!!

 

[1eyefishing]

I had the same problem with mine. after I kept having to take it in every 1k miles they finally told me the factory only leaves enough slack in the line to make it 1k miles before it is all wrapped around the axle and pulls itself loose. then it needs to be unwound and reattached !!!!

You just gotta go in reverse every other thousand miles.

 

[K80Shooter]

I have one now that will lose about 4psi in a month.

I have not been able to find anything myself. When I get a new set of tires later this year, I will have them over inflate the tire and submerge it in water to try finding the leak "BEFORE" the old tire is removed.

I want to make sure that there is not a pinhole in the wheel itself.

 

[transfixer]

If there was a new valve stem/tpms installed when the new tires were installed, then I would suspect a porous rim ?

I'm willing to bet the valve stem/tpms's were reused, because they aren't cheap, and that is likely where your leak is

 

[madsam]

Valvestem

 

[Meriwether Mike]

Slime it and the leak will stop.

 

[transfixer]

this is what the valve/tpms looks like for a 2016, not sure what slime or one of the fix a flat remedies would do to the sensor ? would be better to have it changed.

 

[specialk]

i'd screw the valve out and replace it....and try this....i have to use it on my after market rims on my truck....

 

[earlthegoat2]

3 anecdotes from my personal vehicles.

2005 Chevy Cavalier- alloy rims- slow leak- rim was corroded at the bead. Bead sealant as described above fixed it.

2005 Jeep Liberty- alloy rims- slow leak- I also had new rims put on during this time -rim was corroded at the bead. Bead sealant as described above fixed it.

2000 Ford F-250- alloy rims- slow leak- the bolt in metal valve stem had been damaged to the point the core no longer sealed. Needed a new valve stem.

From a long history of automotive and heavy equipment tire problems the culprits of slow leaks have usually been valve stems and damaged rims.

I thought maybe a bent rim but tire place said it was fine, they even did the soap and water test and found no leaks.

I, unfortunately would distrust this assessment. I have been less than impressed with most “professionals” out there in the world to include auto mechanics, most contractors of any nature, and especially, doctors.

If you are having to put air in your tires more frequently than you think you should have to (presumably based on prior experience with other vehicles or even a direct comparison with another vehicle you currently have) then there is indeed a leak somewhere.

 

[transfixer]

Most tire shops have very inexperienced guys installing tires, especially the franchise tire places like Discount or Mavis, and others similar. A small independent tire dealer "might" have guys installing tires that know what they are doing ,

One of my good friends son was a manager of a Discount tire until recently, he left cause corporate kept messing with the bonus percentage he'd always gotten, but he's told me numerous times the guys they hire and train to install tires are lets just say, less than intelligent for the most part , he was constantly having to fix something they messed up, or pay a customer for stripped lugs, broken lugs, scratched aftermarket rims, etc, that the guys had ruined,