When To Change Tesla Tires? (Read This First)

Last updated on September 12th, 2023 at 03:04 am

Tesla is different from the regular cars around us in design, make-up, class, and functionality.

That’s why you’ll need a proper understanding of all its components, including the tires.

As a Tesla owner, having adequate information about Tesla tires is necessary as it’ll help you maintain and replace them when due. 

But unfortunately, most users have limited knowledge about Tesla’s tires. Thankfully, I’ll be filling you in on all you need to know about maintaining and changing your vehicle’s tires.

You should change your Tesla tires once in 6 years before they begin to wear out. However, it’s possible for your tires to malfunction before exhausting their lifespan, depending on your handling technique and the nature of the paths you drive through. In such a case, you must book an appointment with the Tesla service center to replace the tires sooner.

I’ve designed this article to provide all the necessary information you’ll need for replacing your Tesla tires. 

Reading through to the end will help you better understand and care for your Tesla tire.

How Frequently Should I Change My Tesla Tires?

The recommended time of change of Tesla tires should be in six years unless they show signs of wear and tear early.

Tesla has programmed its tires to function for six years at a maximum. 

If you use your tires for more than six years, you’ll begin to experience malformations as an indication that the lifespan of the tires is running out.

With a car like Tesla, you don’t want to wait until you start getting hitches, such as tire punctures, before arranging for a replacement.

If you replace your tires before six years, you’ll save yourself many issues. So, you should change your tires early.

Ideally, Tesla tires have a design that helps them function best when you run them at 20,000 to 40,000 miles a year, giving them an overall lifespan of six years.

However, the timeline drastically reduces if you’re not into speed and decide to run them at 10K miles instead. 

With 10K miles a year, they’ll need the replacement in three years instead of replacing them in six years.

So, the speed at which you run your Tesla matters significantly in determining how soon you get to replace the tires.

Another thing that may alter the timing for a change of your Tesla tires is the tread depth difference.

If you check and the tread depth difference goes to or beyond 1.5mm, you’d have to replace the tires immediately.

That’s because, with a car like Tesla, you’re trying to avoid whatever will serve as a risk of ruining the wheels.

Also, if you got a flat tire and you still drive on it, you’ll need to visit a Tesla service center for a change of tire.

Therefore, if you drive your Tesla within 20 to 40K miles a year, you can schedule the replacement of your tires six yearly.

However, if you stick lower than that, say, 8K miles a year, you’ll have to replace your tires before six years.

How Long Do Tires Last on a Tesla? 

On average, a regular Tesla tire from the factory will run at 30,000 miles.

However, a few owners of this luxurious vehicle brand have reported running their tires beyond 40K miles.

Nonetheless, keeping a mileage of 20,000 to 40,000 miles for a Tesla standard tire is safe.

Different conditions can cause the mileage of your Tesla vehicle to increase or decrease, as the case may be.

The type of tires Tesla uses for its motors are a good fit for electric cars; that means they have the architecture that supports a good lifespan.

However, your driving skills and road condition significantly affect the tires’ lifespan.

Therefore, when it comes to tire lifespan, Tesla tires top other conventional road tires that can’t run at the pace of Tesla.

Most conventional tire types are less expensive when you measure them with a Tesla tire.

Surprisingly, although Tesla has an average duration it expects its tires to last, some owners of the vehicle report a higher lifespan.

Hence, although the Tesla factory sets a lifespan, your driving habit and road conditions can decrease or increase the lifespan.

If you want to increase your Tesla tires’ lifespan, I recommend you develop a maintenance schedule for all parts of the vehicle.

With that, you’ll spot issues faster and tackle them before they give rise to more significant problems.

Also, avoid taking your vehicle to ride on rough terrains that can easily lead to punctures and bursts.

Another critical factor is how fast you drive your Tesla; driving at 20,000 miles or higher will allow your tires to last up to six years before requiring replacement.

However, if you drive at 10,000 miles per year, the lifespan of the tires will shorten by half, giving a three-year lifespan rather than six years.

Do Tesla Tires Wear Faster?     

Tesla tires may wear faster than normal due to certain factors. Here are a few things that make your Tesla tire wear faster than expected.

#1. Heavy Battery Pack

Tesla tires wear out quicker than usual because of the vehicle’s weight. A Tesla motor is heavy, and that’s because of the heavy battery pack.

And since the tires are the ultimate bearers of weight, they tend to wear out quicker than conventional car tires.

Due to the heavy nature of the Tesla vehicle, a higher level of friction develops between the tires and the road, which results in thinning out the tires, thereby causing faster wear and tear.

#2. Instant Torque

Another contributing factor to why a Tesla tire wears quickly is its acceleration speed from a stop.

Tesla is equipped with instant torque, which means it can start speedily and instantly, adding a lot of strain.

#3. Driver’s Habit

How you ride your Tesla determines how fast the tires would wear and tear. If you constantly push your tires harder than you should, you’ll wear them faster.

So, rather than using your Tesla aggressively, please treat it with care, as that will help reduce the rate at which it’d tear and wear.

That said, here are simple tips on how to make your Tesla tires last longer;

• Avoid acceleration too hard; take it easy on the car.
• Avoid driving on muddy or dirty roads.
• Avoid roads with poor terrains.
• Reduce the speed you drive because speed impacts negative energy on the tires.
• You may also want to avoid hard braking; apply breaks with ease and caution.

Can You Change Tesla Tires at a Normal Tire Shop?    

Yes, you can change Tesla tires at a regular tire shop. Tesla company ensures to factor this possibility in place when it designs its cars to give owners fewer issues.

A local mechanic should be able to change a Tesla tire without much problem.

However, it’s only possible to get some Tesla services at a local mechanic shop; for more technical issues other than changing tires, it’s proper to take your vehicle to a Tesla dealer shop.

That’s because, for more complex issues, only a Tesla expert has adequate knowledge to proffer the right solution. After all, Tesla isn’t like other regular cars.

Also, regarding certain models, you may need to visit a Tesla shop for a replacement when you have tire issues.

That’s because some Tesla models need professional skills before cracking open.

However, if you have a less complex model, a local mechanic will come in handy to help replace your tires.

With the complex models, booking an online appointment with the Tesla service center is best.

Doing so will help them inform you about their working hours and how to get to them.

How Much Does a Tesla Tire Cost?    

One Tesla tire will cost you between $135 to $570. Going by this,  four tires cost about $1500 to $2280, depending on your model.

Tesla’s tires aren’t cheap, and there’s no surprise about that, not just because of the class the brand of the car gives its owner but because of its high-quality parts.

With that much expense, maintaining your Tesla, including its tires, will be wise, so you only need replacement sometimes.

Getting a tire replacement for your Tesla will cost you a lot of money.

Hence, rather than mishandling your tires and seeking ways to replace them, I suggest you create a maintenance schedule for the vehicle.

Furthermore, getting a tire replacement would be easy if you own one of the simple Tesla models. 

You should contact Tesla customer care from their website and get better information regarding tire replacement specific to your model.

You may wonder what features make Tesla unique to have such expensive tires. 

This table summarizes a few pros and cons of Tesla tires;

Pros	Cons
Their designs fit perfectly for instant torque.	Tesla tires aren’t everyone’s choice.
They have thicker sidewalls.	These tires have little trendy wires options for muddy terrains.
Tesla tires have a durable synthetic runner architecture.	Tesla doesn’t provide flat-run tires like some modern Sedans do.
These tires are always radials rather than bias-ply.	Tesla tires are more expensive than the equivalent road tires.