2007 RAV4 Sport, big 6 cyl. Left rear tire leak. 2 new tires, 3 new stems, 1 new rim. Defies logic! ONE of these should have eliminated the leak! I'm so tired... {black}:excitement: {black}:excitement: {black}:excitement:
Don't guess. Test.
dunk it in a tank of water deep enough to reach the tire bead wheel spokes.
Rotate the tire, looking for bubbles.
Or just spray the whole thing down with soapy water.
A well-chosen few words, Imperator. I should have added that tests presumably performed (how well is anyone's guess) by the mechanics I took my RAV4 to. 2 new valves were installed (sequentially, of course) and 2 new tires were installed--both at the suggestion of different mechanics. I ordered a new rim on my own, figuring that the Detroit area's hellish freeway topography could easily have put a dent in the rim. I should also say, at 81 y.o., I don't try to fix myt own car any longer.
Sorry for posing this unanswerable question. Somewhere along the line, the tire testing probably was hurried or just not done. So starting over (with a new set of eyes) likely is the answer. Because, after all, one of the fixes should have stopped the leak.
Thanks, MountainManJoe!
yeah sometimes before you can find a good fix, you have to find a competent mechanic. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if no tests were done at all.
@imperator That is why I watch them when they are doing something like this, and make sure they know I am watching them. It is sad that we have to be so careful so as not to get cheated in some way.
@nlord if I have to babysit someone, then I might as well do it myself. I only go to mechanics because it's not worth my time
@imperator Yes I agree, however there are some things that I cannot do, as I do not have a lift, equipment, or time etc. Or as the original poster said, he is getting too old to do it.
Hmmm…if the suggested water submersion or soapy water application techniques do not reveal the air leak, and the run flat tire theory doesn’t apply then perhaps you have a neighborhood prankster getting kicks at your expense.🤔
Neighborhood prankster, as remote the possibility is of that, it would explain what is happening.
I am with @imperator on the method to locate the leak.
A good tire shop should be able to identify the leak for you as well, rather than throwing more parts at it.
If nothing else, I would do a tire rotation, perhaps at another shop, and make sure the leak follows the rotation.
Sounds very odd for sure, makes me want to look at the common denominator besides the tire. Did you take it to the same shop each time? Did the same guy do the work each time?
I had a leak I couldn’t find on my BMW X5. Multiple tests. Different tire shops. No leak found.
It was getting time to replace them, so that was what solved the leak.
My guess is that since they were run flat tires, something was plugging it and letting it open while driving, but not detectable when the tire was submerged on it’s own, or when just spraying soapy water in it. That’s just a guess though.
