A week ago I put on new wheels and tires on my 2026 Mazda MX-5. Fast forward to two days ago I noticed two of the wheels were already low on air. Baffling, because I’ve only done about 10 miles on the set since installation. Unless I’m incredibly unlucky in catching a two nails on two seperate tires in the least amount of miles, the leakage has got to be from the equipment.
Well, the tires are new, and so are the wheels. It’s very unlikely those are malfunctioning from the factory. The only culprit that I immediately zeroed in on is the tire valves. Those were also purchased brand new, but their efficacy in sealing to the wheels is dependent on the installer. If you don’t pull the rubber bit far out enough, the base won’t adhere to the wheel surface completely.
So out came the soapy water spray and the hypothesis was confirmed. Many bubbles coming out of the valve stem base. I used a four-way valve stem tool to gain leverage on the valve and pulled on it outwardly. To my surprise, it actually worked! Both leaky wheels have successful held air for two consecutive days of checking. Knock on wood.
Sidebar: car enthusiasts should not look down upon brick and mortar auto parts stores like AutoZone and O’Reilly. Those stores might not sell the appropriately OE quality stuff for your finest German and Japanese machines, but if you need something in a pinch - like the aforementioned four-way valve stem tool - auto parts stores are a figurative god send. Especially on weekends where without that part, you are otherwise stuck on that project.
The blame for the tire valve seating issue has got to be on the technician that mounted the tires to the wheels, right? They do so many sets per day that it’s got to be muscle memory. This particular time, muscle memory failed to apply enough force. Part of the mounting process should really involve checking to see that the rubber valve has seated correctly.
Shame! America’s Tire has always been reliable and cheap for me. I guess you really do get what you paid for. I’ll choose a different tire place next time where you can pay more for attention to detail.
You know what time it is?